I'm interested in moving up to jets. I have flown some giant scale but mostly .60 size planes (midget mustang, chipmunk, p51's, cubs, extra 300's, etc...). I'd like to start with ducted fan but don't know where to start.

First off, am I ready??? Second, anybody have any suggestions as a good first ducted fan kit (preferably ARF or already built/used--I don't want to spend a year building something that I have absolutely no experience flying--maybe later when I know how to fly them well). I would like to stick to a scaled jet like an F16, F15, F18, etc... if they are a good ducted fan trainer. I used to hear that the Byron F16 was a fairly docile trainer (right or wrong???) I have grass and paved runways available but would like to be able to fly off of either.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Bill

Bill,

If you go the ducted fan route, you are only delaying the inevitable, you will end up down the turbine route.

Save some money ( If that is the right expression with turbines) and start with a turbine, if scale is your thing, then there are various A.R.T.F. F.15's on the market that fly well.

And finally get some local help and advice.

P.S. If you really want some fun get yourself a Boomerang Intro

I agree!

I also agree. And, ducted fans just do not have the reliability that turbines have ..... this can be very frustrating ..... Bob

i flew DF about 12 yrs before i went to turbines and now it's my opinion that DF isn't worth the while with the choices out there in the turbine market currently. the $$$ you save with a glow DF (electric is just as much as turbine) you'll spend in frustration. agreed with the Baby Boomerang, it's an every day flier that anyone with low wing experience can easily handle and is a blast to fly although not scale at all. the TamJet F-16 is an excellent trainer with some of the best stall characteristics I've seen, the F-15s are very stable as well.

on the DF if that is your choice, the Byron F-16 is a pretty good trainer, not a speed plane by any means but they do fly good and land sloooooooooooooooooooooow.

If you decide to skip ducted fan and go into turbines.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_12...tm.htm#1375305
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_51...tm.htm#5109232

I was in your same shoes this year. I bought a babby boomerang and I love it!!!! I have a wren 54 ss in it. The plane flies like a big stick. It will fly off grass on a short field. I love this plane.

Skip the ducted fans. I have a DF Yellow Aircraft F-18 that I'm thinking about converting into a turbine. The DF is just no fun to fly any more.

My background is similar to yours: mostly .60-size planes, mostly warbirds. I finally bit the bullet and bought a jet this summer and went to Florida for training. If you can fly a warbird (even a sport warbird like a Hangar 9), you can fly a turbine trainer.

It costs a little more, but a BVM BobCat ARF is an *excellent* trainer jet. And the quality of the construction is first-rate.

go to the turbines. Youe may pay a fraction more but it is worth it . By the time you get you set up it may cost you the same

I'll jump on the skip DF band wagon. Get yourself a Baby Boomerang with a Wren/P-60 or such and have a ball. If money is an issue you can leave it with fixed gear and by a used engine. Mine had all standard ball bearing servos and simple spring air gear. After standing up to my abuse I sold it to a club mate and now he's thrashing it. Flies like an over weight ultrasport.

I see a band wagon forming here.
OK I'll jump on to and say forget the DF.
The boomer intro is a great first jet as is the Reaction 54.
From what I have seen these are two of the best out there right now (but NOT the only good choices).
If you watch the RCU classifieds, both appear fairly often as people move up to bigger and faster jets.

I just got my turbine waiver last month with a Reaction 54 and the Turbine CD said it was the slowest he ever saw a jet go on final.

Bill,
I agree with the advice to skip Ducted fan Gas. My first choice would be turbine and electric ducted fan second. I started with a Top Gun F-15 ducted fan and recommend it if you go that way. In fact mine is for sale.

For the past 1 1/2 years I have been flying the Boomerang Intro and highly recommend it for turbine. I fly at 5700ft MSL (Denver, CO) and it still lands like a big pattern plane. A friend of mine has the the Boomerang with a WREN 54 MK III and he has talked about selling it, never flown.

I looked up Lewis on a map and it looks like you are between Hutchinson and Dodge City. The closest turbine fliers I know about in Central Kansas are in Wichita. I would get hooked up with them for some buddy box flying so your AMA insurance is good. I visit Hutchinson a few times a year and have looked at the runway at the old Hutch Naval Air Station as a possible turbine flying site. I am scratch building a Jet and would like to have a long runway for test flights.

My son who lives in Arlington, TX just converted a BVM T-33 to electric and it flies just as good as it did on the gas engine. It weighs 20lbs.

I can be reached at [email protected]