Righty

What type of kit would you guys suggest for a beginner who has a little expeirence working with balsa. I'd like to build something like a Piper cub... any suggestions?

P.S.

Iam currently being trained on the Alpha... Just want some ideas for a second plane in the future.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Geneally, Cubs don't make good second planes, but any of the "Big 3" (Sig 1/6th - Goldberg - Great Planes) are good.

A better choice would be something like a Goldberg Tiger, Great Planes Rapture (Or Easy Sport), or the Sig 4*. All are very good builds with excellent instructions.

Mutch

I have to disagree with the choice of an EasySport for a first kit. Having just built one as my first kit I must say that the instructions leave a lot to be desired. Also, the quality of the kit was terrible, with many crushed parts and some just plain bad balsa.

dr_wogz

My Feedback: (3)

The Sig 4 star series, or the Somethin' extra/ Two very good choices for first builds..

the 4 star is one of teh best & most reccomended 2nd airplane. The SE is not as reccomeneded,but others swear by it. Both, offer an exellent building experience..

kaboomski

I second the Sig Four Star.

--kaboomski;

TyBryner

I third ...

4* was my second plane/first kit, and was a great experience.

I'm just about finished with my 2nd kit, the Somethin Extra...which also is shaping up to be a great experience.

bojangle

Not sure if I wanted to get in the middle of this, but will add my 2 cents.

I have seen many flyers start with a high wing first plane, which they should, learned to fly it well. Then they got a low wing, such as the 4*, and they weren't ready for it yet. I recommend a shoulder wing, such as the Easy Sport, for a second plane

Sig also has a shoulder wing called the "Mid Star". I think either one would make a great second plane. Once you master it, the transition to a low wing will be easier.

I'll probably be outvoted here, but that's my opinion Good luck with whatever you choose.

BO First you crawl, then you walk, then you run

halflight

My Feedback: (5)

Goldberg Tiger 2 gets my vote.

Me-109K4

My Feedback: (1)

I just finished the building part of my first kit a few hours ago, the Tiger 60. I had a lot of fun along the way, and hope covering isn't as frustrating as my father says. I made a few minor mistakes along the way, but overall it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I'd advise you to go ahead and make friends with sandpaper, you'll be spending some quality time together.

grumpE

My Feedback: (6)

Four star gets my vote.

Very straight forward and intuitive build techniques. With a 40 and minimal throws it is a docile plane and it can readily be spiced up when you are ready. If you are still a little green as far as piloting goes get your buddy chord back out and re-aquaint yourself with an instructor for a few flights.

Just my $0.02

Eric

czechyour6

The Eagle 2 builds easy and flies good, would modify it a little, but the instructions were always good

goboto

If you are looking to learn to build, maybe you might look at a Sig Kadet. They take more work, but they are worth every muniute.
Depending on your size limits for your shop and car for transport there is the larger Kadet Senior, or the smaller Seniorita I built. Being mostly stick construction, you will have to really build it ALL yourself. Other kits, such as the Sig LT40, or LT25 which have solid side fuselage are faster to build. The wings are basically the same effort. All these mentioned are excelent trainers and fun to build and report very good flying.

skier

I'd have to say the Easy Sport. It is everything I wanted as a second plane. Flies nicely, lands like a trainer, and is capeable of spins, slow inverted rudder turns, slow flight, and it is fairly fast at top speed. It is a great plane that is a lot of fun to fly.

airmaniac

the top flight elder 40 is a great second plane. the kit comes nice and i felt it was easy builing. flies great almost like a trainer. good for practice with a tail dragger! awesome appearance when done. just my 2 cents>

Scar

My Feedback: (3)

Oh, goodness, if you want a Cub, build one. You don't have to fly it, next. In one of my clubs, the president's first build was a Don Smith B-17. He built others, and flew them, long before the Fortress was finished. Another member built a Cub first, but then built a Midwest AeroStar to learn on. He flew the cub second, but he doesn't like it as much as he likes his Super Sportster ARF.

