Field caddy

A field caddy will probably be the best buy you will ever make for RC planes. The picture above it a Great Planes master caddy. It carries all the necessary things you need so you can maintain your planes. It can carry you tools, meters, starter, glow starter, parts and other things you may need. The caddy also carries gass and it has a spot to mount a electric gas pump. On the side opposite of the gas there is a pannel that can power yout fuel pump, starter and glow started. It all runs off a battery that is inside and is out of the way. There are many panels to choose from and they have many different setups. The forks on the top will also hold your plane when you need to work on it. I bring my caddy everytime I go to my flying field because I can put all my parts and supplies that I need in it.

hobby zone firebird series

Lots of people say that a great beginner plane is a electric fire bird. They are great for flying if you are going to fly electric planes. If you are going to fly gas plane I would highly recommend a gas trainer plane. They are easy to fly and easy to learn off of them. I have flown a few electric planes and one of them was a Fire bird. I was not impressed because the third flight the fishing line for the elevons broke and I could not fly it anymore. Maybe it was just a bad day but I should have got more flight. I think they are only good for kids and people that want to get into electrics. I like glow engines a lot more and I'm going to stick with them. you can also buy the newer fire bird on the right side of this web page.

Places to buy rc planes

The best place to get a new plane is at your local hobby shop. Usually they can tell you more about them and how to get started. Try to go to individually owned shops too because franchise storesjust try to sell you the most expensive things. Im not saying they all do it but you are better off going to the smaller stores. If you have done lots of research and you think you know what to get I would try going to Tower Hobbies website and buy from them because their customer service and shipping are great. I have never had a problem with them in 5 years. They are not owned by big corperate people they are employee owned so that also helps. I would still suggest the you go to a local hobby shop to buy your plane because you might learn some more things also. Another great online place to buy stuff is Amazon they have stuff like park flyers and they also sell real flight rc simulator. They do not have the regular kits but they have great prices and Amazon is reliable company so you do not have to worry about getting the product and what kind of condition it will come.

SIG Kadet LT 40

This is a Sig Kadet LT-40 and I think this is the greatest plane to get started with. It is a trainer plane that is simple and cheap so you can afford to crash it. It is also easy to assemble and only take a few days because the epoxy takes a long time to cure. I have one of these and I love it. I still fly it with my other planes and I think it flies better sometimes. I have crashed it many times and it still flies like new. It is very easy to fix if you have the time. You can also find this plane anywhere on the Internet and almost all hobby store have them. I think everyone that wants to start with this hobby they should start with this plane. Sig is also a great company to work with and also has many other great models.

New deuces wild from eflite

FEATURES
Designed with E-flite’s Power 25 brushless outrunner motors (EFLM4025A) in mind
Wing and tail assemble easily for convenient transport and storage
Counter-rotating props are available separately, spinners that match the counter-rotating props are included.
Retract ready and designed for specific Robart retracts (EFL4565) with pre-bent strut wires for ease of optional landing gear installation.
Fixed landing gear included.
The flaps are pre-hinged out of the box

E-flite introduces the first Platinum Series twin motor sport plane, the Deuces Wild 25e2 ARF. This plane showcases the power, level of detail, quality of construction, and sport flying fun of E-flite. Unlike other twin powered planes on the market, this one is not intimidating -- it is easier-to-fly and exhibits gentle flight characteristics.
The Deuces Wild 25e2 ARF is part of E-flite’s PLATINUM SERIES. The platinum series delivers superior, enhanced features and meticulous attention to detail. E-flite’s Platinum Series is just one more way that E-flite brings you the most advanced electric flight experience.
The details of this PLATINUM SERIES model include all flight control surfaces are installed, pre-bent pushrods ready for installation, and the optional main gear doors. In addition, there is an optional cockpit kit that adds another level of detail complete with dashboard instrumentation, seat, and pilot.
The lightweight, sturdy airframe is constructed of balsa and plywood and covered with genuine UltraCote. The bolt-on tail assembly and three piece, plug-in wing are all removable to allow easy transportation. With the Deuces Wild, you have options. You can use the included fixed landing gear or install the optional Robart retracts with pneumatic up, spring down operation. The model is complete with the strut wires pre-bent for ease of optional landing gear installation.
The wing design utilizes two Selig airfoils to give this aircraft excellent performance at high and low speeds, while also exhibiting gentle stall characteristics. This plane is designed for powered performance with the recommended setup of two Power 25 motors or the high power option of two Power 32 motors. This aircraft is lighter, than the same size competitive large twin powered models on the market. Retract and flap ready options enable the pilot to push the envelope with a sport ARF twin electric to the likes that has never been done before. The Deuces Wild is a sport plane capable of aerobatic maneuvers and is designed to be easier-to-fly than other similar size twin engine models. This model was designed even with the unthinkable in mind—the loss of an engine. In the event of an engine loss, this aircraft is still easily flyable unlike other twin models on the market. Any experienced modeler will appreciate the flight characteristics, aerobatic capabilities, and details of the Deuces Wild Platinum Series.

