Plane Talk: Walkera F-16 Falcon
JOHN BOREN
Motor used: Walkera Ducted Fan Unit
with included brushless 380 motor
Equipment used: JR 9303 transmitter;
FMA Direct Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver; four BMS-306 servos; Kokam
2000 mAh, 11.1-volt battery; Y
connector; Y connector with servo
reverse; four 24-inch servo extensions;
ParkBEC 1.5-amp switching BEC; BP 40A
brushless ESC
Ready-to-fly weight: 31.8 ounces
Test-Model Details
+
• Minimum parts count for easy
assembly
• Flexible construction for durability
• Easy to fly -•
Poor instruction manual included in kit
Pluses and Minuses
Above: The completed model,
ready for its first flight. All it needs
is a little canopy detail.
Winds were a steady 8-10 mph for the jet’s first flight. Performing the hand launch is
easier with a helper.
An electric ducted-fan
model that is easy to
build and fly
Left: In flight the F-16 looks great.
There is plenty of power for
unlimited looping and rolling flight
maneuvers.
I LOVE JETS, so it didn’t take me long to
say yes when I was asked to review the
Walkera F-16 electric-ducted-fan model.
This airplane is molded from tough EPP
foam and comes out of the box prepainted.
This should be viewed as a fun-to-fly
sport-scale model and not a true scale jet. Its
surface clearly shows many raised portions
left from the molding process, and the parts
fit is good enough for easy assembly.
The optional ducted-fan unit and
suggested radio gear were included for this
October 2006 65
Type: Sport-scale electric ducted-fanpowered
jet
Pilot skill level: Intermediate
Wingspan: 37 inches
Wing area: 323 square inches (including
projected area in fuselage)
Length: 36.6 inches
Weight: 22.5 ounces
Wing loading: 16.3 ounces ready to fly
Motor (included): Walkera 380 3100
KV brushless motor
Radio: Three channels (minimum), two
servos (minimum)
Construction materials: Airframe is
made from prepainted, molded EPP foam
with carbon-fiber-rod reinforcements in
the wing and tail
Price: $109.95
Specifications
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:00 AM Page 6566 MODEL AVIATION
The basic kit as it comes out of the box. It
even included a can of contact cement,
which the author chose not to use.
A portion of foam in the upper rear
fuselage needs to be removed to allow
motor wires and speed control to fit in
place.
The F-16’s motor and speed control are
being test-fit in place.
Photos by the author
A slight recessed groove in the fuselage is
needed for wing tubes. Later the lower air
intake will need to be grooved out to allow
it to be glued in place.
Recommended aileron servo is a perfect fit
for premolded pockets in the wing. A dab
of epoxy and a layer of hinge tape secure
the servo in place.
The elevator servo is glued in place along
with the control horn. Also, the servo
wires are recessed in the foam.
All the electrical wires are routed neatly
inside the fuselage and covered with hinge
tape.
There is plenty of room up front for the
Cellpro 2000 mAh Li-Poly battery and
FMA Direct Quantum 8 receiver.
Lead shot—3.1 ounces—was added to the
nose to get it to balance at the
recommended CG. A small cardboard
tube was filled with lead shot and fiveminute
epoxy.
The ready-to-fly F-16 weighed 31.8 ounces. In addition to the 6.2-
ounce battery pack was the 3.1 ounces of lead in the nose.
review. The stock Falcon kit comes with a pusher propeller system.
In addition to the F-16, I was able to review two items from
FMA Direct as well. A new Kokam 2000 mAh, three-cell, 11.1-volt
Cellpro Super High Discharge Li-Poly battery supplied the power to
the motor. A Quantum 8 (item 508FM72) Sub Micro Receiver
controlled the model in the air.
Construction: Before you begin building any model, it is a good
idea to read the instruction manual. In the case of this F-16, the parts
didn’t quite match those shown in the photographs.
The pictures showed molded-in alignment tabs on the wing and
stabilizer halves, which mate to the fuselage for worry-free
assembly. My model didn’t have the molded-in tabs on the wing or
stabilizer, but it did have the matching areas on the fuselage.
It would appear that the model’s construction changed during the
manufacturing process, and a quick look at the BP Hobbies Web site
revealed two documents that could be downloaded to show the new
building process. F-16 Supplemental Building Instructions and
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:07 AM Page 66Aileron/Elevator Upgrade Instructions will
be needed to build the model. It would be
nice to see these supplements included with
the kit in the future.
I began construction by trying to assemble
the fan unit. I used the word “trying” because
several hours and many false attempts were
involved before I obtained a true running fan
unit. Balancing the rotor went quickly since it
needed very little work to get it perfect.
The aluminum propeller adapter was
secure to the motor shaft, and the motor
bolted in the fan housing. I found this adapter
to be the main reason why the fan blades
were rubbing on the inside of the shroud. I
obtained a replacement adapter and my
problems went away.
You will find it almost impossible to
tighten the nut to secure the rotor in place. I
strongly suggest cutting a slot in the face of
the propeller adapter to allow a large
screwdriver to be inserted, to prevent it from
rotating while tightening the nut with a
wrench.
You should not test-run the fan unit in
your hand. Instead, place it inside the upper
and lower fuselage halves of the model.
Tightly gripping the fan unit with your hands
can distort the shape and cause the tight
clearances between the impeller and shroud to
become uneven or, worse, close altogether.
Fitting the fan unit in the fuselage wasnext. I ran across one small problem here
when using the recommended ESC unit. The
motor wires coming out of the ESC were
extremely short, providing only enough
length to place the ESC right in front of the
fan unit itself.
You will need to remove enough foam
from the fuselage to allow for the wires and
placement of the ESC so that it is recessed
into the foam. Once the fan is test-fitted in
its location, it can be placed aside until the
model is almost completed.
For the airframe itself I started with the
two horizontal stabilizers. The Aileron/
Elevator Upgrade Instructions were needed
for this portion of the construction. Start by
cutting 2 inches off the rear of the stabilizer
halves. Then bevel the LE of both elevators.
Both elevators are then secured back in
place with your favorite hinge tape.
The rear edge of both stabilizers should
be lined up with the rear edge of the
fuselage. I chose a spot where the carbon
rods could enter the fuselage sides without
hitting the servos that would be glued in
place at a later time.
Small spar cutouts needed to be made on
the bottom of each stabilizer to accept the
carbon rods with approximately 1/2 inch of
the rod sticking past the root section. Recess
the spar extension to ensure a secure bond
with the fuselage.
Also supplied in the kit were two large
carbon-fiber tubes that were glued into
premade slots in the wing halves. The
supplemental building instructions showed
where to align the wings against the
fuselage. I inserted the carbon tubes into the
wing slots so the root end of the tubes stuck
out just enough to meet at the center of the
fuselage.
I used polyurethane glue to bond the
spars in place for the wing and stabilizer
halves. I placed reference marks on the wing
halves so I could accurately apply adhesive
to the slotted areas. Polyurethane glue
expands in size as it dries, so little is needed
for a secure bond. I placed weights on the
wing and stabilizer parts while they were
drying to make sure they stayed flat.
I marked the fuselage where the wing
tubes and stabilizer rods entered the fuselage
sides. These areas needed to be cut away. I
also cut into the bottom of the fuselage to
allow the wing tubes to be recessed.
I secured the wing halves in place with
five-minute epoxy, making sure the fuselage
and wings were laying flat on my building
board. Then I mounted the stabilizer using
five-minute epoxy. I aligned these with the
fuselage by applying a small weight to the
tops of the stabilizers right above where the
mounting tabs should have been.
