Loctite PL Premium-Hardware Store solutions

The wicked peanut butter

As you can tell from my previous articles about UHU Por, I like most RC pilots have my favorite adhesives.  Por works great on EPP foam, but what about EPO foam?   Yes, it does work on EPO foam as well, but so a lot of other less expensive solutions.  The most obvious choice for EPO foam is epoxy because it's effective and dirt cheap.  But epoxy isn't always fun to use. You have to measure it, mix it well, and apply it in a somewhat liquid state. When applied, it tends to run out of the joints when first mixed, so you have to let it harden a bit more. But if you wait too long it clumps up and is ineffective.

New solutions for old problems

I am interested in trying out new adhesives because you never know what you may find.  Today's solution can be found at the Home Depot.  I know this article gets read from people around the world.   Home Depot is a huge hardware store that seems to be in every community in the United States.  Americans over age 30 who own a home know their way around the Home Depot.





Loctite PL Premium



Loctite PL Premium
a polyurethane construction adhesive.  It's not really designed for foam planes, but more of general construction projects.   If, for example, you wanted to glue a mirror onto drywall you would get the larger version of this product in a caulk gun and set it up, let it dry, and you're done.
But the stuff makes a very strong bond.  I mean, surprisingly strong.


Application

The best way to describe how it comes out of the tube is a blend between toothpaste and peanut butter. It does run out of the joints when your back is turned. And you don't need to babysit it like contact adhesives I was joining multiple small parts together on a build and this stuff worked perfectly.  It allowed me to build my plane in one sitting.

Curing
Give it a full day to cure before putting your planes in the air.  This is not fast acting at all.  But, when it bonds, it's a very strong bond.  I am very skeptical about allowing planes in the air that still have wet glue holding them together.

The Bond

My plane after a messy application, before cleanup

So, my rule of thumb for adhesives is I'll buy anything once. When I was running out I went and bought more. Yes, it's that good!  It's the bond that I like. For example, I had to bond wood and foam together for a motor mount.  I don't want to keep coming back to it to fix it from time to time.   After one application I don't have to think about it anymore.    This is a great glue for all your difficult bonding jobs.    It's not a light adhesive so the more you put on the heavier your plane gets.  Also you'll need to clean it off as soon as you apply it, Get ride of the excess because it's difficult to clean up afterward. 




Overall evaluation

A little personal history about me. Many years ago I was working as a Mill Representative for a packaging tape company  One of the guys I met who was a salesman at a packaging distributor built radio controlled airplanes at night.  He built the balsa wood planes and rebuilt them as they got damaged.  He made friends with the guys at Zagi and helped them make them work on their concept of making the first foamies out of packaging material.  Styrofoam and packaging tape was what the Zagis were made out of.

When you look at what foamies have evolved into, it's stunning and beautiful.  But, at their core they evolved from packaging material. With that in mind, finding solutions to adhesive problems at the local hardware store seems to fit into the spirit of the foamy concept. 

Like with any adhesive, test before you glue.  This is a great bonding adhesive.  Buy a tube and give it a try.

RC Plane builder: top 10 things to inventory

Every hobby has its support costs



I was talking to a young father who was with his son at the closing of Hobby People in Lake Forrest, CA.  He was eyeing an upscale drone and was asking me about the hobby.  I told him I flew planes but with any hobby, you can more or less add $500 to what you think you'll spend and that's really how much it costs.    When you look at bicycling, for example, you need to buy floor pumps, extra tubes, bike carriers. lights, helmets, apparel and the list goes on and on.  It's a lot of money for everything other than the bike. Photography has memory cards, cases, bags, extra batteries, tripods, flashes, straps, filters and an even longer laundry list of things people acquire.  But all anybody really wants to talk about are lenses and bodies.

When compared to other hobbies the RC hobby is a deal.  But instead of talking about planes and motors lets look into things that you should have around at all times.  These are things that will keep you out of the air until they are acquired.  Because many of us don't have good hobby stores close by to purchase these items as needed, here are a list of the top ten things you should always have around. One thing I will say is the I didn't talk about tools such as X-Acto knives, screwdrivers and soldering irons. These items are specific for RC flying.

1. Adhesives

Adhesives are like Major League Baseball teams.  People have their favorites for personal reasons.  Adhesives the work well on EPP foam may not be as effective on EPO foam so you'll need specific adhesives for various applications.  You really need to check because foam can melt with the wrong adhesive.  Here are a few types to consider

Epoxy

 The downside to epoxy is that it's a heavy joint perhaps used sparingly on light build planes. The epoxies come in various cure rates from 5 minutes to half an hour.  I find that the solid cure time is around 3 days.  Epoxies work well on EPO foam but far less effective on EPP foam.  The slower cure (30 minutes) tend to give the strongest bonds.    Whichever epoxy you settle on, keep plenty around in case you need a quick fix.  I find that many  foamy planes come with fragile wood motor mounts.  I cover mine with epoxy to help give it a feel like it's made from plastic.   It takes the mount from fragile to super heavy-duty.

