I'd love to be able to buy a radial for a giant scale plane but I can't justify the cost right now. The cheapest one like I said is just about $800 and it will fit on a small giant scale plane (giant starts at 85"), but buy the time you get the plane, engine, retracts and radio gear you're going to be well over $2,000 and I can't do that. For the hobby to remain fun you have to have the money to be able to replace what you break, otherwise it's no fun because you either don't fly or you worry constantly. Half of the cars I've owned cost less than $2,000!
I just got back from the flying field with some damage. I put the cowl on Saturday and tonight was my first flight with it on. Shortly after takeoff I started hearing a buzzing type noise. I continued to fly and it stayed about the same for a few minutes and then got worse. I was in the middle of a low pass over the runway when it got bad and I hit the gear switch to land. I pitched up to set up for landing and just as I did the fiberglass cowl came off and was promptly chewed up and spit out by the 16" prop. I landed and taxied back in, shut the engine down and found the cowl had worn about half way through both prop blades and the fuselage was covered in fiberglass dust. That was a $50 flight...
