what is best way to buy an f-27 stryker?

[nova801428]

I've wanted one of these for a while because alot of people like them, but I don't know why. I've heard that people buy these in peices because they don't sell an ARF version. Because they only sell it in a combo package? which way is the best way to buy, I have a Futaba 7cap radio, so I don't need it and I can buy radio equipment seperate. Which is the best way to buy it?:)

[bugjam1999]

Hi there,

Basically all the Parkzone planes come as RTF packages with battery, charger, 3-channel radio and plane. As the Parkzone radios use combined ESC and recievers and utilise 5 wire servos, theres limited upgrading available. They're suitable for Lipo batteries and replacement brushed motors, but that about it.

The way to get around this is to find a place that sells the Parkzone planes and buy all the bits you need as spares. Parkzone decided that their planes wouldn't be flown solely by experienced pilots so the spares back up is exceptionally good, you can buy the whole plane in bits.

The question is will this be cheaper? I'm in the UK and bought the super decathlon, mustang and stryker with everything they came with originally and with spares like wings etc. from ebay for a total of £150 (each plane retail here is between £100 and £120), very slightly second hand from someone who wanted to get rid. I was lucky in this case, but theres no particular reason why such a deal might not arrive on your side of the pond... have a look :)

If you go the parkzone website, you can download the manual for the stryker and then look at it's construction and how many of the parts you'd actually want.

Sorry i don't know which website to point you at, I know all the places in the UK that offer parts supply instead ;)

Have fun... theres a LOAD of threads about upgrading the stryker on the www.rcuniverse.com (http://www.rcuniverse.com) website, from a $35 upgrade that gives much improved performance to people putting brushless motor and battery combos in that let them prop hang... err, i guess that'd be prop stand? haha...

Bug.

[debhicks]

I've wanted one of these for a while because alot of people like them, but I don't know why. I've heard that people buy these in peices because they don't sell an ARF version. Because they only sell it in a combo package? which way is the best way to buy, I have a Futaba 7cap radio, so I don't need it and I can buy radio equipment seperate. Which is the best way to buy it?:)

I'd rather imagine that it would solely be determined on your location. Shipping the striker body is a daunting thing for a supplier due to the possibility that it will be broken no matter what you do to send it.

We have all the parts including the spare body in stock. We are in North Carolina. I am trying to remember how much it was to buy all the parts for the striker to build it up without electronics. It may have been between 40 and 60 dollars.

I could run a sheet and let you know.

Hope that helps. There is an entire thread devoted to this plane. It has a following. :)

[LuckyArmpit]

My LHS sells the stryker fuse (wing and no twin tails) for $25. And it figures...every time I go in there to buy Cool Power fuel for my slimers, they never have them in stock.
You can also try horizon hobby as they sell all the parkzone parts for all the pz models.

Dave...

[jonnyjetprop]

I think this is what your looking for. Your local hobby shop should be able (if desired) to order them from Horizon.

John

http://www.parkzone.com/Products/RelatedParts.aspx?ProdID=PKZ1200&Category=Parts%20Listing&SubCategory=

[Pyrock]

I've done it both ways and I would have to say that if you have your own gear, I would buy the parts and build your own. You can make it much stronger for less money than buying the RTF. It is such a versitle fuse that if you do a search, you'll see many possible setups most of which are very fast. I've got two fuses in my garage but all the gear is currently in my Projeti.

[hjscm]

park zone sells just the body complete with fins and all set up but no electronics. it is $55.00 at my lhs. thats what i did. then bought a motor servos battery and esc and put it together in about 1 hour and went flying. very easy. my lhs also sells all the parts to build one and it was about &15 cheaper to build one. but then you have to put the ailerons on and some other things.

[Pyrock]

It might be worth noting that the motor mount is not necessary. I've made many Strykers but had to reinforce the motor mount area but if you just cut out a part of the area where the motor mounts about the size of the motor, you can just slip the motor in place and tape either side with tape and then tape across the first tape. It saves weight and is much stronger than any reinforcement I did in the past. If anyone wants pics of my mounting system, just let me know. So far, it's lighter since you dont need reinforcements.

