garrett_mcdonal

Hi Brian,

Drop Darran an email and get a quote in USD. At the moment, 1 Aust dollar buys around $.53 US and freight from Aust to the US isn't too bad.

The Spectre is more of a high-speed missile where as the Renegade is more like a very, very fast pattern ship. Probably like comparing a BVM Aggressor to a Bandit at a guess.

The wings are pre-joined, including the installation of the twin, carbon-capped spars and are also pre-sheeted. The sheeting captures a layer of reinforcing glass cloth top and bottom that extends out as far as the aileron bays. The twin spars carry the retract blocks (pre-installed) which then carry the retract flex-plates (pre-installed).

Yep, it takes spring-air gear and either a Ramtec or Dynamax. I'm going with a Ramtec in mine as that's what I have lying around looking for a home.

Garrett

Brian W.

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks a bunch Garrett, I sent him an e-mail.

Brian

garrett_mcdonal

Hi Brian,

No worries. I'm sure Darren will be in touch soon.

Garrett

JimmyA

My Feedback: (1)

garrett_mcdonal,

Thanks for the info.

Jimmy

garrett_mcdonal

Hi Jimmy,

My pleasure.

I don't suppose it is possible to edit your RCU user name, is it?

It's actually McDonald, but I'd had a couple of glasses of wine when I registered and committed the details before I spotted the stuff-up. Now I seem to be stuck with it. I think your user name is one the items that can't be edited.

Never mind, I guess I've been called worse than mcdonal.

Regards,
Garrett McDonald

JimmyA

My Feedback: (1)

Ops my bad I did not releaze that your sig is different from your username. I don't think it is possible to change the username on your own but the site admin. might be able to do that.

Jimmy

garrett_mcdonal

Jimmy,

Nope, it was my stuff-up to spell my own name wrong when I created my profile.

Garrett

JET FX

What about the Canadian produced D.L. Cyclone? Its not ARF but it hoots!
another Aussie jet the 'Bolly Scorpion' is a missile as well!

wOmbat I just noticed your avatar, you have an A4 that looks like a Yellow kit?
that would have to be at least as fast as any F18 or F4 probably near as quick as these sport models... : )

Shaun Evans

Actually, both the F-4 and the F-18 are noticeably faster than the A-4. Especially the F-18.

Jimmy,

I got your PM, and I'll be responding to it tomorrow....thanks

ansley

NOW heres some cool paint schemes, sorry about other my dead posts.

ansley

heres another pic I found.

Countryboy

My Feedback: (25)

While attending Superman last week, I did witness a lone Spectre in flight. I don't know the details of the aircraft, engine, fan, etc... but I can tell you the aircraft was very-very fast.

It was probably as fast as any turbine aircraft there, or at least it looked it. The pilot also did a great job showing the potential of the aircraft.

Jetset

My Feedback: (2)

I do believe that the blue and silver Spectre in the pic above belongs to Jeff Daly, originally from Ottawa. I have seen this bullet fly and it is probably the fastest DF I have seen fly EXCEPT for.....Jeff's Parkinson Cheetah ! Yes boys and girls, I said Cheetah! He calls it the nuclear tomatoe and for good reason! It is by far the fastest DF I have ever seen! He did do a lot of custom work to it to get it that way but man.....that thing smokes!!!! He did tell me one time the mods he made to the kit but I can't remember off the top of my head right now. I'm sure if Jeff is looking in, he would share his speed secrets!
Myles

rcav8tr

Hi Countryboy and Jetset

That Blue and Silver Spectre streaking through the sky at Superman was indeed Jeff Daly's. Details on the aircraft are as follows:

- Ramtec Fan
- Stock OS91 with a Trim tuned pipe
- After-market gear doors and custom modifications to the wings
- All up weight 12.5lbs
- Epoxyglass fuselage with styrofoam flying surfaces
- Area ruled ducting to match the Ramtec fan

Jeff has told me that it had been clocked at 180 mph in a shallow dive. Unfortunately, the Spectre met its end on Saturday when someone turned on while Jeff was flying at around 5:30. She spiraled into the bean field beyond the trees and is a complete write-off. When he returned his transmitter to the impound, some one was still transmitting on his frequency.

On the plus side, Mark II is in the works as Jeff picked up the Spectre Kit we had with us at the show. Can't wait to see the sequel!

If you have any questions regarding the kit, please contact me via PM or at [email protected]

Sincerely,
Ed

Harley Condra

My Feedback: (4)

All you guys who can go back a few years will probably remember that Garland Hamilton's BVM Agressor III went 249.5 mph through the timing traps at San Juan Puerto Rico, May 1996. That speed was backed up with a blast of 246 mph in the opposite direction. I don't believe that timed speed has ever been bettered by another DF. (Unless it had a Paul Ivey variable exhaust nozzle). Garland didn't use one..............

See the BVM INLET magazine July 1996, page 5 for the story.
He was running a (What else?) BVM .91, BVM Vio Fan and pipe in that speedster.
The whole airplane was well sealed.........landing gear doors, and control surface gaps as well.
The speeds were registered on a "Aircraft Speedmaster" timing system by RC Research, of Odessa Tx. Same system that is in use at Fresno-Madera.

Darned few turbines have been timed at higher speeds than that.