Contact Cemenent

 There are many types, the idea is that you apply it,touch the pieces together for a brief momement, remove it,  let it  sit on the surface for 10 minutes to half an hour, then make the connection again.  My favorite contact cement for EPP foam is UHU Por.    I talked about it in my article about Uhu Por.   UHU Por isn't stocked at retailers in the United States.  Thus, it has to be inventoried.  There are other contact cements at my local hardware store.  They also seem to work okay in a pinch. 

White Glue

There are common, noncritical glue applications.  For example, when you bury a servo wire in a foam wing and want to cover it to keep dirt out white glue is perfect for this application.   Elmer's white glue is my glue of choice.  Here in the United Statesits' nearly ree.

2. Control Rods/Horns/Linkage

Have you ever bought a flashlight that came with batteries only to find out that they die with three minutes of use?   You usually find this out when you really need the flashlight and have no access to batteries.  Had you known the flashlight didn't come with batteries you would have picked up some good ones at the store.   This is EXACTLY what happens with RC planes.  Most kits contain garbage for control horns, rods and linkage.   It's like they should either charge more for the plane or leave it out all together.   Worse yet, I've had the stuff fall apart while the plane is in the air.    Not anymore!  I throw out the crap they give me in the kits and use ones I find on my own.

Dubro Micro2 Control Horn

Control Horns

 These are no "one size fits all." Chances are you'll need a few different sizes for larger and smaller planes. Sometimes the sizes of the horn are missing in the online product information.  Oh well, you'll find out when it shows up!     Try buying different sizes as you come across them.

Source:

W20*H33 Metal Servo Horn High Hardness High Strength For RC Airplane 1 Pair

10X Rudder Servo Rob Angle Set With 1mm Chuck Screw For RC Airplane

10Pcs Plastic Triangle Servo Horn Grey White Transparent 20x16x11.5mm For RC Airplane

Dubro Micro Control Horn (Above)

Control Arms

 This is a hobby that nearly demands you to have carbon fiber rods laying around.  You'll need the 2mm carbon fiber rods to cut down the correct size control arms for your build. I find kits are very much hit or miss with the right size control arm.   If they are too short you won't be able to correctly dial in your settings on your plane and it won't fly right or at all.   This stuff is cheap out of China so there is really no reason not have 2mm carbon fiber rods in inventory.  If you're into larger planes there are metal control arms that seem to work well. They bend in crashes.

Source: Bangood

Adjustable Pushrod Connectors Linkage Stoppers 

Adjustable Pushrod Connectors Linkage Stoppers

Yes, this is actually a thing. This sits on your servo's control arm and the 2mm (or whatever size you have) slides through the hole.  So, I have some warnings about this thing.  The nut on the top is fine. This is the one that screws down and pushes on the control rod. You may not want to over tighten it because it will snap the carbon fiber rod. If that happens you'll won't be able to make adjustments and will have to replace the rod if adjustments are desired.  The other thing is the screw is prone to pop out when you're making adjustments and difficult to find.  The nut on the top in the photo. That nut clamps down on the servo's control arm. It comes loose over time.  I am now putting them on with Loctite. They fall out way too often. 

Source: 2.1mm   1.8mm   Dubro EZ Connect

3. Servos

You should have at least 1 set  of each servo type you use.  For me, it's pretty simple.  I use Hitec HS81s, 9 gram servos and a couple 5gram servos, that's it!  I like keeping more than enough servos laying around because I like to jump into new plane builds with absolutely no warning.  I mean I see a plane on sale and I simply order it.   I hate waiting on parts to arrive when I have a plane 90% built. This all gets back to ordering from China which was the topic of one of my postings.   The stuff is amazingly cheap, but the speed at which you get it is the inverse of how badly you need it.

Stay brand loyal to servos-  You'll run into this scenerio if you aren't careful- The first set of servos you buy in 9G will  something like "Tower Pro."   And then you'll find an amazing price for 10 on eBay of "Cheer Wing" which look IDENTICAL to the Tower Pro servo.  You buy them and they are fine.  You rationalize that they come from the same factory with different labels.  Then one day you have to remove a servo arm and in the process, the small screw goes somewhere that you can't find.  So you go to your bag and grab a fresh screw from a new servo.  That's when you discover that the servos may look similar, but they're different.  The servo arms aren't interchangeable and the screws are very different.  In order to use that screw, you'll have to rip the servo out of your plane and install the  new one, and hope that the travel for both servos is similar.   This all can be avoided if you stick to one manufacturer of servos in each size.

I love saving money.  I can't tell you with any certainty that the Tower Pro is better than the Cheer Wing.  But I do know that I can always find the Tower Pro 9g servo.  So, that's my 9g servo of choice.

9g Servos
HS-81

4.  Speed controllers

The Plush 30A ESC is the Levi's 501 Jeans version of speed controllers. It's just works!

For the cost of what one speed controller set you back 15 years ago you can now have three better ones. As long as you keep the controller within range of amperage that the motor/propeller draws, and you keep it from getting wet and overheated chances are it will stick around.  I've gotten them hot but never burned one out.

