haze_b

Aloha,

Just won a Great Planes F-4 Phantom II Kit on E-bay. Can't wait to receive it and start building. Anybody have one? How does it build? How does it fly?
Any recommendations for retacts, struts?

It'll be electric like all my other planes. (gotta preserve those clean lines). Will be using a power system equivalant to a .90 size slimer.

Any comments or advice welcome

Mahalo,

Haze

rcflyer1970

My Feedback: (212)

Should be cool, put a couple air whistles on it for the jet sound, don't forget to post some pics when you start building, and some specs on motor and batts.

funflyerf4

My Feedback: (6)

Hello Haze,I also have the F-4.Nice flying plane.The plane it self is built weak.It does not take much abuse.You have to double up the retract plates.Even with gentle landings the gear comes out.I also doubled up the motor mounts.I am running a Jett 90 lx.Other wise it looks great in the air!

vasek

My Feedback: (4)

nice plane funflyer!

did those droptanks come with the kit? if not, where did you get them?

thanks,
V.

bob27s

My Feedback: (19)

Pretty straight-forward build. Comes out as impressive model.

Flying weight around 9-10 lbs.

Be sure to install retracts.

Flying - pattern ship smooth, but it needs power!! Lots of drag, big wings. Bleeds energy in the turns and when flairing for landing. Power management is important.

Bob

funflyerf4

My Feedback: (6)

Hey Vasek,there from my Yellow F-4

vasek

My Feedback: (4)

[sm=thumbs_up.gif]

Razor-RCU

My Feedback: (50)

Haze b: Sounds like it will be expensive to go "E" Power on that baby! Those are real nice lookin' airplanes... Just watch your okole on take-offs

haze_b

Aloha All,

Thanks for the advice.

I'm really looking forward to this build. I've always loved the Phantom's profile.

And yes it will be a bit pricey to go "lekky". I have to buy the motor/ESC (@ $350) as all my other planes are .40-46 size. The most expenive stuff (LiPo Batteries), I've already got. I just switch components between planes. Get a lot of flight time and max use out of those things.


Anyway, thanks again for the advice. More is always appreciated.

Haze

haze_b

I'm thinking spring/air retracts and struts. Any thoughts?

phantom driver

My Feedback: (32)

I had one for several years before I lost it due to a low battery. Flew great, very easy to fly. Used an OS 91 FX and it still could have
used more power. Mixed flapperons and elevator for landing which worked great. Flaps used for approach slowed it down too much. Retracts are a must. My best advice would be to us a strong engine and an 1800+ maH. battery.

julio cavazos

I bought a GP phantom Kit about 3 years ago, and Set it on hold on hold until 4 weeks ago when I start the assembly. There is almost none kits around there. I think is a very uncommon airplane these days. I know another version from Lanier, but I think that it looks like a cartoon plane.

According the people here at my city that flew same airplanes at that time, it’s very heavy and it needs a lot of power. I knew about a guy who tries to fly it with a .75 super Tigre and it crash the fence at the end of the airfield track. So I’m thinking in to use a 1.20 webra or O.S.

Can somebody inform to me if there any fitting issue with this? Or weight issue?

saludos

Julio Cavazos
Monterrey, Mexico

haze_b

Julio,

follow this link for a Model Airplane News review of the kit. It's old but it may help you out.

http://www.rccaraction.com/MA/reviews/f4phantom.asp

I_Fly_Coolers

My Feedback: (7)

Uhhh......That picture is the VMAR F-4 ARF, Not the great planes Kit....

haze_b

I was wondering about that also. The GP kit nose looks more in proportion. Here is an in-flight picture from a review article.
I plan on doing mine in Navy paint scheme. (VF-111 Sundowners) Not sure If I'm gonna glass and paint or use monokote.
Got some Robart "spring/airs" and Robostruts on order.

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

Thats not the GP F-4 is it?

julio cavazos

I already bought a 1.20 webra for mine. Also bought a kit of tri gear set robart 520 air system who allows the retract down automatic in case that the system
gets out of air pressure. They are full metal and looks great, but with the one detail that retracts are always open until you inject air on the system, so its
very difficult to work on GP kit while this way. My plan is also to glass and paint like jolly roger scheme.

I check the retracts mount plates and I think is pretty strong or enough to hold the airplane. Ribs are mixed balsa and ply,.. very strong…[:@]

Haze_b ,

Check this guy’s link … Its all the building process page with very good detailed pics. Very cool paint scheme.

http://www.flyinglindy.homestead.com/Phantom.html


Also this page is good...

http://members.tripod.com/r-dalton/id27.htm

loser

My Feedback: (37)

POWER, POWER, POWER......as previously mentioned it needs lots of it. I flew mine with an ASP .75 and it was a 50/50 chance of getting airborne before running out of grass runway. Very nice flyer and impressive looking in the air. I wish i still had mine (sold it). If I would build another I would try to "tunnel out" the engine nacelles to allow air flow through them....lots of drag there.

HaveBlue

and you'll get lots more drag if you hollow out the nacelles!!!

the pic below isn't a GP kit but the Vmar ARF... I just love those F4's..( even if the nose looks weird on the Vmar version)

Crazy4Flight

My Feedback: (540)

I need to fix mine in camo with Jett 1.20 but I wouldlike to the the scheme that they use on the retrofitted target drones.

funflyerf4

My Feedback: (6)

Sorry guy's I'm bad,I made a mistake.I don't know how I misread great planes for v-mar.Yes the picture in post #3 is a v-mar.But I do have the great planes kit in the box.I plan on building over the winter and glassing the plane and painting in the blue angels scheme.Sorry again about the misprint.

Frank

haze_b

Aloha FunFlyer,

It never bothered me at all, just wondering. I hear the V-mar flies very we'll

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried to "scale" the V-mar F-4 nose a bit better? (the rest of the model looks really good)
Is it possible? (seems like it wouldn't be too hard, but what do I know)
Would it be worth the effort?
Would it have adverse effects on flight?

Just a thought

loser

My Feedback: (37)

Hey Blue..... I realize that you would not get an even 1:1 airflow through those nacelles (exit vents too small) but I was thinking that any flow through would result in less drag than a closed front ......???? Don't you think that would help??

Steve

HaveBlue

I thought the same thing many moons ago,those huge closed nacelles look like walls on each side of the fuse and I thought that opening them up would help so I asked the question in the aero dynamics forum and all responses came back with "much more drag" .... and when I think about it ...when you hollow them out, you'll not only have the air flowing along the outside but air flowing through the inside now as well.. more surface area to slow things down