FMS 80MM Dassault Rafale

[xviper]

Anyone know if there might be a US distributer for this Jet?

If it is going to be sold in N. America, it’s going to be Horizon Hobby as they are the controlling distributor within USA and Canada for FMS. Of course, nothing says you can’t buy this plane from a European or Australian or some S.E. Asian dealer and have it shipped to you. It used to be that one could buy directly from FMS but Horizon put the nix on most, if not all new FMS products.

[kallend]

Any news on this for US modelers? It seems to be available for pre-order in European stores but the cost of shipping to the US is way high ($84 was best I could find). Shipping from Hong Kong even higher.

[xviper]

I think you've been spoiled with "free shipping" from MotionRC. I've paid that and more to have a plane shipped to me from MotionRC. They don't ship free cross border.

[dahawk]

I sent HH an email inquiring when they expect to sell the Rafale. They sent me back a case number. LOL Maybe if enough people send them emails, a fire will be lit.

[xviper]

I sent HH an email inquiring when they expect to sell the Rafale. They sent me back a case number. LOL Maybe if enough people send them emails, a fire will be lit.

They'll just send out more case numbers.

[yf22raptor]

I Had the rafale on pre order some things came up I
asked for a refund which they kindly did but was told the rafale is delayed till Jan 2021 possible even mid Jan ..

[Builda]

Its in production currently and expected to ship end dec/early jan-will be on the shelves early feb. they had materials shortages at the factory when the corsair v3 was in production, hence it was released 4-6 weeks late, and that obviously pushed this back too as it Was due to be in the US mid December. Has NEVER been a horizon consideration, and they are currently thinking about the viability of a version with a military scheme. Yes, i have Friends at the factory and have had regular updates as im waiting for it myself! Personally i like warbirds etc with display team or civilian schemes as they are usually far easier to see than military schemes.

[xviper]

Has NEVER been a horizon consideration, and they are currently thinking about the viability of a version with a military scheme.

But it is listed on the Horizon site:

https://www.horizonhobby.com/product/rafale-80mm-edf-pnp/FMM131P.html

Since you have friends in the FMS factory, can you comment on the rumor that FMS will once again begin to sell their products directly to consumers in N. America in the New Year? Horizon has currently put the nix on this policy.

[kallend]

But it is listed on the Horizon site:

https://www.horizonhobby.com/product/rafale-80mm-edf-pnp/FMM131P.html

Not only listed, but they accepted my pre-order and sent a confirmation.

[xviper]

Not only listed, but they accepted my pre-order and sent a confirmation.

Did they take your money already?

[kallend]

Did they take your money already?

No. In my experience HH only charges when the item ships.

[xviper]

No. In my experience HH only charges when the item ships.

That's the way it ought to be done.

[dahawk]

Pre-ordered. Pretty good intro price @ 409+ tax Nice specs anyway. 55 x 38 which is bigger than I had envisioned. Lights, gear doors, canards.etc. The new 2100kv in runner. Horizon doesn't mention it but the other write ups say there's a new control board that handles the mixes.

[Evan D]

From other sites. Note flaps...


Functions such as delta-mixing, sequential landing gear bay doors, alternating flash navigation lights, nose gear landing lights, slowed flaps etc are all controlled by a central control board. An 80mm 12 bladed EDF with a platinum edition 3280 inrunner motor and 100A high performance ESC easily accomplishes fighter jets maneuvers with realistic sound and speed.

[AirHead]

Pre-ordered. Pretty good intro price @ 409+ tax Nice specs anyway. 55 x 38 which is bigger than I had envisioned. Lights, gear doors, canards.etc. The new 2100kv in runner. Horizon doesn't mention it but the other write ups say there's a new control board that handles the mixes.

$409! Exact same price as the Freewing Gripen. The Rafale is 9 inches shorter, but 3 inches wider. It has a 2100kv instead of a 1920kv. There are some who don't dig the yellow and blue scheme, but that's the freedom to express, I guess. Something different instead of usual military grey...I'm sure everyone will have one of each...

[Evan D]

Not so sure...

[xviper]

$409! Exact same price as the Freewing Gripen. The Rafale is 9 inches shorter, but 3 inches wider. It has a 2100kv instead of a 1920kv. There are some who don't dig the yellow and blue scheme, but that's the freedom to express, I guess. Something different instead of usual military grey...I'm sure everyone will have one of each...

So ............................ who just had to have one and paid $600.00 back in October and had it shipped from Europe?

[AirHead]

So ............................ who just had to have one and paid $600.00 back in October and had it shipped from Europe?

Well, you jumped and paid the price. Sadly Sir, you and I are in the same boat when the "Shipping & Exchange Pirates" exact their toll on our "Empire Loyalist" purchases and we'll never see a good deal. The Freewing and the FMS have a "head to head" price. They are thinly sliced. It's tight. Both companies want volumes of buyers. Not sure which will be the "best seller". They are both modern awesome planes. I'm not an aviation engineer. I truly don't know down to the rivet which plane is the best over the other, but, in the end, life is; "Sex, death and machines".....

[xviper]

Well, you jumped and paid the price. Sadly Sir, you and I are in the same boat when the "Shipping & Exchange Pirates" exact their toll on our "Empire Loyalist" purchases and we'll never see a good deal. The Freewing and the FMS have a "head to head" price. They are thinly sliced. It's tight. Both companies want volumes of buyers. Not sure which will be the "best seller". They are both modern awesome planes. I'm not an aviation engineer. I truly don't know down to the rivet which plane is the best over the other, but, in the end, life is; "Sex, death and machines".....

Not to be misunderstood, I didn't get one back in Oct. The price was just too much, so I got the Gripen when it came in stock. I'll get the Rafale from my local hobby shop when it's available, too. Both planes have the concept that I like, so I'll take both. I'll avoid all the comparisons that have been posted up on both forums and judge for myself next spring when I can maiden both. Comparisons without actually flying them is meaningless to me. The so called "experts" have shown they can be just as WRONG as many times as they can be right. It's always more fun to get first hand exposure and then go back and see all the armchair aeronautical engineering ph.D's (piled higher and deeper) pre-release calculations and fictional experience reviews.

[dahawk]

From other sites. Note flaps...


Functions such as delta-mixing, sequential landing gear bay doors, alternating flash navigation lights, nose gear landing lights, slowed flaps etc are all controlled by a central control board. An 80mm 12 bladed EDF with a platinum edition 3280 inrunner motor and 100A high performance ESC easily accomplishes fighter jets maneuvers with realistic sound and speed.

Yes sir, saw that description on Turbinesrc. Includes the FMS stabalizer also. I didn't see this same write up on Horizon so I can't confirm exactly what they are including. I'm hoping they didn't order a watered down version to keep the cost down .They are showing the pre- order price reduced about $90. That's a lot of cool gadgetry for the price.

I see they show a max batt size of 5000mah. and a max flight time of 3 min. They know how to manage customer expectations. I'm already thinking 6000mah and 4 min. Lol.

The color is growing on me.Was aghast at first. Chris from RC Geek has a video up on You Tube showing a BVM version in the same livery. I think that was the final nudge to make me click on the buy button.Good enough for a $20k turbine, good enough for me. Ha