The cost differential between ranges is often very minor. It's not until you get beyond 40A that the price jumps. There is no harm in using a slightly higher amperage ESC than you need.  Better safe than sorry.  The only real downside is weight.  If you are making a light build you don't want heavier speed controllers.  And that's the rub, because once you go under 12A the price goes up!

If you're only flying the large planes at the club and have no use for the smaller speed controllers than by all means keep an extra of the larger ones around.    However, 15 and 30 amp ESCs will work for many of the smaller builds you may plan.  If you're getting into 600mm and smaller planes then yes, you may need to a 10A or smaller ESC.  A 15A will help get you by until it arrives.

The rule of thumb is that you want a 20% overhead on amperage on speed controller.  So, if your motor is drawing 16 amps at maximum power consumption 16*1.2= 19.2 amps. That means that a 15 amp ESC won't work, but a 20 amp will work fine.   There are a few 18a speed controllers which will probably work fine.  The newer ones are built for a bit of overhead.  If you're not flying full throttle all the time, this should work fine. 

One thing I do need to caution about are speed controllers built for drones. Some have firmware with BLheli or SimonK on them for example.   Stay away from them when you're building planes. I have bad luck with them, but others haven't. 

 There are generic speed controllers that do work.  I have a couple, they are very rough on start up. I highly don't recommend them! Spend the extra $10  and buy the Skywalker or Turnigy Plush speed controller.   Those are names you can trust.  Plus they take the same programming tool.  When making Delta Wing planes you'll want ot set the brake on the speed controller.  There are many speed controllers on the market.   Yes there are other speed controllers, I just haven't found the need to branch out as of yet.

Turnigy Plush Speed Controllers
Skywalker Speed Controllers

5. Industrial Strength Velcro

Probably the best tip of them all.  This stuff is AMAZING.  It claims to hold up to ten pounds.  Since your plane probably doesn't weigh that much it can grip anything.  Use it to hold down your receivers and speed controllers. Of course your batteries as well, but please also strap them down.  Even with industrial strength Velcro I've lost batteries not strapped in well.
The generic Velcro is can be found with "Hook and Loop."  I say that the Industrial Strength Velcro works great and can be found for not a lot of money.

Source: Amazon

6. Carbon Fiber rods/tubes

I have this plane I LOOOOVVVEEE.  I bought the same plane the next size up and on the first flight, it broke in half in the air.  Though it was 1.2 meters and the plane I loved was 1 meter the thing was a freaking limp noodle.  I put in 3mm carbon rods in the leading edge and a 6mm rod in the middle of the plane.  Then I covered it with cold melt laminate.  Mmmm mmmmm mmmm, it was like chocolate in the air!

What carbon rods can do for you is provide good, strong structural support for not a lot of money and not a lot of weight.  It should be a staple in your shop.

1mm rods- Very thin, very light.  You can put these in your control surfaces without a lot of worries.
2mm- These make great control rods.  You can also use them in leading edges
3mm and up- Larger diameter rods for larger planes. Careful, though they are light they do add weight.

I would keep an inventory of 1mm through 5mm carbon fiber rods laying around.  You can also buy piano wire which is heavier but works well for custom control rods.  Now, here's the thing.  The CF rods from China are dirt cheap and include shipping.  But they are 500mm (half meter).  In order to buy the full one meter rods if you live in the United States there are a few vendors.  I like Aloft Hobbies. They also sell laminate for covering your planes.  Everything they sell is at a good price but you're going to pay for shipping.   So, you'll need to stock up.   You'll need the full one meter rods if you're making planes that have wings larger than 20" per wing.   1 meter planes and larger will need these larger CF rods.

Source:
500mm CF Rods from China
1000mm CF Rods from the USA

7.  Tape/Covering

3M Blenderm is a medical tape used for Hinge Tape. 

Often a roll or two of packing tape is good to have around for small, fast repairs.  Duct tape is also good but adds a lot of weight.    A good tape that isn't always readily available is 3M  hingetape known as "Blenderm."   It's a medical tape that is frequently sold at medical supply stores both retail and online.  It's much cheaper to buy it online.   It comes in various widths

It goes without say that you'll need electrical tape around for spot repairs. Thankfully this is easily found at hardware stores.

Red EconoKote

There are different types of films.  The older style are Monokote which is often used in wood built planes and Econokote for foam planes.    There are now low melt laminate films of various widths that apply clear.  Like MonoKote and EconoKote they are applied with an iron. The thicker films offer more protection from abrasions and more rigid support but there is a weight penalty.   I use film thickness of 1.7 mil and 5.0 mil.  The smooth surface helps cut down on drag and helps give a smoother, faster flight.
The million dollar question is why would you want to use EconoKote over the clear laminate? When you want to give your plane a color without using paint, because paint adds weight. I'm building a plane that's made of black foam, which is cool, but can easily get lot  in the sky in certain situations.  I use both Econokote to give it color and clear laminate to show off the black portions of the plane. The clear laminate is much, much, much easier to use.  If you use Econokote do yourself a favor and also use 3M Super 77 spray adhesive first.

