lanier F4 YA

I am completely new to this hobby and i have no idea what I'm doing basically. I just got a lanier F4 phantom for my birthday, and I don't know where to get all the other parts I need for it. The list of stuff i need is...

.40-.46 2 stroke engine and muffler
fuel line
minimum of 4 channel radio set with 4 servos
30 minute Z-poxy
thin zap CA (pink)
Tru turn 2-1/2 spinner and adaptor

thats the list and I don't know where I can get any of these. I tried a google search but it's kind of hard when you don't even know what you're looking for. If you have the same plane where did you get these parts. Or if you could just explain to me what they are. I mainly dont get what the 4 channel radio set with 4 servos is, also the thin zap CA (pink) I don't know why pink thats just what it says. And the spinner and adaptor.
Any input would be a huge help

Thanks

exeter_acres

My Feedback: (2)

Is this your first Airplane??????

Stop now... do not continue....

This is NOT a beginners airplane

Check out this thread:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/Help...2599956/tm.htm

While it is a bit different from yours, you will get the idea

READ the posts....
Get a trainer airplane...
Find a local club
Get an instructor

Please

Best case scenario..... You get the F4 built and the first flight lasts 10, maybe 15 seconds and it is a pile of pieces...
Worst case, you get it in the air, get it turned towards the pits and loose control



Put the F4 away.... get a trainer and go from there...
Please

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

exeter is absolutely right. Even if you've flown REAL F-4s, you won't stand a snowball's chance of flying even an RC Trainer without help.

This is NOT as easy as it looks! It's not hard, but there's no "Stop" button. Once you get in trouble, your plane will find the ground very quickly.

Check this link for a club in your area, and go visit them. They will be happy to help you, and may even have a trainer you can try out.:

http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubmain.asp

lanier F4 YA

Sounds like you are pretty serious about this, and I'd hate to have to crash a couple hundred bucks into the ground. So what trainer would you recommend? I don't know of any brands or anything. All I know of is lanier because thats what I got. And their trainers also require you to buy your own servos and stuff. I still don't know where to get them. Or would a RTF plane be best? I had a cheap electric airplane a while back and I couldn't keep that in the air. That was a few years ago, and that was a little discouraging but it was just cheap one. It was one of those ones you threw to get started, and when i tried to go, the left wing always just dropped and crashed. I thought it was the airplane??? I don't know. So anyway....what would be a good trainer?

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

The first thing I suggest is that you review posts in the beginners forum. The question of which is the "best" trainer comes up about 100 times per week Sorry, I could not resist a little exaggeration. It actually does come up often, you will have no trouble finding 10-15recent threads talking about it. There's even a thread pinned to the top of the forum from a guy in the UK named Volkan. The short answer is a .40 sized ARF will suit you well. The Tower Trainer, available from Tower Hobbies www.towerhobbies.com, is one choice. There are bunches of others.

You will also need an engine. Again, the beginners forum will have lots of recommendations. Since you've already got your 3rd or 4th plane, the F4, you might as well get yourself a decent ball bearing .45 size (note, anything from .45 to .52 is essentially the same size) 2 stroke engine. This will work in your trainer. When you are ready for your second plane it will work there too.

And you will also need a radio. Your radio choice will depend on your budget. If your funds are limited, buy a basic 4 channel. If you've got a little more money, consider a basic 6 channel computer radio. If the sky's the limit, Futaba has a really neat 14 channel radio, I think it's only a couple thousand. Sorry, got carried away. As with the engine, the radio will work in subsequent planes.

And finally, there's a bunch of stuff like glue, screw drivers, hobby knife, epoxy, CA glue, starter, glow driver, etc that you will need. Again, there have been many posts in the beginners forum that will give you lists of the stuff that you must buy, and the additional things that are nice to have. When you are all done with the above you will probably have spent somewere between $350 and $600 depending on what you choose, and how many of the "nice to have" things you buy up front. If you're not prepared to spend this kind of money, it would be good to reevaluate flying this size glow planes, the costs can pile up. Note, this is not meant to scare you away. I'm just trying to give you a realistic estimate of the startup costs. The positive side to this (I bet you were hoping I would say something good), is that virtually everything you get for the first plane can be transfered to the second and subsequent planes. The big cash outlay is up front, unless you go crazy like some of us do.

