RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Regarding installation of the engine on the LA-7, the instructions state to install the engine right on the center of the firewall (i.e. with the propeller/crank shaft directly over the center hole in the firewall). I plan on using a DLE 35RA engine. Should I install this engine slightly above the center of the firewall to counteract the tendancy to climb? Or should I just follow the instructions and put it right on center? If anyone has had any experience, please let me know. Thanks Art M
Posted on: 9/13/2012 3:52 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11227656

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Thanks for the above advise. I just discovered a pretty good solution for the wheel well problem. After I glued them into the wells, part of the edges, or lips of the wells, were sticking up above the surface of the wing by an eighth or a quarter of an inch. Apparently they pulled up from the surface because of their curve. I applied a heat gun carefully. The heat softened the plastic quickly. Then I held down the how plastic with a scrap of wood until it cooled. This pretty much flattened the edge of the wells against the wing surface. They don't look too bad now. Careful with too much heat, though.
Posted on: 9/3/2012 1:12 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11215947

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Well, I've been working on LA-7 for about a week now, and I'm sorry to report that this is not an easy build. I've constantly had to improvise. The wing dowels were very difficult to install properly. I've had to reposition them, using a lot of epoxy. The horizontal stabilizer/elevator, after installing it exactly by the instructions, is still not perfectly horizontal. (about a quarter inch difference). Most frustrating, however, have been the wheel wells. Surprisingly they were the difficult thing to trim - not the canopy. They cracked very easily, and they did not fit the wheel wells very well. Trying to epoxy them into the wheel wells flush has been almost impossible. They have to be held flat, and then, even after the glue dries, they tend to pop out. I'll probably have to order another pair. All in all, this ARF has been much more diffcult to build than I anticipated. A lot of the basic work, that could have been done easily in jigs by the manufacturer was left undone. There's a lot of improvising, cutting and fitting required. To make this plane look perfect, you really have to be a pretty good craftsman. I'll continue, but in the future I'd prefer a traditional ARF like Great Planes or Topflite. Art M
Posted on: 9/3/2012 11:42 AM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11215844

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
I just received my LA-7. It's a beutiful ARF. The quality of the work and the paint are great. Even the hardware is adequate. With a great plane like this, however, I might upgrade some of it to be on the safe side. I'm really happy with the plane (and the price). Only the shipping from Troybuiltmodels was a bit of a disappointment at $143. Troybuiltmodels carries a DLE 35RA (rear exhaust). After studying the specs and dimensions, I believe that this might fit into the cowl (with the exception of the spark plug). I'll take my time in assembling because I want it to be perfect. No one could be disappointed with the plane. Art M
Posted on: 8/30/2012 3:49 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11211967

Spare parts for the new P-51 1450 mm ?
I just received the new 1450 mm P-51 with electric retracts. http://www.nitroplanes.com/93a51-51-silver-rtf-24g-eretract.html It's a wonderful plane, sturdy, easy-to assemble and good-looking. I'm looking for some spare parts now, and unfortunately many are already out-of-stock. I'd like some 2-blade propellers, 3-blade propellers, 2-blade spinner and 3-blade spinner. When will these be available? Also, the transmitter that came with the RTF plane was obviously broken. The antenna was broken off, and the transmitter shows no sign of having any power. How can I get a replacement? Unfortunately, because I erased all of the e-mails connected with the order, I don't have the order number. I ordered the plane on 6/14/10 and my cc was billed on 6/15/10. Thanks Art Minklein
Posted on: 7/16/2010 2:57 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "NitroModels Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9869182

RE: NITROMODELS REPLACEMENT PARTS REQUEST_Post Here
I just received the new large P-51 with electric retracts. It's a real nice airplane, solid, easy to assemble, and looks to be really durablehttp://www.nitroplanes.com/93a51-51-silver-rtf-24g-eretract.html. The electric retracts are great, and no adjustments are required. However, I notice that many of the spare parts for this new airplane are already out-of-stock. I'd like a 3-blade propeller, 2-blade propeller and 2-blade spinner. Do you know when they'll be back in stock? I don't have my order number because I already erased your e-mails. Thanks Art Minklein http://www.nitroplanes.com/93a51-51-silver-rtf-24g-eretract.html
Posted on: 7/15/2010 5:02 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "NitroModels Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9867531

