im due to receive my first d/f aircraft any time soon.its an avonds rafale (de-luxe kit version). i just wondered if anyone has any tips or helpful hints with regard to its building or is it as easy as they say to put together.im not a top class builder but what i lack in skill i try to make up for in enthusiasm

Good choice my friend!! I just got one for xmas,what a present,the best mom ever got me.I got mine along with magic missle kit,dual cockpit/full body pilots,100% scale struts,tams dual pipe,pitot & fuel probe kit.I have since decided to go the DF route on mine tho and sell the turbine pipe..The rafale is one of the best flying jets out there,great 1st choice's,they are very stable at slow speed and overall flight envelope,hard to stall.They are also 1 of the only jets that will do inverted flat spins .I just love canards,its 1 of the reasons that the rafale is 1 of my top favorite jets,the rafale is just a wicked looking jet,the profile and look in the air are truly awesome right beside my YA F4 phanthom

Just make sure when you setup your elevon to canard mixing that you go 100% by the book,its very important.Also I'd strongly recommend dividing your elevons into 2 on each wing instead of just 1 on each wing in the event of failure of one.That was highly suggested by many guys to me.also go with a high torque beefy servo on canards,My choice would be a high end metal gear digital ,thats what I am using.other than that the jets a snap on setup ,mine looks to be easy to build,i just need to get my F15,F4 & interceptor done since they were on
the table 1st.One last suggestion, I am throwing the thin steel spar they give you in the kit & going with TGA's removeable system,I do not trust that thin cheesy looking thing but go with your own better judgement on that part.Have fun with the kit and enjoy it,its a fine piece of art.

Steve

ohhhhh man

I need to correct myself & the mistake I made.I looked at your post wrong at 1st glance,I thought it said AD and not avonds.I have the AD version,so I correct myself -you are looking for info & technical pointers on the Avonds version i cant comment on that one.I appologize,i need to start taking a 2nd look at the post for now on before I reply


Steve

E-Mail or PM TP777fo. Tom has built two; one ducted fan and one powered by a Ram 500. Tom has hundreds of flights one these models.

Hey INav - you still alive? As for the Rafale it a great plane! Getting ready to go fly mine right now. Build it exactly as Philip says and you will have a beautiful flying airplane. I recommend you add a rudder for the cross winds. My DF version did not have a rudder and with the Texas winds it got a little dicey with the very slow landing speeds. No way to control the drift without the rudder. My turbine one has a rudder and I have flown it with as much as 25 kt cross winds(a little dicey too but lots of fun). Gear doors sure help with the top end speed plus make it look a lot better. Easy to engineer and install if you do it yourself. Philip also has a gear door kit. Very slow nose high landings. It will sink right into the dirt without the classic stall. Have any questions about this kit just PM me. Good luck!

thankds for all the great help.hey blueskys what are magic missiles? they sound like something out of lord of the rings!!

I'm currently flying a Rafale D/F, it's had about 40 flights and no vices to report. As for advice, follow the instructions and you won't go far wrong. All I will say is be careful with the full control movements specified in the instructions can make the test flight interesting.

You have definately picked the model to start with.

Minch