8 Connectors

Bullet Connector, 3.5mm Banana Plug

I wrote about connectors before,  My feeeling is that you never can have enough of them around.  The ones you'll need most are

Bullet connectors- Both in  (Source)3.5mm  and if you're into smaller planes (Source) 2mm.


Output connector- You'll need ones that match up with the battery you use.  A very common one these days is (Source) XT60, but JST, Deans and other connectors types are also prevalent.   When odering batteries be certain to get the right connectors for your planes.  Also, if you order batteries with  the wrong type of connector on purpose (ususally because it's much cheaper) and you plan on cutting off the old and and replacing it with the right end for your plane, CUT ONE WIRE AT  A TIME.   If you cut both red and black at  the same time you'll see fireworks!   I also prefer to get ends that have wires already soldiered on.  It makes connecting wire easier.

Non-Insulated Crimp

Crimps- Crimps are a faster way to connect wires than soldering, and if done right it's just about as good as a soldier joint.  The problem is that crimps are all over the board.  For my planes I use non-insulated crimps.  Why?  Because I like to use heat shrink around the crimps and the insulated crimps had a tendency or popping back up when heat is applied with a heat gun.    The ( source) non-insulated connectors with a good pair of crimps make a crimp that you cannot take apart ever again.  Best crimps ever!  If you're crimping wires of different gauges, you guessed it, I wrote about that as well.

It's good to start off with a heat shrink set like this, you'll also need a heat shrink gun.

Heat shrink- Though technically not a connector you use so much heat shrink that its always good to have extra heat shrink available.

9. Propellers

Master Airscrew 3 blade propellers

When I was first firing up the RC hobby I wrote about propellers (Can a brotha get his props?).   Propellers are far more complex than anything I understood at the time.  But now, I have a much better understanding of what I don't know!   There can be an analogy between propellers and car tires.  A different size, pitch or type of  propeller can give your plane different performance characteristics just like different tires can change the way your car handles.  Propellers are cheap and easy to install.

My rule of thumb with propellers is that I order them in threes.   One for the plane, one for backup and one for a secondary backup while I order a new propeller.   Broken propellers need to be replaced because broken propellers can ruin your motor.   Propellers are so cheap and a good clean propeller gives the best flight.  Use your broken propellers for mixing and applying epoxy.

Prop adapter-Buy lots of these

With different sized planes chances are you'll need a lot of different propellers.  But, at the very least you don't want to break your one and only propeller and put your plane on ice while your new one shows up in the mail.  If you start to get into the 3 blade or multi blade propeller you'll need the next size down.  If your plane normall takes a 6" Propeller, you'll need a 5" propeller with a 3 blade propeller.

Great Planes Propeller Collet

You will also need a lot of propeller adapters.  They can bend pretty easily and once bent they are cheaper to replace than trying to fix.  Seroiusly, they can be aquired for around $1 each.  If the prop adapter gets bent, throw it out. Once you have a plane dialed in, I suggest upgrading to the  (Source) Great Planes Propeller Collet 

The 3S 2.2A battery is faily common for most mid level planes.

10 Batteries


LiPo- They are cheap, light and very, very good.  But you'll need to baby them a bit more than other types of batteries.  The number you need depends on what you're flying and how long you plan to fly it.  If you're going to travel a long distance and be happy with  one  20 minute flight it's up to you. For the more common sizes I keep a couple batteries so that I can double my pleasure.   One of my buddies likes to sit on the beach in Mexico and fly for hours, so he buys 8 batteries in each size he needs.


Alkalines-  Chances are that you can power your radio on regular alkalines when your rechargeable batteries die.  For this I keep the cheap batteries around, they only have to last the day but I find they often last for weeks.


Other things you may need

Spare motor?  - Chances are that you'll start to accumulate motors for a variety of reasons.  There are two or three motors I use religiously.  I'll always have at least one extra on hand not because I need it, but because chances are likely that I'll order a new plane and I'll be happy to have the parts ready to go once it arrives.  Chances are you'll order the wrong motor by mistake at some point and you'll look for a project to put the unused motor into.

If you really get into the hobby you'll start making your own wings from large pieces of foam.

Chunks of foam- Foam comes in various makes and thicknesses.  The one thing that does happen is that you'll break off chunks of foam in crashes.  The beauty of EPP foam, for example, is that you can cut it down to size and glue it in.  It usually comes out fine.   So, whenever you get foam, such as in custom kits that come with beds, or extra pieces that come for things like motor mounts be certain to keep it.   It's hard to come by otherwise. If one of your planes has made the ultimate sacrifice and it won't be flying anymore, consider making it a foam donor.z

Hook and loop straps are used to hold down batteries in planes

Velcro/Hook and Loop straps- You'll want some extras to strap down your batteries on your plane.

Screws- You'll need an assortment of screws, many of which can be found in metric screw kits. It's helpful at times but some screws can't be replaced once lost.

