Mountain Models DLG choices... Which one to consider??

[Stradawhovious]

I have been mulling over my choices on the Mountain Models website, and there seems to be two decent DLG kits to choose from. Why Mountain Models you ask?

Why do yo ask so many quesitons, huh? HUH??!!

Well, becase they appear to be very well make kits with easy to follow build instructions, they are pretty localish, and they aren't Hobbyking.

Here are the two they offer.

The DL-50 - http://www.mountainmodels.com/product_info.php?products_id=212

and the Quick Flick II - http://www.mountainmodels.com/product_info.php?products_id=205

Both of them are right where I want to be build wise, experince wise and price wise. I can hadle the build on both of them, and with DLG I'm not sure I'm ready for ailerons yet. I'd like to master the absolute basics of non-powered flight before I get all crazy-like. Honestly, I'm kind of leaning towards the QFII right now, simply because of the balsa build... but the DL-50 may prove to be more durable with the glassed foam construction.

Would I ever be so lucky to run into someone here with experience with both models? I'd love your input on the pros and cons of both, especially against one another.

In lieu of that very unlikely outcome, If you have experience with either of these birds, please tell me what you like... and more importantly DON'T like about them.

I've done the obligatory youtube search for videos, and there isn't much there. Only a handful of flight videos, and most of them by people who seem to have just as much if not less experience with soaring as I do. I've tried to wade through the 700 page monstrosity on RC Groups, but it's just too much to digest. It would be nice to just have a pro and con list in a small handful of posts rather than leaf through 2 years worth of hundreds and hundreds of posts to find the 6 or 7 that pertain to me.

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Craftydan]

I've built out the DL-50 and all told, it was a fairly easy process. there's a few points I would do differently (get a carbon blade for the launch peg instead of the horrible carbon-tape-and-epoxy wrapped peg in the kit), but otherwise it's a fine ship.

Not a stellar performer -- flying it with one of the high end ships on the same field can be . . . embarrassing . . . but she flies just fine -- as well as most any other in her class.

Overall the kit is good and the plane is everything you'd expect an $90 DLG to be.

Haven't ever played with the Quick Flick II, so can't really comment on that build, but I'm not seeing the wing covering mentioned in the materials -- the DL50 comes with it's own glass, and the process is easy durable, but it looks like you'll have to provide your own lightweight covering for the wing . . . so another $10-$20 added on the bill . . .

 

[Stradawhovious]

Not a stellar performer -- flying it with one of the high end ships on the same field can be . . . embarrassing . . . but she flies just fine -- as well as most any other in her class.

Overall the kit is good and the plane is everything you'd expect an $90 DLG to be.

Thanks for the info!

Yeah, I don't expect either of these to even remotely keep pace with the $1k+ all CF birds, but with the fun I'm having with the BUG DLG I'd like to get something with a larger wingspan before I drop any real money. Not sure I would EVER drop that much cash on a plane.

I know I could get something that would likely get far more performance for just a little more money... ie. the Libelle Dream Flight or the Hobbyking Mini composite, but I would prefer to build rather than just assemble.

 

[Craftydan]

I know I could get something that would likely get far more performance for just a little more money... ie. the Libelle Dream Flight or the Hobbyking Mini composite, but I would prefer to build rather than just assemble.

Completely agree, and while the Libelle flies acceptably well, I just simply got turned off by all of the add-on costs that really bumped the price up (Re-enforcement stickers? Really?!? If it's that much of an improvement in strength, is it that hard to include them in with the wing?). HK's composite? Nice, but also pricy . . . and most of the HK DLGs leave off with the fiddly stages of the construction . . . in chinglish

I did enjoy the DL-50 build -- glassing that wing isn't hard, and after that, glassing large things in general isn't intimidating at all anymore . . . just messy. I imagine the Quick Flick would be a similar experience with less glassing, more covering. good practice still. I might build one of those out some day, but just picked up an Encore DLG wing in need of a little TLC at the local swap meet for a song . . . still not a carbon beauty, but with a little cleanup and a nice pod, she should fly better than anything in this class. we'll see.

 

[RAM]

Did anyone mention the need for a covering iron to add to cost of the non fiberglass option?

 

[Stradawhovious]

Did anyone mention the need for a covering iron to add to cost of the non fiberglass option?

Good point!

I do have a covering iron, a few rolls of monokote and a heatgun. If I go that route I will likely get some lighter covering material seeing as weight is such an issue with these.