I laid the upper fuselage on a flat surface.
I glued the vertical stabilizer in place to the
rear upper fuselage. I could have used a
square to make sure the vertical stabilizer
dried at a 90° angle to the building surface.
Since the recommend servo mounting
method was to use glue, I applied a layer of
clear tape to the servos where the glue
would make contact. I secured the servoarms in place after making sure the servo
output shafts were centered. The
recommended BMS-306 servos were a
perfect fit in the molded pockets on the
bottom side of each of the wing panels.
Additional room needed to be cut from
the rear fuselage to accommodate the
elevator servos. A small dab of five-minute
epoxy secured the servos in place. Aligning
the control horns was next, using fiveminute
epoxy to secure them in place as
well.
You will need to supply two additional
music-wire pushrods for the elevators. Four
24-inch-long servo extensions are needed to
get the wires up front where the receiver will
be located. I used the same hinge tape to
neatly adhere these extensions along the
inside of the fuselage.
I used a standard Y harness to connect
the aileron servos to the receiver and used a
Y harness with servo reverse for the two
elevator servos. I made a 10-inch-long
battery-extension wire to get the battery
connection up to the front cockpit area. I
also taped the wires coming from the speed
control along the inside of the fuselage for a
neat installation.
I epoxied the fan unit to the upper
fuselage. The top portion of the air intake
needed to have two grooves cut into it so it
could lay over the carbon-fiber wing tubes
and flush with the bottom of the upper
forward fuselage. A final gluing of a pair of
molded hatch latches were placed up front in
premolded pockets in the canopy area to
complete the F-16.
The bottom portion of the fuselage was
tapped in place, as was the rear upper
canopy hatch cover. I may glue these in
place later, once the test flights have been
completed.
Also included in this review was a BEC
regulator. I simply put it in-line between the
ESC radio connection and the receiver after
the red and black power wires were soldered
to the battery harness. The receiver and
battery go as far up in the cockpit area as
possible.
An additional 3.1 ounces of lead ballast
was added to the nose to bring the balance
point to the recommended 6 inches behind
the wing LE.
Flying: It was a bright and sunny day for the
first flight, with the wind blowing at a
constant 8-10 mph. I enlisted my friend Tom
to perform the first hand launch so I could
keep both my hands on the transmitter.
The first flight attempt ended a couple
seconds later when I realized there wasn’t
enough up-elevator to maintain flight.
Control movement on the elevator was
increased, and a second attempt was made a
minute later.
That time the F-16 climbed out with no
problem, although I did have to add almost
full up-trim on the transmitter to maintain
level flight. This would suggest that the
recommended balance point may have been
a bit on the conservative side.
Thirty seconds later I handed the controlsto my friend so I could take some in-flight
photos. He reported that the jet flew
tremendously, and five minutes later the F-
16 came in for a beautiful slow landing.
Control throws were set at 5/8 inch up
and down on the elevator and 1/2 inch up
and down on the ailerons. An hour later,
with a fully recharged battery, I decided to
take the F-16 up again. That time I launched
the model myself and it had no problems
climbing to altitude.
With the provided Walkera Ducted Fan
Unit and supplied motor, the F-16 will
easily do inside and outside loops from level
flight. It also has a very nice roll rate.
Performing inverted flight proved to be
easy, although I needed to add excessive
down-stick to compensate for the required
up-trim.
I would estimate the Falcon’s top speed
to be roughly 50 mph. Even though this
fighter isn’t a hot rod, it still looks and feels
like a jet in the air.
The FMA Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver worked perfectly, and I wouldn’t
hesitate to put it in any of my larger aircraft.
Since a jet needs to fly like a jet, I tend to
keep the throttle three-quarters open during
most of the flight and push full throttle for
short bursts during maneuvers or fast flybys.
The motor is pulling more than 35 amps
static, so my Kokam 2000 mAh, 11.1-volt
battery is being pushed to exceed its limits.
The extra-warm feeling when holding the
spent battery in my hand confirmed this
fact. An even larger battery can be added to
the nose to take care of the current-draw
problem since weight needs to be added
anyway to achieve the correct CG point.
The Walkera F-16 kit as furnished could
use a better set of instructions, but
supplemental instructions are available on
the BP Hobbies Web site for download. If
you purchase the available upgrade kit, you
will have almost everything you need to get
your airplane into the air, minus a battery
and receiver.
Overall, this model was an easy build
because of the low parts count. Flight
performance is great, with plenty of power
to perform almost any maneuver an airplane
equipped without a rudder can perform. MA
John Boren
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 65,66,68,71,72
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 65,66,68,71,72
Plane Talk: Walkera F-16 Falcon
JOHN BOREN
Motor used: Walkera Ducted Fan Unit
with included brushless 380 motor
Equipment used: JR 9303 transmitter;
FMA Direct Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver; four BMS-306 servos; Kokam
2000 mAh, 11.1-volt battery; Y
connector; Y connector with servo
reverse; four 24-inch servo extensions;
ParkBEC 1.5-amp switching BEC; BP 40A
brushless ESC
Ready-to-fly weight: 31.8 ounces
Test-Model Details
+
• Minimum parts count for easy
assembly
• Flexible construction for durability
• Easy to fly -•
Poor instruction manual included in kit
Pluses and Minuses
Above: The completed model,
ready for its first flight. All it needs
is a little canopy detail.
Winds were a steady 8-10 mph for the jet’s first flight. Performing the hand launch is
easier with a helper.
An electric ducted-fan
model that is easy to
build and fly
Left: In flight the F-16 looks great.
There is plenty of power for
unlimited looping and rolling flight
maneuvers.
I LOVE JETS, so it didn’t take me long to
say yes when I was asked to review the
Walkera F-16 electric-ducted-fan model.
This airplane is molded from tough EPP
foam and comes out of the box prepainted.
This should be viewed as a fun-to-fly
sport-scale model and not a true scale jet. Its
surface clearly shows many raised portions
left from the molding process, and the parts
fit is good enough for easy assembly.
The optional ducted-fan unit and
suggested radio gear were included for this
October 2006 65
Type: Sport-scale electric ducted-fanpowered
jet
Pilot skill level: Intermediate
Wingspan: 37 inches
Wing area: 323 square inches (including
projected area in fuselage)
Length: 36.6 inches
Weight: 22.5 ounces
Wing loading: 16.3 ounces ready to fly
Motor (included): Walkera 380 3100
KV brushless motor
Radio: Three channels (minimum), two
servos (minimum)
Construction materials: Airframe is
made from prepainted, molded EPP foam
with carbon-fiber-rod reinforcements in
the wing and tail
Price: $109.95
Specifications
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:00 AM Page 6566 MODEL AVIATION
The basic kit as it comes out of the box. It
even included a can of contact cement,
which the author chose not to use.
A portion of foam in the upper rear
fuselage needs to be removed to allow
motor wires and speed control to fit in
place.
The F-16’s motor and speed control are
being test-fit in place.
Photos by the author
A slight recessed groove in the fuselage is
needed for wing tubes. Later the lower air
intake will need to be grooved out to allow
it to be glued in place.
Recommended aileron servo is a perfect fit
for premolded pockets in the wing. A dab
of epoxy and a layer of hinge tape secure
the servo in place.
The elevator servo is glued in place along
with the control horn. Also, the servo
wires are recessed in the foam.
All the electrical wires are routed neatly
inside the fuselage and covered with hinge
tape.
There is plenty of room up front for the
Cellpro 2000 mAh Li-Poly battery and
FMA Direct Quantum 8 receiver.
