I was under the impression that the TeeBird3 was noticably more understable, every tb3 I've thrown had a bit of turn to them right out of the box, where as the Thundies I've thrown haven't. Small sample size, though, but fits with what I've read.
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[Innova] Thunderbird
- Thread starter NuNinja
- Start date
I was under the impression that the TeeBird3 was noticably more understable, every tb3 I've thrown had a bit of turn to them right out of the box, where as the Thundies I've thrown haven't. Small sample size, though, but fits with what I've read.
A tick faster, a bit longer. Star and Champion both likely to be more OS initially than the G*.
I'm curious about Thunderbirds I have a Macbeth 4 time champion I've never really clicked with it it is very flat really i It's puddle top in a very stiff plastic.. It will always finish with a little fade.. It's not very much fun to throw to be honest I really have to lean on it to get any distance I generally don't need a heavy wind fighter in its range... Everyone seems to love these Thunderbirds and i am wondering what i an missing ..should i buyanother one and see if there better or is this what their like kinda like a plain utility disc that is os ... Which I don't really need to be honest... I'm pretty accurate with my longer drivers that so dont get having a shorter clunky stubborn disc
You should really buy 5 or 6 more to have a good sample size.
gammaxgoblin
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I disagree with your findings
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My experiences as someone that by far prefers throwing hyzer....
Teebird - tends to hold a hzyer, but it is a penetrating hyzer. If you beat one up enough, I can flip it and it goes straight, with a bit of finish.
Teebird3 - I can flip them and they fly straight to fade, but they just don't go very far for me. I much prefer a beat up Teebird
Thunderbird - holds a hyzer like a Teebird, but comes out of it quicker. I don't know how they do when they are REALLY beat up because I don't enjoy throwing them.
I've been meaning to try a DX Thundy. Based off my experience with some other molds (Wraith, Destroyer), I think DX might work really well for me.
Teebird - tends to hold a hzyer, but it is a penetrating hyzer. If you beat one up enough, I can flip it and it goes straight, with a bit of finish.
Teebird3 - I can flip them and they fly straight to fade, but they just don't go very far for me. I much prefer a beat up Teebird
Thunderbird - holds a hyzer like a Teebird, but comes out of it quicker. I don't know how they do when they are REALLY beat up because I don't enjoy throwing them.
I've been meaning to try a DX Thundy. Based off my experience with some other molds (Wraith, Destroyer), I think DX might work really well for me.
Sweet, do you find Thundies to have turn, TB3s don't or both?
Fwiw I've never thrown a very beat up one, but have a couple with a few months of use.
Twmccoy
* Ace Member *
Most Thunderbirds aren't flat. I've thrown several, and they've all been domey.
They can definitely vary as far as stability goes. I don't bag a Thunderbird anymore, but when I did it flew true to the numbers (9, 5, 0, 2). I recently threw a newer (non Mcbeth) champion that was more like 9, 4, 0, 3. Just a super glideless meat hook.
Thunderbirds don't usually turn. You'll need a pretty big arm to keep them flat.
If you want something similar, but easier to manage, look at the DD Getaway.
I agree with TWM. I have only thrown one Star Thunderbird, but it flew basically like a stubborn Getaway...which is a flight I just don't need. A Lucid Getaway is what I wanted a Thunderbird to be. And a Biofuzion Getaway beats in nicely to be a great helix flyer, which gives sneaky long distance for a Speed 9 stable disc.
Twmccoy
* Ace Member *
The thing with Getaways is that they beat in and start losing stability. Thunderbirds really don't, unless you get a DX or pro one.
DD's plastic wears out faster. A Getaway really is a nice alternative to a beat Thunderbird. In a head to head distance competition, I'd take a Getaway over a Thunderbird. The only time I'd really prefer the Thunderbird over the Getaway would be for use in headwinds or other swirly conditions.
If you take a LOT of time to throw and beat in a champ Thunderbird they become something almost magical. However, it takes way longer than most people will tolerate. The Getaway will fly like a beat Thunderbird right away.
New champion Thunderbirds are glideless and stubborn. You have to just smash the hell out of them flat to get any real distance.
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R-Ogre
Double Eagle Member
Shoot, a champ Valkyrie is a brick. I can't imagine a champ Thunderbird haha. Although, I did pick up a color glow Champ Thunderbird and it's very workable.
@CD-
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The most OS Thunderbirds I have fly distances/stability closer to PDs (domey & recent run stock Champion & Luster Champion) 9/4.5/0/3 and hold up in wind. Least stable are some old 4x McBeth Champion (well used) and older Metal Flake Champ ones that are flatter. Those fly more like 9/5.5/-1/2 and don't hold up in wind. Pro, Star, & Color Glow Champion come in the middle with slight dome and true to flight numbers 9/5/0/2.
The Thunderbird is 30ft+ past the Teebird/3 (usually 330-360') for me. Some of those really OS domey Thunderbirds can fade further/fight wind better than any Teebird as well. The extra glide of the TB over the TB3 leads the TB to fading further and the TB3 ending up straighter IMO.
The Thunderbird is 30ft+ past the Teebird/3 (usually 330-360') for me. Some of those really OS domey Thunderbirds can fade further/fight wind better than any Teebird as well. The extra glide of the TB over the TB3 leads the TB to fading further and the TB3 ending up straighter IMO.
