Blade CP Main Frame Replacement Frustrations

[PerlAddict]

A while back, I broke the rear retaining hole on the main airframe for the landing skids on the Blade CP. I bought a replacement and finally got around to putting everything off the old airframe and onto the new one.

Apparently E-Flite has employeed Hulk Hogan and Magilla Gorilla to put the airframe and tail boom together, or I am simply the world's weakest man. 45 minutes of attempting to get the tail boom out ended in me pretty much shredding the boom and just relegating myself to using the replacement boom set I had bought a while back "just in case." I get it out only to find there is no vertical stab in the pack, which couldn't be pulled out of the tail boom, either (at least, not by a joe schmoe like myself).

So now I've got to pick up one of those, too. Before I go to the trouble, I think I may just get the HeliDirect Super Landing Gear (http://www.helidirect.com/product_info.php?products_id=855). Which is just icing on the cake, because if I had done that to start with, I don't think I would have had to worry about replacing the main frame as the super landing gear doesn't appear to need to use those skid bar retaining holes in the main frame, which means I wouldn't need to replace the tail boom either, since there would have been no need to mangle it trying to remove it from the main frame.

Hindsight ... so beautiful. So true. So ... freakin' annoying. :p

Edit: After reading some other descriptions, it appears the super landing gear DOES screw into the normal skid mounting holes. So at least now I don't feel my efforts were quite as vain as I originally did. For whatever tiny amount of solace that gives me. :D

[ptremb]

they actualy glue the tail boom in,thats why you are having such a problem getting it out.sometimes heat works(hair drier)to loosen the glue.If no luck,when you put the new boom in don't physically glue it to the main frame.put a thin cover of glue on the boom and let dry before install.you want a tight press fit into the frame so if you need to replace it ,it will come out with a bit of a fight,but you won't have to cut it out.
as far as the super skids,they use small screws threaded into the stock skid ports.the chances of breaking the frame are small but not impossible if a crash is severe enough.they are flexible enough to take almost all kinds of crash damage without breaking anything,but you may bend the skid tubes(I have).

[PerlAddict]

Thanks for that tip on the tail boom - I'll definitely do it that way. I've ordered up the unassembled Super Skids, so I'm going to put it all back together when they get here. I had already reinforced my rear skid tubes with a dental floss wrapping covered by JB Weld, so hopefully that'll keep it together better next time.