Rainbow 1000mm RC Delta Wing Plane, Good but better options are easily found.

The Rainbow 2 1000mm

This is another in a series of "Cheap Thrills."   RC Plane kits for under $30.  The Rainbow 1000 by Dancing Wings   is always on sale at Banggood for under $30.  This is the 1000mm kit, and the big brother to the Rainbow 800.  It's very likable, but it has competition.

Even when painted and reinforced with epoxy the stock motor mount is weak

The build

True to the other planes in the Rainbow line it features thin foam cores.  There are pros and cons to thin cores. but the cons outweigh the pros when you get to this size of plane.   The main gripe I have about this plane is that comes in 3 pieces, the middle and the wings. This shouldn't be a bit deal if the plane has a good amount of reinforcements to keep it together and firm.  It doesn't.  Even for a  stock build this plane needs carbon fiber  rods to reinforce it.  Once you get past this, it's a good plane.

The motor mount is a joke.  It's cheap and flimsy.  It requires cutting into the wing to install it and once done it provides little use other than to hide wires.   The control horns and other parts aren't that wonderful either.  But, this is typical of most kits today.   Thus, when you buy this kit you're really just buying foam.

Just as  I mentioned in my review of the 800mm version of this plane, it really needs to have the elevons cut to assure free travel.  This requires a knife to score the fold points on the elevons.   One of my 800s had a bad crash and the elevon ripped off on one side but was fixed with plastic hinges (Now I just use Goop from Home Depot)  So. just so you're warned, this may happen to you as well.  It's an easy fix and the plane flies great now.

The stock build is suspect at best.

Custom Build

The 3 part build made for an easy paint scheme, notice the CF spars?

The two givens are a better motor mount and carbon fiber spars.  These are cheap and easy and won't impact your plane negatively if done right.   Use 2mm carbon fiber rods and a simple wafer-board motor mount. If you can't get your hands on one another alternative is a hunk of foam glued to the plane and very thin plywood mounted to it. The C20 has a wood motor mount that you can both screw and glue to the wood.

I went the full custom route with a custom paint job and Goop all over the plane. The Goop significantly added weight to the plane and the C20 motor which was fine for a nearly stock build suddenly was underpowered.  It still works but once there is full carbon on both the top and bottom of the plane and Goop to help protect it further I want a bit more performance.  Thus I am upgrading to a bit stronger motor. At the time of writing this it's on order from China and when it gets here I will install it right away.

Flight characteristics

Stock Build

A simple build, keep it light and it flies very nicely. 

This is a pleasant flying plane.  It's large and light so it doesn't take much to get it up into the sky.  That's why the C20 motor is perfect for this plane with a 7" propeller.  Once it takes off it's easy to handle and maneuvers nicely.   With the right carbon spars it does flips and spins.    It's not an aerobatic plane and the fragility of it makes it less than ideal for new pilots.  But for a nice easy launch and troll around in the sky kinda plane this is certainly a nice plane to add to your collection.  It will put a smile on your face.

I am getting around 15 to 20-minute flights with a 1300mAh Lipo 3S battery.

Custom Build

It takes more power to get it off the ground.  If I land it soon after takeoff I will notice that the motor gets hot which means that it's underpowered for the weight.   There is little to no flex in this build of the plane.   It does flips and spins.  With fine-tuning, I am able to keep this plane airborne for around 20 minutes on a 1300mAh 3S batteries.    It seems to glide nicely and has added authority in the air due to it's increased weight.  The chord size makes it fine to add this much weight.

This is where it falls down.

Hacker Hotwings Evo 1000 is around $40

At $28 it has competition.  For another $10 to $20 you can have much better like the Hacker Hot Wings Evo 1000 or the TekSumo/Pop Wing 900mm plane.  These are hefty planes that take larger batteries which means it can handle longer flights and a lot more abuse.  They aren't even in the same ballpark when it comes to quality.

3 things to like about this plane

Top Mounted Servos-

I know this seems trivial, but it isn't when you're building the plane.  When the servos face up it makes it a lot easier to get to access the screws and control arms.   The servos being on top of the plane instead of the bottom means less opportunities for damage during landings.

Options for a unique color scheme when painting it yourself.

 I was able to give my plane a two-tone paint job which made it come out looking very cool.  It was a tribute plane to the Los Angeles Kings, an NHL Hockey Team.

Light and floaty  (Stock Build) 

 You can almost think of it as an oversized paper airplane.  It does fly with ease and confidence.  It cuts through the wind to some degree due to its thin chord.   It's not a sports plane, it doesn't take to the sky on a windy day with authority, but it's a nice, pleasant experience.

Overall evaluation

Hmm, I hate to say it, but this is a plane you can skip.   I thought it would be the fact that it comes in three pieces that would make it unattractive.  That can be overcome with a small investment in 2mm carbon fiber rods.   The larger issue is that for around the same amount of money you can get a plane that has a lot more foam.   They can take on more abuse by newbies.

The competition is just a bit too fierce at this 1-meter plane size, and the price is a bit out of whack for what you get.   Which is too bad because the 1000mm segment needs a couple more strong competitors in the market.