Harley Condra
BVM REP

PR38

That doesn't necessarily mean that the Aggressor is an overall faster DF than the Spectre. That particular Aggressor was clearly very light and very clean and had a good propulsion system---follow that formula and you can get any reasonable platform over 200mph. I know that the Spectre has won several speed awards at UK events (hasn't caught on in the US yet), and has been clocked over 220 on several models. It is one fast little bird.
Oh, one other thing, BV has decided for us that we don't need the Aggressor anymore and we should pay over $4000 for a his basic sport jet. So even if you wanted it, you couldn't get it. Thanks BV, but I'll stick to my $500 Spectre.

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

That's interesting...there was ANOTHER shoot down at superman. So maybe Dino was not just whistling dixie...

And the answer to your question, "what is the fastest DF jet?"

The Kyosho Sabre. On floats. No doubt.

Harley Condra

My Feedback: (4)

What that does mean, is that there has been no Spectre that has a higher documented speed. Period. That's all it meant. Yes, that Agressor was light, clean and well sealed, with a very good propulsion system. It's still being flown today.

My original post passed along info that some folks didn't know about. That's all it was intended to convey. Sorry you disagree.

BV has not decided that we don't need the Agressor anymore, he reached a simple decision......one of economics 100......he must make money in order to pay the bills that keep the doors open. In doing so, he dropped the birds that were hard to justify keeping in production, and followed that basic economic fact. You go forward with the product line that has the highest sales potential, and concentrate your effort there. If there were no turbines, his four basic sport jets would still be the BVM "bread and butter".

The world-wide turbine sales explosion created a market for aircraft designed specifically for turbine use, or for those suitable for turbine conversions. Sorry to see that the DF sales are down, but the customer and new technology decides what remains in the marketplace. DF kits from other manufacturers are priced much lower than the BVM Jets, so what did you expect?

Remember that BVM jets are kitted in the USA, using US labor and parts. There's no foreign "dollar a day" slave labor in a BVM Jet.
If BV told you what his monthly gross needs to be, or how much he spends on kit developement, you would be very surprised. We all admire and revere him, but I wouldn't want his job. His job description is very broad.........too much pressure for me.
BV's decisions don't just effect BV, Pat and Scooter......he has about 19 or 20 employees, some with families to support, so he doesn't make those kinds of decisions blindly.
Give him the credit due him....he is the grandpappy of most of this jet stuff. Know anyone else who has done as much for us?

Harley Condra
BVM REP

caleb

My Feedback: (38)

thanks Harley...

Very well said!

I have worked at BVM and agree with you 100%

I see many misconceptions from people on this forum and figured I'd chime in on this one!

caleb

PR38

Harley, I know what you meant, and I can't really argue with that. The Aggressor was a great plane, and I would have probably bought one if they were still available. Both planes are very fast, but its probably very subjective which is "faster."
I don't mean to put anybody off or make you defensive, I just don't think his planes are worth what he sells them for. I also don't think that he should neglect the cheaper DF market. If he has all those people working for him, maybe he should diversify his product line.They are top of the line, no doubt, but $4000+ for a model aiplane kit?unfinished without the engine? We say things like "top of the line", " best quality", "perfection", etc... and people buy into it. And those "other" kits are not made with"slave labor" or anything like that. They are made by knowledgeable jet enthusiats, just like BV, who have worked hard to put out a good product.
I have seen his kits and I honestly do not think that they are worth that much. When you get right down to it, they are just fiberglass airplanes. AND I know that that probably offends some people, and I apologize, but that is my point of view. I see guys flying $30,000 BVM F-4 twins at jet fly-ins and yes, they are very impressive, but that $30K airplane can go down just as easily as an ARF trainer if some schmuck steps on the channel with his trasnmitter. It just isn't wise---unless you have that kind of time and money expendable and can afford to blow it on a plane. Therein lies the point, most people do not have that kind of money. More people are likely to be able to afford a cheaper jet. That is what Trim has done, and I support it.
I have seen several very nice planes go down at fly-ins, and I just think it is wise to fly a plane that costs that much. I don't think it is wise to BUY a plane that is that expensive either. Why pay that much when you can get another jet that looks just as good and flies just as well at a cheaper price? Most of the end-result quality is in the craftsmanship anyway. I mean, I have seen some really ugly Bandits (most look pretty sharp though).
I do give BV the credit he deserves. He has done great things for the RC jet community. I do not agree with how he runs his business, and that doesn't mean I don't respect the man. I do. I just don't agree with him.

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

this might pay for a semester of one of his grandkid's college.


A couple of the best West Coast scale guys let me get in the picture.

Brian W.

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I saw the one on the left fly at Woodland this last weekend, it was truly awesome! I love the F-4.

rcuser006

My Feedback: (12)

Yes, I saw it too and during the high speed low passes the sound was truly awesome!

PR38

Holy *(*%$%^
Yea, those are gorgeous. I might just retract anything I said about paying too much for a jet.

Kevin Greene

My Feedback: (85)

It really kills me when people complain about BV's prices. You don't have to buy it!!! BV is in the jet BUSINESS. Trust me, if it was still profitable for BVM to make the Aggressor/Viper/Maverick line it would still be made. While we are talking about kits---It's funny how everyone tries to compare the available kits to BV's. BV's kits are top shelf, well engineered, and complete. The next time you comparison shop, add everything up. Every nut, bolt, screw, etc. Also add up your time and trips to the hobby shop to get that stuff---I believe that you will find that BV's kits represent a good value and are not much more, if any, expensive than other kits.

Since this thread was started to discuss ducted fan top speed.... My Ultra Viper was clocked at 232 MPH on a 95 degree day----

Kevin