Firebird II
 

Will this be a good plane to mess around with? Just to fly when i am bored and dont want to go to the field to fly my .40 size plane? I need one to mess around with. I figured this will also help me rudder steer

RE: Firebird II
 

No it wouldn't be in my humble opinion. It feels and responds differently then more "traditional" RC planes.

If you are looking at a small electric look at the GWS line of planes they are good flyers use tradional RX/micro servos and are relatively inexpensive

RE: Firebird II
 

GWS Slow Stick or a JK Aerotech T-52. Stay away from those 2 channel planes.

Dave...

RE: Firebird II
 

Don't waste your $$. They fly like crap. The Parkzone Slo-V flies pretty good if you want a nice slow plane,

RE: Firebird II
 

For a GSW slow stick, what would be a combo? just curious on what a total price would be for this complete. I came up with $209.00. Not bad. thats assuming you already have a radio.

RE: Firebird II
 

Let's see, I'm just guestimating from memory here, because I don't have my receipts in front of me. I just bought one a few months ago.

Plane -- $35
Receiver w/ crystal -- $40
Speed control -- $30
Battery 7cell NiMH -- $30
Servos (used standard size Futabas that I already had) -- Would have been about $25
Misc. Connectors for electrical parts -- $10
Total without charger -- $170

I went ahead and bought a Great Planes Triton charger which I got for about $80 after rebate. It charges everything, so I use it as a field charger for glow planes too. I also later bought a $30 lipo pack. Not quite as much power, but I can get a 20 minut flight in.

It's a fun plane to play with and I'm using it to teach my young son to fly. The only aerobatics it can do is a stall turn and loops, but it's still fun.

-Scott

RE: Firebird II
 

Instead of that, I bought a Parkzone J3 Cub. It is a blast to fly. It won't do acrobatics like my large glow and gas planes, but its great if you have a large field or school yard. Granted you really need about at least 3 acres to fly it, but if you have the space then its great for just getting out and relaxing a bit doing loops and stall turns.

RE: Firebird II
 

crashburn, thanks for that i have a park behind my house that i will use or go to the school yard. How much is it RTF?

RE: Firebird II
 

A GWS Slow Stick, J-3 Cub or Tiger Moth would all be decent planes for flying around in a decent back yard, say 100 by 100 feet minimum. The Cub and the Moth would both need micro servos, but the GWS servos are pretty cheap, and if your not flying around others, their micro receiver is only about $29 with the crystal. (It's a single conversion receiver so can be "hit" by other transmitters on other channels.)

The Slow Stick can use standard servos but would fly better with mini servos. Try the Hitec HS-81's. They're a bit lighter than standard servos, but can still be used for larger stuff.

Good luck,
Dennis-

RE: Firebird II
 

ok i think i will just go with a glow powered. reason being is cause i know everything needed with them.

RE: Firebird II
 

Thats allway an option, however don't let electrics intimadate you. You only need Four basic components for an electric setup

Speed controller
Motor
Battery
Charger

Its very easy to start out especially since the motor is usually included with the kit and GWS sells flight packs that have the correct speed controller and a so-so battery. That only leaves you to pick out the type of charger!!

RE: Firebird II
 

ok, i like the aerobird challenger i dunno yet though

RE: Firebird II
 

The Cub needs nothing. It comes RTF and it takes about 10 minutes to get it ready to fly. It even comes with a pretty good DC quick charger. Its like $149.00, but it can be had cheaper at some finer lhs's. I would replace the cheap AA's that come with the remote. They usually only last about 2 or 3 flights. I might have even paid 129.00 for mine. The others listed are also good planes, but this is what I bought, and I am getting ready to buy another one, I am that happy with it. I do enjoy my largeer planes a little more, but just to pop out beside the house, you cant beat it. I have about 80 flights on it and it flys good. The last time I had it out, I hit a light pole twice and a tree once, dont ask, but amazingly if I would have wanted to charge the batterys again it still would have been flyable.

RE: Firebird II
 

crashburn, i know a guy who biult and eletric that flys good. I want something with alerons. becaus that way it would be like my plane, but i am gonna go ahead and get my 6exa radio first

RE: Firebird II
 

Thats good. Your always better off, saving and getting the best computer radio you can afford, if you can go the extra try the 7C, but if not the 6exa is good too. If you get that, and then you might try some foam planes like the Tribute or Shock flyer, I think thats what its called, or even a Funtana mini. Either way, have fun and good luck.

RE: Firebird II
 

thanks crashburn, i better quit lookin at planes till i get the radio i want cause i will end up buying a plane with the money instead of a radio