Plane Identification
#4
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
There are a lot of pristine SeaBirds for sale because they won't take off and then crash properly-putting themselves out of your misery.
They just taxi around at what should be takeoff speed.
They were among the first ARFs...When they scream by on the surface at 40 mph, they really look Almost Ready to Fly!
Guys tend to strip out the engine and radio gear, and throw them into the attic for 10 or 15 years. Then they are rediscovered and offered for sale to unsuspecting newbies.
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They just taxi around at what should be takeoff speed.
They were among the first ARFs...When they scream by on the surface at 40 mph, they really look Almost Ready to Fly!
Guys tend to strip out the engine and radio gear, and throw them into the attic for 10 or 15 years. Then they are rediscovered and offered for sale to unsuspecting newbies.
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#6
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
>>Did seeing one of those again touch a nerve??<<
I have never owned one. I have seen the pain they inflict. The most successful use for a Sea Turd is to swap a nicely detailed kit for a couple of dinners at your local TGIFridays. They make excellent bar decorations.
Three seaplane-related things set me off in that manner.
(1) The Sea Turd.
(2) The Herr Aqua-Sub
(3) Those horrid blow-molded plastic floats that have a G and a B in the tradename.
I won a set of those in a fun-fly. A hobby-shop owner had donated them. He was (and still is) a friend. I hurt his feelings when I hinted that second place was TWO sets of the wretched things.
dishonorable mention: Plywood float kits that are too large and too heavy and cause otherwise excellent airplanes to fly poorly. Champaign, Il seems to be a frequent source.
All are substandard products that underperform and drive otherwise enthusiastic participants away from the hobby. <br type="_moz"/>
I have never owned one. I have seen the pain they inflict. The most successful use for a Sea Turd is to swap a nicely detailed kit for a couple of dinners at your local TGIFridays. They make excellent bar decorations.
Three seaplane-related things set me off in that manner.
(1) The Sea Turd.
(2) The Herr Aqua-Sub
(3) Those horrid blow-molded plastic floats that have a G and a B in the tradename.
I won a set of those in a fun-fly. A hobby-shop owner had donated them. He was (and still is) a friend. I hurt his feelings when I hinted that second place was TWO sets of the wretched things.
dishonorable mention: Plywood float kits that are too large and too heavy and cause otherwise excellent airplanes to fly poorly. Champaign, Il seems to be a frequent source.
All are substandard products that underperform and drive otherwise enthusiastic participants away from the hobby. <br type="_moz"/>
#8
My Seabird flew, though not well.
It was powered by a Fox Hawk 60 with a 3-blade prop.
The Zingali prop in the photo was terrible, but after I changed to a Graupner 3 blade it flew OK.
I made my own tip floats as the kit ones are useless, and it needed spray strips on the front of the hull to stop the spray getting in the prop.
It was powered by a Fox Hawk 60 with a 3-blade prop.
The Zingali prop in the photo was terrible, but after I changed to a Graupner 3 blade it flew OK.
I made my own tip floats as the kit ones are useless, and it needed spray strips on the front of the hull to stop the spray getting in the prop.





