[secant0give]

Claudio Put me on to this machine, I'd been admiring his one for a while, it certainly looked like a realy nice flying model.

I didn't realise just how nice it was until Claudio gave me a go on the sticks. I must say I was SUPER IMPRESSED !!
The opportunity to have a fly of this lovely model came only shortly after they became available at HK's AU warehouse. Well it was a no brainer for me, just buy one and ask Claudio what gear he used to set his up.........Perfict !!

I'm so glad I did It has to be one of the nicest flying 3D models I've flown. It's very light which is what really makes a 3D plane, a 3D plane. It's so light that a 3S 2200 Pack will make it go vertical with authority. That's impressive for it's not, by any means, a small model, spanning 1220mm.

The guys at Precision Aerobatics better pull their fingers out because this machine is snapping right at their heels as far as 3D performance is concerned and it's only a fraction of the cost.

Mind you it's not balsa and carbon like the PA planes, however it is cleverly designed with a ply chassis surrounded by a formed EPP foam sheet skin. It's not only very tough but ridged enough to fly pretty solidly too.

I do know it's tough because I extracted mine from a tree after it's maiden flight was abruptly interupted. I banged it out of the branches using two lengths of 2" PVC pipe joined together, it was a rather rude arboreal extraction to say the least, culminating in an 8m near vertical decent directly into the ground.

The carnage was amazingly minimal with sustaining only a two slight tears from the rescue and some damage to the elevator and broken elevator hinges caused by the initial crash. It was repaired in 15 mins and had it's second straight after. The somewhat embarrassed pilot being more than a little more cautious this time.

I had two more flights with it late Satterday afternoon at McCoy field and a futher 8 flights on Sunday in Very nice conditions. I can honestly say that it's a plane that flys so nicely you should never crash it, but it's forgiving nature really tempts you push the envelope so beware.

It harriers so nicely and it will hover indefinatly if the air is not too lumpy.

One thing I did do was, paint the ply structure, forward of the spar tube with West Epoxy resin to toughen it up. The extra 30 grams of weight and the 20 mins it takes is well worth it !!

Here's a link to the ARF kit from HK

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_...duct=37628

[Claudius]

+1.

"Flies like balsa, crashes like foam" is the tag line... and sounds like you demonstrated both on your maiden flight!

[secant0give]

I just thaught I'd post the set up details Claudio and I used on these planes.

Claudio used better servos and a different esc, I think Claudio's plane flies slightly better because of his choice of servos but mine still flies very nicely and I'm more than happy enough. It's not built for speed and I wouldn't try and make it go faster than it's meant too
With the motor listed below I'm running a 13X6.5 APC electric prop and it's a great match to the drive system!!

This is the motor, but anyone of similar spec should do.
http://bestvaluerc.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=351

I used this ESC
http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_...duct=44668

It's almost manditory to get the programming card as these ESCs have so many features and they are usually set up in helli mode out of the box which wont suit this plane at all.

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_...duct=36602

The ESC has a fast spool up function so when you open the throttle it goes straight to 30% (well what ever you set it too actually I use 30% which is the max setting) then drops back to the actual setting if it's less. It gets the prop wound up fast which is very handy for hovering, harriers and such.

I used these servos

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_...duct=41970 I know they seem small for a plane this size but they fly it quite well and the idea is to keep it light!!

You could allways go the Rolls Royce and use Hitec 5085s

For lipos I use these http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__9..._Pack.html

And set my timer to 4 1/2 mins and the batteries come down perfict at about 3.8V per cel.

I know this doesn't sound like much of a flight time but it's more than enough if your flying 3D, just get a couple of extra packs if you want to fly longer, land and change them over. I figure that I'd rather fly a really lively 3D plane for 4 1/2 mins than a heavy slugish one for 8 or 9.

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There also seems to be some 55" planes made along the same lines available now.
Here's a link
http://bestvaluerc.com/shop/shopdisplayp....asp?id=27&cat=%2D%2D%2D Skywing EPP Kits

Obviously you'd need a more grunty drive system but being bigger they should be even nicer to fly, If that's at all possible !!

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Heres's the same video of it flying that I posted the other day. (just for the sake of keeping it in one place)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9ysX3HYtO0

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[wingtipper]

bloody lengendery flying there mate . excellent stuff indeed . i havent seen a plane fly as slow as these ones yet . i think i'll buy one the next time i'm up for a new 3D plane .