Top Flite Giant Scale Spitfire ARF
08-08-2013, 04:48 AM
#252
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Its all good. I have had TF ARFs before, and didn't like the discrepancies. I actually like both the Spitfire and FW190. On both, I would fix the minor issues like dihedral when I assembled them. the spinner size on the Mustang and to a lesser degree, the P-40 drives me crazy.
Honestly, If I ran across the right deal, I would buy the Spit, 190, or P40 if I was in the Market for quick-fly ARF. Still bothers me that the manufactures can't get the simple stuff right. I do post these small issues in hopes that the manufacturers see them and listen.
Hangar 9's new Corsair seems to be pretty close to scale, albeit mucho $$$.
My biggest gripe is the small stuff that costs nothing to include in the design, dihedral, spinner size, gear angle, etc and they continue to do it time after time.
Honestly, If I ran across the right deal, I would buy the Spit, 190, or P40 if I was in the Market for quick-fly ARF. Still bothers me that the manufactures can't get the simple stuff right. I do post these small issues in hopes that the manufacturers see them and listen.
Hangar 9's new Corsair seems to be pretty close to scale, albeit mucho $$$.
My biggest gripe is the small stuff that costs nothing to include in the design, dihedral, spinner size, gear angle, etc and they continue to do it time after time.
Last edited by JeffH; 08-08-2013 at 05:02 AM.
08-08-2013, 06:57 AM
#253
Well, I'm glad you guys like it. I think it kinda looks like doodoo. Among many other scale discrepancies it once again appears as if TF have seen fit to reduce the dihedral. I much prefer the big ESM version myself although chances are very good I won't be buying either of them so my opinion is probably moot anyway!
99 percent of us care about 3 scale considerations in warbirds :
- do the wheels go up?
- can you tell what kind of warbird it is when it rips by on a low pass?
- is there some kind of pilot visible in the cockpit when it makes that pass?
The primary non-scale concern?
- Does it fly good?
I'll tell you what disappoints me the most is seeing a great looking, scale correct warbird on the ground, either never leave the ground or lumber around tentatively, overweight and under powered. That makes me sad.
08-08-2013, 08:22 AM
#254
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The number of posts under the critics ID and the tone of their posts is pretty much a give-away of who you are dealing with here when it comes to these guys. Like I said, every club has some of these guys, experts on everything, critical of everything and always looking for an excuse as to why they never fly.
08-08-2013, 09:18 AM
#255
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Discrepancies? Seriously, do some actually believe the manufacturer considers what a top gun judge may think of "detail correctness"?
99 percent of us care about 3 scale considerations in warbirds :
- do the wheels go up?
- can you tell what kind of warbird it is when it rips by on a low pass?
- is there some kind of pilot visible in the cockpit when it makes that pass?
The primary non-scale concern?
- Does it fly good?
I'll tell you what disappoints me the most is seeing a great looking, scale correct warbird on the ground, either never leave the ground or lumber around tentatively, overweight and under powered. That makes me sad.
99 percent of us care about 3 scale considerations in warbirds :
- do the wheels go up?
- can you tell what kind of warbird it is when it rips by on a low pass?
- is there some kind of pilot visible in the cockpit when it makes that pass?
The primary non-scale concern?
- Does it fly good?
I'll tell you what disappoints me the most is seeing a great looking, scale correct warbird on the ground, either never leave the ground or lumber around tentatively, overweight and under powered. That makes me sad.
08-08-2013, 09:35 AM
#257
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What you guys don't get is that this has for the most part been a great "build thread" where those of us who have the airplane have been sharing information on the aircraft's build and flight characteristics. That is until you critics who don't have the airplane, and don't want the airplane started taking over these pages *****ing about what you don't like about what you'll never own.