Best companies to buy RC electrics
I've dealt with many of the online companies for RC electric airplanes, and I've been somewhat disappointed by most. I admit that with the many new Chinese suppliers you can get a lot for your money. The quality is not so great, but you'll use the plane for only a short time, then move onto another. However, the hassle of dealing with their customer service can be too much to bear. This forum is full of complaints about Banana Hobby, their customer service, refund policy, etc. I recently ordered a P-51 from Nitro Planes. It is on backorder until the middle or end of July (estimate). They immediately charged my credit card for the full amount of the purchase. When I questioned them, their customer service rep told me that the early charge of for a "reservation". I immediately cancelled the order, because I don't even know if this company will be in business at the end of July. Incidently, I'm still waiting for the credit on my card. People rave about Hobby King for batteries. They're admittedly cheap. However, I placed my first order on 5/6/10, and it hasn't even been shipped yet. One item is on backorder, and there's no estimate of a shipping date. It can literally take months to receive an order from them. Even their own forum is full of complaints about their service. I think that the only two companies that worth a dime are Hobby Lobby and Horizon Hobby. Horizon Hobby is more expensive, but the quality of the products far exceed other companies. Hobby Lobby has an excellent customer service. Both have very good reputations. There are a few Chinese companies such as EPBuddy and RC Castle that have been very good, but the others are pretty poor. I just think that we all should be aware of the risks. Art M
Posted on: 6/7/2010 6:10 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric General Discussion"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9787965

RE: eRC Eurofighter 360 Thrust Vector Jet ARF
On the Eurofighter the gear is not operated by retract servos. They are just stock micro servos, like all of the other servos in the airplane. Is it possible that, when the battery is connected, these servos center, then go to the last set position (that is, gear up or down). Maybe this is what causes the gear to snap partially up, and then back to the down position? Art M
Posted on: 6/6/2010 2:48 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9785018

RE: eRC Eurofighter 360 Thrust Vector Jet ARF
My retract servos, also replacements, do this too. The original factory-installed servos did the same thing and contributed to the initial failure of the original 3 retract servos. I don't think that this is uncommon. Hobby-Lobby said that the same thing was occasionally occurring on their new B-25 Apache Princess, and was looking for some feedback from owners. Art M
Posted on: 6/2/2010 3:31 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9776273

Which radio system can program servos?
I'm told that some radio transmitters can actually slow down retract servos. I don't think that its a feature of the Spektrum DX7, which I own. Are there any other Spektrum or JR radio transmitters that can do this? Thanks Art M
Posted on: 5/30/2010 9:04 AM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "RC Radios, Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, gyros"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9768656

RE: New ARF B-25 W/ Retracts
I received mine yesterday. Unfortunately, due to my own carelessness, I already burned up one of the ESC's. I ordered replacement today. I noticed that the other ESC/motor also doesn't work now. I'm not sure about the wiring. Is it possible that, if one ESC is disconnected, the other won't work either? The Y connectors run the ESC's in parallel. Doesn't this mean that if one is inoperative, the other side will still work? I don't know what happened. The good ESC doesn't show any sign of damage or burning. Any help is appreciated. Art M
Posted on: 5/28/2010 5:04 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Park Flyers & Backyard Flyers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9765768

RE: F-16's
I corrected myself. I actually ordered the F-22. It's simpler without vector thrusting. It's a neat airplane, very solid and easy to assemble. BananaHobby sent regular status e-mails, with tracking information. It was packaged well with no damage. I ordered a small part for it, and that part arrived damaged. It was only $6, but I decided to contact them for a replacement. The customer service rep was very helpful. He asked for a digital picture of the damage, and said that he would send me a replacement part. Customer service was really helpful on this call and several others. Maybe they've improved their customer service in light of all the negative comments. I've had no problem with them, and I'll order from them again. Incidently, I just received the B-25 Apache Princess from Atlanta Hobby (Hobby Lobby). I am really impressed with the detail and quality for a foam model. I'd be interested in other's comments about it. Art M
Posted on: 5/27/2010 9:16 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9764020

RE: Banana Hobby not making refunds
Sorry. It was actually an f-22 Raptor. It's a beautiful (and relatively simple) jet. The retracts are operated by very slow servos, and operate at scale speed. I also like the F-35 and the new F-16, that should be available later this month. I really liked how BananaHobby sent me regular shipping updates, and tracking information. It made me feel much more comfortable, especially with all of the critical posts about them. Art M
Posted on: 5/15/2010 2:42 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9735661

