I Got Mine!

My Brodak Cardinal ARF, that is... Came today via our forum host. My son was sitting in my chair with this 5' box on his lap, waiting for his dad to come home so he could open it up.

I ordered the "red" color, not knowing really what to expect. It was just like the prototype shown frequently here on the forum - red wings, flaps, wheel pants, stab/elevator and a black fuselage/vertical fin.

The nose ring had broken off during shipment. The fuselage doesn't sit in the box well with the nose ring attached. Very simple repair. I haven't taken all the components out yet but it looks to be a nicely finished example with very complete pre-fab (slots for control horns already cut, etc.

The one goofy part I thought were the instructions. Lots of photos but they aren't the best quality (looked like they had been run through a few copiers) and the assembly text doesn't necessarily conform to the photos on that particular page.

What's up with the photo of the Brodak 40 engine they used in the manual? It looks like an eBay special with the cylinder fins rotated 60º off.

It will get put away for a month or so until the kid's summer/fall activities wind down and I can actually stay at home one or two nights a week.

All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with the package. Now all I need is for my LA 46 to arrive from backorder.

You lucky dog, I was hoping to get mine today but, no such luck. I was wondering how long it takes to put one together. There's a stunt contest in 2 weeks, I thought maybe I could finish an ARF in time. Maybe I'll get it monday.

Steve,

Yes I noticed the head on the engine, my thought was "I hope the guy who built that engine did not assemble any ARF kits".

The nose ring maybe the only sore spot on this airframe. I have a ARC kit with a broken nose ring. The ply ring is thin and the balsa strip behind the ring that should add support. The strip does not come into contact with the fuse ply doubler and is not glued to the doubler.

If other flyers have ARF's, that has it's nose ring intact, you need to look at this area.

Make sure that you go to Brodak's webb site for the CG information which was left off the instructions.

Well, what about the wheel pants? Aren't they the best.

Since Bob Z. performed most of the R&D work and there aren't any changes that will need to be made before flying!!!!!!

Now I wonder if I should open up the center section and bush the leadouts with 1/16" tubing. The rest of the "kit" is so well assembled that I'd hate to lose it to control malfunction.

On the other hand, most of my planes don't make it past 150 flights anyhow . . . Rats!