civeeek
08-27-2008, 01:04 PM
Hi Everyone,
Thought I had better join a good forum to listen to some good advice, tails of flying endeavours, tragic crash woe and the endless spart part spending!
I moved to Germany a few years ago (to work for a namesless 3 stripe sports brand) and in Germany on Sundays everything happens to be closed. A bit like England 15 years ago! So I've always wanted to get into RC flying, but it was always an unreachable goal. I always thought you'd spend £100 on a balsa model, spend weeks building it, spending another £200 on radio gear and other bits and pieces. Only to drive that plane smack into the ground on the maiden flight. I'm sure this still happens and it must be heartwrenching.
So one day I'm messing around on a German "toy" website and find these parkzone flyers. 159 euros, ready to fly, easy to fix, loads of spares available, job done! So I stick my hand in my pocket and decide to buy a P51. Its only now I realise this perhaps wasnt a good place to start. I do enjoy a good flight sim, and have flown a few lessons. So I thought "I understand the concept, dont bother with the Cub" go straight for a P51! I wanted a Spitfire but I dont think my national pride could take it if I downed a Spit on German soil!
The P51 arrives, the instructions are thrown away and off I go. First hand launch - crunch! There goes the nose cone! 2nd attempt its up and away (on full control surface settings as well!), I bank into a left turn and pull on the up elevator on full throttle. Its at this point the battery catch flies off and the battery ejects like a 500lb'er over Berlin! Anyone who has had this happen to them will know that because all the weight has dropped out of the front the damned thing shoots into a vertical climb, where it inevitably stalls into a nose dive. Dont ask me why, but I was still trying to control the plane - batteryless!
I couldnt fix it, so stuck my hand in my pocket and I have ordered another P51 to destroy. I have read on here that the P51 is the hardest of the 3 to fly - had I done my homework I would have not bought a P51! I didnt buy the Cub because it just doesnt look the part, whilst the warbirds look awesome!
Is the Spit really so much easier to fly than the P51?
Frustrated & Broke
Sean
Thought I had better join a good forum to listen to some good advice, tails of flying endeavours, tragic crash woe and the endless spart part spending!
I moved to Germany a few years ago (to work for a namesless 3 stripe sports brand) and in Germany on Sundays everything happens to be closed. A bit like England 15 years ago! So I've always wanted to get into RC flying, but it was always an unreachable goal. I always thought you'd spend £100 on a balsa model, spend weeks building it, spending another £200 on radio gear and other bits and pieces. Only to drive that plane smack into the ground on the maiden flight. I'm sure this still happens and it must be heartwrenching.
So one day I'm messing around on a German "toy" website and find these parkzone flyers. 159 euros, ready to fly, easy to fix, loads of spares available, job done! So I stick my hand in my pocket and decide to buy a P51. Its only now I realise this perhaps wasnt a good place to start. I do enjoy a good flight sim, and have flown a few lessons. So I thought "I understand the concept, dont bother with the Cub" go straight for a P51! I wanted a Spitfire but I dont think my national pride could take it if I downed a Spit on German soil!
The P51 arrives, the instructions are thrown away and off I go. First hand launch - crunch! There goes the nose cone! 2nd attempt its up and away (on full control surface settings as well!), I bank into a left turn and pull on the up elevator on full throttle. Its at this point the battery catch flies off and the battery ejects like a 500lb'er over Berlin! Anyone who has had this happen to them will know that because all the weight has dropped out of the front the damned thing shoots into a vertical climb, where it inevitably stalls into a nose dive. Dont ask me why, but I was still trying to control the plane - batteryless!
I couldnt fix it, so stuck my hand in my pocket and I have ordered another P51 to destroy. I have read on here that the P51 is the hardest of the 3 to fly - had I done my homework I would have not bought a P51! I didnt buy the Cub because it just doesnt look the part, whilst the warbirds look awesome!
Is the Spit really so much easier to fly than the P51?
Frustrated & Broke
Sean