[Mazin]

I would love to see your mount... I have thrashed tons of the pz's and have been looking to make my own set-up

[Pyrock]

Check out this pic. Hopefully, you'll be able to see what I've done. It's really simple, just cut out the shape of the motor and put the motor into the cutout and tape in place according to the picture. Just make sure to line it up with the BOTTOM not the top since the top slants down while the back is flat.

[rahtware]

park zone sells just the body complete with fins and all set up but no electronics. it is $55.00 at my lhs. thats what i did. then bought a motor servos battery and esc and put it together in about 1 hour and went flying. very easy. my lhs also sells all the parts to build one and it was about &15 cheaper to build one. but then you have to put the ailerons on and some other things.

Can you get a parts number for the complete plane without the gear? I can't find it anywhere on either the Horizon or the Parkzone sites...

[rahtware]

Just got into the Stryker last month and already on my first rebuild and 2nd plane! The "rekiting" happened on the 2nd flight, I was having so much fun that I pulled "Up" while flying inverted at full speed about 20 feet off the deck. That will teach me to not talk with other pilots while on shake down flights. I have been looking for a good "trunkrat" plane and have found it in the Stryker.

A few things I have discovered:

The stock motor on a 7 or 8 cell NiMh battery (900mah or better) is fine, no real vertical, but it has enough power to pull out of inverted flight (if you remember to push the stick up).

Other then the speed (kinda fast) this is a much better flying plane then either the Cub or the ($@^*&$%) Citabria! NO SSSC (Stall, Snap, Spin, Crash) tendencies here.

The stall on the Stryker is very mild with the nose dipping when the wing no longer has the lift to keep it up. Even a "Flop at the top" (I don't know what else to call it), where we pull straight up, cut power and let it stall, results in the plane flopping over and ending up rightside up in a glide!

The plane needs a few mods, most of which I have found on other Stryker threads, here are a few...

Use Shoegoo to hold the servos in the wing. Hytec 81 servos (MG if you are going to do one of the motor upgrades) work fine. You can get by with 55s, but if you use the new stock elverons they might not have enough power.

Balsa elverons... Or at least different hinges. Not a must, but the new stock elverons have the stiffest hinges known to man! A real workout for a 55, and a big drain on the battery.

Reinforced tail (or Pyrocks mod, I am thinking of trying that on my new plane). Or, one idea, I haven’t tried out yet, is cutting the top off of the motor mount, adding a "belly pan" to the bottom of the mount for the motor to set in (and hold the mount together) and strapping the motor in with rubber bands.

Adding a carbon fiber stiffener to the rear part of the wing (if you are going with a bigger motor).

Painting... CLEAN the foam with rubbing alcohol and lightly sand (220 grit or finer) before applying any paint! No paint really "sticks" to "Z-Foam", but at least acrylics don't eat it up! Guys have tried everything from house paint to exotics, but the Tamiya paints have worked the best for me... just don’t try to mask off anything with tape (even "blue", or other low tack) as the paint will pull off with the tape. An artist friend turned me on to a liquid mask product that seems to work fine in the few tests I have tried, and she also mentioned low tack glue sticks, rubber cement, and a few others that I haven't tried yet. Paint different colors on the top and bottom! The Stryker moves kinda fast and so the tendency is to fly it farther away (until you find out how much fun it is to fly "fast-and-in-tight). Sometimes it is hard to tell if it is rightside up or upside down!

First flights in a large field (two football fields side-by-side) as it takes up a bit of room until you get used to it. Oh, low throws (about 3/8" deflection) are plenty at first... Dual rates are even better.

There are many other great mods on the many "Stryker" threads on both this and other forums. Reading them will actually save you time and money.

Balance the plane (the little dimples in the hand hold cutouts). And make sure the elverons are equal, and level.

This is a plane for a novice (can take off, land and control a plane in the air) flyer, not raw beginners... But, in 25 years of building and flying RC this is one of the "funnest" planes I have ever flown!

Sorry about the length, but once I got started…

[frvrngn]

Can you get a parts number for the complete plane without the gear? I can't find it anywhere on either the Horizon or the Parkzone sites...

PKZ1270 - $69.99 - http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByCategory/Product/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ1270

Its everything minus electronics.

[rahtware]

PKZ1270 - $69.99 - http://www.horizonhobby.com/Shop/ByCategory/Product/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ1270

Its everything minus electronics.

Thanks.

