UPS just brought my new Escapade, can't wait to get it in the air!
I've got an old .40 that I'm not even sure what it is, just says "Pro" on one side of the case and "40" on the other. Been told here that its either an old Magnum or Thunder Tiger, but it will absolutely dust the Magnum .46xls and the OS .46ax that I have. I'm going to try it on the Escapade until I can pick up a .55ax!

I have just got my escapade back and have a 55ax with jett muffler, I have not been able to maiden it yet as the battery I choose was too large to fit in the fuselage but I would highly suggest the 55ax and a jett muffler, you will NOT be unhappy, the new RC news has the flight test of the escapade and is running a 46ax and they said they barley needed half throttle, so with the 55 ax you will more than enough power on hand if you need it, I propped mine for speed, with a 10x8 the new battery is in and I am breaking in the engine, just waiting for another nice day since its gotten cold her in chicago. VERY VERY well built plane, very flawless. Very solid and the gear is much more sturdy than my pulse 40. With a 55ax the escapade is going to haul ass. Throw on a jett and youll have more than enough power for practically anything. Glad you chose the escapade. 100$ how can you beat it? You cant......

Hugger,
You'll find that this plane will do quite well with the 40 on it. Save the 55 for something else as the Escapade will be quite lively with the 40. GP did a great job on the Ecapade.

Ken

Thanks Ken and Jacked69. Wow , just opened it and the covering is perfect, the manual reccomends tightening it but is it really needed?

Btw here's some pics of this mystery engine I'm going to use, no one would believe the RPM I measured with a 10x6 prop when I had it mounted on an old trainer. So I'm going to run an 11x7 Apc when I get it mounted on the Escapade and see how it spins that. Still tryng to get someone to video me when I take the readings.

[img][/img][img][/img]

A couple of questions for you.

First, the battery is to large? What battery did you choose? I use the Venom 5 cell (6 volts nominal) 1200 mah pack in several of my planes, all are much larger than the Escpade, and that pack lasts me for all the flying I intend to do that day. And, I can quick charge it if needed.

Second, what is a Jett muffler? If that is a muffler that is supposed to add power, well, in my opinion (and that of many of the experts here on RCU) the 55 AX certainly has enough power as it is without having to add a power-raising muffler and the cost involved. That power-box muffler does a great job and does not add any more or less than any other type of muffler, AND keeps things quiet, which is what a muffler is supposed to do.

As for the original post (OP), if you are going with the .55 AX, stick with what you have and fly the thing. I'm sure that if the OP flys it with that .40 he has, and if it flys ok, then it will fly supurbly with that .55 AX.

CGr.

Looks like an old Thunder Tiger.

check out this thread for more info. and watchouts on the Escapade [link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8067138/mpage_1/tm.htm[/link]

Yes, that's the Thunder Tiger logo on the side.

As for the covering, it may look great, but with any ARF, take a few minutes to iron down the seams just to be sure they won't lift during flight.

Hey MinnFlyer how did you see that logo with the picture being so dark. I better get better implants so I can see it.

Being a Graphic Artist, I have a VERY good monitor.

Here, I'll lighten it for the 95% of you that have standard Monitors:

See how well my new implants did. I can now see the logo.

The Escapade is a nice looking plane. I have mine partially built. Waiting to master my trainer.

Thanks for the reply about the covering Minnflyer. This is only the second brand new balsa plane I've bought. The first was an Avistar and there was no question about tightening the covering on it! Great plane, but the covering had wrinkles and bubbles everywhere. I can't find a flaw anywhere on the Escapade. But I will follow your advice! Thanks again.

Btw, thanks for the info on the engine too. I don't know anything about Thunder Tiger engines, but this one literally blows away the Magnum .46 and OS .46 I have. There's nothing wrong with my .46's and I'm very happy with them, but I'm surprised by the power of this .40. Are Thunder Tigers usually faster/more powerful or is this one just a fluke?

Worked on the Escapade for about 3 hours last night, its almost ready to fly, just needs the engine and tail wheel. Might have got done with it, but one side of the fuse was missing two rails that the fuel tank tray and throttle servo tray mount to. Fortunately I had some square dowels handy to make my own rails from. I had to mix up the epoxy and let it set before I could go any farther with the fuse. I'd have been pretty upset if I hadn't had the materials handy to fix it! Haven't decided wether to bother telling Tower Hobbies about it yet![>:]

Nothing odd about your engine. The Thunder Tiger Pro series is great.

On a GP Revolver or H9 Sundowner yes, on an Escapade no.

While I haven't owned or flown an Escapade, I have seen a couple up close and personal and in the air. They are a relatively small plane designed for sport flying. A strong .40 is probably good, a strong .46 will likely be very lively. Don't get me wrong, I like power and I like going fast. Don't be surprised if your Escapade has some sort of airframe failure with that high performance engine and muffler combo though. I'm not saying it will but it could.

Also, what kind of battery were you trying to stuff in it that wouldn't fit? 6V golf cart battery?

I have the 46 AX on the Escapade that I reviewed. It is PLENTY of engine for this plane, and it's a really fun plane to fly. As Chuck said, the 55 with a Jet muffler trying to make this plane a rocket ship is really a waste of a good plane. Overpowering does not always make a plane good. In fact, overpowering can often ruin a good plane.

Ken

Thanks fellas. Your replies give me a better idea. If I don't keep this TT .40 on the Escapade, I'll yank the .46 ax off my Venus and put on the escapade, then put a .55 on the Venus. Its under repair right now anyway.

Change out your tail-wheel. The stock one is junk IMO. Way too much side to side movement which makes it really squirrly on the ground. If you do keep the stock wheel, ditch the plastic retainer for a wheel collar.

Definitely. I lost the tail wheel on the first flight for my review. The plastic retainer came of somewhere.

Ken

Ken, when will your review become available?

Bruce

I'm not sure when it will cue and go live. Should be in the next couple of weeks though. I'll let you all know when I get a better idea.

Ken

Looking foward to your review Ken. I've also started a review over in the product review forum. Besides being my first full review, only my second ARF build, and an amatuer writting attempt at best compared to what Ken's will be, I used some different components and tried to approach it from the perspective of a new modeler on a small budget. I also took several tips from Ken and some others who have posted here about their Escapades, hopefully it will be valuable info for someone. Here's a link to it.
Thanks!


[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8604281/anchors_8604281/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#8604281[/link]