Durafly de Havilland Vampire

TheRCFool

Super Cub Love
Ever since I saw the real thing at the reno air races two years ago Ive been a fan of this plane. I was very excited when I saw the Vampire FliteTest episode. Bixler wasnt joking when he said it was a lot of bang for the buck. $115 bucks? Ive never flown an EDF before, but Im thinking about picking one up instead of my planned Airfield Mitsubishi Zero. Does anyone here have one and is there anything else that Bixler and Scott didnt cover?
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TLMARK

Senior Member
My finger has been hovering over this plane for a while now it is very cool.
But I've never had much luck with EDF's
 

TheRCFool

Super Cub Love
My finger has been hovering over this plane for a while now it is very cool.
But I've never had much luck with EDF's

I know right? I know EDFs can be tricky, but this one seemed like it could be good for first time jet pilots
 

fwa2500

Ramp Rat
I'm so tornwhich to get first, the new umx mig-15 or the vampire......I know ill end up with both, lol
 

TheRCFool

Super Cub Love
Just got it last week along with a turnigy battery charger and sky lipo battery from nitroplanes.com. Now im just waiting for my Turnigy 9x TX which is currently back ordered. Ill be sure to share my maiden here.
Important note: To those looking to buy one of these beware that the pilot it comes with is a bit short lol. He sits in the cockpit like a school kid on a field trip. He needs a booster seat. I realized this after I had glued the canopy in place so I cut out around the pilot from underneath. Luckily the foam is thick there so all I did was push it up and glue in place. (After I had taken it out and colored all the white foam black that is)

Update: Here she currently hangs awaiting arrival of the STILL back ordered Turnigy 9x and receiver. I keep getting emails from hobby king saying they "just got a shipment in!" but obviously those units havnt been for me =( Her maiden will just have to wait.
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TheRCFool

Super Cub Love
Bump.

So I finally decided to stop waiting for my turnigy 9x and receiver to come back in stock. Stripped the receiver and tx from my airfield mustang and finally had a go with my new jet..... =( This is why they call me the RC Fool.
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TheRCFool

Super Cub Love
Yea, and you cant buy a replacement canopy from hobbyking =(

So while Ive ben waiting for the weather to improve I taped up the canopy. Looks awful, but better than nothing. I also gave it a custom paint job. Waiting for some decals to come in the mail to give it its final touches.
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TheRCFool

Super Cub Love
Took her out today for a real maiden flight. Nobody there to film it though =(
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She flew great though she was very twitchy, but im sure most of that is because im using a cheap radio with no expo. Had to adjust the control horns. This plane sounds awesome! Never heard and EDF this good. Videos dont do it justice. The only real issue I had was the landing. Landing gear are not locking in place in the down position, but locking in the up. Needless to say they collapsed on landing. Could they be malfunctioning or just broken? Its just the two mains. The nose gear locks up and down as its supposed to.
 

TheRCFool

Super Cub Love
There is a thread over at rc groups for this airplane that alone has over 150 pages. Here im talking to myself.

This will probably be my last post here. Finally got some video of my beautiful vampire.
 
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lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
Haha, we're all just jealous and wish we had a wife understanding enough to let us get one ;) I shouldn't say that... She graces this forum occasionally...
 

Astroman

Member
Nice work on the repairs etc... I have had a Vampire sitting in my shed since late January this year. Been through 2 fans, 1 threw a blade when a piece of Velcro went through it, the other was a stock setup and was a little out of balance. So I am still waiting... :D I eventually decided since I was no good at balancing, and want to fly the damn thing, I invested in getting a 2855-2300kv motor and a CS10 blade fan, and have had it professionally balanced. I pick the unit up today ready to fit it into the plane... Really looking forward to actually flying this thing.
 

Astroman

Member
Going to maiden the Vampire tomorrow, so looking forward to it and a little nervous also... Going to get video from different angles so will see what we get.
 

Spicks

Junior Member
You need to build up a lot more ground speed before trying to take off ... Treat it like a Spitfire and you wont go wrong at all ;)
 

Astroman

Member
You need to build up a lot more ground speed before trying to take off ... Treat it like a Spitfire and you wont go wrong at all ;)

Wasn't a problem, she flew amazingly, so smooth and hardly needed any trim. So graceful in the sky, I LOVE IT!