Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

Well, since my first trainer, Hobbico Superstar 40 RTF, folded it's wings and went into the death spiral before I actually got to solo last fall, I decided to get another trainer.

I ordered the [link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCAS2&P=ML]Tower Trainer 40 MKII[/link].
I started working on it last night. I'll post a few pics of it when I get it together. I hope to have it finished soon and be ready to get back to the field as soon as the weather allows. It's been so windy the last few weeks, 30-40 mph winds. Not good flying weather!

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

My grandson got one for Christmas and is going to maided it on Saturday. Fun fly at the lake for our club. He will be with an instructor. My other grandson will maided his GP arrow. Grandpa will watch with one eye open.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

The Tower Trainer .40 MkII ARF is a great flying airframe. If you've already flown the Hobbico Superstar, I would expect that the Tower Trainer .40 MkII should look pretty familiar. Have fun assembling the new bird, and hopefully the wind will die down once you're ready to take her up!

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

I ordered mine from Tower last week. UPS says it shows up today!!!! YIPPEE!!!

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

Did you get the kit or ARF?

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

Nevermind....I see it's only available as ARF.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

Awesome plane, you will be very pleased with it! I also have this one, and it is also my first nitro trainer, and for the price it is an awesome aircraft! Enjoy and good luck! They also offer this plane as an RTF as well

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

You'll like this trainer. IMHO it's one the best values out there these days. Great flying little trainer that is very inexpensive ($69.00). I learned to fly on one 12 years ago, and I still have it today. I take it out about once a month and fly it still. It's really fun going back and flying a trainer every now and then!!

Ken

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

Update,

Plane is all put together ready to go flying. The one thing that really surprised me was the the CG with the battery in the location called out in the manual is WAY far forward. Ended up having to move the battery pack to the tail to get it to balance. I am excited about getting this guy up in the sky. Isn't the finest assembly job I have ever done but everything works right. I think my Magnum XLS-46 is going to be WAY too much power but we'll see!

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

The Magnum won't be to much power. The RTF package comes with a Tower 46 on it. Start with the recommended 10X6 prop for the Mag and you'll do fine.

Good Luck,

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

You'll be fine with the Magnum XLS-46. The first trainer I had, a Hobbico Superstar 40 MKII, came with an OS 40 LA. And after the first flight my instructor said the 40 LA was a little weak for the trainer. I found a good deal on a OS 46 AX and put that on the trainer. BIG Improvement! It wasn't too much power. It made it easier to fly and take offs were much smoother. With the OS 40 LA I was having trouble taking off and while flying I could tell the engine was doing all it could to keep the trainer in the air. After installing the .46 AX it was like a different plane all together. Basic maneuvers were much easier. Smoother turns, better take offs.

Good luck with your trainer. I should have mine finished the evening. But with the weather, it looks like it will be a while before I can maiden her.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

Update,

Plane is all put together ready to go flying. The one thing that really surprised me was the the CG with the battery in the location called out in the manual is WAY far forward. Ended up having to move the battery pack to the tail to get it to balance. I am excited about getting this guy up in the sky. Isn't the finest assembly job I have ever done but everything works right. I think my Magnum XLS-46 is going to be WAY too much power but we'll see!

I wish I knew how this happened.....my CG was way back near center wing. My battery is now under the tank. I'm using a 0.40 engine and the engine mount has been blocked to move the engine a full 3/4 " forward. I replaced the 4mm mount screws with #8 - 1.5" long with # 8 blind nuts. The blocks allow for introducing a little down thrust. I also have about 2 degrees right thrust. The CG is around 3" back from the Leading edge. I have added NO weight.
I have other modifications....
Fiberglassed wing joint......bolt-on wings......flapperons......programmed down elevator with flap actuation......aileron/w/coupled rudder for coordinated turns. There are 5 servos in the plane.
I will be flying in a field near my home....so my aircraft will be hand-launched. An aluminum skid plate has been emplemented and held in place with the two screws that hold the front gear bearing.
For the first flight I plan to use a 10-6 prop. Anybody have a different suggestion???
If she flies good.....I'll be adding a video camera.....but that's way down the road.
I'll put some pictures up if you're interested.

