Hi,

I'm new to the sport of RC flying and i have been resaerching it for about a year. I have a built a balsa model before. ( a 16 1/2 inch spitfire). but it was just for show and i did not install a motor in it. I am a big fan of the DC-3 and once i saw the one DC-3 made by Top Flite. I'm pretty sure that i could build it but flying it would be another story. Would the DC-3 be a good plane for a beginner or should i stick with a trainer?

A DC 3 is something even an experienced modeler would think twice about building and flying.

There are many reason, including twin engines, wing loading, stability, complexity of build etc etc etc.

Why not build and fly a trainer first, then move onto a DC3 later? The trainer will give you a lot of what a DC3 would, but with a far greater chance of actually flying for a few seconds.

Good luck!

-David C.

Do some more researching in this forum to get beginner set-up recommendations. Virtually all will tell you to start with a high-wing single-engine trainer (for good reason).

Get busy, there's much to read !

Righty,
Welcome to RCU! Get involved and get flying, but get a trainer and an instructor.

I've been flying for eight years, and started instructing last fall. It too am a fan of the venerable DC-3. They're a marvelous bird with an amazing history. I have no doubt that I could build the Top Flite DC3, but I only think that I could fly it well. Does that tell you what I think of you starting with it?
Dennis-

I thought you guys would say that...


I really thank you guys for responding to my post and i'm gonna take your advice and start off with a trainer. They may not be the best looking or flying things out there but its still loads of fun! I've asked my local hobby shop about the DC-3 and they encouraged me to start off with a trainer to so what i plan on doing is buying a trainer and a DC-3 at the same time.

Why???? you ask.

Because I asked them about the DC-3 and they said they had one more Top Flite DC-3 and they wern't ordering any more for a long while. And since i have been saving up money from my job ( im 15 and work at Wendy's) so i asked them to hold it for me and they said they would be glad to so i think ill pick up the trainer and the DC-3 and keep it in my closet until i have mastered the trainer fully which should be in about at least two years. So thanks for your input guys!

DC-3 or any conventional twin for a primary trainer is a Recipe for disaster. Start your climb at the bottom rung and you will survive to love this lifetime sport/hobby.

A twin will be a number of rungs and airplanes up that latter. Don,t dispair however you can realize the dream. Do keep it alive as you develop with your proper trainer and check in at the multi engine forum on this board.

By the way an overweight scale DC-3 is not even a starter for multi. Best to start with something like the Twin Air and there are simple ways even to convert one of your old single engine trainers to a good flying multi. Take a close look at my Avitar, that is a Kaydet Senior 'trainer'.

Welcome to the board.

John

Ah yes the DC-3. I'll date myself by saying that I went on a class trip to the Norfolk, Va airport when I was just a kid. We got to go on a airliner and guess what it was?? You're right, the DC-3. Must have been about '49 or '50.

Go to the local flying field and make sure you get an instructor to go with that trainer...

A year or two down the road you will know what you want... Before building the DC-3, you will want to build a couple more kits. It's a very bad first-kit. It's really a pain to build them...

The DC-3 would be a decent first twin...Built right, it is not a hard airplane to fly. Getting two engines to cooperate with all the plumbing and radio equipment working together is another story! The DC-3 should be a couple years and many kits down the road.

Just enjoy that trainer...Keep that DC-3 in the back of your mind though as a long term goal. For all we know, you may completely change your interest and starting flying HUGE aerobatic airplanes...

wadup,
Well i'm quit new too..Well from what i know and have done..You have to start with a trainer and bravo that u have ordered one>
As all have said here a DC 3 is a 'no no' for now. Do not even try it as your second plane for a matter of fact. Twins very different from singles(have never flown a twin b4 but from what i'v heard.)If one engines cuts up there you would need to have alot and alot of experince and knowledge on how to get it down in one or in a matter of fact two pieces!!!
You must fly the trainer till you can master it well for eg. fly inverted,do loops,rolls, know how a plane stalls(even though a trainer hardly stalls)..etc.
Only yesterday did I witness a new flyer who thought he was an 'expert flyer' already crash his new low wing plane on its first day at the field. He was advised by other senior flyers that he wasn't ready yet but after only about 2-3 weeks flying the trainer he thought he knew 'everything' and went ahead.And that was only a low wing sports plane with ONE ENGINE!!!
So hope you take our advise from RCU and not try that DC3 in the very near future alright.

my duraplane stalls really well, and spins really well too if you don't stall it coordinated.

Righty,

You can always buy that DC-3 later. If your hobby shop sells the one they have, you can ALWAYS get them to order another or just buy it somewhere else. They will be available for a while. Trust me, if you've never built a kit before, you do NOT want to build the DC-3 until you've built several other kits! It's a pain to build! You'll likely get frustrated with it and never finish it.

I have to agree with others here Righty. Leave the DC-3 at the Hobby Shop. (They'll understand.)

Take a look at the Great Planes Super Sportster, I'm willing to bet you'll like the way it looks, and it would make a good second plane. It's available either as a kit or an ARF too.

For my first kit I chose a Top Flite 81" Cessna 182. It was too ambitious, and after 250 hours it's still sitting, unfinished. I burned out on it, but will finish it someday.

You'll be able to buy that DC-3 after building a couple other kits, if you find you still want one.
Dennis-

Hey, Righty. Here's an idea. I've seen several DC-3 kits for sale here on RCU. Experienced modellers get burned-out on them or have second thoughts. So when you get ready to get a DC-3, there's your chance to save some bucks.