If you want to constantly complain, or more realistically, if you need to continually empower yourself by constantly complaining about what you don't like about this airplane, then go start a ***** thread and increase your post numbers there - at least then the rest of us can get back to sharing information that we are interested in and you guys can waste forum pages *****ing to each other about what you don't like - but hey, I realize with over 6000 posts you most likely lack the ability to even figure the simplicity of that concept out.
If you want to constantly complain, or more realistically, if you need to continually empower yourself by constantly complaining about what you don't like about this airplane, then go start a ***** thread and increase your post numbers there - at least then the rest of us can get back to sharing information that we are interested in and you guys can waste forum pages *****ing to each other about what you don't like - but hey, I realize with over 6000 posts you most likely lack the ability to even figure the simplicity of that concept out.
08-08-2013, 10:14 AM
#258
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What you guys don't get is that this has for the most part been a great "build thread" where those of us who have the airplane have been sharing information on the aircraft's build and flight characteristics. That is until you critics who don't have the airplane, and don't want the airplane started taking over these pages *****ing about what you don't like about what you'll never own.
If you want to constantly complain, or more realistically, if you need to continually empower yourself by constantly complaining about what you don't like about this airplane, then go start a ***** thread and increase your post numbers there - at least then the rest of us can get back to sharing information that we are interested in and you guys can waste forum pages *****ing to each other about what you don't like - but hey, I realize with over 6000 posts you most likely lack the ability to even figure the simplicity of that concept out.
If you want to constantly complain, or more realistically, if you need to continually empower yourself by constantly complaining about what you don't like about this airplane, then go start a ***** thread and increase your post numbers there - at least then the rest of us can get back to sharing information that we are interested in and you guys can waste forum pages *****ing to each other about what you don't like - but hey, I realize with over 6000 posts you most likely lack the ability to even figure the simplicity of that concept out.
I must be gettin' pissy in my old age as I used to just blow off these kinds of posts. However, I get a bit tired of being told what I can and can't say in a public forum. Some "deja vu" there as I think I've had this fight in this thread once before.
08-08-2013, 10:19 AM
#259
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Enough wasting time and space on this nonsense - enjoy the last word Chad, with nearly 6300 posts your obviously used to making sure you have it.
I'm going out to fly
I'm going out to fly
08-08-2013, 12:31 PM
#260
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Have you ever been to a scale contest like Top Gun or Scale Masters? There are many, many very scale planes that fly just like they should. Why is there even a discussion about THESE GUYS and US? *** is wrong with people? Its really stupid to try and be divisive when there's no need for it. I don't recall anyone saying. DONT BUY THE PLANE! Enjoy yourself as you see fit.. its pretty damn simple!
08-08-2013, 01:08 PM
#261
This is the same story for the armchair critics in thread after thread in these forums to the point of ad nauseum. The dihedral's not right, the shape of the tail's not right, the canopy's not right the angle of the gear's not right, the color scheme's not right, they didn't choose to make the right model and so on and on it goes in thread after thread.
Not everything that's "scale" transfers into a good flying model aircraft that a majority of customers would be happy with and one which is worth the time for a company, in the business of trying to stay in business to spend their R&D resources to produce. While more dihedral would certainly satisfy the "scale critics" it would bring with it many of the nasty flight characteristics that would drive many customers away. You don't like it? Don't buy it.
This is a hobby where some of us fly, enjoy the hobby and support the companies producing products we can enjoy, while the rest sit around and criticize every little thing while looking for excuses why they don't fly. I get it, every club has them - what they don't get, is that the ONLY people they are impressing with their constant criticism are themselves.
Not everything that's "scale" transfers into a good flying model aircraft that a majority of customers would be happy with and one which is worth the time for a company, in the business of trying to stay in business to spend their R&D resources to produce. While more dihedral would certainly satisfy the "scale critics" it would bring with it many of the nasty flight characteristics that would drive many customers away. You don't like it? Don't buy it.
