laganm21

I am looking into flying, Just something I have not tried yet, I mostly run 1/5 scale MT and some nitro cars, and fly a heil, but Now im looking a a good starter plane, Here is what I have found http://www.hangar-9.com/Products/Def...ProdID=HAN4400 or http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...=SM&I=LXCXF4** These are in my price range, I just dont want to send a lot at first, just want to see if I like to fly before I drop the big bucks lol, But could someone give me advice on whats the better plane or if you got a plane you thinks is better than what i posted please post a link thanks ,

capt17

The Tower Trainer is a great trainier and the price ir right! I would not hesitate to go for it. Just for fun, here's a list of Trainiers compiled by the forum moderator for you to browse. Have fun! http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm

laganm21

Thanks for the reply but I really need a RTF kits because I have nothing for a plane I was leaning towared the Hanger9 kit becasue it comes with a 2.4ghz radio what You think , are they a good brand

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

Both of these options are very good ones. If you spend $9.99 to join Tower Hobbies' Super Saver Club, you can use discount code 011EX to save $50 off any order of $250 or more and get free shipping as well.

This will put your final cost for the Tower Trainer 40 MkII RTF at $209.99 including delivery to your front door.

The Alpha 40 DMS2 RTF is also a very nice flying trainer. I don't know that it's worth $100 extra versus the Tower Trainer package, though:

-Alpha 40 is covered with Ultracote and striping and trim pieces won't peel off as easily as Tower Trainer airframe. Advantage Alpha DSM2

-DX5e isn't a great 2.4Ghz radio system, but it isn't a bad one. Tower radio system is good 72Mhz equipment. Small advantage to Alpha DSM2

-Tower Hobbies .46 and Evolution TPS .455 are both good ball bearing twin needle 2-strokes, but both can be finicky for novices to tune. No advantage

I think if you pick either of these RTF glow trainers that you'll be very happy. They're both a great choice.

Folks will tell you to buy the Alpha so you can use the DX5e with Horizon's Bind n' Fly (BNF) aircraft. Remember that the DX5e isn't a computer radio and it can't save settings from one plane to the next. If you use the DX5e transmitter for multiple aircraft, you'll need to thoroughly pre-flight check your planes and confirm control surface directions before flying.

laganm21

Thanks bigedmustafa That really help me out , and the promo code $209.00 shipped sounds great thanks alot

gunneredwards

My Feedback: (4)

I feel the plane with the spectrum radio would be a better choice just for the options of bind and fly... that being said, if you just want to try it and then maybe sell it, the cheaper would be the way to go. I always believe that if you are going to do something, do it the best you can or don't do it at all.
dan

andboy

My Feedback: (4)

I always suggest the Hangar 9 Arrow. It's an amazing plane, and I am looking for another. I am kicking myself for selling it.

Once I solo'd I still enjoyed flying it!

I am also considering the Mach 1, as I did have a Mach II before it expired (flying too slowly through the sun - stupid airfield orientation!)

The World Models Mach series are really good value for money.

TruBlu02

I've had my Tower trainer for about 2 years now. It is really one of the best trainers out there for the money. I have been very hard on mine and it is still kickin. The only thing I upgraded on mine is the main landing gear. The wire gear does not take abuse well and I fly mine really hard. I have even used it for combat! It is a tough airplane for a good price.

mclina

I have an Alpha and like it, but I think the Tower Trainer is a better deal.

Good luck.

laganm21

thanks for the replies , I just saw a video on youtube about the alpha 40 trainer here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmXN5Lw3B-M the wings fall off ***!!!, and the post on the bottom say there is a problem with them doing that

mclina

That dumb***** in the video only had about 4-6 rubber bands on that thing. He should have been flying with at least 12.

The way the instructions tell you to join the wing with 1/2" clear tape and no glue is questionable. Some people do it and have no problems (with enough rubber bands). I epoxied mine together and it has survived a lot worse than what the dope in the video was doing.

He was also flying in a housing development. What a moron.

I still say the Tower is a better deal, but don't let this video convince you that the Alpha wing is weak. It's not.

Good luck

laganm21

well I just saw that the tower hobbies plane is out of stock till july , i am wanting buy one in like the next 20 days not 4 months form now

mclina

That's a bummer. There used to be more RTF trainers out there, like the Thunder Tiger Trainer, but they seem to have mostly gone away.

You can get the Alpha from Advantage Hobby for $292 plus another 5% off for being a new customer, plus free shipping. That's like $275 delivered.

http://www.advantagehobby.com/produc...=73269&cat=170

(You don't pay anything to join their 'club', you just create a customer account.)

Your other option is to piece together an ARF (~$79), a basic 4 channel radio ($120), and a .40 engine (~$65-$120). Most people have gone this route so they can get a better radio to grow with. I am still a believer in getting your trainer on the cheap and upgrading on your second plane.

I'd probably go with the Alpha RTF if the Tower Trainer is unavailable and you really want to get started.

Good luck

Mikecam

If your really not sure that this hobby is for you then look into the RTF. If you sure that you want to get into this hobby then look into a ARF and buy a better radio. I went with a Futaba 7c 2.4, came with servo's, batteries, switch, and neck strap, ARF trainer and an OS 55ax to use in future planes. I never looked back. Good luck.

carrellh

If you prefer the Tower plane.......