Lead shot—3.1 ounces—was added to the
nose to get it to balance at the
recommended CG. A small cardboard
tube was filled with lead shot and fiveminute
epoxy.
The ready-to-fly F-16 weighed 31.8 ounces. In addition to the 6.2-
ounce battery pack was the 3.1 ounces of lead in the nose.
review. The stock Falcon kit comes with a pusher propeller system.
In addition to the F-16, I was able to review two items from
FMA Direct as well. A new Kokam 2000 mAh, three-cell, 11.1-volt
Cellpro Super High Discharge Li-Poly battery supplied the power to
the motor. A Quantum 8 (item 508FM72) Sub Micro Receiver
controlled the model in the air.
Construction: Before you begin building any model, it is a good
idea to read the instruction manual. In the case of this F-16, the parts
didn’t quite match those shown in the photographs.
The pictures showed molded-in alignment tabs on the wing and
stabilizer halves, which mate to the fuselage for worry-free
assembly. My model didn’t have the molded-in tabs on the wing or
stabilizer, but it did have the matching areas on the fuselage.
It would appear that the model’s construction changed during the
manufacturing process, and a quick look at the BP Hobbies Web site
revealed two documents that could be downloaded to show the new
building process. F-16 Supplemental Building Instructions and
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:07 AM Page 66Aileron/Elevator Upgrade Instructions will
be needed to build the model. It would be
nice to see these supplements included with
the kit in the future.
I began construction by trying to assemble
the fan unit. I used the word “trying” because
several hours and many false attempts were
involved before I obtained a true running fan
unit. Balancing the rotor went quickly since it
needed very little work to get it perfect.
The aluminum propeller adapter was
secure to the motor shaft, and the motor
bolted in the fan housing. I found this adapter
to be the main reason why the fan blades
were rubbing on the inside of the shroud. I
obtained a replacement adapter and my
problems went away.
You will find it almost impossible to
tighten the nut to secure the rotor in place. I
strongly suggest cutting a slot in the face of
the propeller adapter to allow a large
screwdriver to be inserted, to prevent it from
rotating while tightening the nut with a
wrench.
You should not test-run the fan unit in
your hand. Instead, place it inside the upper
and lower fuselage halves of the model.
Tightly gripping the fan unit with your hands
can distort the shape and cause the tight
clearances between the impeller and shroud to
become uneven or, worse, close altogether.
Fitting the fan unit in the fuselage wasnext. I ran across one small problem here
when using the recommended ESC unit. The
motor wires coming out of the ESC were
extremely short, providing only enough
length to place the ESC right in front of the
fan unit itself.
You will need to remove enough foam
from the fuselage to allow for the wires and
placement of the ESC so that it is recessed
into the foam. Once the fan is test-fitted in
its location, it can be placed aside until the
model is almost completed.
For the airframe itself I started with the
two horizontal stabilizers. The Aileron/
Elevator Upgrade Instructions were needed
for this portion of the construction. Start by
cutting 2 inches off the rear of the stabilizer
halves. Then bevel the LE of both elevators.
Both elevators are then secured back in
place with your favorite hinge tape.
The rear edge of both stabilizers should
be lined up with the rear edge of the
fuselage. I chose a spot where the carbon
rods could enter the fuselage sides without
hitting the servos that would be glued in
place at a later time.
Small spar cutouts needed to be made on
the bottom of each stabilizer to accept the
carbon rods with approximately 1/2 inch of
the rod sticking past the root section. Recess
the spar extension to ensure a secure bond
with the fuselage.
Also supplied in the kit were two large
carbon-fiber tubes that were glued into
premade slots in the wing halves. The
supplemental building instructions showed
where to align the wings against the
fuselage. I inserted the carbon tubes into the
wing slots so the root end of the tubes stuck
out just enough to meet at the center of the
fuselage.
I used polyurethane glue to bond the
spars in place for the wing and stabilizer
halves. I placed reference marks on the wing
halves so I could accurately apply adhesive
to the slotted areas. Polyurethane glue
expands in size as it dries, so little is needed
for a secure bond. I placed weights on the
wing and stabilizer parts while they were
drying to make sure they stayed flat.
I marked the fuselage where the wing
tubes and stabilizer rods entered the fuselage
sides. These areas needed to be cut away. I
also cut into the bottom of the fuselage to
allow the wing tubes to be recessed.
I secured the wing halves in place with
five-minute epoxy, making sure the fuselage
and wings were laying flat on my building
board. Then I mounted the stabilizer using
five-minute epoxy. I aligned these with the
fuselage by applying a small weight to the
tops of the stabilizers right above where the
mounting tabs should have been.
I laid the upper fuselage on a flat surface.
I glued the vertical stabilizer in place to the
rear upper fuselage. I could have used a
square to make sure the vertical stabilizer
dried at a 90° angle to the building surface.
Since the recommend servo mounting
method was to use glue, I applied a layer of
clear tape to the servos where the glue
would make contact. I secured the servoarms in place after making sure the servo
output shafts were centered. The
recommended BMS-306 servos were a
perfect fit in the molded pockets on the
bottom side of each of the wing panels.
Additional room needed to be cut from
the rear fuselage to accommodate the
elevator servos. A small dab of five-minute
epoxy secured the servos in place. Aligning
the control horns was next, using fiveminute
epoxy to secure them in place as
well.
You will need to supply two additional
music-wire pushrods for the elevators. Four
24-inch-long servo extensions are needed to
get the wires up front where the receiver will
be located. I used the same hinge tape to
neatly adhere these extensions along the
inside of the fuselage.
I used a standard Y harness to connect
the aileron servos to the receiver and used a
Y harness with servo reverse for the two
elevator servos. I made a 10-inch-long
battery-extension wire to get the battery
connection up to the front cockpit area. I
also taped the wires coming from the speed
control along the inside of the fuselage for a
neat installation.
I epoxied the fan unit to the upper
fuselage. The top portion of the air intake
needed to have two grooves cut into it so it
could lay over the carbon-fiber wing tubes
and flush with the bottom of the upper
forward fuselage. A final gluing of a pair of
molded hatch latches were placed up front in
premolded pockets in the canopy area to
complete the F-16.
The bottom portion of the fuselage was
tapped in place, as was the rear upper
canopy hatch cover. I may glue these in
place later, once the test flights have been
completed.
Also included in this review was a BEC
regulator. I simply put it in-line between the
ESC radio connection and the receiver after
the red and black power wires were soldered
to the battery harness. The receiver and
battery go as far up in the cockpit area as
possible.
An additional 3.1 ounces of lead ballast
was added to the nose to bring the balance
point to the recommended 6 inches behind
the wing LE.
Flying: It was a bright and sunny day for the
first flight, with the wind blowing at a
constant 8-10 mph. I enlisted my friend Tom
to perform the first hand launch so I could
keep both my hands on the transmitter.
The first flight attempt ended a couple
seconds later when I realized there wasn’t
enough up-elevator to maintain flight.
Control movement on the elevator was
increased, and a second attempt was made a
minute later.
That time the F-16 climbed out with no
problem, although I did have to add almost
full up-trim on the transmitter to maintain
level flight. This would suggest that the
recommended balance point may have been
a bit on the conservative side.
Thirty seconds later I handed the controlsto my friend so I could take some in-flight
photos. He reported that the jet flew
tremendously, and five minutes later the F-
16 came in for a beautiful slow landing.
Control throws were set at 5/8 inch up
and down on the elevator and 1/2 inch up
and down on the ailerons. An hour later,
with a fully recharged battery, I decided to
take the F-16 up again. That time I launched
the model myself and it had no problems
climbing to altitude.
