SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE PILOT F-1, FROM JAPAN. IT IS A PROTOTYPE OF AN ARF VERSION OF THE PILOT DJ-3. I HAVE HAD TWO DJ-3S, IT'S A NEAT AIRPLANE, AND THE ARF VERSION SAVES A LOT OF BUILDING. THIS F-1 ARF VERSION OF THE DJ-3 WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC...THE ONE I GOT WAS A PROTOTYPE, AND I THINK THEY DECIDED IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE. IT DIFFERS FROM THE DJ-3 IN THAT IT HAS FIXED GEAR AND SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT INTERNAL CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING A FIBERGLASS CANOPY INSTEAD OF A PLASTIC ONE. I HAPPEN TO LIKE THE FIXED GEAR A LOT, THE RETRACT SETUP ON THE DJ-3 WAS A REAL HEADACHE, AND THE FIXED GEAR SEEMS TO LOSE LITTLE, IF ANY SPEED OVER THE RETRACT VERSION. THIS PLANE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE LATEST VERSION OF THE TOKI 18 PULL START ENGINE DUCTED FAN SYSTEM, VERY RELIABLE WITH VERY DECENT POWER. WITH THE ONBOARD TANKAGE, IT IS GOOD FOR A FOURTEEN MINUTE FLIGHT. I USE 30 OR 40% FUEL. NO LESS. STILL CHEAP TO RUN AT 6 OUNCES A FLIGHT. TAKEOFFS ARE VERY EASY. I HAVE ONLY FLOWN IT OFF PAVEMENT, BUT I AM SURE IT COULD GET OFF OF DECENT GRASS OR YOU COULD BUNGEE IT. LANDINGS ARE REALLY NICE, A VERY EASY JET TO LAND. TOP SPEED WOULD BE AROUND 100, I WOULD GUESS, COMING OUT OF A DIVE. LOOPS AND ROLLS FROM LEVEL FLIGHT ARE NO SWEAT. WEIGHS 64 OUNCES, SPANS 48 INCHES. THE PLANE HAS 30-40 FLIGHTS ON IT. HAD SOME FUN WITH IT. I PUT IT UP ON EBAY AS PART OF MY SPRING CLEANING...THE ARFS ALWAYS GO FIRST TO MAKE ROOM FOR PROJECTS I HAVE BUILT MYSELF. DOUBT YOU WILL EVER SEE ANOTHER ONE, SO HERE ARE SOME PICS.

ANOTHER THING IS THIS...WEIGHT. IT'S HARD TO BUILD A REALLY LIGHT AIRFRAME AROUND A 95MM FAN. 64 OUNCES AND 2.2 POUNDS OF THRUST, WELL, THAT'S HOW IT'S GOING TO FLY, YOU KNOW? TOKI IS WORKING ON STUFFING A 27 ENGINE INTO THE SAME SIZED FAN, THAT WOULD REALLY HELP.

Hi ET, really interested in this as I'm building a DJ-3 at the moment although somewhat stalled out. I would like to convert retracts to air and make nose steerable. I saw your initial reports of the F-1 and was looking forward to the release. Shame it doesn't look like it will be forthcoming. First, I can't seem to find it on Ebay and secondly what would be your InstaBuy price. Can PM me details if you like. Hope to hear from you. BRG, Rick

Ah, sorry. It was just about ending when I posted that. Went for $430, everything included, a steal. Oh, well.
Definitely go with air retracts. The hassles with the mechanicals using two servos were extensive. And a stalled servo means a drained battery and a crashed airplane. Nosegear steering is not optional, it's like the designer built in a major flaw. I do have the steerable nosegear I made up for me DJ-3s if you decide to go with mechanicals...you can have it. The other thing to consider is fixed gear. This one seemed to fly just as well as the retractable one.