E-flite’s Nieuport 17
A few enhancements make this vin- tage scout really come to life!
PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL WALTON T
his project began as an impulse buy nearly two years ago. For years I had been planning to build an elec- tric scale model with a faux rotat-
ing rotary engine fastened to the outer case of an outrunner brushless electric motor for an enlarged version of an old rubber pow- ered F/F scale model of the Sommer Mono- plane by Bill Hannan. I had built it as a bud- ding modeler and youth. Suddenly, here in my hands was that very feature in a heavi- ly prefabricated kit that on first inspection promised a first rate appearance and a very light wing loading (very close to my K.I.S.S. design CD366, April 2009). A very unusual combination, and a WWI fighter plane kit of all things. I usually do not tackle such subjects be-
cause of their very complicated and time consuming nature in both their construction and the final rigging of their multiple wings. Opening the box revealed a beautifully fin- ished set of parts and sub assemblies along with the fact that they were all very light and well done. Even small details like the windscreen frame hinges and beautifully finished struts and elegant paint scheme with beautiful markings and all for the bar- gain price of around $69.00. I was hooked. The wing span on the full-sized aircraft was some 26 feet, 9 inches and had a take-
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off weight of 1,232 pounds. With a wingspan like that the full sized aircraft was obvious- ly not very big. This kit shows a span on its specifications of 34.5 inches. This put the scale of this model at a little over 1.25 inch- es to the foot or 1⁄ 9.3 scale. At that scale fac- tor the model should weigh about 1.53 pounds (24.5 ounces) at takeoff. So this scale model at a weight of 8–8.5 ounces shown in the specifications is about 1⁄3 of what a mod- el of dynamic similitude would be. This is all to the good for the model, however, as it makes the model much easier to fly with such a low wing loading. Before going much further it should be not-
ed that there are several other offerings in this particular product line that might be of interest to you. Besides the Nieuport 17 Slow Flyer 250 ARF (EFL1950) there is a Jenny J4N Slow Flyer 250 ARF (EFL1900) which was the first in the series. An SE-5A Slow Flyer 250 ARF (EFL 1925) was the second in the series and there is its arch rival, the Fokker D-VII Slow Flyer ARF (EFL1975). But the Nieuport 17 was the only one of the kits in this line with the Le Rhone rotary en- gine feature which was one of the main rea- sons I chose it. See also
www.E-fliteRC.com. for further details on this and the other Slow Flyer models in this line. If you should find yourself in need of in-
By Daniel Walton
AT A GLANCE Type:
Construction: Wing span: Wing area: Airfoil: Length: Weight:
Wing loading: Prop:
Motor: ESC:
Battery:
R/C sport scale foam and ply 34.5 inches 295 sq. in.
undercambered 24 inches
8–8.5 ounces 4.15 oz./sq.ft. EP 7–3.5 Park 250 10-amp
2S 800 mAh Li-Po
Radio: 3-channel, 2 sub micro servos Manufacturer:
E-flite
Dist. by: Horizon Hobby 4105 Fieldstone Road, Champaign, IL 61822 217-352-1913
www.horizonhobby.com MAY 2012
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