My suggestion to Dancing Wings

Why not sell this as a "Foam only" kit, unpainted for under $20?  Put up a Facebook page, or website where people can show off their mods for the plane. As a modded plane it can be a lot of fun.  The price point is right and a lot of people would buy it over and over again.

Otherwise, a plane with more foam and better parts in the kit could fetch another $10.  In the international market there are some good competitors at this price point.  The problem is that there needs to be more higher quality planes that hit the under $40 price point in the market.

Rainbow 2 800mm- A great plane, if the price is right.

Rainbow 2 800mm Delta Wing with an original paint scheme. 

As part of the “Cheap Thrills” series of good delta wing kits for under $30 it’s time for my favorite. The Dancing Wings Rainbow 2 800mm kit from Banggood. When I started writing this article the plane was $13.15 on a perpetual sale for the tail pusher model. The price went up (Just in time for the holiday season) to $19. And then to $21. It was down to $15 on Black Friday.  At the time of writing it was $21 a plane with shipping which is a deal, but better planes can be had for not too much more money.  Banggood is known to have sales with massive price drops from time to time. My thinking is that after Chinese New Years (Mid Febuarary) this plane will go back into high production. Then, somewhere in the middle of summer it will just sit on the shelves only to have prices slashed again. It's a good time to stock up when you see it on sale. At $21 it's a bit too pricey for what it is.




Fly it, crash it, repair it, and fly it again. Hell, one of my planes has had more work done to it than Michael Jackson ever did. It’s compelling because it’s large enough for predictable flight but small enough to have a bit of fun.

C20 Motor mounted to hobbywood. 

I am going to cut to the chase with this plane. The stock build is garbage. Sure, if you want a plane that soggy as leftover egg drop noodle soup then just build it. You can watch the wings nearly touch as you make it spin. When you buy this plane you’re basically buying the foam, because the rest of it isn’t worth talking about. The motor mount is cheap, flimsy and is more of a waste of time. The 3 hole mount is really designed for that little 30 watt C10 motor. The control horns are garbage as well. Really, all you want is the foam. The kit comes with thin bands of plastic (carbon ribbons? I think not) that act as spars. Feel free to use them, but they’re not enough. As long as you’re ordering from Banggood throw a couple sets of 2mm Carbon Fiber rods on the order, you’re gonna need them.


The basic concept of building this plane

It’s going to need carbon fiber running through the middle. I built one with CF rods on the leading edge. It didn’t improve it much. Just run them through the middle of the plane on the bottom of the plane. Two is all you need, if you want to go overkill throw two along the top as well. I’ve done this and got an extra rigid plane that does fly nice but doesn’t improve the plane all that much from just two CF rods on the bottom.

2808 mounted to a stick mount works well.

Motors are up to you. You’ll need to keep your motor under 30g if you want to see this plane fly. The plane will fly with a 2808 in various KVs as long as it's under 30g. With that being said the plane really seems to do well with the C20 outrunner motor. It’s the one I’ve had the most success with. The issue will be that the motor mount that comes with the plane is simply too small. There were these really fantastic Layer Board Motor Mounts that I’ve used in the past. The problem is, I believe only one company made them and they are no longer available. Perhaps they will come available again in the future. I found some hobbywood at my local hardware store (Home Depot) and the stuff is bulletproof. That in conjunction with a small piece of balsa wood and a lot of glue seems to do the trick. Another thing to try is a stick motor mount from Hobby King. They are under $2 and work well with a motor that uses a 16x19 hole pattern. The C20 doesn’t use this pattern but the 2808 does.

Use 9g servos instead of 5g servos.

Cut in 9g servos- 9G servos are cheaper, stronger and 5 minutes with an Xacto knife they can easily be made to fit into the plane. The plane can handle the extra weight with a stronger motor.


The elevons need a trim. The elevons are on too tight no the plane which makes it difficult if not impossible to turn. You’ll need to lightly cut the hinge line with a sharp knife to get them to move freely. Just be certain to buy nylon hinges because the elevon can come off in a good crash. Just glue them back on with the hinges and you’ll be up flying again soon enough. Some people online have suggested using carbon fiber rods on the elevon. You don’t need to do this if you just carefully loosen up the elevon hinge.


The last thing I like to use is a bit of Goop on the leading edge to give it a bit more bounce in case I run into something. Use it sparingly because you’ll want to keep this plane light. For the first plane you may not want to paint it because paint adds a lot of weight to a plane.


How well does it crash?


I’m proud to say I’ve crashed nearly all my Rainbows. The plane splits in half with a good crash but goes back together surprisingly well. The carbon fiber helps keep it together in the more serious crashes. So far, after a handful of some pretty gnarly crashes the planes are still flying. And there are times walking up to the crash site where I’ve said to myself “Ok, this can’t be fixed.” Sure enough, a little glue fixes everything.



