Dears,
I'm new to pattern flying and I'll buy a new plane this week, I have two options either [link=http://www.theworldmodels.com/para/products/airplanedetails.php?airplaneid=18]Worlds Models Zen120[/link] or the [link=http://www.nitroplanes.com/swallowex90.html]CMPro Swallow EX 90 [/link], I'll use a 91 O.S 2stroke engnie on it, please help me to decide, I'm biased a bit to the Swallow as it is smaller and cheaper, also the place I fly in has a very short runway.

The Zen 120 is too heavy for the OS 90 FX. Most people use an OS 140RX on the Zen. The Swallow with the OS 90 FX and APC 15x8 prop should be a good combination.

Hope this helps
Henning

If you can ge a hold of a Zen 90 you will love it. It has no bad tendancies and flies grreat right out of the box. I do not know much about the swallow, but i owned two Zen 90's

mswify

Gentleman. Are there not other choices for the .91 as the Swallow wing span to length seem more 3D then pattern and the .91 is to small for the Zen 120? Would the Zen 90 be more suitable? What about the LEO 110 with the OS .91. Here is a youtube link of a Leo 110 flight with an OS .91 four stroke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgsrzYJCD7o

Hi,

Welcome to pattern…

I have a Zen 90 powered by a YS110s and it flies super, in some respects even better than my 2 meter ship (which is an old design powered by an RX140FI).
The Zen 120 flies the same as the Zen 90 (there is one in my flying field).
I have flown a friend’s Swallow 90 powered by a Saito 125 and my Zen 90 is so much better.
So as far as the airframe goes the Zen 120 is wonderful plane, far superior to the Swallow IMHO.
However, you need to put the right power plant in the nose which means a YS140 sport or even as suggested above an RX140 (that one must be a real blast!!!)
As for the Leo110, I have never seen one fly and it looks real nice however the downside is that this one is a little bit heavy as some CMPRO planes tend to be.
It was designed for the YS110 (hence the name) and at 4200-4400 grams (this is what CMPRO themselves wrote on the box if I remember correctly), I would not dare to mount a lesser engine on it.
So if you are “restricted” to one of these planes then the best choice is a Zen 120 however the correct one for your current engine would be the Swallow 90.
Mind you, even with the Swallow 90 you are not going to have a lot of vertical ability with your FX91 and a standard muffler (it is a CMPRO kit, remember?), so when you get to perform the more advanced schedules you might want to ditch that muffler and install a tuned pipe.

Good luck,

Danny

Thanks guys, that really helped me, I think I'll go for the Swallow.

If you can inspect the Swallow before buying it. That would be nice. I bought them from Giant Scale Planes a few years back. One of them had a completely sheeted wing and fuselage. That one was weak right where the fuse transittioned in the cockpit area. The other one i had had openings in the wing and the fuse. it was a little bit lighter. But more importantlly had some kind of reinforcement. not really a fiberglass maybe a filament tape was glued in that area. was stronger for sure.

Also I want to say the instructions called for the CG at 115mm behind the leading edge. That was totally incorrect. 165-175 mm was more like it.

The wheel pants were real thin and light and lasted eight count em eight takeoffs and landings off grass. Ended up using bolly wheel pants.
Used a YS91 and a 110 on them. Did try a OS91FX on the lighter one. And it flew it well. Just not sure if it was my setup or tuning ability
Never could keep the FX running.

So did you get the swallow?

I just picked up one myself from an add on Craigs list.

Mike