tp777fo

My Feedback: (28)

Yep...I'd say it straight to you in person also and then I'd invite you to have a cold beer.

glazier808

My Feedback: (1)

+1 and some for Chad....

JeffH

My Feedback: (43)

I'm with Chad on this. I never said that I expected dead nuts scale for pennies. It does not cost one dollar more to put the correct dihedral in the plans that they send to china. I know this is a sport scale plane but when the plane is sitting on the flight line and the wings appear to be sagging in the heat due to the lack of dihedreal, it causes me to not buy it.

Dick T.

My Feedback: (243)

Hey Tom, your comments in the thread are appropriate as far as I am concerned.

Too many guys out there want to be catered too by the manufacturers. They give little thought to a product being prepared for successful use by other people who may not have time, skills, facilities or even desire to 'masterscale' their model.

Cowl not shaped right? Not enough dihedral? Covering colors all wrong? All sound like easy things to fix for an experienced modeler.

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

So you would look me right in the eye and tell me to "just be quiet" and "stop...with the mindless rants"? If so then I can assure you we would not be having a cold beer or any other sort of beverage together. Very rarely do I bother to address these sorts of replies, too much like banging my head against a brick wall. However, it is a bit irritating to be told essentially to shut up and go away simply because I have a different opinion than you. I rather think it's poor form and I would not say it to you either in person nor here on a public forum. But that's just my perspective, yours is obviously different.

JL1

My Feedback: (93)

I'm still with Chad, this forum is a place to openly express your observations and experiences with products that appear in the market and I, for one, value that.

JSZ

My Feedback: (73)

Are there any more pics of this plane other than the one on this threds first page. I would like to see exactly how much dihedral the plane has or doesn't have. I understand its a sport scale but the outline to me is very important. Like some of the sport P51s you see with a flat wing. I could not live with that.

Shaun Evans

Now, now...

As someone who has actually had a cold beer (or two...) with TP777fo, I can say that he's not only a great guy to have a beer with.... but a stand-up dude in the truest sense. Chad, these southern guys do get lippy, but I imagine that you two in person would have lots to talk about. Chad's input and modeling expertise is frankly one of the reasons I monitor this particular section of RCU, so his opinions and observations are not only valid, but quite welcome so behave, Tom (and stop fussing over crap-scale Spits and get to work on an F-18)...

Chris Nicastro

My Feedback: (3)

When are we going to see a video from TF on this one?

Hellcat716

My Feedback: (2)

I hope we don't see one. I am already tired of hearing how bad this model is before it is released. It is a SPORT scale ARF. One I will enjoy. Everybody has the right to comment on the plane, but it get's really old hearing about ever little detail that is wrong with the plane before it is released. Like the GS Corsair ARF. A beautiful plane right out of the box, but a lot of people saying it won't fly safely without modification's. I have no modification's and if flies great.

Chris Nicastro

My Feedback: (3)

I certainly do not expect ARF's to be high detail and scale fidelity from companies like TF, ESM, BH, etc, but when they charge a premium and then expect you accept subpar construction materials, assembly, or just poor design thats just not acceptable. Why do I need to fix anything on a new model I paid for?
This line of reasoning is exactly why the industry keeps doing this to customers. They know you will make up for their deficiencies and call it just part of the hobby. Thats not acceptable. When its a kit you expect all the parts to be there and made correctly and for an ARF its the same thing. As the customer you shouldn't have to correct it, fix it, or modify it because its a finished product. This is the minimum expectation not a luxury and from there you can choose to do what you like.

If the colors are off, the scale dimensions are off, well thats attributed to design decisions, production issues and other factors but bottom line these are scale renditions of aircraft and they are not made to be very accurate. Many times designers use too many references and that is a contributing factor why a model is wrong. They don't understand the subject well enough to tell two Spitfires apart or whatever the case may be or maybe the designer just isn't very good at making a replica of the part. These are matters of personal taste. If the bad looking parts fit together fine then its done well but may look poor.

I just have a long standing problem with people making excuses for model companies and letting them get away with perpetuating poor product development and increasing prices. Say something while you choose to exercise your right not to buy a product or return it and companies will have to listen.

Chris Nicastro

My Feedback: (3)

I have the Corsair and Im not satisfied with the tail assembly right out of box. When guys have lost their planes due to tail issues or poor factory assembly thats not a figment of their imagination. I have not flown mine yet, waiting for snow to clear up a bit, but Im on the fence about modifying it and trusting my instincts or flying it with fingers crossed. Part of the choice rests on wanting to prove its wrong and confirming my suspicion but thats another subject.

