VMAR / VMAX
 

I have one of the new VMAR stinger advance trainers on the way, and will be outfitted with the VMAX .52 engine. Has anyone had any experience with this engine, or any of the VMAR arfs? This ARF is a new release, just released earlier this month. Has anyone else ordered/gotten it in yet?

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Best of luck with that one! The VMAR planes have lots of brite colors on them which attracts unwary new pilots but the quality and the way the plane is put together is very poor and substandard. The retailers also aren't in too much in a hurry to make ammends when there is something wrong with the kit. For similiar types of planes with similiar pricing but much better quality most flyers go with planes from a brand name called Seagull. :eek:

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Unfortunately, what FastSky said is true. I hope that they've gotten better with this "new" offering, I'd hate to see someone else get stuck with a sub-standard ARF.

Always best to do a "Search" or ask the questions before you buy.
Dennis-

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Contrary to the popular practice of bashing the Vmar products, I will mention I have had good luck with mine. There are about a dozen of us who post on these forums who enjoy our Vmar planes, and are not afraid to say so. Mine's the original Extra 300, still offered but not the colorful one currently being advertised. I recommended it to two friends, who were both satisfied when they got the same item. Mine's red, they chose blue.

As with any product, look it over carefully, do some reinforcement here and there, and check it over carefully after flying for things that loosen up. Notably, the covering seams that are near the leading edges on the wing & stabs will need a little CA or canopy cement.

Since yours is on the way, I suggest you brace yourself for criticism. For every one of us who have no problem with ours, there are several posters who feel it is their duty to report that a friend of a friend or somebody they flew with told them such and such about Vmar. If you eliminate all posts except those who report their own experiences, you find about half sound like inexperienced builders or flyers who didn't do the things I recommended above.

I will say, mine has faded considerably. After 3 or 4 years, and over 300 flights, it's a nice problem to have.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Thanks for the replies. I'm not necessarily unwary, I did do a search and found just what scar said. Some in favor, lots against. Most people against it, though, have had no personal experiences with it. I was wondering about personal problems with them--i.e. the way they build or so on. just so when I start to build mine, I'll be aware of potential problems beforehand, and maybe avoid some of them. I was also wondering about the vmax engines. Are there any pitfalls to them? Hit or miss?
Scar, I hope after 3 or 4 years mine is JUST fading! Sounds like you've had great success with yours. Thats good to hear!
Keep the replies coming, and I'll update when mine comes in. I guess I'll either be another bad experience for them [&o], or (hopefully) a satisfied customer :D.

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

I'm learning on a VMAR Discovery and i love to fly it. Handles great and flies great.
No problems to report at all.

ypres; belgium

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

A buddy of mine just got a Vmar Vstick. Seems pretty well built, but the covering they use is hard to get wrinkles out of. the covering melts VERY easy! other than that, it flies well, and is very stable.

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

That's good info, C-man. I'll make sure I don't get the heat gun too close! My brother also ordered the stick from them. We went in together and got big discounts. He picked that stick up for 59 bucks! I'm sure we'll get our money's worth!

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

i have experience of both vmar planes and the vmax engine,the planes are best used for lighting bonfires,the engines are very good but don't like too high a nitro content,10% is best,they run very well on duraglo 10.

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

I sure hope I don't have these poor experiences everyone is speaking about. I have a vmar on order, a vstick coming. I hope to have lots of fun with it...

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

About the covering, it's probably best not to try to shrink it. I couldn't see as it was shrinkable. You didn't buy this thing for perfection, so don't bother the bubbles and they won't bother you. Mine actually didn't have a lot of bubbles.

I tore some underwing covering by mistake, however, and used Ultracote to patch. Ultracote will stick, and the low heat won't melt the original covering. I also patched the sticky-back shelf-paper covering on my TwinStar with Ultracote. Worked okay.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

have had vmar plane and 46 engine for few weeks the plane and engine looked great and had hope to fly two weeks ago. the wind has been to high here on the flying days. cranked up engin on tuesday of this week soommething broke in engine. drichmond said ask what fuel i was using and i told 10% cool power they told me that i could not usy synetic in this engine. is ther outher fuels to use plan on sending back to richmond to see if they can repair cheap put 46 from nexstar in v mar plane ffor sunday flying

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

I got my Vmar stik in Friday. Took the 46 VMAX to break in today. The throttel body ceased up tight on me! I'm so dissapointed because i have the plane ready to fly now! I will have to call Richmond on Monday. I sure hope they stand behind their products!

