RETRO RC WEE DEVIL
Terry Dunn [email protected]
The Wee Devil RC model from Retro RC is fashioned after the FF models of yesteryear. Even if your tastes do not lean toward the nostalgic, it's hard not to admire the artistic lines of the Wee Devil and its forefathers. Although it's true that form follows function, this model proves that a few well-placed curves can sure make that form pretty. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Wee Devil is the recurring duality of "old" and "new." This airplane pays homage to our modeling past while incorporating modern conveniences. You get FF looks with RC control (a true FF version of the Wee Devil is also available), traditional materials with modern laser-cutting, and old-school wooden wheels sitting astride a contemporary brushless motor, just to name a few.
I found the model's abundant dichotomy to be a refreshing departure from my usual projects. Seriously, when was the last time you made the effort to weave true threaded hinges on an RC model?
Assembly
The kit is contained in a plastic bag that includes several sheets of laser-cut wood, a complete hardware package, and a color assembly manual. The balsa and plywood were of excellent quality and all of the parts were still attached to their parent sheets. I found the manual to be clear and comprehensive, although the assembly photos are so small that they are sometimes irrelevant. The build sequence is intuitive enough that I doubt most builders would need the photos anyway.
One noteworthy aspect of the Wee Devil is that each wood part is laser-cut. Even the wing spars, which appear to be strip stock, are laser-cut parts. This simplifies and expedites assembly while helping to ensure a straight and solid airframe. The Wee Devil would be a good choice for someone who has never built a balsa kit before.
Unlike many models I've built, the Wee Devil is not assembled on top of plans. In fact, the included plans are used for reference only, and are not actual size. For a building board, I borrowed my wife's 18 x 24-inch cutting mat from her scrapbooking supplies, which proved to be an ideal size. A layer of wax paper prevented any glue from dripping onto the mat (which its owner would not appreciate). Medium and thin Zap CAs were used for all assembly steps.
I began construction with the fuselage. It was immediately apparent that the design and laser-cutting were well executed. The tabs fit firmly into their intended mating slots without any modification. I merely cut the needed part from its sheet, pressed it into place, and bonded it with CA. This level of precision fit was consistent throughout the entire build. I only had to sand one part for a proper fit. Given the model's small size and resulting tight tolerances, this degree of precision is even more impressive.
I manage to make at least one dumb mistake with every airplane I build, and the Wee Devil was no exception. I made my requisite error on the first assembly step: I swapped fuselage sides, which put the equipment bays on the starboard side instead of port. I caught the flub soon enough to recover without consequence. The people at Retro RC recognize that occasionally errors may occur, so the manual outlines the simple process for obtaining replacement parts.
I spent two evenings framing and sanding the balsa airframe. A third was dedicated to covering. I pulled two colors I liked from my stash of partial rolls and got started. This small airplane does not require much material. I spent the final evening installing the radio gear and power system. Minuscule E-flite DS35 3.5-gram digital servos are connected to a Spektrum AR6310 receiver. I placed spacers under the elevator servo's mounting tabs to prevent its servo arm from hitting the rudder servo. The kit includes a pull-pull control system, which is easy to configure. The control geometry is imperfect, resulting in slack line at times, but it works well enough that I was not compelled to improve upon it.
The motor I chose for the Wee Devil is an E-flite Park 250 outrunner. By slightly elongating the mounting holes in the motor's included mount, I utilized two of the precut holes in the firewall. The motor is controlled by an E-flite 5-amp Pro ESC and is powered by an E-flite 2S 430 mAh LiPo. I widened the battery slot in the airframe slightly to fit the battery. With a GWS 6 x 3 propeller, this system pulls 4.9 amps and produces 37 watts, which is enough to pull the Wee Devil vertically.
After I had everything installed, I realized that the airplane required more than an ounce of lead in the nose for balance (more than 20% of the model's weight at that point).
Note: The Wee Devil was designed to fly like an old-time FF model—climb nearly vertically then glide—so its CG was designed to be roughly 80% of chord. With the CG at 80% the airplane is sensitive to elevator control and unsuitable for less-experienced modelers. The instructions recommend adding weight to move the CG forward to 60% and adding additional downthrust if the builder wants to fly it like a park flyer.
