I need setup recomendations for a CMPro Swallow EX 90. I'm looking to get into a pattern style plane with good flying characteristics on the cheap. I've seen the arf as low as $159 with pull-pull rudder and airfoil stab. Probably (but not required) 4-stroke (magnum?) that could give near to unlimited vertical. Looking for suggestions on everything as this will be my first 90 size plane. Currently a warbird guy. Servos, engine, prop, radio, etc.. And please take this to heart .. . the budget is key. How can I do this the cheapest and still end up with a good pattern plane? Other similar size a/c suggestions are appreciated but I'm looking for an arf in a larger size (remember the budget). And by the way if I seem cheap or too budget minded please excuse me as this is simply a hobby I'm looking to make more interesting.

I flew my Swallow with a YS 1.10, APC 15x8 prop, 25% nitro, 9600 rpm, had plenty of power for big loops, all the vertical you could ever want. Magnum 91 four-stroke would not give unlimited vertical, Magnum 120 might, but it would be less power relative to the YS110. Two-stroke 1.20 would be good.

Plane is definitely a pattern contender, capable of winning in the lower classes.

Covering, especially the trim, is the weak spot. I recovered mine before I even flew it.

My manual gave 125 mm back from wing LE at root for CG, which was way too forward. Some guys posted CG recommendations as far back as 180 mm. I settled at 165 mm and was happy with that. Further back than that would cause me to bounce my landings.

Landing gear mount plate needs another 1/4" birch ply plate epoxied on the inside. I mounted my LG with nylon bolts (1/4x20), which worked well.

I did have adverse roll with full rudder, not so bad at partial rudder.

I mixed 5% rudder to throttle above half throttle, and this gave me straight-up verticals. Engine itself was mounted with no side offset.

I had to reduce my elevator throws twice, and I started with only 12Ëš up & down. I ended at 9Ëš up & down, and that was very much to my liking. Using the elevator pushrod exit slots as they came with the model and tying straight in to the elevator horns, I had to go to the shortest moment arm on the Futaba small servo wheel, which I believe is just 9 or 10 mm from the hub. So elevators 9Ëš up & down, ailerons I believe I had at 12Ëš up & down (with probably some differential dialed in, but don't remember how much). If you're not accustomed to precision set-ups, these may sound like ridiculously small throws. With CG around 165 mm they are plenty, and more in this case is not better.

Using these throws, almost any standard servo will fill the bill, since the leverages at the servo are something like 5 to 1 advantage, so a 40 in-oz rated output will translate to 200 in-oz at the surface. All servos set at maximum ATV (or endpoint adjust), so you are moving your servo 60Ëš each way for control surface throws of 9Ëš- 12Ëš. Use ball links at both ends of linkage for very close to zero slop. On rudder, anything over 30Ëš throw is wasted, merely stalls the tail instead of steering the plane. I used nyrod for my pull/pull 'cables,' which I've done on all my smaller planes, works great, very easy to rig.

I crashed my Swallow in a moment of inattention, practicing the day before I would have been in the money (opinion of two observers) at a pattern meet; have the replacement in a box downstairs, look forward to doing it again.