Durafly (PNF) Gloster Gladiator Mk1 Biplane Fighter EPO 1100mm (43") - Model AV8R Review

[@HobbyKingOfficial]

Amazing work Model AV8R, look forward to more great reviews in the future.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much and we look forward as well!

[@bluecamaross]

Adam does great in depth reviews! He and his wife have worked their tails off to get to where they are now with the Model AV8R channel. Send more items for them to review, You won't be sorry! Waiting for what's next!...

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

@@bluecamaross Lol...thanks D Rail! Appreciate the kind words buddy. Our HK contact is a really cool dude.

[@IansRCExploits]

Great review and take off and landing tutorial Adam!! I would love this plane but Hobbyking are charging £138 for the model and then well over £200 for shipping to the UK so unfortunately I won't be getting my hands on one of these 😒 Shame because it's a very nice looking and flying model, Hobbyking shafted all their loyal customers in the UK when they shut the UK warehouse and now this model isn't even available from the European warehouse!! I really like your video, A very thorough and honest review 😂👍

[@FlankerTanker]

Hi Ian - I am afraid this is going to be the case for us BRITS - the so called HobbyKing that claims to be one of the leading online global Radio Control (RC) hobby shops who's mission is and I quote "HobbyKing's mission is to make the RC hobby more accessible for everyone to enjoy." should finish "Except if you live in the UK" - such a shame - BUT Adam did a fantastic job showing this Aircraft great Job Adam...

[@IansRCExploits]

I know Martyn they've shafted us Brits 😒

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks Ian. It is a nice one for sure. I hate the shipping issues to the UK, and all I can say is so does HK. I really feel for you guys on this, but for what its worth from what I'm hearing they know and are trying to find a cheaper solution. Hopefully this will happen SOON!

[@IansRCExploits]

Aww I hope so Adam 😀👍

[@IansRCExploits]

Aww that's a shame because I would really like to own this model 😒

[@bobdavis2698]

I have built or assembled and watched a great many planes both balsa and foam. Never before have I seen a better build or assembly video. I have subscribed to your site and bookmarked it for often review. I wish I knew about your site prior to ordering my Gladiator yesterday to help you out. Wonderful job. I will be back often. An old Alaska bush pilot.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much Bob! Its all good buddy glad you got one!

[@buck1974eye]

I was flagged by Hobby King this morning about this new release. While reading about it, I thought it would be a perfect review subject for Adam to take on. Shazam, next thing I know, Adam has posted one of his classic presentations with the Gladiator. Outstanding background, build and flying introduction!!!

[@buck1974eye]

BTW Adam, this is Carl on another account...

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Carl! Thanks buddy! Always appreciate your comments my friend...and you and Scott practically sponsoring the channel!! Dustin and I were joking we should say Model AV8R is sponsored by Delta. LOL!

[@DesertFoxProductions]

Adam, Heidi, another stellar production. The history of the actual aircraft, your assembly tips and minor mods will add to the successful maidens to be done. Thanks for all grass handling information, for the Gloster Gladiator or any tail dragger in grass. we can all use a refresher in ground handling of our aircrafts. Great photos Heidi, looking forward to seeing your detail work to this airframe.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Rommel! Really appreciate the kind words buddy...and all your help!

[@jonoedwards4195]

Nice! I score the instructions off the Hobby King sales page, registered users only. Beauty AV8R, great show. Watched this as I changed another stripped Durafly servo in My Brewster, thing really can take My punishing pathetic attempts at Belly Landings!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks Jono! The Brewster is a tough one!

[@snoriverrc3842]

Thanks for a great detailed look at this plane!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much for watching!

[@jwasilenko]

Hey Adam, I just finished painting, assembly and now flying my Gladiator which I bought based purely off this video. It went together smoothly with your tips and the maiden flight was a huge success. Absolutely in love with the Gladiator. Your videos are honest and to the point. The best and most informative channel going for RC planes.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Justin thank you man. That means a lot. I'm with you...I love the Gladiator. Such a great flyer, and rarely modeled.

[@denismoran670]

A word of caution to UK pilots about purchase - since Hobbyking pulled out of the UK, they use 'global' as the source point. The costs are really huge - £195 ($224) for the aircraft - £30 postage (!!!) from Hong Kong, and £41 customs charge on entry to the UK. This makes a total of £ 266 ($ 306) delivered to your door. Adam and Heidi, thank you very much for a beautifull presented video. The cameo on how to land/takeoff was brilliant! Den, Cymru

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much Denis!