Flash

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

I just ordered mine last night. Didn't ship today, however. :( I'm hoping to have it by Friday, so I can have her out on Saturday. Weather is going to be amazing! I'm thowing on the tower . 46.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

I was just looking at the weights of all the suggested engines for your plane. The OS .40LA does not have ball bearings, which really lowers the weight of the engine.
The engine you have is 12oz WITH muffler, while the others recommended by Tower with this plane are Super Tigre .40 is 19oz, Super Tigre .45 is 18.5 oz, OS .46AX is 17.2oz, and Tower .46 is 16.9oz) This (the lighter engine) would move your CG back a bit. The added servo, if its a Futaba standard servo, is only 1.3oz, which won't make up for the difference, especially depending on the difference in distance from the CG of the plane (servo vs. engine).
There are lead weights you can add to the nose of the plane to help this.

You did add a servo, too, right? This plane only needs 4 to get off the ground.

I'm new at this too, but I've been doing a lot of homework since before I got my plane. One thing that was STRONGLY advised to me, by EVERYBODY, was to NOT mix channels before I really knew how to fly the plane (was it you that was talking about flaperons and rudder mixing? Sorry I got confused) Anyway this is a trainer, which is probably designed to have 4 servos at first, and then might require some added weights to balance out the added servo for when you get the hang of controlling the first four on you own.

But I think the light engine you put in the plane, in combination with the added servo, is what is throwing off your CG. Hope this helps.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

I hope I don't have the same problem if I use my O.S. .40 L.A.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

He made alot of modifications to his airplane. Skid plates instead of gear being one, so deduct the weight of the nose gear from the front.
That said, it is not uncommon to have to add some weight to balance an airplane. We try to get it balanced as much as possible by moving the battery around but that doesn't always work.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

Yetti831,
I had the 40 LA with a [link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXE158&P=ML]Dubro Prop Spinner Nut[/link] on a Hobbico Superstar trainer and it balanced with the battery and reciver in the stock location with not additional weight. I later went with the OS .46 AX and to compensate for the added weight of the engine, all I did was move the battery behind the servo tray and it balanced ok.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

I have one and it work just fine for me. Starts every time. I don't even need to tune it. I have the ARF version

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

My new TH Trainer is ready to maiden. It's been ready for a couple of weeks. Just waiting on the weather to cooperate, mainly the winds more than the temps.
Here's a couple of pictures...

Tower Trainer 40
O.S. .46AX
10X6 Prop

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

Very nice build! Love the bottom. I just maiden-ed mine on Sunday, and I went out today in 20+ mph wind. Tough flying, but it was a lot of fun. Got her to hover just off of the ground. Ton's of fun. Pretty much had a harrier landing. You should have a blast with that .46. Putting one on mine soon. Post some pics. I have some video that I'm posting. Good luck!

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

If I were you, I'd get rid of that landing gear. I've come in for what I thought were near perfect landings, and because that gear is so flimsy, I couldn't set her down without a bounce or two, which I hate.


Looks like you did a great job with those hinges. Did you have to cut much into the wing to get them to seat correctly?

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

hmmmmm, I am not sure what the problem is. I have the same exact set up and I didn't have to move a thing on the plane. I was so shocked I checked the CG 3 times at home and had a couple of people check it at the field. I just couldn't believe how eas the plane went together and was ready to fly. My last experience with my Powerline Eagle Trainer was not easy to put together but it sure gave me some experience times 3...lol. (stupid accidents) However, when putting the Tower Trainer together I found have the instructions you didn't have to do because it was already done at the factory. i.e., cutting monokote from holes, running pushrod tubes, etc. holy cow I am absolutely sold on Tower planes.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

The only thing I had to do was use my hobby knife to clean out the slots for the hinges. Other than that, no problem.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

I have to agree. I am not a fan of the landing gear at all. I am not sure what I am going to do about it yet. I keep bending it :D right now. I am not sure if I should put a solid landing gear on it or bend some stronger wires.

RE: Tower Trainer 40 MkII ARF
 

Yes.....and the turmoil the fuselage goes through....not to mention the wingtip scuffing. Now there's no doubt that if you intend on competing in an AMA event....you should learn to shoot perfect landings on a hard surface. Halco gear is much more durable than those wire things provided by Tower.
Your choice......
When I go to my country field......there's no other fliers or spectators.....maybe a cow or two....but they're moved off with one or two low passes. Sliding in on grass is a true pleasure. After getting a few flights under your belt you'll learn to spot on with good accuracy....then those hard surface landings will be really pretty easy.....even in a crosswind.

Flash