Build what you want. You'll know when you're ready to fly it - but ask for assistance.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

leftnut

My Feedback: (1)

the ace series but they don't make them anymore

the 4*s
they're laser cut now,too.
the .60 is easier to build than the .40
you have to (sand) tapper the trialing edge on the .40,
but no big deal.

after i flew the 4 star . heck...y even bother with a trainner.
the plane is easy to fly and they have a low ,low stall speed.
a tail drager is easy to control.lol
too much reading have me all skared for nut'in.
it would have save me time and money to learn with
the 4 star instead of a trainer.IMO
i never waited of the trainner to self recovered... did you???
that's what the dude standing next to you is for.lol

a dual rated TX help lots.
flick to low for take off and landing

Skeletor

I have to second the Midwest Aerostar. Iv'e built 2 of them, both are still flying. I suggest building the wing almost flat, add about a half inch to the elevator and use aluminum mains. I also built my second one to have a bolt on wing instead of rubber bands and I shaped the nose to a 2.5 inch spinner and added a cowl under the motor. The plane flies great and is easy to land. Midwest offers many of the modifications I have mentioned in a ARF but I preffer and recommend kits. You know what you have that way. The "crash pics and discussions" forum used to have several stories about ARFs that folded wings and came apart in the air. Also, When you build your own, you can modify as you wish. Oh yea, Balance the plane on the forward edge of the main spar. If you balance it where the plans say, it will be tail heavy and real hard to fly at slower speeds. Both of mine almost crashed on the first take off. I didn't remember that when I balanced the second one but as soon as it left the ground the first time, it came back to me. I took it around and landed it then added some weight under the motor, put it back up, trimmed it a bit and I now have a trainer that flies like a sport plane. With a Fox .40 and a 10/6 prop, it out runs my buddie's Stick with an O.S. .46. I have a lot of construction pics if you would like to see them. >[email protected]< One more thing, the wire for the ailerons needs to fit tight in the groves, if they slop around, you will have a flutter at high speeds. I also used the Goldberg tubes for the tail controls instead of the dowels.

Skeletor

One more thing, add some wash-out to the wings 1.5-3 degrees works great, make sure you have the same ammount in each wing. Iv'e done this to all my planes and have never had a tip stall. Hit a few fences though

bojangle

Good point, Dave. Cubs are fun to build. They can be kept simple, or add all the scale you want. Either way, they fly great.

Bob

Drexus

I know this is somewhat a volatile subject. The truth is, you can't let your desires get in the way of what is needed.

If you have or currently learning to fly on the Alpha, then you should really continue to learn with the Alpha, or at least something very similar.

The real need of a basic trainer is to develop skills that are not quite there yet. Leaving to go to something else may result in disappointment. A Cub is a fairly basic plane, but not without it's dirty habits. It is by no means a trainer.

Many people continue flying basic trainers for years mostly because they are fun, strong and simple. You can relax and enjoy the experience it offers.

Keep with a basic trainer. Worry about a scale plane once you have a solid year under some easy wings.

photoniq

What are cubs good at? Are they popular for their scale looks alone? Can they be used for aerobatics? Do people like them because they can carry your video equipment around? What generally attracts people to cubs?

Curiously,
photoniq

Drexus

Don't get me started with the Cub thing. I can give you the three primary reasons why that plane is bursting from the seams from every RC magazine.

#1 It does have value as a scale design goes. People who learned to fly real planes trained in a Cub. So it makes sence that what you learned to get your Pilots license with, suddenly becomes appealing as a kit.

#2 Of all the documentation available for the Piper Cub. Very detailed material is available to build a kit from. In fact, Piper released very sharp and large plan views of the plane, in such a way, that it was almost drawn up for direct use as a scale kit. Almost no work has to be done for any company who wants to produce a Cub kit.

#3 The design is so basic, it's almost looks like Piper made the real plane by copying a model kit.

For companies like us, we have to almost purchase the full size plane to make an accurate kit. Specially with aircraft that is still in production.

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

Let's just say that there's "something about a Cub."

Once you've learned to fly, and to take off and land well with a taildragger, then a Cub is just a nice "Sunday" flyer. They're gentle, honest, easy flying planes, but they HAVE to be flown. They require coordinated rudder in turns, and they look truly LOUSY in the air when they're overpowered, and they almost demand a four stroke engine. A Cub with a two stroke just ain't right, and it's an insult to a classic.

A Cub is also an ideal first scale plane. They're well known, easy to build and to detail, relatively easy to fly, and generally a "charming" airplane.

It's difficult to describe the reason for their popularity, it lies mostly in it's aesthetics.
Dennis-