With the provided Walkera Ducted Fan
Unit and supplied motor, the F-16 will
easily do inside and outside loops from level
flight. It also has a very nice roll rate.
Performing inverted flight proved to be
easy, although I needed to add excessive
down-stick to compensate for the required
up-trim.
I would estimate the Falcon’s top speed
to be roughly 50 mph. Even though this
fighter isn’t a hot rod, it still looks and feels
like a jet in the air.
The FMA Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver worked perfectly, and I wouldn’t
hesitate to put it in any of my larger aircraft.
Since a jet needs to fly like a jet, I tend to
keep the throttle three-quarters open during
most of the flight and push full throttle for
short bursts during maneuvers or fast flybys.
The motor is pulling more than 35 amps
static, so my Kokam 2000 mAh, 11.1-volt
battery is being pushed to exceed its limits.
The extra-warm feeling when holding the
spent battery in my hand confirmed this
fact. An even larger battery can be added to
the nose to take care of the current-draw
problem since weight needs to be added
anyway to achieve the correct CG point.
The Walkera F-16 kit as furnished could
use a better set of instructions, but
supplemental instructions are available on
the BP Hobbies Web site for download. If
you purchase the available upgrade kit, you
will have almost everything you need to get
your airplane into the air, minus a battery
and receiver.
Overall, this model was an easy build
because of the low parts count. Flight
performance is great, with plenty of power
to perform almost any maneuver an airplane
equipped without a rudder can perform. MA
John Boren
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 65,66,68,71,72
Plane Talk: Walkera F-16 Falcon
JOHN BOREN
Motor used: Walkera Ducted Fan Unit
with included brushless 380 motor
Equipment used: JR 9303 transmitter;
FMA Direct Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver; four BMS-306 servos; Kokam
2000 mAh, 11.1-volt battery; Y
connector; Y connector with servo
reverse; four 24-inch servo extensions;
ParkBEC 1.5-amp switching BEC; BP 40A
brushless ESC
Ready-to-fly weight: 31.8 ounces
Test-Model Details
+
• Minimum parts count for easy
assembly
• Flexible construction for durability
• Easy to fly -•
Poor instruction manual included in kit
Pluses and Minuses
Above: The completed model,
ready for its first flight. All it needs
is a little canopy detail.
Winds were a steady 8-10 mph for the jet’s first flight. Performing the hand launch is
easier with a helper.
An electric ducted-fan
model that is easy to
build and fly
Left: In flight the F-16 looks great.
There is plenty of power for
unlimited looping and rolling flight
maneuvers.
I LOVE JETS, so it didn’t take me long to
say yes when I was asked to review the
Walkera F-16 electric-ducted-fan model.
This airplane is molded from tough EPP
foam and comes out of the box prepainted.
This should be viewed as a fun-to-fly
sport-scale model and not a true scale jet. Its
surface clearly shows many raised portions
left from the molding process, and the parts
fit is good enough for easy assembly.
The optional ducted-fan unit and
suggested radio gear were included for this
October 2006 65
Type: Sport-scale electric ducted-fanpowered
jet
Pilot skill level: Intermediate
Wingspan: 37 inches
Wing area: 323 square inches (including
projected area in fuselage)
Length: 36.6 inches
Weight: 22.5 ounces
Wing loading: 16.3 ounces ready to fly
Motor (included): Walkera 380 3100
KV brushless motor
Radio: Three channels (minimum), two
servos (minimum)
Construction materials: Airframe is
made from prepainted, molded EPP foam
with carbon-fiber-rod reinforcements in
the wing and tail
Price: $109.95
Specifications
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:00 AM Page 6566 MODEL AVIATION
The basic kit as it comes out of the box. It
even included a can of contact cement,
which the author chose not to use.
A portion of foam in the upper rear
fuselage needs to be removed to allow
motor wires and speed control to fit in
place.
The F-16’s motor and speed control are
being test-fit in place.
Photos by the author
A slight recessed groove in the fuselage is
needed for wing tubes. Later the lower air
intake will need to be grooved out to allow
it to be glued in place.
Recommended aileron servo is a perfect fit
for premolded pockets in the wing. A dab
of epoxy and a layer of hinge tape secure
the servo in place.
The elevator servo is glued in place along
with the control horn. Also, the servo
wires are recessed in the foam.
All the electrical wires are routed neatly
inside the fuselage and covered with hinge
tape.
There is plenty of room up front for the
Cellpro 2000 mAh Li-Poly battery and
FMA Direct Quantum 8 receiver.
Lead shot—3.1 ounces—was added to the
nose to get it to balance at the
recommended CG. A small cardboard
tube was filled with lead shot and fiveminute
epoxy.
The ready-to-fly F-16 weighed 31.8 ounces. In addition to the 6.2-
ounce battery pack was the 3.1 ounces of lead in the nose.
review. The stock Falcon kit comes with a pusher propeller system.
In addition to the F-16, I was able to review two items from
FMA Direct as well. A new Kokam 2000 mAh, three-cell, 11.1-volt
Cellpro Super High Discharge Li-Poly battery supplied the power to
the motor. A Quantum 8 (item 508FM72) Sub Micro Receiver
controlled the model in the air.
Construction: Before you begin building any model, it is a good
idea to read the instruction manual. In the case of this F-16, the parts
didn’t quite match those shown in the photographs.
The pictures showed molded-in alignment tabs on the wing and
stabilizer halves, which mate to the fuselage for worry-free
assembly. My model didn’t have the molded-in tabs on the wing or
stabilizer, but it did have the matching areas on the fuselage.
It would appear that the model’s construction changed during the
manufacturing process, and a quick look at the BP Hobbies Web site
revealed two documents that could be downloaded to show the new
building process. F-16 Supplemental Building Instructions and
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:07 AM Page 66Aileron/Elevator Upgrade Instructions will
be needed to build the model. It would be
nice to see these supplements included with
the kit in the future.
I began construction by trying to assemble
the fan unit. I used the word “trying” because
several hours and many false attempts were
involved before I obtained a true running fan
unit. Balancing the rotor went quickly since it
needed very little work to get it perfect.
The aluminum propeller adapter was
secure to the motor shaft, and the motor
bolted in the fan housing. I found this adapter
to be the main reason why the fan blades
were rubbing on the inside of the shroud. I
obtained a replacement adapter and my
problems went away.
You will find it almost impossible to
tighten the nut to secure the rotor in place. I
strongly suggest cutting a slot in the face of
the propeller adapter to allow a large
screwdriver to be inserted, to prevent it from
rotating while tightening the nut with a
wrench.
You should not test-run the fan unit in
your hand. Instead, place it inside the upper
and lower fuselage halves of the model.
Tightly gripping the fan unit with your hands
can distort the shape and cause the tight
clearances between the impeller and shroud to
become uneven or, worse, close altogether.
Fitting the fan unit in the fuselage wasnext. I ran across one small problem here
when using the recommended ESC unit. The
motor wires coming out of the ESC were
extremely short, providing only enough
length to place the ESC right in front of the
fan unit itself.
You will need to remove enough foam
from the fuselage to allow for the wires and
placement of the ESC so that it is recessed
into the foam. Once the fan is test-fitted in
its location, it can be placed aside until the
model is almost completed.
For the airframe itself I started with the
two horizontal stabilizers. The Aileron/
Elevator Upgrade Instructions were needed
for this portion of the construction. Start by
cutting 2 inches off the rear of the stabilizer
halves. Then bevel the LE of both elevators.
Both elevators are then secured back in
place with your favorite hinge tape.
