Well, as many of you may be aware, my Funtana 90 bit the dust last weekend. Not to be one to let the man keep me down, I walked into Hobbytown this week and walked out with the new Funtana 100X. I don't know why they put the X on there...nor do I know why they call it the 100 when it's the same size and all, but I digress. It's different at least, which is enough to warrant a name change. New to the Funtana 100X is a lighter airframe along with carbon fiber main landing gear and wing tube, and an all new airfoil which is double tapered, not only in wing chord but also wing thickness from root to tip. I didn't realize how significant it was until I looked at my F90 wing last night (aside: if anyone needs a perfectly good left wing for a Funtana 90, I have one that escaped the crash completely unscathed). The F100X also include Side Force Generators (SFGs), otherwise known as those ugly things on the end of the wings.

Construction was simpler than any ARF I've ever assembled. Control horn holes were pre-drilled, blind nuts were pre-sunk, hinge slots pre-cut, you name it. The only flaw was that the pre-drilled and blind-nutted engine mount location was too narrow for the YS 1.20. Nothing a 1/4" dowel cut down, glued in, and re-drilled couldn't fix with about 20 minutes of work though. I had the whole plane completed with 3.5 evenings of work; probably no more than 9 hours total. Makes me want to look at what else Hangar 9 has to offer.

After showing up at the field sans wing tube, turning around and going home to get it, and then re-arriving at the field on Sunday, I was ready to try it out.

On the first flight the plane required very little trimming (and rolled quite nicely on climbout I might add), but did have a tendency to dive while inverted and climb/dive with changes in airspeed. After that flight I moved the battery pack back about 6" and raised each aileron a half turn on the clevises. Just about perfect now. Took it up again and did my best to put it through the paces. On the next flight, I let Justin put it through the paces the way it's supposed to be done. He seemed quite satisfied with its performance.

I added the SFGs for the next flight. It really does knife-edge with authority, they're not lying about that. As ugly as they are, I have to say they make the plane track quite nicely. Slow 4 point rolls are crisp, any sign of tail-wag in turns is gone, and as Jon Koppisch showed me, harrier rolls are a thing of beauty...if only I can figure that move out, I'll be a happy guy. Well, happier than I am already.

Had some tailwheel woes, as the Sullivan unit I added (stock it includes a wire into the rudder tailwheel setup which I really don't care for) pulled free from the balsa at the rear of the fuse. Nothing a small piece of 1/8" ply or spruce won't take care of though.

Overall, it's a fantastic plane. They really did improve on the F90, moreso than I could have expected. I have no doubts that I made the correct decision on my post F90 purchase, and have every expectation that this plane will allow me to continue learning more advanced maneuvers with a very capable, and still very forgiving, package.

mike you ought to be writing reviews for model airplane or a manufactuer all you need is someone to shoot a video and you will be like the pros i am thinking of getting the 40 sized one and i just may after reading your commentary.

Hey Mike, what is this I read on the banner about you adding Tits to your funtana? And what did that cost, I know when I added them to Margo it wasn't cheap but worth every dime.

They came with the plane. It's an all-inclusive package deal. B)

baby these jokers is all mine, so musta been someone else you added em too!!! :spin: so by my calculations you now owe me the cash equivelent! (you thought "not cheap" before!! :yickes:

That's what you think, I had them installed while you were asleep! :D

Remember that sudden growth spurt you were all excited about? :rolleyes:

Better be carefull Steve.
Margo has been talking about doing something while you are asleep. :sissors: :yickes:

I did feel a strange tugging sensation last night, but all appears ok this morning. I also noticed a butter knife on Margo's night stand? :yickes: Good thing for me that she is a Blonde I guess!