so I'm looking for a good trainer

Pilot-294

Senior Member
Everyone's recommending the supercub when the op specifically said not a j3... I'd have to recommend the Bixler or the Tuff Trainer from HK. The former is very versatile, cheap and fun to fly. I've seen the EPO warp quite badly after a couple of big crashes though. The Tuff Trainer is excellent, in spite of the mixed reviews it's had. The ailerons don't do a hell of a lot, but that thing is the most crashable plane I've ever seen. I've trained a few newbies on it, and it's still going strong after double figures worth of hard, nose first, cartwheeling and object hitting crashes. If hot glue is used to repair it, you wouldn't even see the seams.

Both these planes are really cheap ($70-80 delivered) and are plug and fly. Keep the rest of your cash for a cool plane once you've got the hang of it.


i have thought pretty hard over the bixler, its a cool plane and the money is no issue for it, I'm definitely going to consider it, and thanks for not recommending the j3, i don't mind it, and I'm open to one that is yellow, with panel lines, and with ailerons. I'm terribly stubborn, and i want my ailerons, as frustrated as ill be I'm sure.

I'm going to the hobby shop today with my moneys early so hopefully i can find something i like with a decent trainer feel.
 

jetpackninja

More combat please...
Mentor
Everyone's recommending the supercub when the op specifically said not a j3... I'd have to recommend the Bixler or the Tuff Trainer from HK. The former is very versatile, cheap and fun to fly. I've seen the EPO warp quite badly after a couple of big crashes though. The Tuff Trainer is excellent, in spite of the mixed reviews it's had. The ailerons don't do a hell of a lot, but that thing is the most crashable plane I've ever seen. I've trained a few newbies on it, and it's still going strong after double figures worth of hard, nose first, cartwheeling and object hitting crashes. If hot glue is used to repair it, you wouldn't even see the seams.

Both these planes are really cheap ($70-80 delivered) and are plug and fly. Keep the rest of your cash for a cool plane once you've got the hang of it.

In fairness to everybody that recommended the Cub, the OP also said this in the same post.
my taste in planes include (but not limited to) in order favorite to least favorite:

F4U4
P-51-D or F
Hell or wildcat
Piper j-3 cub and super cub
cessna 172
p-38 lightning
Fokker Dr.1

Anyway, just reinforces the point that the amount of available information out there can be overwhelming for a newb to sort through.
<subliminal text>Go buy a cub</subliminal text>
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
So most of you may think me stupid, stubborn, and stupid... But after Talking with the guys at the shop, careful consideration. And the terrible stubbornness bred into me from the sawyer side of my family, I couldn't bring myself to settle on the cub... I got the park zone f4u rtf with the dx5. 3 reasons I did it. Beginners stupidity and stubbornness, I needed ailerons to be happy with spending the money (and I got a bnf ready radio) and I loooove the f4u... Don't kill me but I'm happy, even when I wreck it. Lol
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
Really, that's all that matters. You may want to consider hand launching and belly landing on your first few flights. If you use the gear, be ready for the plane to turn left when you run up the throttle for take off due to prop torque. Counter that with right rudder. Run throttle up slowly. Once airborne, climb at a gentle angle. If you yank it off the ground by using a lot of elevator, it will climb steeply for a few moments, then gravity will win and have its way with your plane. Not pretty.

When landing, keep up speed so the plane doesn't stall at low altitude. Generally, if the plane is balanced and trimmed nicely, it should maintain airspeed by dropping its nose and descending without power. Its better to come in hot and float forever than to stall 15 feet above the ground. Oh-fly in a HUGE open area!

Cover the leading edges of flying surfaces with clear packaging tape. This will help prevent bad dings if you fly into a tree, fence, or whatever else may have been rudely placed in the way. White Gorilla Glue is my favorite for repairing broken airplanes. It is much lighter than epoxy. Use sparingly because it foams and expands. Buy a few extra props.