Before you buy any of these things, you should look to see if there is a good hobby shop in your area. When I say "good" I mean one that specializes in R/C. Preferably just planes, but it's ok if they have other stuff too. The kind that's "not good" is the typical mall toy store that happens to have a couple planes and people behind the counter who know nothing about them. Check the yellow pages and go pay a visit to all of the ones near. The reason I suggest this is the shop can help you choose a plane, engine, and radio. They will also know about the local clubs. And finally, you will have lots of questions, and while the people here will prove to be very helpful, it's really nice if you can have someone actually show you something in person.

Anyway, welcome to the hobby. It's a huge amount of fun. People in RCU are the greatest. Don't be afraid to ask questions, but I do encourage you to spend some time searching and reading, many of the things you might want to know have already been discussed. Good luck!

warhwk

My Feedback: (3)

The above posts are right on the money. If you are serious about RC flying, shelve the Phantom, and visit a local hobby shop or RC flying field. That pretty Phantom will be waiting for you when you are ready! The best advice is to find someone local who will take you under their wing, so to speak. Most flying fields have at least one designated Trainer who will guide you into this hobby. You may even want to try flying with someone who has a buddy cord setup before even buying your next airplane. My two kids (7 & 10) are having a blast without the worry of crashing. There are many great internet sites dedicated to the new RC Pilot. The beginner section here at RCUniverse will answer many questions you may have. Another great website for beginners is http://www.masportaviator.com
However, the best advice will be from your own instructor. Good Luck. This is a great hobby!

exeter_acres

My Feedback: (2)

I know none of these posts are what you want to hear....

You want to see that F4 in the sky....

Trust us.... Please...
Like mentioned....in the long run it isn't that hard, but for the first several flights...it is!

I used a flight sim (G2) and it save me hundreds of dollars...

I then built a Sig LT-40 trainer
Sexy? Nope! Fast? Nope? Cool looking? Nope! none of the trainers really are....

But I learned many valuable lessons.....with an instructor, on a buddy box....

Now I fly that trainer, and a P-51 and a few electrics (Zagi's) and a 4*60 and a few SPADS....
But I would have given up quickly if I had not learned the basics first......

There are several RTF trainers too...

and as mentioned, this is not a cheap hobbie (Please do not tell my wife!!)
But if you do it properly, you won't have to replace airplanes too quickly

BAMAFLY

Lanier, this is a great hobby! As nice as the planes and flying are, the people you will meet are probably the best part. Let me tell you what I did. I wanted to get in the air quickly, so I went the RTF route ( Avistar ). I did switch out the 40 LA with an OS 46. Anyway, found an instructor and joined a club ( these are absolute musts, IMHO ). For me, this has been the best way to go. Whatever you do, Take your time, put away the F-4, do a little research on trainers and find a local club. You`ll be glad you did.

EXTRA ADDICT

My Feedback: (2)

I started off with an Extra Easy 2 from Hangar 9 and spent hours on the G2 from great planes. The airplane comes with evrything but fuel, glow igniter and a starter. some minor assembly is needed but a good flying trainer. And it is under 400 bucks. The G2 sim will run you about 150 bucks but money well spent!

dean320

My Feedback: (5)

Everyone is right on here. Probably the most important thing mentioned was to get someone to "take you under their wing". This person can answer all of your questions. They can also help you build your plane and get it in the air. My father-in-law bought me my first plane which was a trainer and a kit. The whole time I was building it, I kept asking "how hard can this be, it is just 4 channels". He would shake his head, grin and say "you'll see". Well, he was right. As mentioned above, the worst case is you get it up, point it at the pits and lose control. The posts here in the beginners section will be very helpful to get you going until you find somone local to help. As for all of the extra "stuff", go to towerhobbies.com for starters.

If I can answer any questions for you, PM or EM me and I can send you my phone number. This can be a great hobby, make sure to get started the right way so you do not get discouraged and give it up.