[@brianbroady7539]

man you have great classic videos always, educational and clear,my whole family can watch , Thanks, videos are done well , Thanks,N.Carolina

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey thank you Brian! Glad you enjoy them.

[@paulsoler8986]

An excellent review. You are a very skilful pilot. Very useful tips and guidelines on flying the model. Well done!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Paul thank you very much! Really appreciate the kind words. Thanks for watching!

[@CliffHarveyRCPlanes]

I always thought it odd to see a biplane so advanced for its wing type, the pinnacle of it's type I guess! Nice review guys, cheeers.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks Cliff! Interesting subject for sure!

[@WarbirdPiLOT]

Awesome walkthrough of the Gladiator Adam, great job.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much Håvard! Nice little warbird.

[@antoniomp]

Hi Model AVR8, you have excellent hands and patience, yesterday I bought this model, Durafly (PNF) Gloster Gladiator Mk1 Biplane Fighter EPO 1100 mm (43 ") is identical to yours, I wait for Christmas to try it out, I'm in love with this plane, greetings from Granada, Spain 🛩

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hello! Thanks for watching and enjoy your Gladiator! Great plane.

[@wmdayman]

Thank you for great instructions and detailed camera work.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

William thank you for the kind words, and thanks very much for watching!

[@helmuthuneke1775]

a beautiful bird, definitely not for a beginner like me.. like your teaching on landing and start. great review thanks to both of you. God bless you.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much Helmut! You will get there...just takes practice. God bless you as well!

[@rlbutterfield]

Excellent lessons at the end! 👍🏻 Great video.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Randy! Long one, but we covered a lot.

[@spiff2776]

Awesome video. Love all the detailed tips for building and flying it. I also agree w you on expo and throws. 100 rates all the time, expo on a switch depending on the wind or your mood. So much easier and more scale This airplane looks like a must have for me!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you! It is a great airplane.

[@jcb6713]

tnx for a great review and detailed look at this plane; nice 👍👍

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for watching and the kind words!

[@odwatchguy]

Thanks Adam, that makes your survey make so much sense. This is a beautiful bird and you make it look fantastic in the air. Thank you for the ground handling tips, these planes were hot ladies in their day and the little lady needed to be led on the dance floor.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks so much Tony! Yeah thought I'd see ahead of time what kind of interest there was with this era of fighter. Seems to be quite a lot which is great!

[@DeucesWildRC]

I love the historical intro and mod details explained, I’ve also hot glued lead weights inside the faux radial to add nose weight in order to achieve proper CG as well as re-route the esc and use a block of foam to lock the lipo in place, I don’t usually (if ever)explain these mods in any of my videos it’s just part of modeling that goes with this hobby but I think it’s great that you’ve taken the time to explain these things for those who want to learn these little tricks, these ideas take years of experimenting and learning from watching videos and or coming up with your own ideas to over come, I would expect nothing less from a seasoned pro like you Adam! Fantastic detailed video my friend 👊🇺🇸

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Brother Mike thanks so much man! Wow...really appreciate the kind words buddy!

[@JeffinLowerAlabama]

Fantastic Gladiator H King, well done Stuart. Great review Adam, nice tips, fun one, Jeff in LA USA

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Jeff!

[@NeedSpeedRC]

This will be my first biplane in the near future. I like the closed cockpit. It kind of reminds me a P-47 for some reason. Great review.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Awesome! Thanks for watching and the kind words.

[@Bellakelpie]

Great review. Thanks for posting the build tips. Very handy info.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you, and thanks for watching! Glad it is helpful.

[@keithrinehart809]

I love the Gladiator! Such a beautiful plane. They did a great job modeling that one. 😎👍

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

They did Keith...great model!

[@Grahame59]

Set-up page: 20:15. Great video, Adam. Lovely scale flying as always.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much Grahame!

[@sanexup1038]

Great review! One of my favorite biplanes, so classy! I had to get one and I used your link. Thanks for the flight reports and info!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks man and awesome...glad you got yourself one! Enjoy! It is a beauty.

