Predator #1 FATALITY - replacement needed!
12-23-2002 | 06:46 PM
#1
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From: St. Thomas, VIRGIN ISLANDS (USA)
Predator #1 FATALITY - replacement needed!
After an estimated 40 flights, my Predator is no more. I turned, the other guy didn't. Wups!
I have to hand it to the Tufflight guys - the airframe protected the on-board gear quite well. The entire TE of my left wing (not the right wing, where the RX and antenna were located, thank Ghod) tore off the plane and drifted away; the remaining bits folded up and the whole mess flat-spun down to a soft landing in the bush. My only loss beside the airframe
was the OS .25FX's remote needle valve assembly. I'd snapped it loose at some point earlier on; it was dangling loose at the start of the flight and probably flew off right at the hit.
The other plane was a Hobbico Sturdy Birdy. His wing snapped in half on initial impact; the engine; muffler and carb bounced loose upon striking the ground. We recovered everything but the carb.
Heckuva way to end the year.
One of the other flyers out that day summed it up best - "the only way that crash could have been better would be if there was a fireball." Bless him
Anyway. I'm going to replace it. I thought about getting one of the WM "Aircombat" planes but have decided to stick with good 'ol foam. I'm thinking about getting their Terminator instead, as my .25-powered Predator just wasn't fast enough to outgun his Magnum .46-powered Sturdy Birdy. Fancy that. Not to mention that good .40 engines are a dime-a-dozen, unlike the .20-.28-sized offerings. (When did the price of those Norvel .25's double? That was a shocker!)
What engines are you folks using on these planes? I sold off all my (spare) small engines, so I'd be starting fresh.
Hell, If I can get a good deal on them I'll probably pick up a couple of the airframes and give them to clubmates as belated Christmas presents... gotta turn the spectators into combatants
I have to hand it to the Tufflight guys - the airframe protected the on-board gear quite well. The entire TE of my left wing (not the right wing, where the RX and antenna were located, thank Ghod) tore off the plane and drifted away; the remaining bits folded up and the whole mess flat-spun down to a soft landing in the bush. My only loss beside the airframe
was the OS .25FX's remote needle valve assembly. I'd snapped it loose at some point earlier on; it was dangling loose at the start of the flight and probably flew off right at the hit.The other plane was a Hobbico Sturdy Birdy. His wing snapped in half on initial impact; the engine; muffler and carb bounced loose upon striking the ground. We recovered everything but the carb.
Heckuva way to end the year.
One of the other flyers out that day summed it up best - "the only way that crash could have been better would be if there was a fireball." Bless him
Anyway. I'm going to replace it. I thought about getting one of the WM "Aircombat" planes but have decided to stick with good 'ol foam. I'm thinking about getting their Terminator instead, as my .25-powered Predator just wasn't fast enough to outgun his Magnum .46-powered Sturdy Birdy. Fancy that. Not to mention that good .40 engines are a dime-a-dozen, unlike the .20-.28-sized offerings. (When did the price of those Norvel .25's double? That was a shocker!)
What engines are you folks using on these planes? I sold off all my (spare) small engines, so I'd be starting fresh.
Hell, If I can get a good deal on them I'll probably pick up a couple of the airframes and give them to clubmates as belated Christmas presents... gotta turn the spectators into combatants
prety cool.
01-02-2003 | 04:34 AM
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From: Pawtucket, RI
Fun in the Islands, mon!
Barrett and Ryan,
Good to see that you're having fun down there!. I had a mid air today at the annual New Years fun fly up in RI. Lost my large Ultra Stick. That's the fourth one that has crashed on me in the last two years. Probably should stop building them since they obviously don't like me. At any rate, the Saito 180 was about 12 inches deep in the sod. Broke the carb off but it cleaned up nicely. As for the rest of the plane, its sticking out of my trash barrels ready for removal on Friday.
The person I collided with was the son of a club member experiencing his very first flight...ever, on the buddy box. He'll probably be in analysis for years and will sue me for the bills!
Good to see that you're having fun down there!. I had a mid air today at the annual New Years fun fly up in RI. Lost my large Ultra Stick. That's the fourth one that has crashed on me in the last two years. Probably should stop building them since they obviously don't like me. At any rate, the Saito 180 was about 12 inches deep in the sod. Broke the carb off but it cleaned up nicely. As for the rest of the plane, its sticking out of my trash barrels ready for removal on Friday.
The person I collided with was the son of a club member experiencing his very first flight...ever, on the buddy box. He'll probably be in analysis for years and will sue me for the bills!
01-02-2003 | 02:57 PM
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From: St. Thomas, VIRGIN ISLANDS (USA)
Predator #1 FATALITY - replacement needed!
Here's mine. I'd just started stripping out the gear before I took the pic, so it looks a little worse than it was.
Do note the left wing's missing TE...
Ryan - drop me an email. I'm going to pick up a couple of Predators & Terminators, as I can get good pricing on them in quantity. If you want one, let me know whether you want the .25-sized one or the .40-sized one.
Do note the left wing's missing TE...
Ryan - drop me an email. I'm going to pick up a couple of Predators & Terminators, as I can get good pricing on them in quantity. If you want one, let me know whether you want the .25-sized one or the .40-sized one.
