Review: Tough Jets T-14V-2012/04

The Tough Jets T-14V offers a wide flight envelope,
from stable flying to wild aerobatic maneuvers.
Some call this pizza-box airplane ugly. I say, “Beauty is as beauty does.”
Although this model may look stark, it is a fast build, it flies great, and it
performs some amazing aerobatic maneuvers including a loop in its own
length (the Kulbit); a pylon turn in its own length (Snap Turn); raise the nose 105°
and then return to forward flight (Pugachev Cobra); and descend inverted like a
falling leaf, but under pilot’s control (Falling Maple Leaf).
The T-14 has plenty of power for unlimited vertical climb and yet it slows down
to walking speed for landing—quite a combination. The V or vector version of the
design adds a pair of control surfaces directly behind the propeller, gaining what
aero engineers call “super maneuverability” or maneuverability beyond what can be
produced by aerodynamic control surfaces alone.
Kit Contents
Packed in what is best described as a huge pizza box, the kit
includes a Coroplast wing and Coroplast vertical stabilizers in the
buyer’s choice of white or gray. Also included is an EPP foam fuselage
and a pair of EPP foam nacelles, scrap Coroplast and scrap EPP foam,
a vacuum-molded clear canopy, an aluminum motor mount, a carbon-fiber wing
stiffener tube, four servo pushrods, and a complete small hardware package that
includes motor mounting bolts, nylon control horns, pushrod keepers, and wood
dowels to mount the vertical stabilizers.
The included instruction manual is a 23-page booklet illustrated with 63
photographs and a diagram. The kit is 100% complete; all needed parts are
supplied. For this build, I used the motor/propeller/ESC combination package listed
on the Tough Jets website.
Construction
The T-14V airframe can be built in four hours. The time required to decorate the
T-14V will vary depending on how involved your color and markings scheme
68 Model Aviation April 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
window tint. I masked and sprayed
antiglare panel markings with flat-black
spray paint.
I glued foam nacelles to the wing with
Pacer Technology Z-Poxy five-minute
epoxy in two stages as specified in the
instructions. I mounted the servos with
Beacon Adhesives Quick Grip glue. I
made sure to wire the servos and test
their direction of operation before
gluing them in place.
The last steps were to glue the
fuselage to the wing with epoxy and
install a carbon-fiber wing-stiffener tube,
held in place with a dab of Quick Grip.
The fourth building session was
heat-shrink covering, according to the
builder’s preference.
The second building session lasted
two hours. I drew the wing markings
with a Sharpie marker and waterproof
Marks-A-Lot felt tip marker using
templates, rulers, and triangles. I used
three references for my markings
scheme, which was mainly panel lines
on the gray Coroplast: Squadron Signal
F-14 Tomcat in Action book, a threeview
drawing from the Internet, and a
photograph from the Internet.
Building session three was four hours.
I sprayed the inside of the canopy with
Pactra RC294 Lacquer Racing Finish
is, and how rapidly you install control
linkages and set up the transmitter.
My T-14V took 10.5 hours to
complete, spread over four workbench
sessions. To get some color into an
otherwise gray scheme, I asked Callie
at Callie Graphics to supply markings
inspired by U.S. Navy Strike Fighter
Squadron 31 (VF-31, known as the
Tomcatters, radio call sign Felix) and
you can see the cool results in the
photos.
Callie also supplied the stars and bars
insignia, and the 160 and U.S. Navy
markings. Sticky-back vinyl markings
will adhere to painted EPP foam if you
mask the foam and spray it with 3M 77
adhesive.
Building session number one was
half an hour. I read the instructions
and sprayed EPP foam fuselage parts
with Krylon #51608 Smoke Gray gloss
spray paint. The fuselage and nacelles
can be spray painted or covered with
REVIEW
Below: Krylon gloss paint, Pactra Lacquer
Racing Finish, Pacer Technology Z-Poxy fiveminute
epoxy, Beacon Adhesives Quick Grip
glue, and Pacer Technology Z-42 threadlocker
compound were used to complete the model.
