25-28% Planes
11-12-2005, 09:23 PM
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25-28% Planes
I currently have a 28% Wild Hare Edge that I really like. It is built well but still performs nicely I have been looking into getting another aerobatic 25-28% plane to put a Brison 3.2 on. From what I see a lot of the planes in this size range look good but seem to be made strictly in the interest of being light rather than strong (Hanger9 27% Extra 260, Aero Tech 28% Velox and Yak, the new WH 80" Yak etc.) The 1/4 scale Great Planes Wagstaff is fully sheeted but by there own ads comes in at 31 oz/sq ft. A little heavy by most standards. I know that no one wants a flying brick but not all of my landings are picture perfect and I fly off of a grass strip. Surely there is some middle ground between super light and light enough yet strong. Many of these birds look, from the pictures of the interiors, like they would snap in two the first time the landing went a little rough. Some even look like they might twist in two with a hard snap roll. Is it just my imagination? Any recommendations besides get better at landings which I am working on?
11-12-2005, 10:54 PM
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RE: 25-28% Planes
Buy an design that's about 2 or 3 years old.
The technology to build super-light airplanes has advanced rapidly in the last few years. By buying an older design, you will get a nice solid plane thats not built like a Russian outhouse.
Look at the World Models 80" Patty Wagstaff. It's light enough, but plenty strong. Mine weighs 15.5 pounds with a G-62 on C&H and an aluminum muffler.
You are right--the GP Patty is too heavy for it's size.
Take a look at the Kangke ARFs. The 87" Laser 2000 will fly nice on a Brison 3.2 engine. They are on sale for $310 at www.rcshowcase.com [X(] Thats a SCREAMIN' deal. I paid $450 for my first one and $425 for my 2nd one. But, you better move fast. At that price--they won't last very long.
Take a look at one of the Blackhorse models. They make an 81" Cap 232 for $299. It's supposed to be about 12-13 pounds with a 1.80 glow engine. Put your Brison 3.2 on it--and you got yourself a nice 14-15 pound Cap 232. Blackhorse Models are very popular in Europe and in England. I've read a lot about them, and it appears they are a decent plane for the money. Just "budget" enough to be built well. But not so light, and top-of-the-line technology to be built like an egg shell.
Good luck.
The technology to build super-light airplanes has advanced rapidly in the last few years. By buying an older design, you will get a nice solid plane thats not built like a Russian outhouse.
Look at the World Models 80" Patty Wagstaff. It's light enough, but plenty strong. Mine weighs 15.5 pounds with a G-62 on C&H and an aluminum muffler.
You are right--the GP Patty is too heavy for it's size.
Take a look at the Kangke ARFs. The 87" Laser 2000 will fly nice on a Brison 3.2 engine. They are on sale for $310 at www.rcshowcase.com [X(] Thats a SCREAMIN' deal. I paid $450 for my first one and $425 for my 2nd one. But, you better move fast. At that price--they won't last very long.
Take a look at one of the Blackhorse models. They make an 81" Cap 232 for $299. It's supposed to be about 12-13 pounds with a 1.80 glow engine. Put your Brison 3.2 on it--and you got yourself a nice 14-15 pound Cap 232. Blackhorse Models are very popular in Europe and in England. I've read a lot about them, and it appears they are a decent plane for the money. Just "budget" enough to be built well. But not so light, and top-of-the-line technology to be built like an egg shell.
Good luck.
11-13-2005, 09:36 PM
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RE: 25-28% Planes
What about an owners of the Aero Techs, Hangar9s, etc? Are those plane stronger than they look? Are there any others out there that I am missing that would take the Brison 3.2?
11-14-2005, 11:13 AM
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RE: 25-28% Planes
Don't take this as an insult, but any plane that is impervious to hard landings, etc., has GOT to be over-built/heavy.
A good example is the Goldberg Sukhoi ARF. I've had several less-than-perfect landings with no damage, and finally dorked it two weeks ago when I managed to stall it three feet off the ground. Entirely my fault; I knew the plane must be flown to touchdown, but I was chatting with a pal while landing and had my head firmly "up and locked".
It ripped out the gear, put a crack in the cowl, and busted the foam belly pan. The repair will take less than an evening, and most that will involve restoring the covering cosmetically. The cowl crack is in the paint; the glass is fine, so it will be left as is.
My point is that no major damage occurred from a pretty severe thump. This airplane weighs 11.5 pounds with a Laser 150; certainly well within the accepted standards for models of this size.
I also have an H9 Extra 260 and 25% Wild Hare Edge; both use the same type of construction as the Sukhoi (except that the WH has sheeted foam wings), and I have no reason to believe they will be any more fragile. There are certain things one can do, such as re-glue what joints you can get to, that perhaps will improve the sturdiness of the model, but for the most part you can pretty well depend on these higher-end Chinese-built ARFs. Not always, of course. But the three I have are nicely done.
BTW, I fly from grass. Unless your field is exceptionally rough, grass is your friend. I have no doubt that the damage would have been much more severe if I had thumped down on pavement of some sort.
Again, not trying to be ugly, but if your landing skill worries you, work on it with another model. From what I have seen so far, these quarter-scale and larger ARF aerobats are a good bargain, in terms of quality and flying characteristics.
A good example is the Goldberg Sukhoi ARF. I've had several less-than-perfect landings with no damage, and finally dorked it two weeks ago when I managed to stall it three feet off the ground. Entirely my fault; I knew the plane must be flown to touchdown, but I was chatting with a pal while landing and had my head firmly "up and locked".
It ripped out the gear, put a crack in the cowl, and busted the foam belly pan. The repair will take less than an evening, and most that will involve restoring the covering cosmetically. The cowl crack is in the paint; the glass is fine, so it will be left as is.
My point is that no major damage occurred from a pretty severe thump. This airplane weighs 11.5 pounds with a Laser 150; certainly well within the accepted standards for models of this size.
I also have an H9 Extra 260 and 25% Wild Hare Edge; both use the same type of construction as the Sukhoi (except that the WH has sheeted foam wings), and I have no reason to believe they will be any more fragile. There are certain things one can do, such as re-glue what joints you can get to, that perhaps will improve the sturdiness of the model, but for the most part you can pretty well depend on these higher-end Chinese-built ARFs. Not always, of course. But the three I have are nicely done.
BTW, I fly from grass. Unless your field is exceptionally rough, grass is your friend. I have no doubt that the damage would have been much more severe if I had thumped down on pavement of some sort.
Again, not trying to be ugly, but if your landing skill worries you, work on it with another model. From what I have seen so far, these quarter-scale and larger ARF aerobats are a good bargain, in terms of quality and flying characteristics.
11-14-2005, 02:43 PM
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RE: 25-28% Planes
I'm not insulted at all and I am not asking for impervious. I am just looking at the ads that I see and notice a wide difference in contruction that, to me, looks weak. As a point of comparison I attached some pictures. The teal and white one is my WH Edge the rest are some of the others in this class. The WH takes imperfect landings (not slow crashes) well and looks to be built a little tougher. Over-built, maybe but for $400 I would like something more than a kite.