Swat Cop

My Feedback: (11)

One thing I don't think was mentioned is that once you learn to fly, the engine, servos and receiver from your .40 size trainer can be used in your phantom once you learn to fly. With a little practice you could be flying that phantom later this year. I started out exactly two years ago this month with a Hangar 9 Alpha Trainer, I now fly a 40% Carden Cap 232. Learing to fly is not hard but its something you don't want to try on your own.

lanier F4 YA

OK...I have decided to go with a RTF one, just to get used to it. There is a club about 2 towns away, I will be joining them. They will probably help with all the terminology I don't know (I don't know if you guys would have the patience trying to explain EVERYTHING to me).

Seeing as how I didn't buy the last one, it was a gift, and me not having a job (only 16 and haven't got around to it yet ) I'm looking for a rather cheaper one than the 400 dollar trainer. Is there a good gas RTF trainer between 150-200 dollars?

I can already tell the people in this hobby are really nice. So thanks for all your help!!!

ifixairplanes

My Feedback: (9)

Hey Lanier F4 YA!! I live in haverhill mass which as you know is very close to you. I will be happy to show you the ropes. I will get you in the air the right way.
I sent you a private message with a phone number!

Sean

Swat Cop

My Feedback: (11)

Check your local hobby shops and the local club for a used trainer. Most people get rid of their trainer once they learn to fly and you can get some great deals. Also, you don't want to spend a whole lot on a trainer because as part of the learning process there will be some less than perfect landings (minor crashes). You can check the RC Universe Market Place. There are some good deals in there but I would avoid having a plane shipped to you since you can't really inspect it for damage ect. A new student at our club went to the local hobby shop and picked up a great used trainer complete with radio and engine (ready to fly) for $300.00. I sold the airframe to my trainer, which was in good condition, for $50.00 just to get it out of the garage (taking up valuable hangar space).

Swat Cop

My Feedback: (11)

Hey Lanier F4 YA!! I live in haverhill mass which as you know is very close to you. I will be happy to show you the ropes. I will get you in the air the right way.
I sent you a private message with a phone number!

Sean

_____________________________

Team Quick-UK Pilot
www.scoob-e.com
www.quickuk.co.uk
It's sometimes a good thing to look at yesterday's work with today's eyes - Sean

There you go.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

I suggest talking to the club before you buy anything. It's quite common for people to have stuff they no longer need. They may also know someone who is getting out of the hobby and wants to sell their stuff. Odds are good you can find someone willing to sell you what you need for a really good price.

bldrums

hey Lanier!

Now your on the right track, and you can find more information on this site than you will ever need!!!! You will need an instructor and a Club and AMA membership. I would have faded out of this hobby that I love if not for the help and advise from RCO members. The club meetings are good but reading these threads will really set you free!

Fastsky

Re: "They may also know someone who is getting out of the hobby and wants to sell their stuff." < This is very true. We had a younger student at one of our club meetings that wanted to get into the hobby but had limited funds. We had a club trainer that wasn't being used much so because of the new guy we ran an auction and "rigged it" so that the new guy won the trainer for $15.00. Not bad for a 40 size proven trainer! Joining an RC club is worth far more the minial club fees!

BAMAFLY

Lanier, look at the Hobbico RTFs if that`s the way ( RTF ) you want to go. Great advice on here about checking with your new club for items they might not need/want any longer. My first field box was given to me by my instructor, for example. Good luck!! Learning to fly takes some patience sometimes, but I`ll bet you`re gonna love it!!

WhtBronco

You might also consider getting a simulator. Any 1 of the sims on the market will save you a fortune in money and help your flying skills progress much faster. After 16 years of flying I use sims on a regular basis and still have more to learn, lots more.

The Great Planes Real Flight G2 is getting old as far as sims go, but it is reasonably cheap nowdays and it is a decent simulator. That's what my 7 year old daughter and I use. We might get another, newer sim at some point, but for now G2 is adequate. Make sure your PC meets the requirements of any sim you get.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

WTG Sean!

BTW, if he's looking for cheap, maybe a SPAD?

ifixairplanes

My Feedback: (9)

Nah, I can probably come up with a trainer for him. I know someone with a gutted trainer. I sent him a PM, he hasn't contacted me yet. I hope he checks back in.

Sean

lanier F4 YA

That would be awesome