I have just had the enjoyment of a few days assembling and flying the current version of the Brodak P=40 arf.  The kit was the 10th cl arf I have assembled on top of 6 years of RC arf's. The quality was as good as it gets. I could not have built one myself to this quality level and I am pretty fair with film covering. Arf's we have learned in RC are not fixed. They are a moving target. Feedback from fliers to the company provides input to the companies in the far east that build them. And they improve from one shipment to another. This one was excellent.

I powered it with a new EVO .36 CL. which has been brought to us by work from our own stunt family. It is a very small and powerful unit that is as user freindly as any motor I have ever handled. Built the plane in a day. Broke the engine in this morning and flew it this afternoon. And this motor has some serious guts.

First flights were as  recommended with 11X5 Zinger Pro, 5% nitro, 5%castor/15% synthetic Rich's Brew fuel, 63 ft lines and the small venturi. Launch was at 9100 rpm per the manual and the lap time was 5.25 sec per lap... also per the EVO manual! The plane flew trimmed so well on the first flight that I put in a full pattern. Second flight all I changed was a handle adjustment to adjust the altitude of level flight. Third flight I closed the down line spacing as it turned a bit faster outside than inside. Line tension was good everywhere in the pattern. It was like I had spent a summer trimming the thing, it was that good. The motor was very impressive. A lot of power. This motor can certainly be used in anything an LA .46 would be used in and probably a good bit more. Obviously, the motor will come in more as I fly it.

The combination is fabulous. CG came right in with the tube muffler and a 2 1/4 inch dubro plastic spinner. Its all a good combination for sport fliers, intermediate, and advanced fliers wanting a P-40 or arf class plane and of course it is available as a kit as well.

bob branch

Alan

Your point is well taken and covering overlaps have been major problems with cl arf's. The overlaps on this plane are 1/2 inch throughout!. Yea, its excessive, but they are not going to open up either. I always go over the seams with a trim iron before I shrink that covering on an arf. These were not only all down and tight, but the overlaps made them safe from being overheated and pulling away. While in some places you can see the ridge from the edge of the overlap .... which is not seen in the really nice RC arf's, I think most CL fliers would prefer the security of what this detail that brodak has wrought.

bob branch

Maybe it me or something as the ones I have seen,  about three of them by different individuals, flew pretty good without the dehidral.  Will get mine together one of these years.  DOC Holliday

FWIW the dihedral does make a difference in getting it to fly wings level. You can tweak flaps, use tip weight many other things , but they are all speed dependent. The ONLY thing the dihedral does is to align the leadout guide at the wingtip with the vertical cg. this eliminates the tendancy for the plane in stock form to fly outboard tip down when upright, and the critical problem, outboard tip UP when inverted which reduces line tension. It is a simple modification and does enhance the trim characteristics of the plane. I will however agree that it is a great flying plane! I like it so much I have kit bashed the wing into a Gee Bee profile that has been posted here before.
The dihedral does make a difference,,