Hand launch with the power off to ensure the propeller safely clears your hand (above left). The low airspeed, wide stance, and sturdy nacelles make landing (at right) a breeze.
droid powered devices. RC Speedo uses the Doppler Effect to measure the length of the sound waves as the plane approaches and passes by. It works quite well and can even test the speed of your models on videos you’ve recorded provided the sound quality is good enough. A free version is available which lets you try it for seven days.
Hand launching is a little difficult while trying to stay clear of the propeller directly behind your hand. Aside from having a buddy throw it for you, the recommenda- tion from Wayne Roberts of Tough Jets is to launch the model with the power off and quickly apply power after it has left your hand. It’s big and requires a strong throw to keep it aloft long enough to apply power and any necessary corrections during the awkward transition. With soft-start dis- abled on your ESC, it’s possible to stand the model on its end and take off like a rocket. Landings are incredibly easy with the low ground speed and wide base, and in a slight head-wind you’ll set down like a flying saucer.
What else?
Builders who like to customize their mod- els will probably consider adding extra ven- tilation to the battery compartment. After an aggressive flight lasting around seven minutes, the packs can come back warm. The battery compartment was clearly meant for the 2200 mAh packs because the fit is ex- act aside from a little extra length which can be used to slide the battery back and forth for adjusting the center of gravity. The sound is abundant. The large wing acts as a sounding board for the prop like an acoustic guitar body does for the strings. It’s a mid-range sound which reminds me of a giant kazoo; very different from the high- pitched whines and whooshes of an EDF plane. It’s possible that a larger prop-slot or even some well-placed strips of vibration dampening material might quiet it down. It seems pretty resilient to crashes but that question is best left
for real-world
tests. I’ve had a few incidents to speak of and the bottom line is if you bring some thick CA to the field with you, all repairs to the EPP can be done on the spot. You’re not
likely to break a prop since it’s well shielded by the nacelles and vertical stabilizers. I’ve also not damaged the Coroplast™ from any crashes but it seems like warping and creas- es are a possibility from mishandling or im- proper care. If you avoid leaving it in the sun and resting anything heavy on it, the Coroplast™ should hold its shape for a long time.
Admittedly, when I started this build my mind was made up that this wouldn’t be one of my regular fliers. It’s not a scale Tomcat that comes to your door assembled, painted, and receiver-ready and it’s certainly loud enough that your flying field will need to be EDF (or possibly nitro) approved. The price is on target for an 800 mm sized jet but you’ll find yourself trading good looks for durabili- ty and ease of use. It’s an endearing model that was quick to build and begs for another flight. It’s a quirky loudmouth that’s fun to talk about and your friends will soon be say- ing, “Hey, let me have another go at that!” Beginners will find it accessible while ad- vanced pilots will be pulling escape artist moves yet to be seen.
The distinct profile and large size make for great visibility when in the sky (above). Stephen (at left) painted his T-14 in the Blue Angels paint scheme using Federal Standard colors 15050 and 13655.
FLYING MODELS 29
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