Classic Remote Control Airplanes Kits Reviews – Carl Goldberg Anniversary Cub
by Billie Wnorowski
Specifications
- Wing Span: 76 1/2 in. (194 cm)
- Clipped Wing: 67 1/2 in. (171 cm)
- Wing Area 744 sq. in. (4800 cm²)
- Length: 48 in. (122 cm)
- Weight: 7 1/2 lbs. (3.4 kg)
- Engine:
- .40 – .61 2 – cycle
- (6.6 cc – 10.0 cc 2 – cycle)
- .40 – .90 4 – cycle
- (6.6 cc – 14.7 cc 4 – cycle)
- 4 Servos required
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| E-flite UMX Timber RC Airplane | HobbyZone Champ RTF, HBZ4900 |
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| Alternative Kits | |
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| HobbyZone Sport Cub S 2 RC Airplane BNF | HobbyZone Sport Cub S 2 RC Airplane RTF with SAFE |
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The Piper Cub has to be the most kitted airplane besides the P-51 Mustang. There is one to be found almost anywhere. The reason for this is very simple, it looks like a real airplane and not a flying box but the Cub is a real airplane. The model flies just as gently as its full-size counterpart.
The Anniversary Cub has been around for a long time and is not as true to scale as some of the newer models available but it is a good strong flyer. With the larger wing, it is quite docile but is still able to do some aerobatics. The clipped wing version is just a ball to fly and it’s a lot more responsive. If lively performance is the desire with this model then go with the smaller wing and the higher end engine recommendations.
The Cub will take a little longer to build than the average trainer and in this kit, there are a lot of pitfalls. In the past 10 years or so, the quality of the kit has gone down and kits like this one should have been upgraded a long time ago. It’s a good kit, but there are better ones on the market that are a lot easier to build and are more scale looking.
As with most kits, the builder should become familiar with it before starting the actual building. Like other kits, the tail feathers are the first parts to be built and are pretty basic construction. The whole fuselage is constructed using lite-ply and that is the first flaw in this kit. If repairs must be made, lite-ply is more difficult to repair that balsa wood. Its strength is about the same as hard balsa which could be used in the same application. The construction is jig lock as most kits and is pretty simple. The wood dowels that are used on the top must be glued securely or they will definitely pop loose. This is a problem when using lite-ply and hardwood. It is difficult to bond the two together using CA. The tail wheel installation that is provided with the kit is not recommended since it can tear the rudder loose on a hard landing. It is better to use an aftermarket assembly that does not put any strain on the rudder. If this is done, the blind nuts must be installed the bottom sheeting is installed.
A lot of filler is needed to fill the slots where the formers are glued to the sides of the fuselage. This is normal when lite-ply is used for a fuselage. Step #36 of the instructions specify that 3/8″ square balsa be used for the control rods. This is not recommended. This may work on some of the smaller models but not one of this size. Balsa will flex too much and not give the accurate throw response needed. The recommended material for this application is 1/4″ dowel. The best material to use for this application is a hollow graphite arrow shaft. The rudder control works much better if a pull-pull system is used. It is a little bit more work but well worth it.
The landing gear fairing is all right but not very strong and will come off when landing on a grass strip. The screws supplied to mount the fairings to the fuselage are not long enough so longer ones should be substituted. It is advisable to glue some scrap plywood inside to provide more thickness for the screws.
Building the wing is time-consuming but it is not difficult if the instructions are followed. The hardwood dowel that is used for the leading edge should be replaced. This causes major problems in sheeting the wing. On Page 18, Step #3 shows how to mate the wing to the fuselage. When the model was built from this kit, the wing did not even come close to fitting without a lot of sanding. When the second one was built, the wing fit the same as the first. This is a result of the way the wing is constructed. A lot of people have had the same problem with this kit. To avoid having the covering to wrinkle when the wing is attached, cut some material away and epoxy the washer to the wing. It stays with the wing and will not be lost.
The only good thing about the cowling is that it is one piece instead of two. The cowling will not last very long under normal conditions. The reason is that vibration will eventually crack the thin plastic where the holes are drilled for the screws. A few things can be done to rectify this. First, an aftermarket fiberglass replacement can be purchased but that is a rather expensive solution. The other is to use 3/4 oz fiberglass and glass the inside of the plastic cowling. This is not difficult to do and really extends the life of the cowling. If neither solution is chosen, frequent repairs will be required.
The wing struts are not functional so it is not recommended that the model be flown with them attached. They can be lost quickly. The landing gear shock struts can be made of two different ways. It is best to take the time and make them with the copper tubing. They look much better and with a little bit of effort, they can be made to be very functional. A lot of effort went into showing how to set up this model. Everything is very thorough and should be adhered to.
This is not a bad kit but one that could use some updating. This is something that Goldberg Models seems reluctant to do on the older line of kits. Flying it is a lot of fun and it does not seem to want to come back down once it is airborne. It flies slow enough so that it does not take quick responses that is a favorable feature for many flyers!