[@dutchloveRC]

thats a beautiful bird!!! and as always great review and INFO : )

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you SlowJo!

[@russc3288]

First time viewer. Ran onto this plane on the Petrincic Brothers channel and pushed that magic button while they still had this in the States. Your review has really helped me prepare for when it comes and goes up. For that I thank you. Russ NC/USA

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Russ thanks for watching. So glad our review helps! Glad you found us...welcome!

[@davidsnyder238]

Excellent from beginning to end.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you David. Long one I know, but a lot to cover!

I got it yesterday. I'm going to have a great Christmas

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Awesome, you'll enjoy it!

[@SteffenRC]

Adam, wonderful video. Lots of important build info and flight comments... It appears to be a pretty good sport flyer. Keep doing what you are doing...

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you so much! We really appreciate you watching us, and we'll keep truckin' along!

[@DadsRCHangar]

Watch this while tinkering in the Hangar. What a fantastic video, everything you could possibly ask, you showed and answered, love the history as well. Great stuff Adam 👍🏻

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks Chris! Appreciate it man!

[@jerryhermann7233]

Well your flight videos sold me. Im getting one. May be a pieco of wall art, but thats ok.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Great airplane. Very rarely modeled too.

[@rlbutterfield]

Great review! Beautiful plane!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Randy appreciate it!

[@RMStinson]

Great video! I've used all your tips; weight, elastic cord, elevator throw.. I might have figured these out by myself, but you did it for me. Bravo!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Robert thanks very much! Glad it was helpful. Great scale plane.

[@YetAnotherRcChannel]

What a cute little bird. Looks just right for those calm, lazy winter days at the lake. Thanks for sharing ✌️ And that taxi, take off, landing tutorial is awesome!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you man! Appreciate it!

[@JustEnoughRC]

Great review Adam and Hiedi ! Of all the gladiator reviews posted this morning this was my first choice. Your reviews are always my favorites. Excellent job my friends! 😁👍 I would like to add one piece of constructive criticism. Where the battery sits against hard plastic i would suggest a small piece of foam between to protect the battery in the case of a hard landing, nose over, or crash. I have had batterys punctured in similar configurations.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Jude! Man thanks so much...that really means a lot buddy. The foam suggestion is a great idea!

[@rcdavidk]

Best review and best advice for this stunning little biplane. Brilliant solution for the flying wires. I was not going to bother, but they're going in now. Really well done... thank you.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you David. Really appreciate the kind words. Do the flying wires...so worth it!

[@driesneyrinck]

You surely make your homework for your videos. I saw both of the 2 still flying Gladiators in 2016 in Duxford, amazing to see two of them. Rarely modeled, a shame since I'm a fan of the Gladiator since I build a Matchbox 1/72 kit in my early teens. I'm not very fond of foamies, I prefer bigger balsa birds but... this might be something different.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you very much! Love the history...must have been awesome seeing both! I love the big balsa planes, but I also like the ease of a smaller model too.

[@ironmover5800]

Great info and nice pane

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you for watching!

[@enzok6414]

Thanks, Adam! Another awesome video. Applause to Durafly for bringing these scale warbirds!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Enzo!

[@jimstewart6720]

Excellent video! Great tips for consrtucion and flying, presented in relaxed and easily understood manner. Probably saved my Gladiator from mishaps too :-)

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you very much Jim! Glad it was useful for a fellow modeler!

[@FFND16N]

I had no idea something like this historic biplane was going to finally be modeled! I'm experiencing a great eagerness for one of these!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

You should! Great model. Thank you for watching.

[@chrisambrose8838]

Great review of the airplane! I like your elastic thread idea for the flying wires too ! I will have to try the trick! 👍🙋‍♂️🖖🏻

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks Chris! Give it a try...pretty easy way to do it!

[@cdnwizard]

Excellent trick. Wondering what size you used - 1 mm or 2 mm size?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

We used 0.5mm.

[@enforcetw]

Great great thanks for this video !!! Really awesome !!!!!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks...glad you liked it!

[@rudolfarenstorff3326]

Thank you very much for this great amazing honest review !!!! Cheers from Austria , Rudi

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you very much! Thanks for watching!

