Pilot’s Choice Product Review
Whether the motor is running or not, the Fox is capable of performing graceful aerobatics.
ST Model Fox EPO Brushless Glider Low-cost soaring enjoyment
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The MDM-1 Fox is a two-seat glider that was designed for aerobatics. Although it has had
some success in competition, this glider is most prized for its training capability. No other dual-control glider has quite the aerobatic chops that the Fox can claim. ST Model’s downsized rendition
of the Fox, available through Tower Hobbies, retains the full-scale glider’s sleek styling and aerobatic ability, yet many aspects of the two airplanes differ. The most notable change is that the RC model carries its own propulsion system—a brushless motor with a folding propeller attached. Also near the top of the list of differences is
the construction material. Instead of composites, the smaller Fox is made of molded EPO foam. The quality of the foam airframe components is good, with smooth outer surfaces, little flash, and mostly hidden molding marks. The kit includes a set of self-adhering decals to dress up the model. They adhere well as long as you avoid placing them on any surfaces with compound curves. ST Model provides a micro servo
for each of the four control surfaces. A plywood tray in the fuselage holds the rudder and elevator servos, while the aileron servos are embedded in each wing root. All of the control horns are hidden within the model. This is a nice touch and adds to the model’s clean appearance. A printed manual is included to help
The ST Model Fox is made of molded EPO foam. Four servos and a brushless power system are included.
guide you through the few required assembly steps. The manual suggests that a radio system and battery are included with the Fox, but that is not the case. You must provide a radio system with at least four channels and a 3S 1,000 mAh LiPo battery. Everything else you need is included. The assembly steps are basic and the parts fit together as intended. The tinted canopy is a large,
removable hatch that covers the radio gear and flight battery. It is held in place with plastic clips in the front and a lip in the rear. Unfortunately, the two parts do not blend together well. The canopy is slightly oversized, creating a noticeable overhang where it meets the fuselage— especially in front. The mounting clips hold securely, however, so the issue is purely cosmetic. The canopy includes some instrument
Removing the canopy provides easy access to the radio gear and battery compartment. Note that the ESC and motor wires have been glued to the side wall to keep the area neat.
24 PARK PILOT [Winter 2016]
panel details, but no pilot figure. I remedied this by adding a 21
/2 x 31 /4 -
inch pilot bust from Park Flyer Plastics (
parkflyerplastics.com). To get the bust
Photos by Terry Dunn
inside of the canopy, I cut away a section of the cockpit floor. After placing the bust inside, I replaced the floor with 6mm sheet foam. Because of the added floor, I had to
carve out a bit of foam on the fuselage where the canopy sits. The process was easy, and I think the model looks much better with someone in the cockpit. The motor and folding propeller are
both mounted at the factory. For safety reasons, it is a good idea to remove the propeller during radio setup. I balanced the propeller by placing
a few small pieces of Scotch tape on the light blade. Even after balancing, I was not able to get the motor to run completely vibration free. I think this is because the plastic blades loosely fit on the plastic hub. A plastic tray and a small rubber
band are integrated in the floor of the battery compartment. The idea is for the rubber band to hold the flight battery in place on the tray. Even if this method adequately keeps the battery from shifting in flight, the rubber band will eventually break. I cut off the rubber band and added self-adhesive hook-and-loop tape to the tray, which mates with the hook-and- loop material that is on the battery pack and keeps everything secure. I also added hook-and-loop tape in front of the tray
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