The rear edge of both stabilizers should
be lined up with the rear edge of the
fuselage. I chose a spot where the carbon
rods could enter the fuselage sides without
hitting the servos that would be glued in
place at a later time.
Small spar cutouts needed to be made on
the bottom of each stabilizer to accept the
carbon rods with approximately 1/2 inch of
the rod sticking past the root section. Recess
the spar extension to ensure a secure bond
with the fuselage.
Also supplied in the kit were two large
carbon-fiber tubes that were glued into
premade slots in the wing halves. The
supplemental building instructions showed
where to align the wings against the
fuselage. I inserted the carbon tubes into the
wing slots so the root end of the tubes stuck
out just enough to meet at the center of the
fuselage.
I used polyurethane glue to bond the
spars in place for the wing and stabilizer
halves. I placed reference marks on the wing
halves so I could accurately apply adhesive
to the slotted areas. Polyurethane glue
expands in size as it dries, so little is needed
for a secure bond. I placed weights on the
wing and stabilizer parts while they were
drying to make sure they stayed flat.
I marked the fuselage where the wing
tubes and stabilizer rods entered the fuselage
sides. These areas needed to be cut away. I
also cut into the bottom of the fuselage to
allow the wing tubes to be recessed.
I secured the wing halves in place with
five-minute epoxy, making sure the fuselage
and wings were laying flat on my building
board. Then I mounted the stabilizer using
five-minute epoxy. I aligned these with the
fuselage by applying a small weight to the
tops of the stabilizers right above where the
mounting tabs should have been.
I laid the upper fuselage on a flat surface.
I glued the vertical stabilizer in place to the
rear upper fuselage. I could have used a
square to make sure the vertical stabilizer
dried at a 90° angle to the building surface.
Since the recommend servo mounting
method was to use glue, I applied a layer of
clear tape to the servos where the glue
would make contact. I secured the servoarms in place after making sure the servo
output shafts were centered. The
recommended BMS-306 servos were a
perfect fit in the molded pockets on the
bottom side of each of the wing panels.
Additional room needed to be cut from
the rear fuselage to accommodate the
elevator servos. A small dab of five-minute
epoxy secured the servos in place. Aligning
the control horns was next, using fiveminute
epoxy to secure them in place as
well.
You will need to supply two additional
music-wire pushrods for the elevators. Four
24-inch-long servo extensions are needed to
get the wires up front where the receiver will
be located. I used the same hinge tape to
neatly adhere these extensions along the
inside of the fuselage.
I used a standard Y harness to connect
the aileron servos to the receiver and used a
Y harness with servo reverse for the two
elevator servos. I made a 10-inch-long
battery-extension wire to get the battery
connection up to the front cockpit area. I
also taped the wires coming from the speed
control along the inside of the fuselage for a
neat installation.
I epoxied the fan unit to the upper
fuselage. The top portion of the air intake
needed to have two grooves cut into it so it
could lay over the carbon-fiber wing tubes
and flush with the bottom of the upper
forward fuselage. A final gluing of a pair of
molded hatch latches were placed up front in
premolded pockets in the canopy area to
complete the F-16.
The bottom portion of the fuselage was
tapped in place, as was the rear upper
canopy hatch cover. I may glue these in
place later, once the test flights have been
completed.
Also included in this review was a BEC
regulator. I simply put it in-line between the
ESC radio connection and the receiver after
the red and black power wires were soldered
to the battery harness. The receiver and
battery go as far up in the cockpit area as
possible.
An additional 3.1 ounces of lead ballast
was added to the nose to bring the balance
point to the recommended 6 inches behind
the wing LE.
Flying: It was a bright and sunny day for the
first flight, with the wind blowing at a
constant 8-10 mph. I enlisted my friend Tom
to perform the first hand launch so I could
keep both my hands on the transmitter.
The first flight attempt ended a couple
seconds later when I realized there wasn’t
enough up-elevator to maintain flight.
Control movement on the elevator was
increased, and a second attempt was made a
minute later.
That time the F-16 climbed out with no
problem, although I did have to add almost
full up-trim on the transmitter to maintain
level flight. This would suggest that the
recommended balance point may have been
a bit on the conservative side.
Thirty seconds later I handed the controlsto my friend so I could take some in-flight
photos. He reported that the jet flew
tremendously, and five minutes later the F-
16 came in for a beautiful slow landing.
Control throws were set at 5/8 inch up
and down on the elevator and 1/2 inch up
and down on the ailerons. An hour later,
with a fully recharged battery, I decided to
take the F-16 up again. That time I launched
the model myself and it had no problems
climbing to altitude.
With the provided Walkera Ducted Fan
Unit and supplied motor, the F-16 will
easily do inside and outside loops from level
flight. It also has a very nice roll rate.
Performing inverted flight proved to be
easy, although I needed to add excessive
down-stick to compensate for the required
up-trim.
I would estimate the Falcon’s top speed
to be roughly 50 mph. Even though this
fighter isn’t a hot rod, it still looks and feels
like a jet in the air.
The FMA Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver worked perfectly, and I wouldn’t
hesitate to put it in any of my larger aircraft.
Since a jet needs to fly like a jet, I tend to
keep the throttle three-quarters open during
most of the flight and push full throttle for
short bursts during maneuvers or fast flybys.
The motor is pulling more than 35 amps
static, so my Kokam 2000 mAh, 11.1-volt
battery is being pushed to exceed its limits.
The extra-warm feeling when holding the
spent battery in my hand confirmed this
fact. An even larger battery can be added to
the nose to take care of the current-draw
problem since weight needs to be added
anyway to achieve the correct CG point.
The Walkera F-16 kit as furnished could
use a better set of instructions, but
supplemental instructions are available on
the BP Hobbies Web site for download. If
you purchase the available upgrade kit, you
will have almost everything you need to get
your airplane into the air, minus a battery
and receiver.
Overall, this model was an easy build
because of the low parts count. Flight
performance is great, with plenty of power
to perform almost any maneuver an airplane
equipped without a rudder can perform. MA
John Boren
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 65,66,68,71,72
Plane Talk: Walkera F-16 Falcon
JOHN BOREN
Motor used: Walkera Ducted Fan Unit
with included brushless 380 motor
Equipment used: JR 9303 transmitter;
FMA Direct Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver; four BMS-306 servos; Kokam
2000 mAh, 11.1-volt battery; Y
connector; Y connector with servo
reverse; four 24-inch servo extensions;
ParkBEC 1.5-amp switching BEC; BP 40A
brushless ESC
Ready-to-fly weight: 31.8 ounces
Test-Model Details
+
• Minimum parts count for easy
assembly
• Flexible construction for durability
• Easy to fly -•
Poor instruction manual included in kit
Pluses and Minuses
Above: The completed model,
ready for its first flight. All it needs
is a little canopy detail.
Winds were a steady 8-10 mph for the jet’s first flight. Performing the hand launch is
easier with a helper.
An electric ducted-fan
model that is easy to
build and fly
Left: In flight the F-16 looks great.
There is plenty of power for
unlimited looping and rolling flight
maneuvers.
I LOVE JETS, so it didn’t take me long to
say yes when I was asked to review the
Walkera F-16 electric-ducted-fan model.
This airplane is molded from tough EPP
foam and comes out of the box prepainted.
This should be viewed as a fun-to-fly
sport-scale model and not a true scale jet. Its
surface clearly shows many raised portions
left from the molding process, and the parts
fit is good enough for easy assembly.