The Airtronics RX600 2.4 GHz FHSS receiver and
Airtronics 94809 digital, micro, high-performance, ballbearing,
metal-gear servos were used for the review.
Below: Kit contents include the Coroplast wing and vertical stabilizers, three EPP-foam fuselage
parts, scrap Coroplast and EPP foam, a vacuum-molded clear canopy, aluminum motor mount,
carbon-fiber stiffener, servo pushrods, a complete small hardware package, and instruction booklet.
www.ModelAviation.com April 2012 Model Aviation 69
another four-hour session. To install
control linkages, I drilled holes in
the motor mount and bolted on the
motor using Pacer Technology Z-42
threadlocker compound on the flat-head
screws supplied with the motor.
Tough Jets has supplied nylon-insert
self-locking nuts for the other locations
on the motor mount. Be sure to wire
and test the ESC and servos and set
control-surface travel. Set up transmitter
functions and bench-test the motor and
control-surface operation. The motor
will spin the propeller with the model
flat on the bench, but you will want to
keep a hand on it while the motor is
running.
I applied the sticky-back vinyl
markings I had ordered from Callie
Graphics.
Important note: The neutral position
of the elevons is 5/8 inch up, and the
“neutral position” of the thrust vector
surfaces is 3/32 inch up. Every Delta
wing sailplane and motor aircraft I have
seen needs some reflex up-elevator to
maintain level flight. A builder who
overlooks this important specification
may find himself or herself throwing
the airplane into the ground when
the intent was to launch it, and then
standing on the flying field with a big
cartoon question mark over his or her
head.
Check the balance point. Getting
the CG correct is critical to good flight
performance. Mine needed no extra
weight to balance at the recommended
11.25 to 11.50 inches from the wing’s
LE. The T-14V design incorporates
an ingenious method to change the
balance point in the field—the battery
compartment is longer than the
recommended-size battery pack, and
the pack can slide forward or back and
is held in position with a block of foam.
Flying
In five words: flies great, performs
fabulous aerobatics! A little more detail
needed, you say?
I launch the T-14V by grasping the
model underneath by the fuselage and
giving it a heave. After it has cleared my
hand, I advance the throttle and pull upelevator
to point the model straight up.
Roll rate during the unlimited vertical
climb is slightly quicker than one per
second, and the rolls are perfectly axial.
Before it becomes too small to see, I
cut the throttle and pull up-elevator to
quarter loop into inverted position.
The now-silent airframe descends in
a flat inverted position, waving gently
Specifications
Model type: Electric-powered pusher jet
Skill level: Intermediate builder;
intermediate pilot
Wingspan: 31 inches
Wing area: 615 square inches
Weight: 2 pounds
Length: 41.75 inches
Power system: 300- to 500-watt electric
Battery: Three-cell LiPo 2200 mAh 25c
Radio required: Three-channel with Delta wing
mixing
Construction: Coroplast sheet wing and fins,
EPP foam fuselage and nacelles
Price: T-14 basic kit $69;
T-14V vectored-thrust kit $79
TEST-MODEL DETAI LS
Motor: BP Hobbies #BL-A2814/6
brushless outrunner
ESC: BP Hobbies 50 amp ESC
Battery: G-Force EX Series 2200 mAh
three-cell LiPo 40C discharge
rate
Propeller: Master Airscrew 9 x 6 standard
nitro propeller
Radio system: Airtronics SD-5G transmitter,
Airtronics 92224 receiver, four
Airtronics 94809 microservos
Ready-to-fly
weight: 2 pounds, 4 ounces
Flight duration: 5 to 7 minutes
Flight speed: High speed 51 mph (radar
measured); low speed 3 mph
(estimated)
PLUSES
• Stunningly maneuverable
• High power-to-weight ratio; unlimited vertical
performance
• Wide speed range
• Inexpensive kit, which includes all needed parts
• Inexpensive motor, propeller, and speed control
• Tough and durable design and materials
MINUSES
• The kit is “scary ugly” when first opening the box
• Some say the model is ugly after it’s built
• The model is noisy under power
AT A GLANCE....
