kacknor
Build another!
Received my Tundra in the mail today about 1:00. It is now 7:30 as I start this and the plane is ready to maiden save the velcro to hold the battery. Bank, shopping dinner and life slowed me down a bit.
First thoughts: The unboxing was uneventful, save the right elevator came out of the box when the top was opened. Found the hinge was ripped about 2 inches from the root.
A bit disappointing but fixed with a little hot glue and I continued.
I've been building so many small Mini FT aircraft that this thing seem BIG. Floats are nearly 28" long, wingspan 51". I don't know what I was thinking. How am I going to fit this in the basement? Oh well!
One thing I did notice was the side of the box, there have been questions about whether a kit will be available as an option to the ARF. Word is maybe, but the box is ready for it. If it sells the only thing I can say is why wouldn't they?
The unboxing itself was easy and has already been covered well here by DutchRC as will be the build by somebody I'm sure, so I'll just say that it was easy. Step by step, follow the sequence in the book save for the centering servos and adjusting linkages. They say to do it long before you get to the radio install.
There were only two issues I consider more than minor, even then they're only a bit more than that. The first is an easy fix. The screws. No less that 5 different sizes, 1.7x6, 2.0x8, 2.0,18, 2.3x6, 2,3x10. Really HK? There isn't ONE location that could not have used the biggest of these. Why force us (And you) to deal with the logistics and complication? Pick one, use it everywhere. It's all good. (That said, Hobby King did a fine job of identifying and separating them). The second may due to the admitted afterthought due to late the prototype testing discovery of the need for elevator bracing. There isn't a mount hole pre-drilled (minor and understandable) but the first time I bent the tab to check placement then straightened it out to rough it up for glue the tab snapped off the brace. It fixable, but a second look at the solution is needed I think.
OK, that's out of the way. The build went very smoothly and easy. I'm already seeing things I want to customize, but that will happen no matter what. Parts slid, attached, installed with ease. No glue required save for the broken brace and that's is listed as an option. Radio installed with lots of room for the separate ORX stabilizer I added. Lot's of room for a battery too. The longest part of the build was adjusting the controls and setting up the radio and stabilizer. Rudder and elevator are a snap with adjustable stops and grub screw. The ailerons and flaps are threaded rods with snap clips and took a bit longer.
It does look impressive in a small condo.
Weather seems to be cooperating with a nice January thaw day over 50 forecast for tomorrow's maiden.
JD
First thoughts: The unboxing was uneventful, save the right elevator came out of the box when the top was opened. Found the hinge was ripped about 2 inches from the root.
A bit disappointing but fixed with a little hot glue and I continued.
I've been building so many small Mini FT aircraft that this thing seem BIG. Floats are nearly 28" long, wingspan 51". I don't know what I was thinking. How am I going to fit this in the basement? Oh well!
One thing I did notice was the side of the box, there have been questions about whether a kit will be available as an option to the ARF. Word is maybe, but the box is ready for it. If it sells the only thing I can say is why wouldn't they?
The unboxing itself was easy and has already been covered well here by DutchRC as will be the build by somebody I'm sure, so I'll just say that it was easy. Step by step, follow the sequence in the book save for the centering servos and adjusting linkages. They say to do it long before you get to the radio install.
There were only two issues I consider more than minor, even then they're only a bit more than that. The first is an easy fix. The screws. No less that 5 different sizes, 1.7x6, 2.0x8, 2.0,18, 2.3x6, 2,3x10. Really HK? There isn't ONE location that could not have used the biggest of these. Why force us (And you) to deal with the logistics and complication? Pick one, use it everywhere. It's all good. (That said, Hobby King did a fine job of identifying and separating them). The second may due to the admitted afterthought due to late the prototype testing discovery of the need for elevator bracing. There isn't a mount hole pre-drilled (minor and understandable) but the first time I bent the tab to check placement then straightened it out to rough it up for glue the tab snapped off the brace. It fixable, but a second look at the solution is needed I think.
OK, that's out of the way. The build went very smoothly and easy. I'm already seeing things I want to customize, but that will happen no matter what. Parts slid, attached, installed with ease. No glue required save for the broken brace and that's is listed as an option. Radio installed with lots of room for the separate ORX stabilizer I added. Lot's of room for a battery too. The longest part of the build was adjusting the controls and setting up the radio and stabilizer. Rudder and elevator are a snap with adjustable stops and grub screw. The ailerons and flaps are threaded rods with snap clips and took a bit longer.
It does look impressive in a small condo.
Weather seems to be cooperating with a nice January thaw day over 50 forecast for tomorrow's maiden.
JD
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