Sabres and Migs and stuff

Alex - If you decide to try a bungee launch there is a launch ramp in the container. This is fabricated from white plastic tubing and has been used very successfully at Cashmoor. You will need to a add a hook and provide a bungee lead. It's a two person operation,helper holds the model on the ramp & when motor is at full revs lets go.The amount of bungee tension needed is down to experimentation, I have used it to launch my Zagi with great success but with the Zagi I put the motor on once the model has left the ramp.
This system overcomes the problem of finding an ex Olympic javelin thrower to get you d.f model away.
Colin.A

I have the T-45 from HK but mine is slightly smaller and bought about 2 years ago. I don't think they still offer it. Looks identical to the 950mm span version though. Mine still going strong and highly recommended.
Mine was the kit version and I put a Turnigy 2815 4800kv, 50A ESC and a cheeky 2200Mah 4s in it. Goes very well and chalked up loads of flights. Throttle EPA set at 85% as any more and I think the motor would blow. To be honest I'm amazed the motor is still going as it screams on full chat.

I had the undercarriage on to begin with but took it off after a few flights as it struggled with the grass. The front wheel fixing wasn't the best although the 950 version may be somewhat beefed up and the strip does have a mowed runway now so may be OK. I just throw it up in the air and away it goes and it will fly around on third throttle so pretty stable.

Anyway, a good choice and excellent fun, just make sure it's rated down and has some expo dialled in I have 50% on each which seems to suit me well although some might say this is excessive.

Your welcome to fly mine when were up there next Alan if you want to see what it's like ?

Tom

Thanks Tom, I seem to remeber yours did fly well. I'm looking at either a Stinger , the T45 or a Bae hawk now can't quite decide. It depends what stock levels are like. I had a look at ordering from the European site and postage was 8 quid or so - not too bad.

Did you have to do much in the way of strengthening yours ? - the nose and tail plane seemed to be problem areas for for some.

I havn't strengthened it at all as such, everything seemed strong enough for it's size. The ply tray holding lipo came adrift which was a simple repair after a month or so and you are right about the nose cone. Mine was patched up with parcel tape but finally broke away completely last flight. I'm currently carving a new one from the orange foam stuff we've been talking about before and will give it a lick of paint. The original cone is frighteningly weak thin plastic affair but as it happens, I didn't have any incidents with it during it's first year and being honest, if this didn't break off, the fus may well have broken in two so it's the lesser of two evils. Obviously mine doesn't have an undercart so will always have a higher risk with belly landings.

One of the great joys with these is seeing how low and fast you dare go down the strip. You can guess the rest !!!

I bought some tiny screws to hold the clear canopy cover on but other than that, the hinges etc seemed strong enough are are still going well.

The power from the pnp version would be excellent for someone who hasn't flown EDF's before but I would imagine you might want to upgrade pretty quick. Personally I would go for kit version and squeeze in some extra herbs. My setup gives me about 600 Watts on full throttle from a smaller jet whereas the 950mm pnp version on paper indicates a max of only 310 Watts based on a 30A ESC and 11.1v. This is quite a difference.

The stinger is slightly smaller than mine and I reckon about the same power if not more based on the paper stats and therefore would be quicker. Not sure which Bae Hawk your looking at but I assume the 70mm EDF EPO fella. Again, a 25A ESC and a 1600mah 3s 20c is not going to give you a sparkling top end at all so I would consider a far beefier set up. A 2826 motor 3200KV should be up around the 40A mark so can take a bigger ESC and bigger lipo !!.

Hope it helps and let me know if any questions.

Tom

Thanks for the info Tom, the BAe Hawk is on now backorder in Uk and Europe but sounds like it wasn't the right thing anyway - so I'm down to the Stinger or T45 kit (Euro warehouse only atm). I' m going to leave it a week or so and see if uk stock improves.

Thanks for the tips. I bought the pnp version, partly because it was in stock. Definately planning a foam nose cone, but i think i'll leave the power system initially. Otherwise it all looks fairly straightforward to my untrained eye.

Thanks for the offer of the ramp Colin - I was wondering what that was for only the other day. I've been watching youtube clips of launch methods and the all look fairly fraught.

The build is progressing slowly, so hoping for a maiden in the next few weeks.

Alex.