Left: Fuselage parts
were sprayed with
Krylon #51608
Smoke Gray gloss
paint. The canopy
was sprayed on the
inside with Pactra
RC294 Window Tint
Lacquer Racing
Finish, trimmed with
ordinary scissors,
and smoothed with
medium sandpaper.
Right: The airframe
can be built in
four hours. The
time required
to decorate the
T-14V will vary,
depending on
how involved your
color and markings
scheme is.
like a falling leaf. Amazingly, the model
responds to transmitter stick input,
and at the pilot’s command, will either
hold the falling-leaf position, roll out to
upright flight, or the pilot can apply
70 Model Aviation April 2012 www.ModelAviation.com
In Conclusion
I find the Tough Jets T-14V to be a
fun and exciting electric flight project.
Build one and the inexpensive and
quick-building kit becomes a super
aerobatic and memorably fun-to-fly
model airplane.
—Dave Garwood
[email protected]
manufacturer/distributor:
Tough Jets
www.toughjets.com
Sources:
Airtronics
http://airtronics.net
Callie Graphics
www.callie-graphics.com
power and half-loop to upright flight.
Back in level flight under motor
power, rolls are quick and axial. The
T-14V performs inside and outside
loops, Immelmann turns, Split-S
maneuvers, and pretty, sky-filling Cuban
8s and Reverse Cuban 8s.
The additional thrust vectoring
control surfaces allow maneuvers
such as the Kulbit and Snap Turn.
These maneuvers are easy to perform
employing strong elevator input with
the model flying at moderate speed
under power.
If this super maneuverability is not
enough for you and your amazed
onlookers, with a little headwind and
accurate, well-timed control inputs, the
T-14 will perform Pugachev’s Cobra.
Fly straight and level into the wind at
moderate throttle, pull up sharply, and
cut the throttle to 10%. The airframe
nose points up and then back. Gently
advance the throttle and apply forward
elevator stick pressure and return to
forward flight.
The T-14V can slow to an extremely
low airspeed and still maintain full
control. This allows walking-speed
landings in calm conditions, and with a
little headwind, it can literally descend
straight down to a soft landing on its
foam nacelles.
The only downside that I noticed
about the model is that it’s loud under
power. Some observers commented
on this and, in discussing it with the
designer, I learned that much of the
noise is created when the propeller
spins in the narrow slot cut in the wing.
Cutting the slot wider reduces the noise.
Another plus for the design and
the supplied materials is the T-14V
is tough and withstands bounced and
abusive landings. Have you ever tried
to tear Coroplast? EPP foam is the
most common construction material
for fuselages and wings of full-contact
combat slope gliders.
Using this material makes the model
tough enough to have its engine nacelles
act as skids for regular landings, and
makes the airframe strong enough
to withstand many “out of shape”
landings—with one exception.
On a one-point landing, when I was
not paying as much attention as I should
have, I broke the nose off of the foam
fuselage. It glued back together with
epoxy and was ready to go again the
next day.
Thinking that strengthening the
fuselage with an internal carbon-fiber
tube would relieve this problem, I
mentioned this to the designer. After
discussion, we agreed that allowing a
sacrificial nose break on a bad-landing
impact tends to save the rest of the
airframe, and is easy enough to repair
almost invisibly.
Below: The underside of the T-14V shows
the layout of components and practice
markings. Some wires are buried in slits
cut in the foam and some are temporarily
taped in place for flight-testing.
Right: The Sukhoi on the left was masked and
sprayed with Krylon paint. The red star markings
are from Callie Graphics. The Tomcat on the
right was ordered with gray wing parts and lines
were drawn with felt-tip markers. Star-and-bar
insignia, lettering, and VF-31 fin markings are
from Callie Graphics.