The optional ducted-fan unit and
suggested radio gear were included for this
October 2006 65
Type: Sport-scale electric ducted-fanpowered
jet
Pilot skill level: Intermediate
Wingspan: 37 inches
Wing area: 323 square inches (including
projected area in fuselage)
Length: 36.6 inches
Weight: 22.5 ounces
Wing loading: 16.3 ounces ready to fly
Motor (included): Walkera 380 3100
KV brushless motor
Radio: Three channels (minimum), two
servos (minimum)
Construction materials: Airframe is
made from prepainted, molded EPP foam
with carbon-fiber-rod reinforcements in
the wing and tail
Price: $109.95
Specifications
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:00 AM Page 6566 MODEL AVIATION
The basic kit as it comes out of the box. It
even included a can of contact cement,
which the author chose not to use.
A portion of foam in the upper rear
fuselage needs to be removed to allow
motor wires and speed control to fit in
place.
The F-16’s motor and speed control are
being test-fit in place.
Photos by the author
A slight recessed groove in the fuselage is
needed for wing tubes. Later the lower air
intake will need to be grooved out to allow
it to be glued in place.
Recommended aileron servo is a perfect fit
for premolded pockets in the wing. A dab
of epoxy and a layer of hinge tape secure
the servo in place.
The elevator servo is glued in place along
with the control horn. Also, the servo
wires are recessed in the foam.
All the electrical wires are routed neatly
inside the fuselage and covered with hinge
tape.
There is plenty of room up front for the
Cellpro 2000 mAh Li-Poly battery and
FMA Direct Quantum 8 receiver.
Lead shot—3.1 ounces—was added to the
nose to get it to balance at the
recommended CG. A small cardboard
tube was filled with lead shot and fiveminute
epoxy.
The ready-to-fly F-16 weighed 31.8 ounces. In addition to the 6.2-
ounce battery pack was the 3.1 ounces of lead in the nose.
review. The stock Falcon kit comes with a pusher propeller system.
In addition to the F-16, I was able to review two items from
FMA Direct as well. A new Kokam 2000 mAh, three-cell, 11.1-volt
Cellpro Super High Discharge Li-Poly battery supplied the power to
the motor. A Quantum 8 (item 508FM72) Sub Micro Receiver
controlled the model in the air.
Construction: Before you begin building any model, it is a good
idea to read the instruction manual. In the case of this F-16, the parts
didn’t quite match those shown in the photographs.
The pictures showed molded-in alignment tabs on the wing and
stabilizer halves, which mate to the fuselage for worry-free
assembly. My model didn’t have the molded-in tabs on the wing or
stabilizer, but it did have the matching areas on the fuselage.
It would appear that the model’s construction changed during the
manufacturing process, and a quick look at the BP Hobbies Web site
revealed two documents that could be downloaded to show the new
building process. F-16 Supplemental Building Instructions and
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:07 AM Page 66Aileron/Elevator Upgrade Instructions will
be needed to build the model. It would be
nice to see these supplements included with
the kit in the future.
I began construction by trying to assemble
the fan unit. I used the word “trying” because
several hours and many false attempts were
involved before I obtained a true running fan
unit. Balancing the rotor went quickly since it
needed very little work to get it perfect.
The aluminum propeller adapter was
secure to the motor shaft, and the motor
bolted in the fan housing. I found this adapter
to be the main reason why the fan blades
were rubbing on the inside of the shroud. I
obtained a replacement adapter and my
problems went away.
You will find it almost impossible to
tighten the nut to secure the rotor in place. I
strongly suggest cutting a slot in the face of
the propeller adapter to allow a large
screwdriver to be inserted, to prevent it from
rotating while tightening the nut with a
wrench.
You should not test-run the fan unit in
your hand. Instead, place it inside the upper
and lower fuselage halves of the model.
Tightly gripping the fan unit with your hands
can distort the shape and cause the tight
clearances between the impeller and shroud to
become uneven or, worse, close altogether.
Fitting the fan unit in the fuselage wasnext. I ran across one small problem here
when using the recommended ESC unit. The
motor wires coming out of the ESC were
extremely short, providing only enough
length to place the ESC right in front of the
fan unit itself.
You will need to remove enough foam
from the fuselage to allow for the wires and
placement of the ESC so that it is recessed
into the foam. Once the fan is test-fitted in
its location, it can be placed aside until the
model is almost completed.
For the airframe itself I started with the
two horizontal stabilizers. The Aileron/
Elevator Upgrade Instructions were needed
for this portion of the construction. Start by
cutting 2 inches off the rear of the stabilizer
halves. Then bevel the LE of both elevators.
Both elevators are then secured back in
place with your favorite hinge tape.
The rear edge of both stabilizers should
be lined up with the rear edge of the
fuselage. I chose a spot where the carbon
rods could enter the fuselage sides without
hitting the servos that would be glued in
place at a later time.
Small spar cutouts needed to be made on
the bottom of each stabilizer to accept the
carbon rods with approximately 1/2 inch of
the rod sticking past the root section. Recess
the spar extension to ensure a secure bond
with the fuselage.
Also supplied in the kit were two large
carbon-fiber tubes that were glued into
premade slots in the wing halves. The
supplemental building instructions showed
where to align the wings against the
fuselage. I inserted the carbon tubes into the
wing slots so the root end of the tubes stuck
out just enough to meet at the center of the
fuselage.
I used polyurethane glue to bond the
spars in place for the wing and stabilizer
halves. I placed reference marks on the wing
halves so I could accurately apply adhesive
to the slotted areas. Polyurethane glue
expands in size as it dries, so little is needed
for a secure bond. I placed weights on the
wing and stabilizer parts while they were
drying to make sure they stayed flat.
I marked the fuselage where the wing
tubes and stabilizer rods entered the fuselage
sides. These areas needed to be cut away. I
also cut into the bottom of the fuselage to
allow the wing tubes to be recessed.
I secured the wing halves in place with
five-minute epoxy, making sure the fuselage
and wings were laying flat on my building
board. Then I mounted the stabilizer using
five-minute epoxy. I aligned these with the
fuselage by applying a small weight to the
tops of the stabilizers right above where the
mounting tabs should have been.
I laid the upper fuselage on a flat surface.
I glued the vertical stabilizer in place to the
rear upper fuselage. I could have used a
square to make sure the vertical stabilizer
dried at a 90° angle to the building surface.
Since the recommend servo mounting
method was to use glue, I applied a layer of
clear tape to the servos where the glue
would make contact. I secured the servoarms in place after making sure the servo
output shafts were centered. The
recommended BMS-306 servos were a
perfect fit in the molded pockets on the
bottom side of each of the wing panels.
Additional room needed to be cut from
the rear fuselage to accommodate the
elevator servos. A small dab of five-minute
epoxy secured the servos in place. Aligning
the control horns was next, using fiveminute
epoxy to secure them in place as
well.
You will need to supply two additional
music-wire pushrods for the elevators. Four
24-inch-long servo extensions are needed to
get the wires up front where the receiver will
be located. I used the same hinge tape to
neatly adhere these extensions along the
inside of the fuselage.
I used a standard Y harness to connect
the aileron servos to the receiver and used a
Y harness with servo reverse for the two
elevator servos. I made a 10-inch-long
battery-extension wire to get the battery
connection up to the front cockpit area. I
also taped the wires coming from the speed
control along the inside of the fuselage for a
neat installation.
I epoxied the fan unit to the upper
fuselage. The top portion of the air intake
needed to have two grooves cut into it so it
could lay over the carbon-fiber wing tubes
and flush with the bottom of the upper
forward fuselage. A final gluing of a pair of
molded hatch latches were placed up front in
premolded pockets in the canopy area to
complete the F-16.