Stick-on weights would have worked, but I made a lead plate that I sandwiched between the firewall and motor mount. When I painted the plate, it resulted in a clean and somewhat stealthy installation.
Even with the substantial nose weight, my 6.4-ounce ready-to-fly Wee Devil is firmly within the advertised weight range (5 to 7 ounces). Counting the lifting tail, this equates to a wing loading of 5.8 ounces per square foot and a cube loading of 5.5. Both values are consistent with the lazy park flying for which the Wee Devil is intended.
Flying
My first outing with the Wee Devil took place at a local soccer field. I thought the grass was too tall for a rolling takeoff, so my buddy Fitz Walker hand-launched it for me. At half throttle, the airplane began a gentle climbout and flew straight ahead.
I spent the next several minutes feeling out the Wee Devil's handling. With all of that dihedral, the rudder is effective—not touchy, just effective. The elevator is well balanced, although I found myself looking for more authority to pitch downward. Overall, the airplane was well behaved and easy to fly. I landed after 8 minutes with plenty of power remaining; long flights will be the norm.
Since that first flight, I've put in several more that have revealed the airplane's full personality. At full power, the Wee Devil happily climbs as steeply as you want. Pull back the power and it will quickly settle into a flat, stable glide. With the stock thrust angle, there is a fair amount of throttle-pitch coupling, but I don't find it bothersome.
I do most of my flying at half-throttle or less, puttering around at low altitude. For fun, I'll throw in an occasional zoom climb and then see how far I can stretch the glide. If I need more excitement, a flick of the right stick in either direction results in a surprisingly quick rudder roll. Most of my attempts at a loop have resulted in what resembles a sloppy Immelmann turn. For the general mix of flying I do, I've settled on plus or minus 5/8 inch of rudder throw and plus or minus 1/4 inch of elevator throw. I programmed in 35% exponential on both channels. With the CG set at the rear wing plug (60% MAC), this setup provides well-balanced control authority.
I've flown the Wee Devil in winds up to 5 mph, and it does just fine. The wings may get knocked around a little with a crosswind, but I have yet to see any effects that the airplane didn't recover from on its own. I think the fun factor would quickly degrade in winds greater than 5 mph. The Wee Devil may also be a candidate for indoor flight in a reasonably large venue, such as a full basketball court.
As on the maiden flight, this airplane is easily hand-launched, but rolling takeoffs from grass or pavement are equally simple. All you need is a few feet of relatively smooth ground to accelerate. The story is the same for landings. Just don't be surprised if the Wee Devil noses over in tall grass.
AT A GLANCE ...
SPECIFICATIONS
- Model type: Nostalgic park flyer kit
- Skill level: Beginner builder; beginner pilot
- Wingspan: 29 inches
- Wing area (including tail): 159.5 square inches
- Length: 24.25 inches
- Weight: 5 to 7 ounces
- Components needed to complete: Building supplies, three-channel radio with two sub-microservos, and a 30-watt power system.
- Retail price: $47.99 for laser-cut kit
TEST-MODEL DETAILS
- Power system: E-flite Park 250 2200 Kv outrunner brushless motor; E-flite 5-amp Pro ESC
- Battery: E-flite 2S 430 mAh LiPo
- Propeller: GWS 6 x 3
- Radio system: Spektrum DX8 2.4 GHz transmitter; Spektrum AR6310 receiver; two E-flite DS35 3.5-gram digital microservos
- Ready-to-fly weight: 6.4 ounces
PLUSES:
- Classic FF looks
- Laser-cut parts fit perfectly
- Great park flyer manners
MINUSES:
- Requires significant nose weight for balance
- Several photos in the manual are too small to be useful
Conclusion
I've enjoyed the Wee Devil. The kit provided a quick, stress-free build. I ended up with a shapely and unique park flyer that stands apart from the cookie-cutter ARFs. Best of all, the Wee Devil is fun and relaxing to fly.
— Terry Dunn [email protected]
MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR
Retro RC Box 193 Keego Harbor, MI 48320 (248) 212-9666 www.retrorc.us
SOURCES
- E-flite: (800) 338-4639 — www.e-flite.com
- Spektrum RC: (800) 338-4639 — www.spektrumrc.com
- GWS USA: (909) 594-4979 — www.gwsus.com
- ZAP: www.zapglue.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