[@rcaviationcrawling7351]

A lot of passion, time, and work went into this comprehensive video 👊👊. As always I enjoy learning the history of the full scale plane. Great flying (Knife Edge Circle!) and commentary. Anyone considering this Airplane should IMO watch this video as the first step. Beautiful model, as a kid I got interested in biplanes when I saw the 1960's movie "Those Magnificent Men In Thier Flying Machines". 👍👍🛩️🛩️

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks Mark! Really appreciate it. I love that movie!

[@stuartwarnerc]

Hey Adam, just wanted to give personal thanks for this incredible review. Very in depth and my kind of scale flying style too ;). We've known each other for a good many years and not only that but met in person and based on that experience I knew HK made the right choice in asking you to review the new Durafly Gladiator. Thanks man, look forward to seeing more from your channel.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Stuart. Means a lot. Glad you like it and glad we can be ourselves when we review a plane for you. That is so important to us. Thanks very much for the opportunity. Congrats on the Gladiator...what a great plane. Hard to do stuff like that well, but you did!

[@smallfieldflying4677]

Lovely looking plane!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much for watching! It is a really nice subject!

[@think2cre81]

I really enjoyed this video. What a beautiful airplane.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Tim. One of the better releases this year to me. Never been modeled in a foamy before and it is a really nice historical piece. Helps it flies great too!

[@think2cre81]

@@ModelAV8RChannel I could see how stable it is . Had a nice sound too. I just love those older planes and their history. And the brave men who flew them .

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

I very much agree Tim.

[@Cadillacstsv06]

Hey Adam! Wow, spectacular work on the model, flights and video! Now I'm fighting buying this plane lol! I really like the looks and handling of this plane and really appreciate all the insight of your thoughts and experience of the model. BIG thumbs up from me my friend! Best regards!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Fred thanks man! It is a really cool plane...I love that its different, rare.

[@law4nyc]

Great video with a lot of helpful information. Where did you get the touch-up paint for the tail area that you carved out to give the elevator greater throw?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks! I'm just used some silver Testors I had. It's an out of sight out of mind place so an exact match wasn't critical for me personally.

[@law4nyc]

@@ModelAV8RChannel thank you for your prompt response.

[@johnretired3383]

Hi, my durafly gladiator is being delivered next week here in the Uk after a long wait. I love your idea of silver elastic cord flying wires. Could you please tell me the diameter of the cord you used & where you got it from & the make if possible as I want to order some, great video on this fantastic plane & please do an update video of any changes you made would be great!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

John that is great! Congrats! Great flying airplane. We used 0.5mm cord. You can get it here at any arts/crafts store. Probably the same across the pond. I think Amazon has it as well. At some point we'll feature it in our scale flights series.

[@johnretired3383]

Hi again, thanks for the info, I’ve found black .5 diameter shirring elastic but the thinnest silver I could find is .75 so far even on Amazon. I would also like to put a head & shoulders Ww2 pilot in the cockpit too, I will get the lightest I can find & hope it does not make a huge difference to the c of g. Do you think the cockpit frame could be removed or to cut through the foam underneath where the pilot sits? By the way, the nearest size of scale size pilot is 1/9th. Another modeller on utube ha made a fantastic fit out of the cockpit, it looks great but I don’t think I will go that far, just a head & shoulders will do fine. The plane looks to good not to have a pilot I think.

[@jerryhermann7233]

I want a biplain really bad, but dont know weather to get this or the Durafly carbon Arcus. The Arcus is pre sale as of today 11/17/24. Neither am i ready to fly, but i have 2 other planes as wall art. I wont mind a 3rd. So witch should i get? Both would be flone like the Gloster gladiator at scale speeds. Maybe light 3d. Loops, rolls, and knife edge. Nothing fancy.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

I see you made the choice to get the Gladiator...that would be my preference.

[@JustwingitRC]

And still another great video from Team Gault! I really like the history spot you are starting to include in these videos of scale ships. Not trying to speak for others, but I think these planes (and pilots!) deserve the history explained so that folks can truly appreciate the effort that goes into making them accurate and representative of the type. Plus, folks can appreciate the bravery and courage of those who flew them. This model fits right into the Durafly form factor of 1100mm, and really looks substantial, even at that medium sized wingspan. I think the crew at Durafly got this one right, and it looks like a Gladiator for sure! She seems to fly really well, and I appreciate the different flying fields and styles you demonstrated. All in all, I'd say both the model and video are10/10 Brother!!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks brother John! I LOVE the history of all these planes...and the pilots. HK got it right...really well done. Thanks as always for all, the kind words my friend!

