I've built and flown many variations of ARF trainers. Great Planes Big Stik 40 is my current favorite. I also just finished my first kit plane, a Midwest Super Hots that had been sitting around the shop forever. Sweet bird! [8D] I can't believe Midwest doesn't produce them anymore. Anyway, I enjoy flying as much as the next guy, but it almost seems that I enjoyed the construction process MORE. Given the title of this particular forum, I'm probably not alone in here.

I need to get another kit on the table as Old Man Winter is fast approaching which is the best build time. I'm leaning towards a 0.60 sport kit (maybe even a 3D capable). Goldberg Super Chipmunk is one that I like as well as the GP Super Sportster. Any comments on these or recommendations of other quality kits to look at? Also trying to decide between gasser & electric. Gasser is definitely more fun, but electrics are SO much easier to just go out & fly.

For anyone who is interested, my Super Hots can be seen here:

[link=http://home.comcast.net/~russfletcher/hobby/superhots.htm]Midwest Super Hots[/link]

Thanks in advance.

~Vol

I'd be interested to hear what others have to say on the goldberg chipmunk. I've heard great things about the orginal kits, but have seen some negative posts about the newer Lanier version.

The Goldberg Chipmunk is a great looking and great flying airplane, I think Dave Patrick designed it. I have also heard bad things about the Lanier produced kits but now that GP has bought them out, hopfully quality will improve. My advice? I say go with the Super Sportster. I've built 3 so far (two .40s and one .60) They are a lot of fun to build and they fly very well. If your leaning towards 3D, neither plane is the right choice. Nice job on the Super Hots! Your right, why would Midwest stop making such a cool plane? I don't get it!!

-Johnny-

Hard to beat a hanger 9 60 ultra stick, do the mods suggested on RCU (easy and basic) and it is a super fun bird.
The Sig 4* 60 is a fine airplane as well.

I've built a number of planes. A few flights after maiden, I sell them; looking for perfect. I recently built a 60 size GP extra 300s with a YS 110FZ for power, I won't be selling it any time soon! It is a great kit, took a bit a thinking to get through it.
Heard good things about the Goldberg Extra as well.

I say go for the Super Sportster. I have the .40 sized ARF version and it is a very fun airplane. Not 3D capable of course but still very aerobatic, super stable and fast. The .60 size kit is probably even better. I just received the RCM plans for the .90-.120 Sportster and placed an order for all my balsa and plywood to build it. There's a Hog Bipe thet needs to be built first but I can't wait to start on the Super Sportster.

I had a 40 size Sportster years ago. Fast airplane. And a slow one too. That was a really great model. I have a CG Chipmunk in the fleet right now. ITs a good honest plane as well.

Chipmunk..............way easier to build. Art Scholl, the pilot that flew the Super Chipmunk in the 60's, 70's and early 80's was THE airshow pilot of his day. He died filming TOP GUN. And of course, Carl Goldeberg was a hero to many of us in aviation for his contributions to models and full scale design. So you get two heros in one airplane. It does all of the old school stuff great. Lots of plywood in this kit. 7lbs

Sportster................a little more difficult to build. Higher performance. One of the fastest sport models around. Also capable of very slow flight. Very light weight. Its the Chipmunk on steriods, but without the history. Almost entirely made of balsa, very light, about 4.5lbs.

Build both !!!

You can't go wrong with any of the variants of the Kaos.

Ultra Sport 60.

Thanks for all the tips. Lots of conversation on the Super Sportster and Super Chipmunk as those were the 2 mentioned in my original post. Steve just mentioned the Ultra Sport and somewhere up there a Sig was mentioned.

The Goldberg version of the Super Chipmunk was always sort of my "dream" plane when I got into this hobby. Part of my process of studying kit planes is to download the instruction book from the mfr's web site. The CG instruction book makes it look like this plane tends a little more towards the advanced builder. Will I be able to handle it as a 2nd kit plane? (I pretty much ignore experience with ARF's). PilotFighter says the Chipmunk was easier than the Sportster. That's backwards from what I would have guessed!