Other than that, enjoy the heck out of it! Don't get discouraged if it isn't easy at first. You'll get it quickly enough!
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
I have to say that hobby store is rather irresponsible. The DX5 is an awful radio and that plane's going to be half glue after a couple of flights. Best wishes with it anyhow. I think you'll be fine in the air, as these things fly like on rails. Getting it back down is another thing. Time to get on the simulator and practise landing accurately and under power.
 

Fishbonez

Active member
I wish you all the luck. Just add to what Teach said Take off and land into the wind and stay up wind and out of the sun. On the maiden try to avoid the temptattion to get crazy Trim the plane and then after a few flights of getting used to her then get crazy. Most of all have fun and dont get frustrated. Keep at it and you will have a new drug that you wont be able to avoid, the addiction .
Good Luck and keep us informed how it goes.
 
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Pilot-294

Senior Member
thanks guys, i figure ill have it down soon (hopefully) with it being electric, i should be able to fly more often with less work, and it should be more fun to learn. getting it down is gonna be different with it under power, but ill manage. weather its half glue or not ill make sure this beautiful bird stays airborne and I'm gonna make it a good long lasting plane to learn mild aerobatics and more advanced pattern flight. after i get the hang of it in and of itself. pictures to come!
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
Be sure if you're belly landing to cut the motor just as you touch down. Saves props. I think you are going to have a blast with that plane. If you have a hard surface I would hand launch but use the gear for landing.

When you first get it in the air do some circuits and practice flying slowly until you get it to stall but do it at altitude. Get a feel for how slowly you can fly it before you try a landing. Do some slow passes over your landing site and get a good approach set up before you try putting it down. This will help your first landing be a successful one. Also, use the low rates on your transmitter. They are not adjustable on that radio, they're fixed at 50%. Makes a huge difference trying to be smooth for landing. I did a lot of flying on my DX5e and found it to be a perfectly fine radio. It just doesn't have nearly the capabilities of the DX6i and up. You will have fun with it.

Should you decide not to use the landing gear, your model comes with landing skids to put in place of the gear as well, for scale looks.

Most of all, have fun. Plan for success but expect to crash eventually. It's going to happen. Don't get discouraged.

I always take pictures of my planes when they're new because they'll never look that good again lol. I video everything I can for the same reason. Never know when the coolest things are going to happen.
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
I have to say that hobby store is rather irresponsible. The DX5 is an awful radio and that plane's going to be half glue after a couple of flights. Best wishes with it anyhow. I think you'll be fine in the air, as these things fly like on rails. Getting it back down is another thing. Time to get on the simulator and practise landing accurately and under power.

He purchased the RTF. The DX5e is the radio that Parkzone packages with the F4U in the RTF. He didn't exactly have an option unless he wanted to spend a bunch more money.

http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ4600
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
That's an additional $100 for a 5 channel non-programmable radio... If he got the PNP version, a DX6i would have only been an extra $60 on what he paid...
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
Apples to apples.

On horizonhobby.com

F4U RTF
Everything in one box, including the DX5e -279.99
http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/f4u-corsair-rtf-PKZ4600

F4U PNP
Plane only. No receiver, no radio, no battery, no charger. 179.99
http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/f4u-corsair-rtf-PKZ4600

DX6i and receiver - 209.99
http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/dx6i-dsmx-6-channel-full-range-without-servo-md2-SPM6610

You're already at 389.99. You still don't have a battery or charger. Buying those from horizon or your common hobby shop brings the total to 473.46.

I can already hear people typing about a Turnigy 9X radio and turnigy batteries and charger. I agree that it's a good option and cheaper but lets run the numbers.

Turnigy 9x, 39.99
Turnigy Accucel 6 charger (I highly recommend this charger and you can't beat the price) 22.99
Turnigy 3S 1800 battery 9.50

I put these items in my cart and with the cheapest shipping it's 103.48.
Throw in a couple bucks for the new connector you'll have to solder on to make the battery work with the plane. We'll call it 105 even.

F4U - 179.99
The rest 105
Total-284.99

Oh and the 9X is backordered. So while he's sitting looking at his plane waiting for the rest of his items to show up and then wait another three weeks for it to arrive, he could have had everything in one box and gone flying.