Wing Span: 62 in (1570mm)
Overall Length: 62.5 in (1580mm)
Wing Area: 740 sq in (47.7 sq dm)
Flying Weight: 9.2 - 10.5 lbs (4.2 - 4.7kg)
Motor Size: Power 25 - Power 32 (2 required)
Radio: 6+ channels
Servos: (6) standard size servos (7) required with optional retracts
Trim Scheme Colors: Ultracote White, black, and flame red
Prop Size: 12x8E - 13x6.5E
Spinner Size: 2.5 in
Hardware Included: Yes
Speed Control: 60 Amp Brushless Switch mode BEC (2 required)
Recommended Battery: 3200 3S 11.1V Li-Po w/Power 25, 3300 4S 14.4 Li-Po w/Power 32
Flaps: Yes, prehinged
Retracts: Yes, optional
Approx. Flying Duration: 10 minutes
Approx. Assembly Time: 6 - 8 hours

Article by HOBBY ZONE

I thought this was a good plane so I brought the Article here for everyone to see and they sell the plane on hobby zones website.

Types of RC Plane Models

Here are some of the different types of plane models you can buy.

Electric rc planes are quiet and easy for a beginner to maintain. Simply charge the battery pack and you can fly for 10 - 20 minutes per battery charge.

Gas rc planes are noisier and use special hobby quality nitro fuel. These models are faster and slightly more complicated. Suitable for intermediate to advanced modelers. They also tend to go a lot faster than electric models.

Airplane kits come unassembled, and in some cases you would need to buy the radio control system, the motor and other accessories separately. If you are a beginner, the ARF or RTF models are recommended.

ARF means almost ready to fly. These are usually kits that come with all accessories needed, but would require some assembly. It may take 1 hour or more to get the model plane from the box to flying in the air.

RTF means ready to fly. These are the most complete kits that require very minor assembly skills. Usually you can start flying 15 minutes from opening the box. All you would have to do is attach the wings, charge the battery pack and start flying.

Helicopters

These are some pics of my new helicopters. I just got some better pics so here they are. Somebody gave them to me so I know nothing about them but I have been talking to another person and they are going to teach me so I cant wait. I will have tips and other info on these later.

Mini Helicopters

I just got these helicopters the other day and they are awesome. They are not the best helis you will ever get but they are very fun. They are called super battleplanes and you can shoot at each other with infared lasers. when you get hit the first time your plane will spit, second time it will drop and the third time it will drop and shut off.

This is another mini helicopter I got and this one is just as fun. A friend gave it to me when he saw I could fly it better than he could. He hated it and I loved it. You cant battle with it but it is just as fun.

Great Planes Triton charger

I just got a Triton charger from a friend and haven't tried it yet but i want to put some specs about it. He was getting out of the hobby so he gave it to me and I think it is going to work great. I have the accu cycle elite and that works awesome but that another post. Some of the guys I fly with have this charger and they say it is easy to use and they wont buy anything else. I have also read good reviews about it online too. It is also cheap and i cant wait to get it setup. Here are some of the specs.

Types of batteries and numbers cells
1-24 NiMH cells
1-24 NiCd cells
1-4 Lithium ion or Lithium ion polymer cells
6v,12v, or 24v lead acid batteries

General features
Screen constantly updates capacity, battery voltage, current and elapsed time
10.5v –15v DC input voltage
Adjustable current (charge or discharge) in 100mA increments
Displays input and output voltages and memorizes peak and average voltages
Adjustable sound cues
Cooling fan
Stores parameters for 10 batteries

Safety features
Cool-off time delay between charge cycles
Current overload
Reverse polarity protection
Optional thermal cut off probe (not included)
Adjustable maximum charging time cut off
Warning messages for improper input voltage, poor connections, and reverse polarity
connections

NiMH and NiCd specific features
Delta peak with adjustable sensitivity
Adjustable fast charge current from 0.1 to 5.0 amps
Adjustable discharge current from 0.1 to 3.0 amps
0-250 mAh self adjusting trickle charge (dependent on intitial charge rate)
Performs 1-10 cycles for conditioning and evaluation of battery condition
NiMH top-off feature fully charges NiMH without over heating

Lithium ion and Lithium ion polymer specific features
Constant current / constant voltage charge method (explained in detail later)
0.1 –2.5 amp adjustable charge / discharge current
1 – 4 cells in series (unlimited in parallel)
Setting to either 3.6 or 3.7 volts per cell nominal, results in 4.1 or 4.2 volts per cell fully
charged.

Lead acid (Pb) specific features
Charges 6v, 12v or 24v cells
Uses constant current / constant voltage charge method

There are some of the specs and i hope it works as good as they say. It also looks realy cool.