The bottom portion of the fuselage was
tapped in place, as was the rear upper
canopy hatch cover. I may glue these in
place later, once the test flights have been
completed.
Also included in this review was a BEC
regulator. I simply put it in-line between the
ESC radio connection and the receiver after
the red and black power wires were soldered
to the battery harness. The receiver and
battery go as far up in the cockpit area as
possible.
An additional 3.1 ounces of lead ballast
was added to the nose to bring the balance
point to the recommended 6 inches behind
the wing LE.
Flying: It was a bright and sunny day for the
first flight, with the wind blowing at a
constant 8-10 mph. I enlisted my friend Tom
to perform the first hand launch so I could
keep both my hands on the transmitter.
The first flight attempt ended a couple
seconds later when I realized there wasn’t
enough up-elevator to maintain flight.
Control movement on the elevator was
increased, and a second attempt was made a
minute later.
That time the F-16 climbed out with no
problem, although I did have to add almost
full up-trim on the transmitter to maintain
level flight. This would suggest that the
recommended balance point may have been
a bit on the conservative side.
Thirty seconds later I handed the controlsto my friend so I could take some in-flight
photos. He reported that the jet flew
tremendously, and five minutes later the F-
16 came in for a beautiful slow landing.
Control throws were set at 5/8 inch up
and down on the elevator and 1/2 inch up
and down on the ailerons. An hour later,
with a fully recharged battery, I decided to
take the F-16 up again. That time I launched
the model myself and it had no problems
climbing to altitude.
With the provided Walkera Ducted Fan
Unit and supplied motor, the F-16 will
easily do inside and outside loops from level
flight. It also has a very nice roll rate.
Performing inverted flight proved to be
easy, although I needed to add excessive
down-stick to compensate for the required
up-trim.
I would estimate the Falcon’s top speed
to be roughly 50 mph. Even though this
fighter isn’t a hot rod, it still looks and feels
like a jet in the air.
The FMA Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver worked perfectly, and I wouldn’t
hesitate to put it in any of my larger aircraft.
Since a jet needs to fly like a jet, I tend to
keep the throttle three-quarters open during
most of the flight and push full throttle for
short bursts during maneuvers or fast flybys.
The motor is pulling more than 35 amps
static, so my Kokam 2000 mAh, 11.1-volt
battery is being pushed to exceed its limits.
The extra-warm feeling when holding the
spent battery in my hand confirmed this
fact. An even larger battery can be added to
the nose to take care of the current-draw
problem since weight needs to be added
anyway to achieve the correct CG point.
The Walkera F-16 kit as furnished could
use a better set of instructions, but
supplemental instructions are available on
the BP Hobbies Web site for download. If
you purchase the available upgrade kit, you
will have almost everything you need to get
your airplane into the air, minus a battery
and receiver.
Overall, this model was an easy build
because of the low parts count. Flight
performance is great, with plenty of power
to perform almost any maneuver an airplane
equipped without a rudder can perform. MA
John Boren
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/10
Page Numbers: 65,66,68,71,72
Plane Talk: Walkera F-16 Falcon
JOHN BOREN
Motor used: Walkera Ducted Fan Unit
with included brushless 380 motor
Equipment used: JR 9303 transmitter;
FMA Direct Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver; four BMS-306 servos; Kokam
2000 mAh, 11.1-volt battery; Y
connector; Y connector with servo
reverse; four 24-inch servo extensions;
ParkBEC 1.5-amp switching BEC; BP 40A
brushless ESC
Ready-to-fly weight: 31.8 ounces
Test-Model Details
+
• Minimum parts count for easy
assembly
• Flexible construction for durability
• Easy to fly -•
Poor instruction manual included in kit
Pluses and Minuses
Above: The completed model,
ready for its first flight. All it needs
is a little canopy detail.
Winds were a steady 8-10 mph for the jet’s first flight. Performing the hand launch is
easier with a helper.
An electric ducted-fan
model that is easy to
build and fly
Left: In flight the F-16 looks great.
There is plenty of power for
unlimited looping and rolling flight
maneuvers.
I LOVE JETS, so it didn’t take me long to
say yes when I was asked to review the
Walkera F-16 electric-ducted-fan model.
This airplane is molded from tough EPP
foam and comes out of the box prepainted.
This should be viewed as a fun-to-fly
sport-scale model and not a true scale jet. Its
surface clearly shows many raised portions
left from the molding process, and the parts
fit is good enough for easy assembly.
The optional ducted-fan unit and
suggested radio gear were included for this
October 2006 65
Type: Sport-scale electric ducted-fanpowered
jet
Pilot skill level: Intermediate
Wingspan: 37 inches
Wing area: 323 square inches (including
projected area in fuselage)
Length: 36.6 inches
Weight: 22.5 ounces
Wing loading: 16.3 ounces ready to fly
Motor (included): Walkera 380 3100
KV brushless motor
Radio: Three channels (minimum), two
servos (minimum)
Construction materials: Airframe is
made from prepainted, molded EPP foam
with carbon-fiber-rod reinforcements in
the wing and tail
Price: $109.95
Specifications
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:00 AM Page 6566 MODEL AVIATION
The basic kit as it comes out of the box. It
even included a can of contact cement,
which the author chose not to use.
A portion of foam in the upper rear
fuselage needs to be removed to allow
motor wires and speed control to fit in
place.
The F-16’s motor and speed control are
being test-fit in place.
Photos by the author
A slight recessed groove in the fuselage is
needed for wing tubes. Later the lower air
intake will need to be grooved out to allow
it to be glued in place.
Recommended aileron servo is a perfect fit
for premolded pockets in the wing. A dab
of epoxy and a layer of hinge tape secure
the servo in place.
The elevator servo is glued in place along
with the control horn. Also, the servo
wires are recessed in the foam.
All the electrical wires are routed neatly
inside the fuselage and covered with hinge
tape.
There is plenty of room up front for the
Cellpro 2000 mAh Li-Poly battery and
FMA Direct Quantum 8 receiver.
Lead shot—3.1 ounces—was added to the
nose to get it to balance at the
recommended CG. A small cardboard
tube was filled with lead shot and fiveminute
epoxy.
The ready-to-fly F-16 weighed 31.8 ounces. In addition to the 6.2-
ounce battery pack was the 3.1 ounces of lead in the nose.
review. The stock Falcon kit comes with a pusher propeller system.
In addition to the F-16, I was able to review two items from
FMA Direct as well. A new Kokam 2000 mAh, three-cell, 11.1-volt
Cellpro Super High Discharge Li-Poly battery supplied the power to
the motor. A Quantum 8 (item 508FM72) Sub Micro Receiver
controlled the model in the air.
Construction: Before you begin building any model, it is a good
idea to read the instruction manual. In the case of this F-16, the parts
didn’t quite match those shown in the photographs.
The pictures showed molded-in alignment tabs on the wing and
stabilizer halves, which mate to the fuselage for worry-free
assembly. My model didn’t have the molded-in tabs on the wing or
stabilizer, but it did have the matching areas on the fuselage.
It would appear that the model’s construction changed during the
manufacturing process, and a quick look at the BP Hobbies Web site
revealed two documents that could be downloaded to show the new
building process. F-16 Supplemental Building Instructions and
10sig3.QXD 8/24/06 10:07 AM Page 66Aileron/Elevator Upgrade Instructions will
be needed to build the model. It would be
nice to see these supplements included with
the kit in the future.
I began construction by trying to assemble
the fan unit. I used the word “trying” because
several hours and many false attempts were
involved before I obtained a true running fan
unit. Balancing the rotor went quickly since it
needed very little work to get it perfect.