RE: Hobby Lobby Euro EDF vector thrust
Sorry, but I have to disagree. The Eurojet is big and good looking, but I don't think it's very good quality. Assembly was pretty easy. They recomment to clean up the epoxy with alcohol, but the alcohol takes off the grey paint and/or leaves white streaks. More importantly, the serovs are purely trash. I cycled the landing gear a few times, trying to adjust the end points, and in 6 or 7 cycles, all three of the gear servos died. The servos are not programmable and they are so fast that the gear literally snaps up and down. The gear door on the front gear was knocked off its hings after only a few cycles. I've already replaced the three gear servos, and it hasn't even left the shop where it was assembled. Like all of the Chinese manufactures, the wiring is also real cheap. One of the thrusters didn't work. It took me days to realize that one of the Y-connectors was defective. A new Y-connector solved that. Incidently, a new Hitec Y-connector also didn't work. I finally used a JR connector, and everything was fine. I really believe that this jet is too big for foam. The control surfaces, hinged surfaces don't look like they'll last very long. Just so you don't think that I'm a complainer, check out BananaHobby's F-22 Raptor. It's large but of very good quality. The landing gear is also mechanical, but the servos are slow, giving the servos a slow, scale look. Really good quality. http://www.bananahobby.com/1882.html They are also offering a new F-16. It looks great. The gear is a little fast, but still OK. http://www.bananahobby.com/1996.html Finally, my favorite from China is from RC Castle. It's a T-50. It's really a beautiful plane. It has electric retracts, and even an electric canopy. Check out the video. http://rc-castle.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1580 Good luck. Art M
Posted on: 5/15/2010 2:38 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9735656

RE: F-16's
I'm a fan of BananaHobby. They have delivered promptly and efficiently. I've ordered one EDF jeb so far, and it's a beautiful jet (F-22 raptor). Very easy to assemble and very sturdy. They have a new F-16 with retracts, 70mm fan, and it's big and good looking. It should be available later this month. http://www.bananahobby.com/1996.html
Posted on: 5/15/2010 2:24 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9735634

RE: Banana Hobby not making refunds
I just ordered and received an F-35 from BananaHobby. I was a little hesitant because of all of the bad posts about them. I received the airplane in about 10 days. It was packed well and had no damage. It's a great airplane, very easy and quick to assemble, and it included everything. The best part is that they sent regular e-mails advising of the shipping status, including tracking information. I'm very happy with their service and the quality of this one airplane. I'll certainly order from them again. I haven't been involved in any "refund" or cancelled orders yet, but so far I'm very happy with them. Art M
Posted on: 5/14/2010 9:14 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9734386

RE: EDF's from BananaHobby vs Hobby Lobby
I just order the F-35 EDF from BananaHobby. It arrived in about 10 days. It was wrapped well with no damage. It's easy and quick to assemble, and it includes everything. It's a good quality airplane. If this is typical of BananaHobby's service and quality, I'll certainly order from them again. Their prices and great inventory make them hard to beat. I don't think that all the negative comments about them are typical. Art M
Posted on: 5/14/2010 9:05 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9734372

RE: eRC Eurofighter 360 Thrust Vector Jet ARF
I'm very happy to say that I've corrected all the issues with this EDF jet. As so many have mentioned before, the servos are junk. I lost all three of the gear servos, and I replaced them with HS65HB's, about $24 ea. I had a persistent problem with the Y-connectors which tied together airleron (elevon) and the up-down thruster on both sides. One side would just not work, when both servos were plugged in. I changed Y-connectors three times, and the third one worked. Interestingly, it was a JR Y-connector that worked. The first two, that didn't work, were Hitec connectors. I hope this spares anyone else the same headache. I do like the idea of the Habu jet. It's nice and simple, and of decent quality. Art M
Posted on: 5/12/2010 6:17 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9729500

What kind of glue for servos and foam?
what is the best adhesive for securing servos in a foam airplane, keeping in mind that I'll need a few minutes to position the servo and the links? Thanks
Posted on: 5/11/2010 11:29 AM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Tips & Techniques"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9725985

What is a size 10 to 15 airplane?
The new e-flite electric retracts come in a size that is suitable for size 10 to 15 aircraft. They say that that is an airplane up to 4.5 pounds. What is the definition of a 10 to 15 airplane and a 60 to 90 airplane. I understand that it was originally based on engine size. In the electric EDF jets there is a very large jet called the Eurofighter. It weighs 5 pounds. Since the jets have smaller wheels, would the size 10 to 15 retracts be suitable for this large jet? Thanks
Posted on: 5/11/2010 9:26 AM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9725744

RE: eRC Eurofighter 360 Thrust Vector Jet ARF
Thanks for the advise. I'll stick with this jet for a while longer. I'll replace the servos in the next few days. Since you have some experience with foam, what glue/adhesive should I use to secure servos in foam? I'll need a few minutes to position the servos and links. So hot glue might set too fast. Is Silicone suitable? Also, you mentioned electric retracts. What's their brand name? thanks
Posted on: 5/10/2010 10:05 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9724992

RE: eRC Eurofighter 360 Thrust Vector Jet ARF
I've been working several days trying to set up the Eurofighter. Everyday something else goes wrong. After two frustrating days I'm concluding that there's a problem with the wiring. I still can't get two servos on a Y connector to work. To make things even worse, after recycling the gear in the last few days to get the correct "end points" one servo failed after another. Now all three gear servos are gone. I'm sorry to say it, but the components in the plane are trash. Control surfaces, such ae airlerons, canards, elevators are flimsy and probably won't last much longer than a few flights. I'll invest in three new servos, but in the event of any major failure, like EDF or ESC, I'll just trash it and move on to another. Art M
Posted on: 5/10/2010 7:53 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9724690