This is a hobby where some of us fly, enjoy the hobby and support the companies producing products we can enjoy, while the rest sit around and criticize every little thing while looking for excuses why they don't fly. I get it, every club has them - what they don't get, is that the ONLY people they are impressing with their constant criticism are themselves.
All things considered the Spit is great looking...but wouldn't it look even better if it had scale dihedral? Would it really make it fly worse?
08-09-2013, 10:15 AM
#262
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As far as people getting bent out of shape about others' opinions, you can go screw yourselves. As Chad said, this was not a "build" thread(even if the complainers could even build vs. assemble). It was a new product on the market. Guess what, Car and Driver rips new cars on what they think is wrong every month. They have said things that I totally disagree with, but guess what, I did not write the editors and complain about what *****holes the writers were. I read their opinions and moved on. I have also read things in articles(good and bad), reviews and announcments, that I did not realize and it changed my mind about that product. The critical comments about the Spitfire would not directed at any one owner. As said many times, they were directed to nobody specific, however since the manufacturer is known to read these threads maybe they will at least pay attention.
I am not going to bow to anyone simply because they do not want to hear my opinion. This is a forum that is open to the public, and the only rules that we must abide by are that of the owner's.
08-09-2013, 12:13 PM
#263
With the cockpit and pilot now fitted we did final CG balance today. One of the factory steel plate weights has been removed and the two 6volt radio batts are fwd of the fuel tank. Total weight is just over 21 LBs! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnKRQhXlMgE
08-09-2013, 01:00 PM
#265
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Just finished up the Spit today. Using the DLE 55 rear exhaust engine with the electric retracts from Robart along with there scale wheels. A great SPORT SCALE SPITFIRE ARF.Went together very easy and am sure will fly great as all Top-Flite models do
Last edited by Hellcat716; 08-09-2013 at 01:05 PM.
08-13-2013, 07:51 AM
#266
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With the cockpit and pilot now fitted we did final CG balance today. One of the factory steel plate weights has been removed and the two 6volt radio batts are fwd of the fuel tank. Total weight is just over 21 LBs! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnKRQhXlMgE
08-16-2013, 02:46 PM
#270
Maiden flight today on the Spit. Plane flys great as do all my TF planes. Cut down the aileron throw slightly. CG was right on the money. Both flights resulted in dead stick landings though and the problem I identified as overheating (the OAT was 95 degrees and that didn't help). I opened up the front for better airflow and feel certain this will fix the problem. Pic shows the new air inlet hole.
08-18-2013, 03:47 PM
#271
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Had the Spit at Warbirds Over Wisconsin and flew both Friday and Saturday. As far as I could tell mine was the only one at the event and it drew a lot of attention.
Mixed it up with my buddy in his FW190 and the spit is considerably faster.
Had a blast - great flyer and a great event!
08-19-2013, 01:46 PM
#274
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Lifer, it's the J-tec wrap around that's common to the DA-50 / DLE-55. I have another one on a DA50 in an Aeroworks Sport Cub that I didn't have as much problems with. The only difference is that I didn't have to shorten the pipes on that muffler.
Drilling the M5 bolts turned out to be pretty simple using a drill press, I should have done that sooner as it really locks the bolts in place an keeps them from coming lose at all.
Drilling the M5 bolts turned out to be pretty simple using a drill press, I should have done that sooner as it really locks the bolts in place an keeps them from coming lose at all.
08-20-2013, 06:14 AM
#275
Lifer, that muffler came out for the Aeroworks mustang. It use to be listed just for that but now you can get it from Tower or Jtec. If you call Jtec and specifically ask for the Aeroworks P-51 mustang muffler, you'll get that muffler. I used it in my ESM 50cc 109.
Rohnt, the bolt issue with that muffler unfortunately is common. I learned of it from a friend and had to do the same. Everyone I've seen has had the same resolve.
Rohnt, the bolt issue with that muffler unfortunately is common. I learned of it from a friend and had to do the same. Everyone I've seen has had the same resolve.