Looks good. As I stated in the long post above, I'm not too thrilled with the new elverons and have been only buying the fuse, motor mount, fins and hatches. Including paint, balsa, hinges, pushrods, I think I am spending about the same. Throwing in a stock motor ($12) it is still way under $100.

[rahtware]

Some deals I have come across:

Using the stock motor (water break-in, retimed) and stock prop, I have good results with a GWS 480 ESC and 8 cell 1100mah Powerizer batteries. Both the ESC and the batteries have the same type of plugs as the Stryker battery/charger so there is no need to change connectors.

The batteries are $15 each + shipping. http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1237

The ESC is under $14 +S http://www.gwsexpert.com/product_info.php?cPath=7&products_id=37

These have been good products and suppliers for me.

[afpe45]

@bugjam1999.

What places in the uk stock the parts :confused: ?. I am getting hooked:D

afpe45.

[rahtware]

@bugjam1999.

What places in the uk stock the parts :confused: ?. I am getting hooked:D

afpe45.

apfpe45

Horizon Hobbies has only this listing for the UK.

Helger Distribution
Units 2-4 Ployters Rd.
Staple Tye, Southern Way
Harlow, Essex England
United Kingdom
http://www.helgerracing.com (http://www.helgerracing.com/)

[debhicks]

We have a lot of the parts in stock for that including the upgrades for the b model. Hope that helps. The only thing we don't ship is the fuselage. Just to big and pretty sure it wouldn't make the trip.

[afpe45]

@rahtware.
http://www.helgerracing.com just seem to be for cars ?. can't find plane parts. what are the part nos I need ?. have you got a link that goes right to the page ?.
thanks
afpe45.:cool:

***************************
@debhicks,

thats fine but I am in the UK. unless you could ship the parts as warranty replacements , ;) that way I wouldn't have to pay customs duty (works every time:D )
if you could do that what are the part nos I need and what is the cost including shipping ?.
cheers Deb:rolleyes:
afpe45:cool:

[rahtware]

@rahtware.
http://www.helgerracing.com just seem to be for cars ?. can't find plane parts. what are the part nos I need ?. have you got a link that goes right to the page ?.
thanks
afpe45.:cool:
Starting off with the homepage for the Stryker:

http://www.parkzone.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PKZ1200

On that page under "Support" is the "Parts Listing"' and "Manual" links.

Near the bottom of the "Parts listing" page is "PKZ1270, Replacement Air Frame: F27B Stryker". This has everything you will need except the radio gear and power system. The stock motor "PKZ1216" is OK and at $11US is budget wise.

At the top right of the page you will see a "where to buy" block... That is what I clicked on to find that address I gave you. You might have to call them and see if they can order the parts for you.

Good luck

[afpe45]

@rahtware,

Thanks for that, I have sent them an E-Mail asking for the PKZ1270 airframe pack, And am waiting for reply. did you get a replacement airframe off them ?.
I noticed that they do replacement airframes for most of their models, something for others to think about.

nice one thanks.
afpe45.:cool:

[rahtware]

@rahtware,

Thanks for that, I have sent them an E-Mail asking for the PKZ1270 airframe pack, And am waiting for reply. did you get a replacement airframe off them ?.
I noticed that they do replacement airframes for most of their models, something for others to think about.

nice one thanks.
afpe45.:cool:

I have a LHS that stocks the parts separately so buy that way... Besides, I only purchase the airframe (with nose), the fins and the complete hatch set. If I intend to use the stock motor, I also buy it, the motor mount and a prop. If I wasn't so cheap I would also buy the control rods, but I can save a couple of bucks by making my own.

Also, I don't like the stock elevons/ hinges so I build my own elevons.

[afpe45]

@rahtware,

I thought you lived in the UK at first but you don't do you:D

Nice point about the elevons & hinges ,I have took note and will probily do the same, but I will be brushless and lipo:eek:,

afpe45.

[rahtware]

@rahtware,

I thought you lived in the UK at first but you don't do you:D

Nice point about the elevons & hinges ,I have took note and will probily do the same, but I will be brushless and lipo:eek:,

afpe45.

Nope, Northern California (not to be confused with Sothern California).:D

Have you checked out the BP-21? I have seen one on a Stryker and was impressed with the improvement over the stock motor... And, motor and ESC for less than $60US!!!

[thejc]

with yor wifes credit card.