New 2.4GHz Radios

2.4GHz radios that Futaba is making are great. Some are a little expensive but they are a great buy if you fly at a field and there is someone else with the same crystal as you. I have a spectrum radio that I use on my RC cars and boats and it works great. I haven't had one problem with it yet. When you get a new receiver it only take seconds to link to the radio. and its like any other normal FM receiver but without an antenna. I look at a few Futaba systems and they are just as good. I like to use futaba for anything and I highly recomend buying their radios becuase I have flown using them for many years. You can use them on any planes from park flyers to giant scale planes. If you are just starting on out you can still hook a buddy chord to the radio. they are no different than any other radio just that you dont need a crystal.

A few of my planes

This my kadet after lots and lots of flying and crashing. I have fixed this one many times and it still flies better than any other plane I have.

This is an older ARF that I bought and put together. It is a Thundertiger V-Bat it has a OS .15 on it and it is very fast.

I just got the helicopter from a friend and I havent flown it yet but I cant wait. It has a OS .37 in it and new everything in it.

Radios

If you are just starting out and you do not know with I would recommend a Futaba radio. They are great radios and i have never had a problem with them. If you get the trainer plane you will only need a 4-channel radio. The 4-channel radio is cheap and does not have lots of extra buttons. When you get into the hobby more then later you will want the 6-channel and above. I went and spent a little more money and bought a radio with digital trim . This was a BIG help because I dint have to worry about hitting the trim and forgetting were it was. It also helps when zeroing them out when you want to set the servos in the right positions.

Garage sales

Believe it or not but garage sales are great for finding planes or plane parts. Sometime you find great deals on engines radios and even planes. I have found many planes and engines at garage sales. Even if the plane crashed look and see if the internals are still there. sometime those are worth some good money. Estate sales are also great and you never know what else you can find!

Glue

When it comes to flying RC planes glue is your best friend. It does not matter if you are new or you are the best RC pilot out there crashes happen. There are many glues out there and I have tried many and I found that the best glue is either ZAP glue or Great planes CA glue. I use them the most and I think they are great for fixing things. There are also different thicknesses that glue comes in. They usually come in thin thick and ultra thick. Glue also comes in different type for different uses also. The thin is usually used for quick fixes and it dries fast. I always carry a bottle of thin glue with me when I fly. Thick is used for gluing pieces that are fairly big and need some extra grip. It is slow to dry but is good for putting planes back together. The ultrathick or gap filler is a very thick glues and used to fill gaps and cracks in balsa. If you want a quick fix on the field you can also use a fast cureing agent or what most people call it kicker. It forces the glue to harden and you can use it right after you apply it.

How to clean your plane after a flight

Have you ever wondered what the best way to clean your oil and grass covered gas RC plane. It is very easy actually. All you have to do is take fantastic cleaner or Windex glass cleaner and mix it with some water. The mixture has to be about 50/50 but not exact (just eye it). This works on all monocote and any other brands of coating. Its a cheap and great way to clean your plane. It will also work on electric plane if they get a little dirty.

How to clean a RC gas engine

If you have been flying for awhile you might have noticed that your engines might be discoloring or they look dirty. I doubt that you want to clean every little piece of the engine with a toothpick or something. There is an easy way but it is a toxic and should be done outside away from children and animals. I learned this from a veteran RC pilot and I do it every time that a engine seizes or needs to be clean. First you need a bottle of antifreeze and a crock pot. You will not be able to use the crock pot for anything else but this after. I would suggest you buy a cheap one and not the expensive one that your wife or mother uses because they might not like that too much. I went to Walmart and bought a $30 crock pot and it works just fine. Make sure that the crock pot is big enough for the whole engine. You will also need a mesh basket or a rag. Fill the crock to the top and turn it on low so it will heat while you prepare the engine for its "bath". To prepare the engine you will need it off the plane and all the necessary tools to take it apart. You start with the glow plug and muffler then start takin everything else off. I would then go and take all the screws off the head. Then take the carburetor off and leave everything on it. Make sure the prop washer and nut ore off then take the back plate off. Pull the piston off the shaft and push it out the top with the sleeve. Now you can take the shaft out and get ready to soak it. You do not need the screws so leave them out and put every thing in your rag or wire mesh basket. when everything is ready lower it into the crock and let the part sit for at least a day in the crock while it is on low. When you think it is done open the crock and take all of the part out. BE CAREFUL AND TRY NOT TO BREATHE IN ANY FUMES BECAUSE ANTIFREEZE IS VERY TOXIC. Let the parts cool to a bearable temperature and then start to put the engine back together. When putting the piston and the sleeve back into the engine use a synthetic oil to coat ever thing so it slides in nice. If it gets scratched or dinged then the piston will not move well so you have to be carefully putting it back together. I would oil everything that makes contact. You can also use after run oil from Great Planes, it works just the same. When everything is put back together put your engine on the plane and run it. Before you take off make sure it is tuned and ready to go. I will go over tuning in another post. If you have any questions email me at metalmole@citlink.net or comment here.