[@vonwaffen]

Lovely plane , nice to see unusual plane who play huge role in early war like this one battle of malta , sunking the bishmark or north africa war , we cannot just own a bunch of the same mustang Spitfire f4u P40 , we need plane like this from other country too we need more unusual plane , Sadly this plane is back order all ready but it could be a good thing cause i would prefer own it in combat paint sheme , this Gladiator was one of the most succesfull plane in the early war on all theater

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

I agree, I love to see warbirds from this era modeled!

[@leohcheung]

Masterfully done - the mods, the flights, and the video. (The only slight reservation I had was when I saw how quickly you put your hand on the propeller after you connected the battery on the table. I know there are other safety mechanisms in play, and nothing untoward has happened in your decades of flying…)

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much Leo! You are right on there. While I had the plane pointed in a safe direction and a throttle cut engaged, there is no better, safer way to mess with an electric plane that is plugged up on the bench than to take the prop off. That is what I should have done.

[@razvannicola5197]

Hi, and sorry for disturbing. One question : which one of the models would be easier to fly: this one, or the E-flite Beechcraft d18? The other one : I know that the CG on this model is pretty forward placed. However, would it be possible to place, right behind the cockpit( behind the lower wing) a very small action camera, which weights at least 30 grams? Or place two smaller ones right under the lower wing, where the nacelles for the Browning machine guns were placed? Thank you in advance.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey man you are not disturbing at all. They are about equal is skill required honestly, but the D18 has SAFE, so technically it could be easier with that on. On the Gladiator cameras under the wing should be fine, but an ounce at the cockpit may require a bit of ballast up front to keep the CG in range.

[@razvannicola5197]

What about the d18? Would it work a camera placement right under the rear of the cockpit, where the camera bay was originally located, on the photo reconnaissance version of the d18?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

@@razvannicola5197 should be fine on the D18

[@bluecamaross]

Cool lookin bird Adam! Great review... I Love the biplane dogfighters! Where was the grass runway in the last flights? Looks like a nice place to fly...

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey D Rail! Yeah man I love the old biplane fighters! That is the sod farm in Whitesburg.

[@airhammer6203]

Like always, great review and flight Adam. I b ❤️ me some bipes!!(not literally:) Finally a company,HK Durafly, has brought a new/old Biplane to the masses!! This thing looks like no other. This one is really cool. It's certainly rarely seen in RC. Maybe a nice Waco, my personal favorite, will be next!! I hope it's still in stock when I can get it. (good luck, right??) Thumbs up Adam. AirHammer out!!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks Hammer! Yeah man its nice to see something different. HK did it right...really well done!

[@airhammer6203]

@@ModelAV8RChannel AV8R, did Belgium use a enclosed cockpit version of the Tiger Moth?? I'm curious because I've seen one in a old Walter Matthau movie called "Hopscotch"(it's seen at the end). It was a real plane, but possibly modified for the movie. My probable searches have found nuttin. I'd be a great RC. AirHammer out!!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

I think they did make an enclosed Moth Hammer.

[@Stinkles_]

Very cool plane, and some really great flying! I especially enjoyed the grass handling tutorial, I’ve never tried jockeying the throttle like that to break loose. So far the grass at my local park has been the nemesis of my taildragger and it’s a shame since it’s such a wide open perfect space to fly. The paved parking lot tends to have pesky things like light poles and cars that have the audacity to park while I’m on final…

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much! Glad it was helpful! I hate when cars park in my runway! Lol!

[@Killerplanes]

Veeeeeery sweet! Love a nice biplane!

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey thanks man! I used to love watching your videos but you guys kinda stooped posting a couple of years ago. I see you've posted recently so I hope all is well and you'll be active again. Thanks for watching. The Gladiator is an awesome bird!

[@YetAnotherRcChannel]

In 1940, when the germans came. Our Norwegian Air Force fighter squad consisted of 12 Gladiators. I don't remember the story completely but I think 7 or 8 of them was airworthy. And the downed something like 6 Ju52s and HE110. I think none of the gladiators were shot down, but were rendered useless in a few days due to not being able to land at their home base. Getting stuck on frozen lakes etc.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Wow! What a great story! Thank you for sharing that.

[@Jackson27mc]

Thank you for the informative video, I like to know what size (diameter) elastic cord you used?,

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you for watching! I used 0.5mm .

[@rainerstark9982]

Hello, Great Review ! Your video was the last kick to by it 😊. But alow me one question: What is the diameter oft the elastic cord for the flying whire ?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for the kind words! You'll really like it! We used 0.5mm elastic cord.

[@MyRCJourney]

Hi Adam, Excellent review and video! Great flying, as usual! I love the details and tips about flying WWI planes. And this Gladiator looks awesome! I picked up the Dancing Wings Sopwith Camel (1200 mm Balsa PNP) recently. Have you built and/or flown this before? This will be my first WWI plane and any info and tips you have would be awesome. It is a beautiful model. Might be a project for a future video? (heh heh... 😁)

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much Matt! I have flown several Sopwith Camels (I own a Hangar 9) but I haven't flown one of those. The DW does look good, and its a nice size. They all need nose weight...sometimes an alarming amount, but whatever it takes to get it balanced. You don't want to fly one tail heavy. Take it off and land it the way we teach in the Gladiator vid, and do it from grass. E mail us when you get it done...we'd love to see some pics and hear about the maiden. Also if you have specific questions we might be able to help with.

[@shanetalke468]

Thanks Adam. Once again you have so much information and tips added, that this is really a good review. Your flying skills are really appreciated. I can only imagine what it would be like to fly with you. But these videos make it possible and we really enjoy them and your information. Watching you fly the Gladiator makes one want to rush out and add it to your collection. Thanks again. PS. Have you done any flights again with the Bison?

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Shane. Thanks very much my friend! It is as great little warbird, and I like that its a rare one. My buddy Dustin owns the Bison now and flies it all the time...he loves it. We horse around a lot bush flying it.

[@GaryBaird.Photography]

This is a great instructional video and I'm gonna order one of these classics. Do you have links for the optional flying wire components? I'm having trouble finding springs that are small enough. Thanks.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Gary! Actually with the Gladiator you can just tie the elastic to the eyelets since they are plastic. No need for the springs. The elastic is the 0.5mm silver cord that you can get at your local craft store.

[@FlankerTanker]

OMG - I WANT ONE but yet again Hobby-King are only shipping from Global (HongKong) and the shipping costs are massive, then Import tax - means it will not be in my hanger anytime soon.. 😞 Great Review Adam and you cover everything - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly -thanks for that our hobby needs more honest reviews like yourself ... Love the Flying wire "elastic" solution - thanks again - stay safe Martyn

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Brother Martyn thank you! I have to say Stuart said "Do what you do" and I like that. Wouldn't do it otherwise. Nice to see a company confident enough to say "be honest" knowing they did it right. They did too...kudos to the team. Hard subject to make easily flyable for intermediate pilots. They are from what I hear working very hard to find a solution to the shipping issues to the UK. Hope they do!

[@looneytunes47]

With 840hp Mercury Engine in the full scale plane im confident it could do a knife edge circle with ease Adam

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

It might.

[@purcellrcaviationchannel]

Ah! Now I know why you had that poll of questions about inter-war biplanes, Adam. I voted Gladiator... so it was a surprise to see that HK have made one. Beautifully flown, of course! Shame about the crippling expense of shipping these to the UK: £235 to £313 for a £189 model doesn't stack up 😞

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Gina! Hopefully they will figure out the crazy shipping costs...they are working on it from what I hear.

[@michaelwilkins5841]

Well Done!!! Bravo!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻…Thank you

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Michael!

[@user-js4vh2lw6n]

great video! you mentioned a sod farm and that you are in Georgia. you must be in south Georgia lol. I'm in North East Georgia in the mountains.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for watching!

[@capnpete1154]

Do you have any issues with overheating? Looks like the battery and foam may block some airflow. Just a thought.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Actually there is a channel below the battery bay that the esc is in and it gets unrestricted airflow. The foam sits in front and on top of the battery. There is room on either side for air to pass over the battery and out exit holes in the rear bottom of the plane. Pretty hot and humid here in Georgia...no issues with overheating so far, and we flew it in July.

[@oldmandoingstuff8997]

Saw a related video premier video this am ,,,,HK is Steppin It up in Europe, Hope Same will Evolve in USA, Ga. An Al. IN Particular. Lol. Have The Glostner on wish list, Backorder at HK. Ive The Skynetic Havok. FMS Flash ,. As well several you have reviewed. Ive the Dynam Devil Bi plane on bench. Ill be 65 years in Dec. Love speed still, on my Motocycle. Drive a Commercial 56 Pax Tour Bus when My wife makes me get out of House. She says My Nerd Airplane Talk is a sleep aid for Her. I do like Steady an slow on rc as well. Looks like the Glostner is well suited for that. Has a bit under the hood when the Club Guys laugh I see as well. Your " Look in plane" closeups, tricks yall show. impresses me. Thinkin bout sending u a patron bit $ here an there. For me that says something. Regards CaptainJohn

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks very much John! Yeah the Gladiator has some punch when you move the stick forward.

[@rcdavidk]

What size elastic cord did you use? 1mm? Thanks.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks for watching. I used 0.5mm cord.

[@rcdavidk]

@@ModelAV8RChannel Excellent... thanks. The Gloster Gladiator is on it's way... and I'll have some .5mm elastic cord waiting.

[@jetsetretro]

Another great video Adam! Great to see you’ve come such a long way in just a year 👍 I also like the fact you’ve taken the time to analyze and determine what mods are needed and show how you did them. It’s saving me time on several planes instead of having to figure all that out myself. That’s so helpful! Have a question: do you have a source of where you got the silver elastic cord you used for the wing wires? Like Amazon? I have no idea what the stuff is called. Kind thx 🙏

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thanks so much! We really appreciate it. Very glad its helpful...that is a big part of the mission here. We try to show all aspects of model aviation. In our opinion, reviews need to be forthright. Right out of the box, some planes are near perfect, some aren't, and most are in the middle of that range somewhere. Almost all can be easily made perfect for each individual...it just takes the modeling aspect of model aviation to get them there, and realistic expectations. We figure the best way to approach it is to make sure our viewers know what the plane is intended for, what our mission with it is, any mods or set up changes we made to get it there, and any techniques that need to be used to be successful with it. In my experience, most issues with modern models people have are user induced. Either unrealistic expectations or improper set up or flying technique. When most of the planes out there today are set up properly, maintained properly, and flown within the parameters they were intended for by a pilot capable of that...they are great. We used 0.5mm silver elastic cord. You can buy it at any arts/crafts store. We got ours at Hobby Lobby. Amazon has it, but in big amounts.

[@jetsetretro]

Kind thx! Yes many models can fly so much better with those small tweaks. I consider it a part of modeling and go over every model with a fine tooth comb and there almost always little things they can be done to make them do just a little better. Usually this process takes setup and a lot of trial and error to figure out tho, so I have 4 or 5 models that I can now tweak out of the box just by watching your vids, and trust that I’m gonna be getting the best performance out of them without having to troubleshoot at all. That’s golden, allows me to just enjoy the setup/flying process more which is what this hobby is all about. A thousand kind thanks 👍🙏👌

[@jakeclauson9863]

👍 nice

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Jake! Have you been flying much so far this summer? Hope it is going well!

[@mixsetup]

What a bugger we can't get it in Australia as now their warehouse here is closed it is over $500 AUD to ship it so about $1,000 plane over here. Looks great though.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

I hope HK gets the shipping options sorted out.

[@BRIANFORWARD1]

Hi Adam Great kite....great vid....... Unfortunately Ian and Martyn have said it ALL!!!! HOBBY KING SHAFTED US IN THE UK BIG Time... SO THIS IS GOING TO BE AS RARE AS... HENS TEETH IN THE UK..... SHAME STAY LUCKY 👍👍👍 Brian

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you Brian! I hear they are working on it...hopefully a solution is on the horizon to get their stuff to the UK for less than a small fortune!

[@BRIANFORWARD1]

@@ModelAV8RChannel Hi Adam Having said that even horizon have shut down there UK warehouse We have to rely on hobby shops.... And in London I don't think there is any because the rents onn shops are so high

[@looneytunes47]

i did my wheel hubs in yellow and it looks a miillion times better than that red...the Red just clashes badly with that plane IMO

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

The red is scale actually. This Gladiator is modeled after one of only two left flying in the world. This one is part of the Duxford collection.