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

The VMAR planes really suck big time if you wanna just b*tch about it, however at the price you cannot complain. One thing is that they do fly very nice, however, the quality (not built) is sub-standard. Build quality is only so so. Remember thet do fly nice ... becareful about the Stinger, one just folded its wings and the guy was not pulling high Gs.

Stay away from the VMAX, its cr@p. The engine will run nice and good at the beginning, after like a couple of gallons you will note that tuning is hard, you get the high but not the low, you get the low but not the high. A few guys had this problem. Anyways, for me a good cheap engine is something like the ASP and SC. Served me really well despite abusing them. Cheaper than TTs but lasts long enough and is easy to tune.

Boy - I think its nonsense that you cannot use synthetic fuel ... you might have run it too lean for the engine's liking. Castor is most safe but if you want to run synthetic then run it slightly rich.

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Well, guys, I just flew the VMAR Stinger for the first time--It's an awesome flying plane! Tracked straight down the runway, and into the air! A few clicks of trim and I was flying. This thing responded to every command. Definitely more agile than my alpha trainer was, but it is the perfect step between trainer and low wing 3d. I didn't have any problems putting it together. There really wasn't a compartment for the battery/radio, so that took some engineering, but other than that, no problems. I really don't like the way they want you to hook up the control surfaces (clevices at the servo, and quick connectors at the control surface), but I guess it'll work. Just gotta make sure those things stay tight. I may replace those eventually, but for now they worked great. Put four flights on it today without incident. Greased every landing. Of course, the winds were close to nil today! Now, I don't want to jinx myself, as anything can happen next time out, but today was great!
Oh, I didn't put the vmax .52 on it yet. I just put my evolution on, because I wanted to fly today, not break in an engine. So, I can't comment on the engine just yet.

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

flew my hornet trainer today the instructor liked it a more than the nextar that i had been training on the 46 v mar flew apart on the fifth tank of fuel the company has agreeded to fix the problelm because i wass ruinning wrong fuel. If it doesent' cost much i may let them repair just want all to know no syn fuel haven't found any other yet but local club said members tollled me to go canstrol products. the plane flew great today after pulling engine from nexstar a 46afx withe 10% nitro

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

2slow: That's a great looking plane, and a pretty good looking set of toes too!!!

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Yeah, what kind of paint is that on them toenails? :D

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

You guys weren't supposed to see that. It's a little problem I have.....:D

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

A little problem? We better not ask whose thongs you are wearing!!!

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Well, sounds like two "direct" responses to the "quality" of VMax engines to me. :eek:
Dennis-

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Go vmar!... dont know much about vmax... but GO VMAR!!

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Well sounds like Dennis has never used a VMAX before then.

Ok, I have a VMAR dicovery and it is beter than the Seagull Bommerang IMHO and have a VMAX 52 on a seagull spacewalker. The Discovery is the old what you pay for is what you get, it is cheap and it does show in some areas, but it flies brilliantly, the VMAX after some glow plug troubles, wrong sort O.S #8 suck, it has never missed a beat. On my spacewalker it has unlimited vert and plenty of power at under 1/2 throttle and starts first hit every weekend with the electric starter.

So if you have never used VMAX or VMAR keep your opinions to yourself because they are worth nothing.

Fly-guy

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Fly-Guy,
I don't have to buy a VMax engine. I can read. :eek:
Dennis-

RE: VMAR / VMAX
 

Here's my new VStik (That's my 11 yr old son holding it). I had to send the VMAR 46 back because the throttle was stuck. Not very happy about having to pay the shipping to send it back either! I hope they service the engine and stand behind it once it gets to them.

Put my super tigre 51 on it today so I'll maiden her tomorrow. Will let you know how she flies!!!