Flight characteristics

The design of this wing is a less aggressive than the Turnigy Bonsai. So it’s more touring than sport. It will still spin and flip but it's not a larger version of the Bonsai. But it’s thin cores are actually kinda nice in the respect that it penetrates the wind nicely. When you get this plane nicely trimmed you can keep it up in the air for extended periods of time. It will nicely troll around the sky on low power. I am getting around a half hour flight on a one amp battery. There is a difference between just flying this plane and flying it in it’s zone. When this plane is dialed in right, it’s compelling. It’s a much better experience than you would imagine for $13.


The modded version has flights in the low to mid 20 minute range. Now bad. Mine has extra weight due to the paint and extra carbon fibers and lamination. What it gives up it more than makes up for in the sheer agility of the plane. There is no flex as it spins and flips. It flies faster and with more authority. There is an argument to be made for keeping it light as possible. It certainly flies nice and seems more buoyant. The modified plane is for kicking up speed and increasing the fun. It’s why you really should have one of each.

What it isn’t

I know there are many times people ask you about getting into the hobby and you feel compelled to say “Hey, there is a $13 plane online that people love, go buy that.” Without guidance, this plane will be built at face value. At best they’ll have a small park flyer that will struggle to get up to 150 feet. The tight elevons will make it nearly impossible to turn, especially with the suggested servos One good wind gust and it’s gone. If it does come back chances are people will move on from the hobby fairly quickly.


I think delta wings are great for beginners. A lot of the planes out there are rudder and elevator only. A delta wing can give a plane more of an aileron experience. But geez, this plane is so cheesy at face value. Just don’t even go there. This plane needs to be modded from the start.

This plane demands carbon fiber rods (2mm seems to work well) 

The Mod Squad


There are many good kits out there that you can build at face value. But soon enough you’ll start to realize that even these kits have limitations. For example, most of these kits have lousy control horns. Sooner or later you start to realize that you can improve the build if you throw in your own parts. They aren’t really modifications as much as they are much needed improvements. Modifications are the next step. How far can you push the envelope before your ideas simply don’t work? At $13 a pop you can mod a plane on just about any budget. You can try putting on faster motors or doing some neat paint jobs. You can even try to make the plane into a glider. It’s why I suggest buying this plane, two at a time.

The paint gives it a nice look, but adds weight. You'll need a faster motor to compensate. 

What this plane is really about.

CF rods in the top, and painted. It's rigid and flies great! 

The RC plane hobby isn’t the most welcoming hobby to newcomers. There is so much to figure out.  Sure you can buy an all in one kit with everything you need in the box.   The next step above this is buying a “kit” plane and following the instructions.  This is a kit with bad instructions that lead to an underwhelming plane if followed.  So, the point of this plane is to mod the plane to the best of your abilities.   You can stick on carbon fiber rods and fantastic motors.  You can experiment with painting and lamination.  You can crash it and put it back together, again and again.  This is really a plane to learn now to build other planes on.  Some of the concepts I’ve used on this plane build I’m incorporating into larger, more expensive planes.  I’ve certainly learned a lot about the relationship between weight and flying characteristics.  The reason you may want a couple of these planes is to try out build ideas on them and see how they fly.

Due to it’s low price, ease of build, forgiveness after a good crash, and ability to get modded I find this plane to be the very best of the under $30 planes on the market. But, it’s much more compelling at $13 than at $19. The Hacker Hotwings 1000 (Not the Evo version) and the Wing Wing Z-84 have both been sold on special for under $30. They are both night and day better planes than the Rainbow 2 800mm.

Spirit 600-Happiness can be bought for under $20!

This is part of my continuing series entitled "Cheap Thrills" that focus on the cheaper kit planes on the market.

The Spirit 600 comes in 4 colors and two styles, collect all 8!

It's time for some surprising fun, small, and perhaps most surprising valuee on the market, the Spirit 600 offered at Banggood.   I have to admit I wasn't holding out much hope for this kit when it first arrived. I mean assembly was too easy and a bit, well, different. When I brought it to the park and launched it for the first time I thought it would hit the ground.  But, to my surprise it took off and gave me a very nice flying experience.  It wasn't an off the rails Turnigy Bonsia flying experience, but it was fun enough to make me want more.  What it lacked in the ability to do amazing tricks it picked up with providing a smooth, stable flight.

I can't describe why I love flying this plane as much as I do. I have a lot of delta wing planes that are slight variations of each other.  This plane flies differently than all my other deltas.    I think it may have to do with the large nose on the front  of this plane.  It's quiet and fast and just marvelous to watch fly around.  You can fly it slow and watch it fly with grace, then give it throttle and watch it take off into the heavens.  It's just a blast to fly around. 


The Build

If Nerf were to make an RC plane, this would be the design. The plane has a huge EPP foam center. It's what hits the ground first, not your wings.   All you do is glue in the two wing halves onto it. Then it has a funky  side port for the servos.  If you go with the 5g servos like I did you  need to shove it in with a little force, but you'll know it's in to stay.   Add a little glue and never think about it again.  While you're at it, glue on the winglets.  The next day wire it up, get your servo arms/control horns  installed. The motor mount is a piece of thin plastic over foam.  Don't worry, it's beyond fine.  I installed the C20 motor from Banggood running a 5.5" prop. Love it!