Plane: Tower Trainer ARF $79.99 in stock http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCAS2&P=0
Engine: Thunder Tiger 46 Pro $94.99 in stock http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXKF97&P=0
Prop: Master Airscrew 11x5 $2.59 in stock http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXZ970&P=M
Radio: Hitec Laser 4 with receiver and 4 servos $119.99 in stock http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=LXANT6**&P=0

Total $297.56 before discount code.

laganm21

That a good deal and with the saved 50 buck i could get my AMA it thinks its like 58$ a year

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

I like carrellh's recommendations for pairing with the Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF. The Laser 4 radio system is a really good value - it has a metal handle, offers v-tail and elevon mixing, and comes bundled with ball bearing servos. It will buddy box with other Hitec or most Futaba radios for training purposes.

The Tower Trainer .40 MkII actually ends up pretty nose heavy with a ball bearing .46 on the front of it. The RTF comes out of the box quite nose heavy and the manual recommends adding weight to the tail once you check your CG and discover this.

The Thunder Tiger Pro .46 is a fantastic engine in every respect. I'm not trying to talk you out of the TT Pro .46, but you could save $30 by ordering the Thunder Tiger GP-42 instead. The plane will balance better and the GP-42 will still provide plenty of power to fly the Tower Trainer 40 MkII with authority. Folks will tell you not to buy a plain bearing engine like the GP-42 because they're weak on power. They are actually thinking of the O.S. 40 LA and .46 LA. Nobody who's ever flown a Thunder Tiger GP-42 or GP-61 would ever claim they were weak on power.

The Tower Trainer .40 MkII would also fly well and balance easily with a ball bearing .34~.36 2-stroke like the Super Tigre G-34, the Thunder Tiger Pro .36, the Evolution .36NT, or the O.S. Max .35 AX. You'd simply want to order a 10x5 prop instead of an 11x5.

The Thunder Tiger, Super Tigre, and O.S. Max engines normally come with a glow plug. You will need to order some medium fuel tubing in order to finish assembling your ARF.

Good luck and good shopping!

laganm21

the problem I am having with the tower plane is that with all the extra stuff I have to buy to get it in the air its a lot, like 1ST the plane, than the TX & Rx + servos , than the prop, and engine, + 6" servo extenders. and that runs me about 300 with out the discount code, and the only discount code i can find is 25% off any order over 250, not what was posted before in the fourm witch said $50 buck off an order more than 250 + free shipping i cant find that one, but the alpha plane is ready to run and with discount code i can get it for 275 free shipping, + it has a 2.4 radio, is there that big of a diff between the planes. this is why im asking yaw, I have bought cheap stuff before that has crap radio gear with is a pain in the ass, and i dont want to run into this problem again, also I want the plane to not have flaws and repairs out of the box

mclina

Either plane is going to be good. All of the radio and engine gear that have been suggested are good quality and you shouldn't have any problems with them. If money is tight, you really need to take a look at the total expenditure to get in the air, including glue, AMA, club dues, fuel, glow starter, fuel pump, extra props, etc... It will all add up, and once you make the first purchase, you are pretty much committed to the whole enchilada. When you look back at your original startup costs, a $20-30 difference in equipment will seem like nothing.


Another option is to look for a good used trainer and gear. This is the time of year that a lot of guys are cleaning up their hangar, and most clubs that I know of have bulletin boards or even club auctions where you can get stuff pretty cheap. It's not unusual to see ready to fly planes for $100 or less. I see planes get sold all the time for less than the value of the engine.

It might be worth finding out when your local club holds it's meetings and show up at the next one.

Good luck

laganm21

thanks for the heads up ,I have a glow driver I have a fleet of nitro's electric's and Gas powered cars and truck , and glue battery charges all the tools I need to fix \ repair all my equiment, I have a room just for RC's and tools and with the two 1/5th scales MT in there I need to expand lol , so im not worries about the extra stuff I need , as for tools and glue ect. the only thing I need that i dont have is a hand fuel crank I did not know that you have to pump the fuel in th gas tank, But thats why I am looking into planes because i Have done everything else related to RC but planes , and plus getting yelled at by the police all the time for running are 5th scales is getting old,

carrellh

There is very little difference in the planes. Either is perfectly good for learning to fly and deciding if you want to contiunue with planes. I posted the 'tower' links because it appeared that you wanted the tower plane but the rtf was out of stock. If you don't want to gather the stuff and assemble the tower arf, absolutely buy the rtf alpha. The price is good and you do get the 2.4 ghz radio system.

You don't have to buy a fuel pump. The squeeze bulbs you use to fuel your trucks will work, you just might need to do multiple squeezes to get the tank full.

iraqvet

I bought the Tower trainer about 3 years ago and like the way it flies. I had an old OS FP .40 in it a first and it was pretty slow taking off. I replaced the engine with a Magnum .46 and it has great power. My major complaint with the Tower trainer is the cheap covering. After the first season, the covering began to peel in a few spots and I was able to temporarily fix it but after the second season, it really began to peel. I'm in the process of recovering my fuse now...pretty annyoying for a beginner but I guess you get what you pay for. If I bought another trainer, I'd look for one with better covering.

laganm21

thanks for all the help , its really help me out a lot, I dont know what i would do without the fourm, thanks, I am going with the alpha 40 or 60 not just sure yet , but on outher post on rcu it seem like the first thing I have to do is replace the front nose gear, they say it pretty cheap but outher than that it seem to be fine, and again thanks for the inputs about both planes , since I have no one i Know that fly's, it nice to have some people's advice that know what there talking about

carrellh

Don't replace anything unless it breaks. I prefer 60 size planes but they do cost more, and use more fuel, than 40 size.

Bonified Wingnut

If you are a beginner and have never flown it will be wise to find a club and have somebody teach you. Find out what they fly and recommend so they can give you pointers on that particular plane. I have a Tower Trainer with a GMS 32. Great plane, but I think they all are. Search th AMA site for a club near you. There are probably 500 people who fly within 20 miles of you. You would be surprised.-BW