Flite Streak and Nobler ARF distribution

LAST EDITED ON Jun-26-03 AT 11:32 AM (CDT)
 
I had a chance to visit with the owner of the LHS yesterday and informed him directly, rather than through the hired help who had apparently failed to pass the information along, that the Flite Streak ARF's had been released, sold out immediately, but that the Nobler was due out any day. I also mentioned the control and soft bearer problems that have been voiced here.

He says that Top Flite normally immediately corrects any deficiency's in their RC ARF's as soon as they become apparent. He also says he is a "pre introductory" or similar type dealer and gets all Top Flite stuff before it is released. I assured him this happened but did not have a Tower flyer to prove it and informed him that Tower as well as other hobby shops also got some, for sure a shop in Tulsa took orders for and received several. He seemed pretty miffed at this and was to discuss it with the Top Flite rep.

I also advised the Nober was to be released any day now, might also have some engineering problems, but it would still be smart to go ahead and try to get one or two. I might even consider buying one depending on what it looks like but I know there are several guys who would jump on it like a dog on a bone regardless.

Jim P,

The folks designing and producing the ARF Flite Streaks may be a lot smarter than you think. The bearers are not maple. Acknowledged. Heck, I don't even know what they are, although it is apparent that the material is softer than what we are used to.

But the full-length fuselage doublers, triplers at the nose of fuselage, all wrapped around mystery-wood engine bearers, makes for an assembly which is nicely rigid. Indeed, I submit to you that when the Flite Streak kit was new, remembering the glues and techniques available at the time, not one of those (now-)old models had a stronger, more rigid front end than we now see with the ARF version.

There simply is no "problem" or "deficiency" in this important area.

For those singing along with the ARF song, this morning I took the second ARF FS--the one which was supposed to go to Jim Booker--out of the box and pulled all the black MonoKote from the wing. The idea is to replace the black film with blue, instant patriotic Flite Streak; just in time for the Fourth of July holiday and remembering GMA who died on this date.

Neat work inside, by the way. No wonder the wings are (decently) light while also being plenty rigid, even with film covering.

Dirt
Did you happen to notice how much tip weight they used?
Just curious.

catdaddy,

Funny you should ask. Just this morning I was ripping and tearing at my second ARF Flite Streak. For example, all of the black MonoKote has been removed, to be replaced with blue MonoKote. I think GMA would have liked a red-white-and-blue Flite Streak.

The wing inside is all neat and tidy, just as one would (should) expect from a jig-built model. No big, snotty wads of glue floating around. Spars are real stout material. They even doubled the end ribs. And of course I would NEVER! whittle away at stuff with some of the covering out of the way.

Tip weight is bird shot. Bottom side of outboard tip they are forming a triangular pocket of tip rib, tip brace and a third piece of balsa. Shot gets dropped in, a hit of glue, another piece of balsa closes it up and is sanded to conform to rib and tip.

Unless I lost way more balls of shot than is thought, tip weight came across the gram scale at 16 grams including bits of balsa, glue, etc.

Flew my first ARF FS this last weekend and found that it was pretty much a waste of time adding a ply platform, blind nut and .25 ounces of SIG-sourced lead. Latter piece came out right away and if such had been an easier operation I would have removed the plate/blind nut combination right at the field. Model hinges just a bit in bang-it corners. Lines are .015 cable, 60-foot centerline to centerline.

The model is great fun, especially as I have never owned a Flite Streak.

THE ONLY HOBBY STORE THAT I KNOW WHO HAS ARF FLITESTREAK'SIS FANTASIA HOBBY WORLD AT 1 718 460 5671 AFTER 11 AM TUES. THROUGH SAT.,I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE NOBLER.

> THE ONLY HOBBY STORE THAT I KNOW WHO HAS ARF
>FLITESTREAK'SIS FANTASIA HOBBY WORLD AT 1 718 460 5671 AFTER
>11 AM TUES. THROUGH SAT.,I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE NOBLER.

I just went to their site and looked at the Nobler again. The availability is now early July.
Bill