Now, I'm all about the carbon fiber rods on planes.  This one didn't need it. The wings are sturdy enough.  But, I had to do something so I painted the bottom of the plane then put lamination on the wings to get a bit more performance out of it.  This ultimately didn't work and gave the plane some bad flying characteristics (too much weight).  You want to make certain the wing sit perfectly flat.  On this build they didn't and bowed the plane which made it want to land when it picked up speed. Lesson learned.

This is a plane you can assemble in the morning and fly in the afternoon, it's that simple.  Because it's easy to build you may want to rope your kid into helping you build it.  Oh sure, you can prewire the electronics in advance.   You can literally glue the plane together Friday Night and then throw the electronics on Saturday morning and take it out flying, perhaps with some pins still in the foam to keep it together while flying  What I like about this plane is that the wires are all hidden away inside the fuselage.  It makes this plane a very clean looking.  I prefer the lattice graphics though the ink is fairly faint on this plane.

I will warn you, however, as easy as it is is to build, it's even easier to build wrong.   You really have to keep it light with small motors and lightweight gear. You'll need park flyer receivers.  Weight is an issue with this plane.  Work extra hard to keep it light. 




Flight Characteristics

To me, 2S batteries always seem like a bit of a letdown.   However, it's more than powerful enough with the 2S battery. 3S wasn't all that much better, 2S is perfectly fine, and it does go nearly vertical.

What impresses me the most is just how smooth this plane flies.  It is very stable in the air and very controllable.  Since it's light it does give up some authority to breezy days.   My flights are lasting around 18 minutes which isn't bad for a small plane on 2S.   I kinda like flying small planes first thing in the morning to get me warmed up for the larger planes.  As I mentioned earier, this is just a fun little plane to breeze around in the sky. 

Top 3 things about this plane
1) It's the right size- This is a true park flyer.   Let's not sell park flyer short.  A good park flyer is a lot of fun, no matter how much flying experience you have.   I live for I live in Southern California, and you should see what passes for parks around here.  Though some are huge, most are small.  If you're looking for a plane that can stay within the boundry of a park, this is it.  If you're standing around at your buddies house and want a plane to fly in the neighborhood but can land on the grass in a front yard, this may be it.  It depends on your flying skills.  Just point that big nose at you while landing into the breeze and catch it.   And yes, I can throw this in the back of my car and have something to fly just about anywhere.

2)  It's safe-  Though we're not supposed to fly around crowds of people it sometimes happens. One of our local parks goes from empty to loaded with people during the duration of a flight.  Thus landing is a further complicated by people moving around  the park.   This isn't the time for a large plane that can hurt someone.  You want a small plane that can easily maneuver to the few isolated spots on the field.

Perhaps if you were to take this plane up to 250 feet, turn it on full power and drive it into the ground  it could dent a car or break a window.  With some minimum care this is a plane that won't do a lot of property damage should your luck run out.  Because of this, I tend to think this is a good plane for a newer pilot. With that said it's a tad bit fragile if you do a high speed crash with it.


3)  Cheap and fun-  The motor is $8 and the plane is around $20 so it's on the lower end of costs.  Fully outfitted this is a $50 plane.  That's not free but it's moving in the right direction. I remember when Nicad battery packs were $40.    And yes, it's a cheap thrill, this is a fun plane to fly.  I think you'll be surprised how well you'll like it.

Mods- Just build it, it needs nothing.  Perhaps if the wings bow over time you can run a very small carbon rod in the center to straighten them out.  You can also stick small cameras that record up front and get the view from way up high.

Motors- I like the C20 for this plane.   If you're using something else, just be certain to watch your tail weight with the motors.  This plane seems to prefer the sub 20g motors.  Since the propeller isn't restricted in size I went with the full 8" propeller and it flies smoothly and with very little noise.  This cuts down on noise pollution and makes early morning flights in residential parks doable.


Who is this plane for?

It's a little too small to be the ideal trainer. I prefer 900-1000mm.  But, lets' be honest, the first plane is one that someone will crash a lot. So, take someone out into a field away from trees, get them to fly it at half-throttle or less and let crashing begin!

 There is something charming about this plane that experienced pilots may enjoy as well.  You can spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with it at your local park. You can take it up to the ceiling of 400 feet and still see it, but you may not feel like going much higher  Shut down the throttle and watch it glide back to earth very gracefully.  I mean, way too gracefully   It almost defies logic how well this plane flies.

There is a smaller version of this plane at 500mm.  That one requires smaller servos and motors so it's a bit more expensive. I would like to see a larger version of this plane at  900mm in the future.

Get it while you can?- This product is available from Banggood, for now.  I am thinking that the deep discounts in 2017 means that they may not carry it in the future.

https://www.banggood.com/Spirit-600mm-Wingspan-EPP-FPV-Racer-Flying-Wing-RC-Airplane-KIT-p-1128481.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN