Amazing 3D Performance + Durability = The 4D

August 2015

Just wanted to let you know what a great plane the 4d is(sure you already know) had one for a couple of years now with a weston uk 52t1. So much fun. Been flying the omp fusion 70" most recently but the 4d is my favourite plane. Never had a plane that gives so much enjoyment. Crashed too many times with hardly any dammage. I can tear up the sky with this plane without having to worry about writing it off or time consuming repair jobs. Love it. Hat off to you guys. Incredible design.

Many thanks and kindest regards

Andrew Lawler
Denbighshire, UK

June 2009

Joe and Mark

Whats up, how you guys doing?

Well I finally got a break in my building and "Finally" got around to flying that 2nd 4D I built early last year and I said I would send some pics when I seen you at Toledo so here it is.

The Specs: Tufflight 4D (of course) on a diet.

• (4) Hitec 225 MG Servos
• (2) S3102 Futaba Mini's for throttle control (at the time of build I wasn't sure of engine choice between Saito .82 or YS 63), boy am I glad I chose the YS, whoooaaa!
• 900 MaH 6 Volt AAA Nickel Metal Pack
• "Absolute Minimal" wooden plugs for the rear axle bearing surfaces (for weight purposes)
• Absolute minimum length motor mount rails (for rigidity purposes)
• Added more Aileron hinge points (6 per aileron)
• Carbon Fiber in Aileron Trailing edges (to maintain straightness)
• YS 63 w/ Master Airscrew 13 x 5 Prop on Wildcat 20/20
• Ultracote lite transparent with some home cut vinyl graphics
• Set of Ski's (Got Snow?)

What can I say but Wow! This combo is killer and will hover just over 1/8 throttle, at 1/4 if you don't counter act the torque with some aileron input it will spin like a top and start to climb, goose it and you can Pogo all day at 1/2 you have unlimited vertical, at full power..... forget it..... wow!

Enjoy guys and thanks again for all the fun.

Next Goal: get the Rx & Battery in the Tuff Yak

See ya guys,

Gregg Elko
Sidney, OH

May 2008

Joe, What an awesome plane!! I can't believe how well it flies. I have flown (and crashed) Gregg's original 4D several times before getting one of my own, I just had to have a plane that would take a licking. His is badly beat up but still flies good, however this one is night and day. I am looking forward to crashing my new airplane every trip to the field. Can't say that about most planes!! I am powering it with a Saito 82 and it just puts around at 1/4 throttle and hangs there at 1/2, 3/4 pulls it out and you better hang on if you go full. This is my set up: Engine: Saito 82 Servos: Hitec 225MG throttle- Hitec 85MG RX: Hitec Electron 6 vertical pin (if I had to do it over I would use horizontal pin) Battery: 900Mah 6V NiMH THANKS FOR A WONDERFUL PRODUCT!!!!!!!!!!!! Josh Troy, OH

February 2008

Hello guys, Joe Wuz up? Hey just thought I would drop you a few pics of one I just finished for one of my buddies in our club (still working on finishing mine and another buddie is covering his now). Saito 82 with Hitec 225's and 85 MG on motor with a 6 volt pack, outa be a blast to have 3 of these flying at the same time. Enjoy. Later Gregg Sidney, OH

April 2006

Hello guys, I was just scanning through pictures from Toledo show and saw you up there. Must be a like a paradise :) Anyway, I test flew my 4D today with a Magnum .52 on it. It has enough power, but could use a little more to pull out of hovers. My CG is too far back and it likes to be all over the place. Anyway, I am so pleased with the model and could not ask for more. On one of the flights I planed the model from about 30 feet straight with its nose in the ground. That thing stuck in dirt like a dart and stayed there!!! You can see in one of the pics attached. Guess, what; no damage at all, just a broken prop!!! Nylon bolts even survived. It certainly impressed people at the field!!!! As I said, I am very pleased with the model and could not ask for better service, delivery time (2 days), and the kit itself came with great instructions, all hardware, even props. In my eyes, details matter and you certainly keep impressing me. This is my second model from you and I anticipate doing business again and highly recommend you to everyone!!!! Keep it up guys!!! -Valdis Sustko Elmira, NY

October 2005


I fly both 4D and 4D Lite daily im hooked, Congrats awesome aircraft!
Cheers,

Wes Lemon
Seymour, Victoria
Australia

July 2005

Hi Joe, Just finished my 4d. Awesome plane...looks pretty good. I covered it in Ultracote pearl white, pearl purple, and pearl yellow. I cannot believe how durable this thing is. Yesterday I crashed it twice. The second time I lost control over my pond, I managed to avoid the pond but I nosed it in from over 200ft at full throttle due to radio problems. Man that impact would have powdered any balsa plane! Only real damage was a prop, two nylon bolts, a couple skewers, and some wrinkled up coroplast on the bottom.

-Dave Raibeck
Frackville, PA

May 2005

I just wanted to let you know how much I love the 4D. It can do anything, especially with the OS .50 . Before dark the other day I was hovering right next to me like a foamy, and had a friend take a picture. I think I almost used a whole tank of fuel in the hover. This is the best plane for learning 3D, PERIOD.....

Thanks again,

Jason Curl
Havelock N.C.

February 2005

Thanks Joe and Mark

This is the first kit I have built .And I must say.Its a fun and easy build and the Instruction Manual walks you through it real nicely.I was a little skeptical when I bought this plane.But everything you say about this bird is true.I.The first flight I had with her I was totally blown away. I just could not get over how good she flew.3D capability is just awsome. Flat spins and inverted flat spins are unreal waterfalls are amazing knife edge, knife edge spins, fast rolls, rolling circles, hovering flight, and the list goes on and on.The only thing holding you back on this plane is your piloting skills. I have had one crash with this plane and just had to replace the prop,

Great customer service,Outstanding flight performance, Amazing Durability all in one nice package.

I wish you guys the best of luck. You earned it.

Fred Krack
East Moline IL

January 2005

Hey Mark and Joe

Love the 4D, this is my 2nd one (1st is down for a overhaul) I cant say enough about the durability of this plane!!!!!!!!

I have crashed this one at least 15 times (i quit counting) This was my 1st glow powerd aircraft, and i am having a ball with it!!

Saw your DOUBLE D on the web site, how friggin cool is that!!!!!!!!! Had a couple of ideas you might want to kick around,how bout a P-38 LIGHTNING design or maybe a bipe wadda ya think? well anyways keep up the good work

HAPPY AND SAFE FLYING
DUKE PISIK
MANNSVILLE, NY

December 2004

Here are some PICS of the 4-d. Not a hard build the poly glue was something new to deal with. One picture is of my son flying the 4-d on the first flight. We have not tried the weights for balancing yet. Only one crash so far do to hovering low only suffered a broken prop. So far a very happy customer. the titan will probably be my next plane.

Thanks
Dodd & Jeremy Harrell

Thomasville, NC

November 2004

Hi sir,

I just wanted to let you know that Im very happy with the construction and flying of the 4D.I have a little over 2 hrs of flying time on it and Im amazed at how efective the tail feather respond to command,you can do a loop or KE loop in the planes lenght!!!.This plane is a blast to fly.Im running a stock 46FX on a 11X4 prop, it will hover a tad over half throttle and pullout is exellent,(Id be willing to race the space shuttle on vertical acceleration...lol,Im at 1100 feet) As for a tuff plane,I've bent the landing gear 4 times,trying some stuff I wouln't dare try with my wooden plane,I had my engine quit in a hover 5' off the deck,(I have this on tape) It plowed tail first on the deck ,no damage,I had a wing hit the deck during a rolling harrier,no damage.

The picture included is how it looks after 2 hrs 8 min flying time and about 6 minor crashes.Its a Keeper.

I'd like to Thanks Tufflight for a fine product.

Jean-Guy Bonnieul
Dubreuilville, Ontario, Canada

October 2004

I've been flying my 4D for several months now and I really like it! To get rid of the flutter completely you have to balance the tail surfaces. It worked like a charm on mine. The plane is really capable of what the company claims. Slow knife edge flight is awsome. I'll post some pics of my tail balancing method. The weights are just oblong shaped lead sinkers that have a hole through them. Just take some pushrod wire and poke them into the leading edge about 1.5'' deep. Dissconnect the pushrod to the control surface so as to let it swing freely. Then slide the weight in and out on the wire until it balances on the pivot point of the surface. Then glue and cover the weight with JB Weld glue. My surfaces are not very stiff. They have a bit of play in them. With the counterbalances I get NO FLUTTER! Try it, you wo'nt be sorry.......... Jeff

Hey guys...... about flutter on the 4d. I have been flying mine for about 8 months now. When I started flying it off of skis on snow I had flutter on the third flight. The plane really was not going that fast and the tail went nuts! The tails on these things are pretty floppy almost no matter what you do when you build them. It is a very flexible airplane but a very fun one! I love flying mine. But for me the flutter HAD TO GO! I did not want to risk stripping a servo gear and having the plane hit something or someone at the field. I have a pattern plane with pretty soft and flexible wood for the strip ailerons (it is an ARF) that fluttered on me. I put counterbalances on the bottom in the middle of the span of the aileron and no more flutter at any speed! The same with the 4D. NO more flutter at ANY SPEED. Why fly a plane and worry about it going crazy on you? The counterbalances in the picture take about 20 minutes to install. Now I still do not fly at full throttle in level flight for extended periods, BUT I do not limit my flying of this plane any more than I do any other plane I fly. I zip around chasing my friends with no worry at all though. I have not had any flutter or signs of flutter since putting the counterbalances on. My tail surfaces, after beating on this thing for all season, are pretty floppy. It flies just fine. Why limit your plane and always worry about flutter than making a simple change and fly it with no worries? I have built my own full-size aircraft, a Van's Aircraft RV-4, and we are very picky about balanced surfaces. The elevators and ailerons Must be balanced to be able to eliminate any chance of flutter. We even have to take into account the weight of the paint on the surface and balance that out! There is one other neat thing about the balance wheights......... out at the field people will ask you, what the heck are those things, antenaes? Radar? They didnt think my ugly plane (in their minds) could get any uglier! Then along came the weights! Try them, it makes a great plane much safer and a lot more enjoyable!....... Jeff

Jeff
Southington, CT

September 2004

Hi Joe,

Again, thanks for your rapid response to my questions regarding engine selection for the 4D. You confirmed my views regarding the use of the O.S. FL 70 four stroke. I was also very surprised at the 18 ounce weight of this engine (Even actually weighed it to confirm the O.S. specs.). Even though it won't match the Magnum's power, the 6 ounce weight reduction just might result in about the same flight performance. If not, I can always retrofit the Magnum.

You guys have been great to deal with and I am sending the following unsolicited testimonial for your use as you see fit:

"In the course of evaluating the TufFlight 4D model before buying it, I had a number of questions regarding engine selection as we fly at about 6000 above sea level here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Every time I sent an e-mail regarding my concerns to Joe and Mark, I received an immediate and very competent response from them. When I did order the kit, it arrived within a week and in perfect condition. Contents were of first class materials and the instruction manual was very well written and very detailed. Anyone who can read, can build this model and not be frustrated by its use of unconventional materials. The kit is not cheap, but proves that you get what you pay for! TufFlight has set the standards that all manufacturers should strive to match."

Dave Kovensky
rcdave.1@juno.com

March 2004

Hi Joe

I recently bought a 4D from you (purchased it at the WRAM show), well I just finished building it, and flew it for the first time today. Let me tell you this plane ROCKS!! With the elevator settings on high rates it will do loops in its own length! The same thing for knife edge loops too! This thing is amazing, I was also able for the first time to actually hover, I tried with other planes and just couldn't do it, the plane was always too high to see, and I was always too afraid to bring it down low enough. The great thing about your planes is I never have to worry about crash's either, I hit a tree and the ground a couple of times today, and the biggest damage was 2 broken skewers!! Anyway, thanks again for your advice with building, and designing a great plane!

Jeremy Messier
S. Dartmouth, MA