I think he did just fine and the whatever the radio he is going to have a really good time with a really cool airplane.
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
Those are my thoughts on the bird as well, it's all there, and it CAN'T be worse than an old 4ch airtronics tx plus I got my kit cheaper than 170 my shop cut me a small (but really appreciated) discount all tolled it was 167 and they threw it together with me so it was done right ( I feel dumb having asked it was way too easy but I hadn't worked with epp or electrics yet, so I did anyways)
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
It's a great idea to ask your hobby shop for help. If you're not sure, it's better than wondering after the fact why you crashed. I had a great experience with Anchorage House of Hobbies. One of the heli guys there spent an hour going through my Blade 400 after I bought it used checking for problems and showing me how to set it up. He gave me a million pointers and things to watch. I gained more information there than I would in a hundred years on forums. You can't beat the person to person help you get from a good hobby shop.
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
I got the park zone f4u rtf with the dx5.
Please send a picture and a movie.
The parts are really good for the future. The DX5 might not be the best but when you are done with your first planes you will probably upgrade to a transmitter with model memories and other nice features. You can buy a lot of BNF models you can fly with your DX5.
Best wishes with it anyhow. I think you'll be fine in the air, as these things fly like on rails. Getting it back down is another thing. Time to get on the simulator and practise landing accurately and under power.
And – if you can find someone who can help you with “a buddy” the first start and landing – just as a demonstration of how to decide the speed for landing – you will be just fine.
And the glue will come from you making all the errors we all do – all the time.
If you don’t experiment with the limits then you can just as well stay behind the computer screen and not fly irl.
Be sure if you're belly landing to cut the motor just as you touch down. Saves props. I think you are going to have a blast with that plane. If you have a hard surface I would hand launch but use the gear for landing.

Should you decide not to use the landing gear, your model comes with landing skids to put in place of the gear as well, for scale looks. .
Skids and tape will keep the plane fine for many landings.
Keep the gear until you have plenty of fine bellylandnings behind you.
 

lobstermash

Propaganda machine
Mentor
I can already hear people typing about a Turnigy 9X radio and turnigy batteries and charger. I agree that it's a good option and cheaper but lets run the numbers.

Turnigy 9x, 39.99
Turnigy Accucel 6 charger (I highly recommend this charger and you can't beat the price) 22.99
Turnigy 3S 1800 battery 9.50

I put these items in my cart and with the cheapest shipping it's 103.48.
Throw in a couple bucks for the new connector you'll have to solder on to make the battery work with the plane. We'll call it 105 even.

F4U - 179.99
The rest 105
Total-284.99

Oh and the 9X is backordered. So while he's sitting looking at his plane waiting for the rest of his items to show up and then wait another three weeks for it to arrive, he could have had everything in one box and gone flying.

I think he did just fine and the whatever the radio he is going to have a really good time with a really cool airplane.

True true, there's huge demand for the 9x right now. Between the two modes there are over 1000 people with one on order! You can always upgrade when HK catches up on stock. I didn't think I'd need/want a programmable tx until I had a model with the channels, but snapped up a 9x with the price drop (the first time a couple of months ago, not the backorder price). I don't think I could ever go back!

Sounds like you did OK, and I hope you grow into the plane real quick. It sucks to see people overestimating their skill and crash on every flight, become discouraged and lose enthusiasm for the hobby. There are too many other things to do in this day and age apparently...
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
F4U as a trainer?

I am pretty sceptical about it but with the right help, a lot of space and a alot of simulator practice you should be fine.

The problem just is that warbirds are seen as not being the most easy planes to fly but in contrast to that Parkzone planes in general are easy to fly.

So good luck with it and merry christmas :D
 

Fishbonez

Active member
So while he's sitting looking at his plane waiting for the rest of his items to show up and then wait another three weeks for it to arrive, he could have had everything in one box and gone flying.

I think he did just fine and the whatever the radio he is going to have a really good time with a really cool airplane.

That is a key point. Nothing worse than sitting and wishing to go fly. I know sounds a bit childesh but I am kid at heart and if I had not bought a complete package for my first plane I beleive I would have quickly lost interesst, I would be thinking to myself " I waited this long for this crash"