Welcome to the hobby, more like an addiction. Take everyones advice! Keep in mind that a lot of this advice comes from ones mistakes! Take your time and build two or three planes maybe even a smaller twin taildragger to get you used to what to expect when you put your $$$$ dream bird in the air. I have been flying since 95 and have wanted a turbine powered jet since 96, I got into ducted fans in 2000 and lost my A-4 on the second flight due to the lack of knowledge required to operate them, talk about and expensive steep learning curve! I just got my first solo turbine flight last thursday so you can see it takes time to reach that ultimate project that you dream about. Not only will you need to fly well but the bigger and more complex your plane gets, the less tolerance it will have to abuse so building technique and proper set up and maintenance practices will only contribute to your success. Don't want to scare you, but for me at least I would rather learn from someone elses mistakes than make them on my own and have them say I told you so! Trust me I have made my share of stupid mistakes and I am sure others will tell you the same. This is a great hobby, I wish you the best of luck in your new hobby. One last thing and I will shut up. Ask lots of questions! Never be afraid to ask or think a question is stupid, the only one that is stupid is the one that you did not ask that ended up costing you that beautiful DC-3!

Chris

righty, you remind me of me!

2 years till you move onto to dc-3?

all depends on how often u get to the field. If you can get down once or twice a week then you'll be flying solo in a few months, then after that, a 2 hour session at the flying field, cut the chat and you don't have to have an instructor helping you. Before i solo'd, i got maybe 2/3 flights a session (2 hours)

now i've solo'd, i usually talk a lot to the guys but i still get in about 5 flights a session now, sometimes when i'm not really in a talky mood, i can get around 10 flights in!

don't be dis-couraged, the dc-3 is a beautiful model indeed. Maybe after mastering your trainer, you could modify it to have to wing mounted engines? If its a size .40 engine trainer, get 2 size .18's on the wings, this'll help you, and trainers are very modifyable
after this, get the dc-3 kit and build it, still get help from your instructor for the first few flights so you can get the hang of it

i think i should do the same though....i'm trying a twin engined vtol plane out and i haven't flown a twin before!

i've had all the various comments and stuff about me not being able to handle it. I should get someone to help me but because its so different, i dont really want anyone else touching the thing :stupid:

i know this sounds kinda pathetic but in my club, if my vtol does work, there's only 2 or 3 people i'm going to let have a little go with it as they are the only people who gave me a bit of support whilst everyone else was saying "it won't work, wait another 5 years" and the various crap

oh well,

Hello just wanted to let you know that I agree that you should start with a trainer. But! you may have the DC-3 quicker than you think. I started flying on a buddy box with a trainer in August of 2000. I too had the dream of flying a Top Flite DC-3. I had a couple of low wings after that. One of them being a Great planes AT-6,which help me a lot. In the fall of 2001 I started building the DC-3. This was my FIRST KIT. As long as you follow the instructions to a tee and are somewhat handy you should be O.K. It turned out beautiful and flies very well. I'm still flying it now as a matter of fact. I just built a Ziroli Zero 92" as a second kit. It too flies well. I have however, let a more expereinced pilot test fly these planes for me.

Just keep the DC-3 in the back of your mind as a goal. It's not as tough of a bird as some people think. You just really need to get your ducks on a row before you fly it.

Hope this helps and Good Luck!

another picture

As stated, leave the DC3 in the shop. I have one. It is great, but I have been at it for over 27 years. It is a lot of plane. I have seen a few like you think they can build it too. They couldn't. Thats a lot to pay and then throw away when you screw it up. Build a few kits, learn the tricks to keeping it light and strong, and then think about it. Chances are, you are paying way too much for it anyway (did I say that?) Get the trainer and get with a club and learn everything you can. Build 4 or 5 planes, then think about the DC-3. It is a lot of kit. You will like it better later than if you build it heavy now or take on too much and burn out.

You will have a much better chance of finishing it if you wait. I know that is hard for a 15 year old to believe. I had the same problem when I was your age. I had to have the best kits, and I blew a few up. It is a costly lesson to learn. You have lots of time. Don't rush it.

Righty-

Yeah, learn to fly first, find an instructor, lean how to build.....but keep that DC-3 kit in the closet. Get it out when you're down, and dream about how you'll feel as you do a fly-by, with the crowd oohing and aahing! Don't let anyone steal those dreams-once they come true, you'll never regret the wait!
John

With a trainer that 2 months to solo stuff is really not true. If you had some time and could get out with an instructor ever day of the week and get about 4 flights in every day, you would be solo on a trainer in one week. I soloed in 2 weeks going to the field 6 days out of those 2 weeks. You will probably learn faster than people tell you that you will, most people who get into rc planes already really like planes and understand how they work and all of the inputs needed into the transmitter to keep it flying, that cuts allot of time out of it. As for the dc-3, I agree that you should wait on building it, but if you truly want it go ahead and buy it if you think the price is fair. Its always nice to know that you have a plane lying around ready to build like the dc-3, you're not stuck thinking about when you are going to get one. Get a sport low wing plane kit after you have mastered your trainer, build it, fly it, and invest ALLOT of time into building the dc-3 after that. I think you can pretty much build anything after you build your first kit and the instructions of the dc-3 guide you along with every step, you can download them you know, it just takes time and you should invest allot of time into making sure everything is right. I would say that this process, depending on your funds and getting out once or twice a week to the field, will take about 8 months before you can start building it. Thats just my opinion on it, don't deny yourself of a plane because you cant build it/fly it, get it and enjoy its presence until you can build it/fly it, if your budget allows.