I want to warm up to the Thunderbird Today is grey and kind of cold thought would be a good time . I threw it on every hole that I could then I would throw another disc or 2 for comparison.. I didn't have any bad backhand drives I flipped a couple of forehands which I didn't really expect.. The backhands never feel like I've really crushed them but when I walked to get them there were often almost as good as The stable star boss I was throwing for comparison.. Mind you under stable disc will go a lot further... I was trying to use this as it is designed to be used.. So I will get a straight flight with a tiny tiny turn into the wind followed by a smalle fade it felt like I was throwing a very heavy putter but I got perfectly acceptable distance and no wild shots on the backhand which is i guess the whole point of this.. The fhand was only OK I can do a lot better with both faster over stable discs and faster under stable discs.. I basically was able to match my poore 4 hands with this Thunderbird but I could blow it away if I picked up Faster disc like a boss or even under stable one like a tern.... Which is another oddball for me I have a champ I just bought and I find it too understandable on the backhand compared to a shrike but for some reason I can just chuck it for hand it flips up and rides forever... But I turn shrikes over on the forehand it's kind of weird
I love the flight of Thunderbirds and Teebird3s, but for the longest time I didn't really know how they both would fit in my bag, but recently I've struck a great balance and they are both locked in their slots. Pretty much I've made them both work by using them for completely different shots. I got to the Teebird3 when I may sometimes throw a mid, but the wind is whipping or I want a little more penetration and/or fade, and I only have to throw the T3 at about 60-70% of my power to achieve these results. And I throw a Thunderbird when I'm thinking of throwing a distance driver but I want to stay in bounds and/or don't want left to right movement, and usually I'm throwing it about as hard as I'm comfortable with. The Thunderbird stereotype holds up for me where I'm only sacrificing maybe 25 feet from my distance drives on a good rip, and a Teebird3 powered down still gives a really nice hyzer flight and may try to stand up just a little but still penetrate. You feel dumb in hindsight when you look at how you used to build your bag and game, and this is one of those times. When I first was tossing drivers around I was going whole-hog slight flex on every tee shot, turns out you can play disc golf while not ripping every disc like it stole your girlfriend.
i think thats what i dont lije abput thunderbirds...they are sensible..accurate..go pretty far...but dulll... I've been trying to play with mine and I can out drive it by 50' with other discs and I find it doesn't even make a difference... And every shot is right in the middle... Though if I try to lean onv it and flex it I will smack it into the ground
twistedraven
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Played a course twice today with both of my bags-- one bag per round. One bag has a fresh and beat Anax-- both upper 160s. The other bag has a beat champ thunderbird, 163g.
Several holes required a low ceiling straight laserbeam with strong fade to about 280-300 feet, something I felt both molds could do quite well. The Anax's didn't fare quite as well as my Thunderbird. The Anax's shown some turn, especially into headwinds. The Champ Thunderbird I could reliably mash it as hard as I could, and boy is it a joy to watch it stay dead straight only about 5 feet off the ground, and fade comfortably with a healthy skip to boot. I know that it being cahmpion, will beat in even nicer over the next several years, and will become magical in due time.
I'm having a hard time using my Teebird in place of my Thunderbird, because the Thunderbird just feels so good in the hand. The slightly larger and deeper rim gives me plenty to grab on to, reminiscent of a distance driver, but with more control for those shots in the 280-320 foot range.
Now I just need to find another aqua colored champ thunderbird.
Several holes required a low ceiling straight laserbeam with strong fade to about 280-300 feet, something I felt both molds could do quite well. The Anax's didn't fare quite as well as my Thunderbird. The Anax's shown some turn, especially into headwinds. The Champ Thunderbird I could reliably mash it as hard as I could, and boy is it a joy to watch it stay dead straight only about 5 feet off the ground, and fade comfortably with a healthy skip to boot. I know that it being cahmpion, will beat in even nicer over the next several years, and will become magical in due time.
I'm having a hard time using my Teebird in place of my Thunderbird, because the Thunderbird just feels so good in the hand. The slightly larger and deeper rim gives me plenty to grab on to, reminiscent of a distance driver, but with more control for those shots in the 280-320 foot range.
Now I just need to find another aqua colored champ thunderbird.
Twmccoy
* Ace Member *
Teebirds and Thunderbirds have similar looking flights until you start going over 360'. Then the Thunderbird starts leaving the Teebird behind. The Thunderbird is 2 speeds faster and generally glides better than a Teebird.
The Anax is way more finicky than a Thunderbird. It has floatier glide, and can get pushed around by wind. I think the Anax has a weird hand feel as well. I'd bag the Thunderbird all day over the Anax. The Anax was noticeably longer than a Thunderbird for me, but way less consistent. It'll randomly flip at times.
twistedraven
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Yeah there are times where I can make an Anax fly beautifully, but I much rather have the hand feel and consistency of the Thunderbird. These overstable fairways like the Teebird and Thunderbird I don't push past 300 or so, but I definitely treat the Thunderbird as a more overstable Teebird, that can still go slightly further.
The champ glow plastic on my Teebird is soo grippy. I wish Innova made more champ glow tour series Thunderbirds. The only tour series ones I see every now and then are just swirly star Kolings. The glow champ are super rare.
The champ glow plastic on my Teebird is soo grippy. I wish Innova made more champ glow tour series Thunderbirds. The only tour series ones I see every now and then are just swirly star Kolings. The glow champ are super rare.
R-Ogre
Double Eagle Member
I have a factory second color glow champ Thunderbird and it is an excellent Thunderbird. I don't even usually like Champ but the color glow is good looking and flies much mellower than other champ discs I've thrown lately.
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