Need to go out there & look at instructions for Super Sportster & Ultra Sport. I'm guessing those 2 will be similar.

I've downloaded the following instruction manuals to browse this weekend:

- Goldberg Super Chipmunk 60
- GP Super Sportster 40 MkII
- GP Super Sportster 60
- GP Ultra Sport 40 Plus
- GP Ultra Sport 60
- GP Extra 300S

Some items I'm toying with for my next build are 3D capability, retractable gear, and smoke system. All that being said, the Ultra Sport is looking like the front runner, but I need to figure out the difference between the 60 and the 40 Plus. Additional comments welcomed.

I have a ulra sport 40 plus with a os .46 fx in it with retracts. I flys very well like a dart point and it goes. It is pretty fast to I only fly mine 1/2 throttle. I like the plane. Was pretty easy to build.

Other than size, what is the difference between the Ultra Sport 60 & the 40 Plus? I was originally looking at 60's, but I'm not opposed to building a 40 if the "Plus" version is better for some reason. I know that the GP site mentions that the 40 Plus has 3D capabilities. Very impressive engine install, by the way P40. From that angle, it looks like an electric!

Nope the engine is mounted inverted. It is suppose to do 3D it has big enough tails sufaces for it. On the 60 have not build or look at that plane. By the way my pilot moves her head to the way she is turning to by a extra servo

IF you really want 3-D the 40 plus is a better choice, but you'll never get smoke in it.

But it already has optional retracts, and flaps are an easy modification.

I've never done smoke on any of my planes. Does your comment mean that you can't do smoke with a 40 engine period, or does it mean there's just not enough physical space onboard the Ultra Sport?

Take a look at the Top Flite Contender. Straightforward build and fun airplane to fly. Mount the engine inverted for more a jet-like look.

It's not 3D, but look at the time proven Sig King Kobra which will fly good with just about any .61 you want to put on it. It'll give you exposure to working with foam wings (easy to sheet with polyurethane glues). You can build in retracts also.

Another good builder is the Sig Astro-Hog, it it too is not 3D.

Hogflyer

I maidened a Ultra Sport Plus last Sat. Very nice plane . flys on rails. I side mounted a 70 FS, though it doesn't look as cool as inverted, no problems with engine runs. I have only inverted one engine and it was a pain in the butt. I also modifird the landing gear. I made it a tail dragger but mounted the gear on the fuse, not in the wing as the instructions suggest. I do have ground handling problems, it wants to nose over on our grass field. I'll bet the suggested mounting in the wing is even worse,as the gear would be a bit further back than my set up. I just finished placing a wedge under the gear to kick it forward. Hopefully it will help with the nosing over problem. This is only my 4th kit build and I found the 40 plus a simple straight forward build. A great flyer.

gary

My vote is for the Sportster 60. It is a great building kit. Flies great and will do about anything your heart desires...Johnny

I have had 2 GB Tiger 60's . Easy build and a great flyer. My first Tiger was my second plane after soloing. Powered by TT 60, also a super motor.

gary

Adding smoke to a 40-size plane is just not a good idea. Depending on the model, your physical space is very limited - and the US has very little extra space. Also, the added weight of a smoke system to a 40-size plane loads up that wing quickly.

Opinions on adding smoke to a 0.60 2 stroke? Is that more doable? I'm toying with adding it to my existing Midwest Super Hots which has an OS 61FX. Plenty of room on board, too.

I think a 60 2-stroke might be possible, but again, there's the problem of space in a Hots

For more on smoke, read this article:

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/article_display.cfm?article_id=455]Got Smoke?[/link]

Great link to a well-written document on the basics of smoke. It didn't really talk much about customized, replacement mufflers. Does anyone have any experience with the Mac's brand and whether or not they make a difference? I may just have to stick with retracts & give up on the smoke for now. []

[link=http:////www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXZ656&P=ML]Macs muffler for OS 61[/link]