There is every chance this Spit will be fine because so far the FW is doing very well. These are new designs so it seems promising the critical systems are designed well. It does suck to see so much negativity surrounding a new untested product. Good luck TF.

Dick T.

My Feedback: (243)

Actually Chris, you don't.

I should have been clearer by saying:

Cowl not shaped right? Not enough dihedral? Covering colors all wrong? All sound like easy things to fix for an experienced modeler who prefers more accuracy.

TopFlight has a pretty good record at producing stand off scale models that perform well and look good right out of the box. I have done several of their ARF's, warbirds included, and modified some to suit personal taste. Personally I like building but modifying an ARF with good bones can shave off a lot of time and expense.

Personally I can pick apart every Mustang model out there but if the owner is happy with it he doesn't give two squats what I think, and that is the way it should be.

The proposed Spit looks good enough to me. If I want it to be better I will modify it.

Chris Nicastro

My Feedback: (3)

Right DT. Were on the same page.
For that reason as well TF should offer all of their GS ARF's as ARC's so the customer can do as they wish. That being said I bet they will reason that sales don't support offering this option. If so were back to the same dilemma, buy an expensive ARF and work on it to your taste, build a kit, or find a full composite ARF that satisfies your needs but costs even more money.

They discontinued all ARC's right?

tp777fo

My Feedback: (28)

Yes dear

Dick T.

My Feedback: (243)

It appears the TF Giant Mustang RTC is discontinued but the P-47 is still available. It is my understanding the RTC versions do not sell well in spite of the interest in various forums. To me it shows the interest shown in the forums is actually a very small portion of the market so we are not as influential as some think we are.

Glad I have a couple of the Mustang RTC's in storage for future projects. Picked them up for a song at swap meets as original buyers lost interest. Had an RTC P-47 but traded for the ARF as I like the Tarheel Hal scheme.

B Shipp

My Feedback: (13)

Wow, another ARF and the same handful of people talking about a rivet in the wrong place or the color is off. Talk about beating a dead horse.

Bob H please make it stop!

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Brian, my dear friend.. Alas one can only do so much in these forums. In fact..I've made a capitulation of sorts and ordered a TF GS Corsair! Shamefull but true.
I may not even trick it up.. well ok just a little.

If this Spit was a Mk Ia or MKV the camo could work. So just pretend its a MKV in North Africa

Shaun Evans

Tom,

But I'm serious about that hornet!

Thunderbolt47

My Feedback: (8)

Dick, you are correct sir. I remember talking with Kangle aircraft years ago and he said his ARC/RTCs sat and sat. There is a very small market for them.

Kelly

Phantom pty

Nice to See TOP FLITE come out with this Bird finally !!! As Top Fligh is know for their high quality. Just a bit disappointed on the Model it would have been nice one of the newer models like the MK XIV

Wondering if this would be as nice as the ESM 50 CC Scale Spitfire..

kahloq

With a little paint or recovering...Im sure it would like very nice.

mikes68charger

My Feedback: (34)

Wow what a posting

my CMP Spitfire was my first war bird. I currently built a TopFlite Gaint P40,P51, and P47 this winter.

I was hopeing for a TopFlite Gaint Spitfire but I'll be honest the pic show shows it no mustache looks very plane

I love Top Flite. But the Scale look of my ESM Corsair and new B25 make them look (not as cool)

I was hopeing when they did the Spitfire they were going to do a Super Mairen version or one with more features (supercharger scoop etc)

I will say the Gaint P40 wich is a new ARF than the others seemed way nicer fit and Finnish and the copit was real nice.

I think if this one can be open up for electic like th FW I think it will do ok

shanksow

My Feedback: (2)

It is understandable way RTC do not sell well. Too small of a market share. Better to get a ARF already covered, stripped the model and recover it the way you want your bird to be. Look at my avatar, that is a H9 .60 size Mustang when they first came out. I stripped the top wing skin covering off and recovered it and spray painted the fuse to get the version that I wanted. Yes it took a lot of extra time - but that is the way it goes sometimes.

kochj

Where do you get the nice side drawings of the planes and in the dif schemes?

Doing a captured p51 mustang and need some shots of a color side top and bottom...