The aluminum propeller adapter was
secure to the motor shaft, and the motor
bolted in the fan housing. I found this adapter
to be the main reason why the fan blades
were rubbing on the inside of the shroud. I
obtained a replacement adapter and my
problems went away.
You will find it almost impossible to
tighten the nut to secure the rotor in place. I
strongly suggest cutting a slot in the face of
the propeller adapter to allow a large
screwdriver to be inserted, to prevent it from
rotating while tightening the nut with a
wrench.
You should not test-run the fan unit in
your hand. Instead, place it inside the upper
and lower fuselage halves of the model.
Tightly gripping the fan unit with your hands
can distort the shape and cause the tight
clearances between the impeller and shroud to
become uneven or, worse, close altogether.
Fitting the fan unit in the fuselage wasnext. I ran across one small problem here
when using the recommended ESC unit. The
motor wires coming out of the ESC were
extremely short, providing only enough
length to place the ESC right in front of the
fan unit itself.
You will need to remove enough foam
from the fuselage to allow for the wires and
placement of the ESC so that it is recessed
into the foam. Once the fan is test-fitted in
its location, it can be placed aside until the
model is almost completed.
For the airframe itself I started with the
two horizontal stabilizers. The Aileron/
Elevator Upgrade Instructions were needed
for this portion of the construction. Start by
cutting 2 inches off the rear of the stabilizer
halves. Then bevel the LE of both elevators.
Both elevators are then secured back in
place with your favorite hinge tape.
The rear edge of both stabilizers should
be lined up with the rear edge of the
fuselage. I chose a spot where the carbon
rods could enter the fuselage sides without
hitting the servos that would be glued in
place at a later time.
Small spar cutouts needed to be made on
the bottom of each stabilizer to accept the
carbon rods with approximately 1/2 inch of
the rod sticking past the root section. Recess
the spar extension to ensure a secure bond
with the fuselage.
Also supplied in the kit were two large
carbon-fiber tubes that were glued into
premade slots in the wing halves. The
supplemental building instructions showed
where to align the wings against the
fuselage. I inserted the carbon tubes into the
wing slots so the root end of the tubes stuck
out just enough to meet at the center of the
fuselage.
I used polyurethane glue to bond the
spars in place for the wing and stabilizer
halves. I placed reference marks on the wing
halves so I could accurately apply adhesive
to the slotted areas. Polyurethane glue
expands in size as it dries, so little is needed
for a secure bond. I placed weights on the
wing and stabilizer parts while they were
drying to make sure they stayed flat.
I marked the fuselage where the wing
tubes and stabilizer rods entered the fuselage
sides. These areas needed to be cut away. I
also cut into the bottom of the fuselage to
allow the wing tubes to be recessed.
I secured the wing halves in place with
five-minute epoxy, making sure the fuselage
and wings were laying flat on my building
board. Then I mounted the stabilizer using
five-minute epoxy. I aligned these with the
fuselage by applying a small weight to the
tops of the stabilizers right above where the
mounting tabs should have been.
I laid the upper fuselage on a flat surface.
I glued the vertical stabilizer in place to the
rear upper fuselage. I could have used a
square to make sure the vertical stabilizer
dried at a 90° angle to the building surface.
Since the recommend servo mounting
method was to use glue, I applied a layer of
clear tape to the servos where the glue
would make contact. I secured the servoarms in place after making sure the servo
output shafts were centered. The
recommended BMS-306 servos were a
perfect fit in the molded pockets on the
bottom side of each of the wing panels.
Additional room needed to be cut from
the rear fuselage to accommodate the
elevator servos. A small dab of five-minute
epoxy secured the servos in place. Aligning
the control horns was next, using fiveminute
epoxy to secure them in place as
well.
You will need to supply two additional
music-wire pushrods for the elevators. Four
24-inch-long servo extensions are needed to
get the wires up front where the receiver will
be located. I used the same hinge tape to
neatly adhere these extensions along the
inside of the fuselage.
I used a standard Y harness to connect
the aileron servos to the receiver and used a
Y harness with servo reverse for the two
elevator servos. I made a 10-inch-long
battery-extension wire to get the battery
connection up to the front cockpit area. I
also taped the wires coming from the speed
control along the inside of the fuselage for a
neat installation.
I epoxied the fan unit to the upper
fuselage. The top portion of the air intake
needed to have two grooves cut into it so it
could lay over the carbon-fiber wing tubes
and flush with the bottom of the upper
forward fuselage. A final gluing of a pair of
molded hatch latches were placed up front in
premolded pockets in the canopy area to
complete the F-16.
The bottom portion of the fuselage was
tapped in place, as was the rear upper
canopy hatch cover. I may glue these in
place later, once the test flights have been
completed.
Also included in this review was a BEC
regulator. I simply put it in-line between the
ESC radio connection and the receiver after
the red and black power wires were soldered
to the battery harness. The receiver and
battery go as far up in the cockpit area as
possible.
An additional 3.1 ounces of lead ballast
was added to the nose to bring the balance
point to the recommended 6 inches behind
the wing LE.
Flying: It was a bright and sunny day for the
first flight, with the wind blowing at a
constant 8-10 mph. I enlisted my friend Tom
to perform the first hand launch so I could
keep both my hands on the transmitter.
The first flight attempt ended a couple
seconds later when I realized there wasn’t
enough up-elevator to maintain flight.
Control movement on the elevator was
increased, and a second attempt was made a
minute later.
That time the F-16 climbed out with no
problem, although I did have to add almost
full up-trim on the transmitter to maintain
level flight. This would suggest that the
recommended balance point may have been
a bit on the conservative side.
Thirty seconds later I handed the controlsto my friend so I could take some in-flight
photos. He reported that the jet flew
tremendously, and five minutes later the F-
16 came in for a beautiful slow landing.
Control throws were set at 5/8 inch up
and down on the elevator and 1/2 inch up
and down on the ailerons. An hour later,
with a fully recharged battery, I decided to
take the F-16 up again. That time I launched
the model myself and it had no problems
climbing to altitude.
With the provided Walkera Ducted Fan
Unit and supplied motor, the F-16 will
easily do inside and outside loops from level
flight. It also has a very nice roll rate.
Performing inverted flight proved to be
easy, although I needed to add excessive
down-stick to compensate for the required
up-trim.
I would estimate the Falcon’s top speed
to be roughly 50 mph. Even though this
fighter isn’t a hot rod, it still looks and feels
like a jet in the air.
The FMA Quantum 8 Sub Micro
Receiver worked perfectly, and I wouldn’t
hesitate to put it in any of my larger aircraft.
Since a jet needs to fly like a jet, I tend to
keep the throttle three-quarters open during
most of the flight and push full throttle for
short bursts during maneuvers or fast flybys.
The motor is pulling more than 35 amps
static, so my Kokam 2000 mAh, 11.1-volt
battery is being pushed to exceed its limits.
The extra-warm feeling when holding the
spent battery in my hand confirmed this
fact. An even larger battery can be added to
the nose to take care of the current-draw
problem since weight needs to be added
anyway to achieve the correct CG point.
The Walkera F-16 kit as furnished could
use a better set of instructions, but
supplemental instructions are available on
the BP Hobbies Web site for download. If
you purchase the available upgrade kit, you
will have almost everything you need to get
your airplane into the air, minus a battery
and receiver.
Overall, this model was an easy build
because of the low parts count. Flight
performance is great, with plenty of power
to perform almost any maneuver an airplane
equipped without a rudder can perform. MA
John Boren