[@looneytunes47]

@@ModelAV8RChannel i know and i still say it clashes badly with the rest of the plane...of course in those days everything was still Black n White :)

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

@@looneytunes47 Lol

[@rafaeltorres2886]

The only problem with this model is the spinner and prop it's not easy to tighten as an assembly because if careful attention isn't given a horrible vibration develops when power is applied.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Yep, gotta make sure the blades don't touch the spinner.

[@FENIXRC]

Hello friend like 👍🏼 saludos ✈

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you 👍

[@jjs3287]

Lovely video and great plane but its a shame few in the UK will actually ever buy it because HK want at least £72 to ship it......shocking.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Thank you! I think its the shipping company that wants too much for the shipping...HK doesn't own that I don't think. I've heard they are trying to get another shipping source for the UK customers...hopefully they can get it done.

[@jjs3287]

@@ModelAV8RChannel Really hope so, there must be a deal to be had and there is obviously a market for their products in the UK (and all the other affected countries) as they under cut E Flite by a considerable margin yet still seem to turn out a decent product. If people want BNF models with all the telemetry etc they will keep buying E Flite but there will always be a market for good affordable PNP models. The HK Tempest was an absolute bargain.

[@davehrcfpv]

HobbyKing are producing some interesting anticraft - its a shame that their efforts are futile for UK buyers. The shipping costs and the lengthy shipping times from the Global warehouse are unacceptable and make HKing models poor value for money compared with UK sourced and better quality craft from the likes of FMS /E-Flite. Import duties added just make a bad situation worse. Until a year ago my hangar was exclusive HKing craft - not so now: ditto Turnigy batteries which are now being replaced by GNB.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Dave watch our newest video on the Durafly Spitfire...HK has a new shipping option to the UK that is very reasonable. Many of our UK viewers have ordered one and are happy with the new option. BTW the new shipping option is on most of their planes...not just the Spitfire.

[@davehrcfpv]

@@ModelAV8RChannel After watching this video I checked. £72 cheapest slow shipping vs £250 for UPS. Plus import duties. Simply not competitive.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

@DaveH RC&FPV Hey Dave. There are more discounts that pop up as you go through the ordering process. (As told by some who ordered yesterday) . I didn't say it was competitive shipping wise. I said reasonable. Compared to the 200 and 300 prices as the only options before this change it is reasonable. They obviously can't compete with free shipping from a company with a warehouse in the UK. But if someone wants a 1100mm Spitfire, Gloster Gladiator, a foam ugly stik...there is no competition for those planes as HK is the only place to get those. No it isn't free and yes it won't be there in 3 days, but I waited a month on my FLRC 1.6 Corsair from Motion. In my opinion...just my opinion...this is a positive start. We all have planes to fly, so I can wait a bit and pay some shipping if I have to to get a plane I want that I can't get anywhere else, and judging by the comments in our Spitfire video several of our viewers from the UK agree and ordered Spitfires yesterday. The other thing to keep in mind when you're thinking about "free" shipping -With the price of fuel and ridiculous regulations at ports that are holding up containers... Companies are having to pay 3 and 4 times what they used to to have a container shipped to their warehouse. That cost has to be rolled back to the customer somewhere. You get free shipping, but have you noticed that in the last year the airplanes have raised in price a good bit? Anyway my friend that's just my take. Hopefully this crazy world will get somewhat back to normal over the next few years and who knows.... Maybe if HK has enough people willing to wait on their products and they make enough money they'll open up another warehouse in the UK. One thing is for sure options make the hobby better for everyone, but if nobody's willing to order from a company that doesn't have free shipping in 3 days….. we're not gonna have many options very soon. It's just not possible for companies that aren't as big as Horizon and Motion. Don't get me wrong I love them both, but I'm going to support everyone and hope that they all survive this craziness. Again...just my take and approach. Not gospel, just how I see it.

[@joeldean9057]

Great video, I've really enjoyed watching your channel. Hope you make a Facebook page sometime in the future.

[@ModelAV8RChannel]

Hey Joel glad you are enjoying our channel! Thanks very much for watching. A Model AV8R Facebook page is going to happen soon!