Radio Controled Aircraft

[gixxerrider]

Does anyone on here build rc planes? I want to build a F4U corsair gaint scale. How hard would it be? (its a 81 in wingspan)

[ShortBus]

building it? easy. Flying it? I recomend a few electric test planes before you waste a ton of money.

[dcairns]

Unless you have money to burn, I would start out with something a bit smaller Once you have the flying skills, then you can go for the giant scale (and giant bucks) planes. I would recommend you find a local flying club to learn to fly with. They usually have programs that help people get started by letting them try out some flying with the beater 'club plane' with an instructor on a 'buddy cable'. With the buddy cable, the instructor takes the plane up, turns the controls over to your transmitter, and you start flying. If you get into trouble, the instructor takes control back and then you try again. This saves a lot of aggravation and broken planes (don't ask how I know ... )

 

Try looking for a local club with a flying field here. Just put in your zip code:

http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx

 

Remember, anybody can fly, landing takes a real pilot

 

Edited May 12, 2008 by dcairns (see edit history)

[Black2003SS]

Rather than assume you have no experience, why dont you tell us how much experience you have with rc airplanes before we all jump to conclusions? It would really depend on whether you plan to build a "kit" out of a box, what materials it is made out of (wood, foam, fiberglass, etc. ), and just how extensive the build is. Are you just going to buy some ebay plans and cut the balsa yourself? I would say on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the hardest, it would be an 11. Only master modelers can do something like that from scratch. If its a kit, anywheres from 3-7 depending on what is inculded. I have seen some electric planes getting that big, do plan to go gas/glow or electric? Tell us the details. And why so big? you realize that plane would barely, if it all, fit in the bed of an SS disassembled right?

[BRAD]

A friend of mine owns a hobby shop and everytime I would stop in there I would mess with the simulator for an hour or so at a time. That helped me out alot and its actually harder on the simulator than in real life. After I got really good at that I had a 1/10 scale Shaumacher Mi3 with a Novak 4.5 brushless and a Spektum dx3 controller that I decided not to run ,even though I was one of the first people state side to recieve one, and I traded it for my first plane which was a very nice 3d electric with a Futaba controller. So unless your just wanting to build and crash or build and hang up somewhere I would recommend finding a club, possibly buying a simuator of some sort (Real Flight imo is best), and then starting with an electric plane. Good luck.

[gixxerrider]

Ok. I dont want to fly it. I just want to build it. I am a Navy aircraft mec and I also like WWII aircraft. I like the look of the Corsair or P51 Mustang. I dont care if it dont fit in the SS as I dont want to fly it. I would like to have retrac wheels and wing folds. If I decide to get one to fly, I would use a cheap beginers A/C. thanks

[Black2003SS]

If you ever did any modeling when you were younger with plastic airplanes etc and were happy with the outcomes (didnt look like a 5yr old scribbled on the wings), then I say go for it. If you had alot of trouble with them, getting parts to fit right, getting the paint right etc. then yes, you will have trouble. As far as the mechanics of it like the servos, retracts, radio gear and engine, you should do fine with your mechanical background, its just a minaturized version of old airplane mechanical concepts that you are familiar with.

Edited May 13, 2008 by Black2003SS (see edit history)