RE: Eurofighter, set-up problems
Yes. I followed the manual step-by-step. Remember the up-down thruster and airleron are on the same channel, hard wired together by a Y connector. I don't think that this is a question of a mix. They're physically connected. I can only assume that the Y connector is bad, or there's a problem with one or both of the servos. I also notice that only one leg of the Y connector seems to be a problem. That is, if I plug the thruster and airleron into the connector, one of them doesn't work. If I reverse the thruster and airleron in the Y connectors, the other doesn't work. I'm going into the shop now, and I'll reverse both Y connectors from left to right, to see if the problem goes to the opposite side of the plane. Very frustrating. Thanks
Posted on: 5/10/2010 6:13 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9724462

Eurofighter, set-up problems
I hope someone recognizes this problem. I have set up all of the wiring in the Eurofighter. The instructions were a little help, but not much. Now, almost all servos and electronics are working, with one exception. One of the Y connectors shares a connection with the left airleron and the left up-down thruster. When I plug both thruster and airleron into the Y connector, only the airleron works. If I reverse the airleron and thruster connectors, only the up-down thrusteer works. It seemed to indicate that one leg of the Y connector was defective. I bought another Y connector, and when I plugged airleron and thruster into the Y, neither worked. I went back to the original Y connector, and again only one leg of the connector worked. I plugged that Y connector into another channel of the receiver, and there was no change. It's hard to believe that I got two defective Y connectors. If I plug either airleron or thruster directly into the receiver, both work properly. The problem seems to be either in the Y or other wiring. Is it possible that a defective servo could cause the problem, and not work on a Y connector? I'm beginning to believe that this plane will never fly. Any suggestions are appreciated. Art M
Posted on: 5/10/2010 5:26 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9724359

RE: EDF's from BananaHobby vs Hobby Lobby
Just bought a Eurofighter EDF from Atlanta Hobby. It's a good looking airplane from a distance, but don't look to closely. Like all of the other Chinese-made foam jets, it's really cheaply made. For the relatively low price of these foam planes, I guess it's a good buy if you realize it's really for a very short-term use. I believe that these planes are intended for a limited number of cycles. The servos are the cheapest and lowest-quality you can imagine. The front landing geat door (made of a thin piece of very fragile foam) broke after only 6 or 8 cycles. Even the wiring is questionnaable. One of the Y-connectors for the servos was defective, and one of the servos broke immediately. I don't know how they can make them look so good in the pictures.
Posted on: 5/8/2010 7:48 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9720128

RE: eRC Eurofighter 360 Thrust Vector Jet ARF
Replacing the cheap servos is a great idea, but, having received my Eurofighter today, I don't see how to get at many of the servos (not to mention the ESC). I guess it must be necessary to cut an access through the foam fuselage. Art M
Posted on: 5/7/2010 7:20 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9718068

The best Chinese-made EDF jet site I've found
I just stumbled across the following online store. It's mostly Chinese-made electric jets. The prices are incredible. I thought that Banana Hobby had some of the lowest prices, but this store is amazing. Banana Hobby has a pretty low price for a SU-47 Sukhoi jet @ $399. But Castle sells it for $155 (minus the battery and cheap transmitter and receiver) Because the shipments are from China, add about $30 for shipping. Check it out and compare. http://rc-castle.com/shop/index.php
Posted on: 5/6/2010 7:47 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9715728

RE: Where to Shop for EDF Jets
I just came across the following web site for Chinese-made jets. The prices are incredible (1/2 to 1/3 of most other stores) I just bought a T-50 jet from them. Art M http://rc-castle.com/shop/index.php
Posted on: 5/6/2010 7:41 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9715718

RE: banana hobby
I just ordered an F-22 Raptor from Banana. I was very hesitant because of all the negative reports, but I decided to take the chance. The ordering process in their site is pretty professional and organized. I'll let you how it works out. Art M
Posted on: 5/5/2010 6:38 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9713131

RE: eRC Eurofighter 360 Thrust Vector Jet ARF
For those of you who have this jet, do you use a single 6 cell battery, or two 3 cell batteries? Size and weight don't seem to be a problem, and Hobby King's prices are attractive for the 6 cell. The only concern I can see is you have to make sure that you always use the two dedicated batteries together. That is, to keep the batteries in a similar condition, you should discharge and charge together (the same number of times). Does this make sense? Other than that I don't see any difference. Anyone have a different opinion?
Posted on: 5/5/2010 3:40 PM by Author "aminklein" in the forum "Electric RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9712784