2nd plane
 

What plane would be a good plane I was wanting a Me109 as a 2nd one but I dont know if that is to fast :). So what would be a good one for someone who learned on a nexstar and is 11

RE: 2nd plane
 

I don't know the Nexstar is a pretty forgiving trainer. I would go with mabe an advanced trainer like the Avistar, or posibly a 4 Star or Tiger 2.

RE: 2nd plane
 

Hey, I looked up the Me109. Its a warbird right? If I were you, I wouldn't get a warbird as a second plane. They have high wing loadings, are prone to tipstaling, not as stable as a second plane should be, and they land prety fast (this is what I have heard, I havent gotten to that level yet either) Check out this link, it is full of good second plane suggestions by RCKen[link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm[/link]

RE: 2nd plane
 

Yea its a warbird

RE: 2nd plane
 

Honestly, I've been through this phase very recently and I did EXTENSIVE research for my second plane.
This is really the toughest thing to decide (what way to go next), you are tempted to buy beautiful airplanes, but you know deep inside that you are still not up to the level of flying a warbird, a pattern or a 3D plane :)

The majority or the general trend and good reviews from experienced pilots will lead you to a couple of choices:

1. Carl Goldberg Tiger 2 or Tiger 60 if you want a big plane
It can be bought as a kit or as an ARF, however there are lots of complains about the consistency of the product when it comes to construction.
Some firewalls were installed backward... You will have to rely on your chance or building expertise, but the flying characteristics of this plane are just amazing.

2. Sig Fourstar 40 or Fourstar 60 if you want a big plane
It can be bought as a kit or as an ARF. This is a tail dragger design and generally no complains about the construction or flying characteristics.
In fact it flies extremely well and lands very slowly.

3. World Models Sky Raider Mach II or LA Racer 40 or Super Sport 40
The Sky Raider Mach II has an another version called Mach IIs and it is basically just a newer trim with the same dimensions and design of the Mach II model.
LA Racer 40 is also the same design as the Sky Raider Mach II but with another trim still, and an additional cowl specifically cut to fit the OS Max .40LA engine.
The Super Sport 40 has also another version called 40s and it has a lighter wing load than the 40, a cowl around the engine and a different trim design.
All world models receive very high marks on the quality and ease of built as well as the fine characteristics in the air. These are all ARF versions.

You can go with any of the above options.
I belive the fourstar is the most beautiful out of all these, but what I did was settle for the LA Racer 40 (green trim) because this is going to be the first airplane I ever build, and I don't want to be facing problems with unproperly fitted pieces.
This is also a change from my tricycle landing gear on my trainer, and it is small enough to fit in my car.
It is somehow cheap to crash, so I fly it with less stress.
And I like to have two aileron servos: except for the LA Racer 40, only the BIG versions of the Sig and goldberg offers that... I will wait to have more experience before paying that amount of money on a plane I will easily crash :P

RE: 2nd plane
 

fadi81,

When you start your plane, how about starting a build thread?

Hogflyer

RE: 2nd plane
 

Humm... yeah! why not.
How do I do that? Needs Pictures?

RE: 2nd plane
 

fadi81,

Just go to the beginners forum page, and at the top of the page is you see a button for a new post. Hit that and you'll see the familair posting page. There is a box above the normal text box to put you heading in. See the attached graphic.

Hogflyer

RE: 2nd plane
 

hehehehe :D
Ah fine, I know how to post a message!!

I thought there was a special forum dedicated for that.
The problem is that World Model contacted me saying that they cannot send me the plane overseas, I have to contact the local dealer. And the local dealer doesn't carry this model right now!!!

I am back to square 1 :(
Probably will end up training more on my kyosho and then order the sig from towerhobbies...

RE: 2nd plane
 

Thank you so much for going in to the time to write that up I'm probably gonna go with a 4star with a .50 engine

RE: 2nd plane
 

No problem man :D
So you wanna try that new OS MAX .55AX engine in it?!

RE: 2nd plane
 

Nice second planes can also be the cheaper lesser known brands (WM excluded), some are really good and you will be surprised, here are some others you might be able to try out, its really worth your while:

WM Super Sport 40 - very aerobatic and will KE across the field
WM T34 Mentor - gentle flying plane and pretty aerobatic
WM Sky Raider Mach 2 -light easy flying plane that can KE across the field too, very easy to build
Black Horse Speed Air - very aerobatic and flies really good, great KE
Phoenix Scanner - good low wing trainer, fles well

RE: 2nd plane
 

also looking for a second plane, except my current is an electric RTF! can anyone recommend a good gas RTF trainer? or should i go with an ARF? i dont want to spend alot of time building. i just want to fly. any advantages of an ARF over RTF? thanks everyone!

RE: 2nd plane
 

HellasPilot,
I've compiled a list of planes that make good trainers and second planes. You can find that list here :

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4537845/tm.htm]Looking for a trainer, what's available. (Updated 8-14-06)[/link]

Ken

RE: 2nd plane
 

i actually saw that list already, so thank you, its much appreciated!! i guess i was wondering on what peoples' personal favorites were. if one is better than the other.
also, let's say i crash it.. [sm=red_smile.gif]... are parts readily available for RTF's like these? are they relativley easy to rebuild? i guess its all a matter of experience huh?

RE: 2nd plane
 

Yes, it's completely a matter of experience. While it's impossible to "lump" every pilot into a couple of categories, but usually kit builers are the best are repairing planes. This is because they understand construction techniques and how to repair without adding undue weight while ensuring that the repairs are strong enough to function properly. What does this have to do with you? I'm pointing out that all repairs to a plane are going to involve rebuilding the damaged portion of the plane, and how easy or hard it is for you will depend on your skills as a builder. You asked about the availability of "repair parts" and this is another way to go, but can tend to be very expensive in the long run. All of the planes on that list have the manufacturers selling replacement main parts for them, which are sold as main assemblies such as the fuselage, tail sections, wings, etc.......

As a point of clarity here. The main difference between an ARF and a RTF is usually that the RTF have the engine and radio equipment mounted in the fuselage. Even with an RTF there will be some assembly that needs to be done to the plane, usually consisting of assembling the wing halves and putting the tail section together. Although most RTF's have simplified this assembly by making these parts "bolt together" so they can be assembled quickly.

Hope this helps

Ken

RE: 2nd plane
 

Helps alot, thank you! I've had to rebuild my electric RTF plenty of times so now I'm pretty experienced with that, but I know that these more complex/realistic planes require a whole other level of expertise and experience. I really think(or hope at least) that I'll have less crashings and softer landings since I'll be flying with an RC club and now have the flight time under my belt. I guess it didn't help that I began flying in heavy winds and populated areas. Now that I'm smarter about when/where to fly, I haven't had any crashes and haven't had to fix anything on my current electric rtf.