Is the 27% Extra 260 ARF a good start into giant scale?

[RH1N0]

Been flying mine for 3 months now and I am very pleased. It's my first gas/IMAC plane and is everything I was hoping for as a beginner in giant scale.

The landing gear cracked but I was expecting that from what I've read on various forums. I have been repairing it with CA which works fine until the next time I bounce the landing. Replacement (Graph Tech) gear is on its way.

DA50 on a Pitts muffler is a great combo IMHO. Weight wise, it's not a floater and I have wing rock in harrier (need to try spoileron mix) but it's not snappy when you pull full 3D elevator either. Power is awesome!

Here’s a few pic’s of my radio and tank install:

[feral63]

thanks jeremy,
have you got any pics of the the servo's in the tail.

	Quote: Originally Posted by RH1N0
	Been flying mine for 3 months now and I am very pleased. It's my first gas/IMAC plane and is everything I was hoping for as a beginner in giant scale. The landing gear cracked but I was expecting that from what I've read on various forums. I have been repairing it with CA which works fine until the next time I bounce the landing. Replacement (Graph Tech) gear is on its way. DA50 on a Pitts muffler is a great combo IMHO. Weight wise, it's not a floater and I have wing rock in harrier (need to try spoileron mix) but it's not snappy when you pull full 3D elevator either. Power is awesome! Here’s a few pic’s of my radio and tank install:

[CSpaced]

Here's my 2 cents worth...

The plane with the DA-50 will be ballistic - but it is heavy. I don't mean heavy like an anvil, but you can definately "feel" the weight of it on the landings. That being said you can do some beautiful landings with it. I pinned the firewall on mine with 1/8th inch dowels, and would highly recommend some sort of reinforcing there.

On my particular airplane the incidence on the wings and stabs was off a couple of degrees, I was impressed with its flying after this was fixed! Knife edge's became a whole lot easier! For 3d, I was able to do blenders without any problems, flat as a board and gently floating down. Hovering was pretty easy, although mine wasn't particularly tail heavy. Harriers upright gave a little wing rock, but inverted was solid. Harrier rolls were a blast, made me look like I knew what I was doing!

For IMAC, I only flew basic with it but once all the little flaws had been sorted the airplane tracked pretty good. It would bounce around more than the big guys but you could fly a straight line with it. I can't complain about it too much, it did get me a first place

Here's a clip of some goofing around with it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Yd6If_4Pk

One thing I will say is that the DA-50 is a fantastic engine, very reliable and one helluva power house! The one thing I could never get over was how nervous I would feel with it when trying to perform slow manouvers like harriers....I just never felt confident that it wouldn't stall out on me....but then that could have just been me. It is a pretty airplane to look at as well

I have a bunch of pics from the build here:
http://www.collectivelyspaced.com/mo...view_album.php

[RH1N0]

Pics of my tail servos and RCBlimp tail wheel:

[RH1N0]

Graph Tech gear arrived just in time for a giant scale fun fly weekend. Just as well as the original was on its last legs - literally. Note how the Graph Tech gear is generally thicker and has extra reinforcement at the high stress areas. Quality is excellent and with minimal weight penalty.

[toprudder]

I have the H9 Extra 260 with an Evolution 45cc engine. There were a couple of other H9 Extras in my club, one of which had a Moki 2.10, the other has a Brisson 3.2.

My opinion is that it flies a little heavy. Mine weighs less than 14 lbs. The Evolution has good power, but not quite as much as a DA50. (The two weigh about the same.) Mine balanced perfectly without having to move things around. I mounted the rudder servo in the tail, but with a lighter engine (like a Saito 1.80) the servo can be mounted inside with pull-pull cables.

They guy with the Moki flew a lot of 3D with it, but he says there is no comparison to his AM Yak with DA50. The Yak flies much better, IMHO.

The landing gear on mine have cracked twice. Consider buying a Graphtec as an upgrade. I had no issue with linkages, but others have. Don't slow it down too much on landing approach, it will tip stall. I hold a little throttle until it is a foot above the ground.

If I had it to do over again, I would have gone with the AM 30% Yak with a DA50. For not much more, the 33% Yak with a ZDZ 80 should be good (I have one in the shop right now to build).

Bob R.

[Gus155]

Maidened mine on sunday. got a Moki 180 in it and its awesome. AUW of just over 12lbs.
So to answer the question I think Hangar 9 extra and a Moki 180 or 210 would be a great intro int giant scale aerobatics. this plane when kept light, is a dream to fly and it slows down to a crawl for landing, and has no bad habbits. It helped reading the 112 pages on rcu, and this thread, it flew straight off the board, no changes to any trims. got the cg at about 5 1/4 in back and its sweet.
Personly, i wouldnt go with a 50cc gasser in the airframe.
If you got a Moki 180 or 210 and want a 27% get one of these.
If you got a 50cc gasser, get a 85in plane.

My set up:
Hangar 9 275 Extra 260
Moki 1.80
Bisson Large volume Moki 180/2.20 pitts style muffler
Varsane VP 20 pump
Hitec 5625MG Digitals on ailerons and elevators, 5925 on rudder
futaba 3001 on throttle.
Menz 18 x 8 prop.

Had 3 flight yesterday, all about 12 minutes, and used half the 22oz tank.

[BR289]

I love my Extra 260.I just finished and started flying my H9 33% Edge, and I really like the 260 more. It flies real straight, and glides well ( at least for me it did ). I hadnt had any problems with the Carbo-Fibre gear. Hanger 9 does offer a replacement aluminum gear for around $20.00 for those that have had this delamination problem. Great plane in my opinion.....
Blair