Worth a Closer Look
Easy Tiger Shark
This sharp-looking F-20 is Park Pilot Program–legal and a kick in the pants to fly, whether you're a hotshot or a sport pilot. It is available receiver-ready and includes a special three-blade fan system inside a 64 mm shroud.
A 4300Kv outrunner motor wired to a 25-amp ESC has enough thrust to scoot the 21-ounce model along at a respectable pace, and it will climb above the treetops as quickly and reliably as it can get below them for a perfect touchdown on the sturdy wire landing gear.
Rigid molded-foam construction and detailing make this F-20 a convincing scale model. A 1300 mAh, 20C, 11.1-volt Li‑Poly battery assures about six minutes of flight time. Remove the gear, and this model is on an intercept mission. This inexpensive electric-ducted-fan–powered jet’s most considerate feature is that the servos aren’t goop-mounted; they are secured into precise recesses with small screws, making adjustments simple.
Assembly is fast—just five quick epoxy joints and it’s finished. Before our battery charged, it was ready to fly.
The F-20 has a limited-time introductory price of $139.
- Easy Tiger Models: Box 869, New York, NY 10116
- Tel.: (917) 971-3322
- Web site: www.easytigermodels.com
ModiFly
Magazines print hundreds of pages of construction articles a year that end with the phrase, “I could fill the entire magazine with more building information” or something similar. They mean they could write a book on the subject.
They wouldn’t be textbooks, because those are boring. The articles are typically light on the whys and wherefores of the particular topic; the nitty-gritty details are assumed.
If you’re an expert on the dynamics of materials, aerospace engineering, and environmental sciences, that approach is fine.
If you’re like many of us, you need RCadvisor.com’s new book about designing and building RC models. ModiFly teaches readers how to develop ideas that fly. Besides the great information about the topic you love, you’ll be entertained by the author’s fun approach and read along as if sitting at your home workbench, cutting and gluing away.
- RCadvisor.com: 2200 Elizabeth St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112
- Tel.: (505) 206-1569
- Web site: www.rcadvisor.com
No-Fuss Flux
To today’s aeromodeler, soldering might be one of the most essential skills next to flying without the buddy cord. Bare wires don’t come with instructions, but after a few lessons a modeler learns that solder won’t stick without flux; sometimes it won’t even melt.
Conventional solder flux is messy and leaves a burnt-on residue that can corrode even the best-prepared joint. Dr. Marty’s No‑Clean soldering flux is a clear liquid that almost disappears once the solder joint is completed. A bit more flux is better than less; either way, no cleanup is required afterward (the parts should still be cleaned well beforehand). The liquid even smells pleasant, so there will be no complaints from those you live with or the overhead fire alarm.
- E-Power RC, LLC: Box 1201, Los Alamitos, CA 90720
- Tel.: (714) 982-4547
- Web site: www.rcmicroflite.com
Hyperion DUO3 Charger
The Hyperion DUO3 allows users to charge two batteries at once. Both 180-watt ports run independently, so you can charge two battery packs simultaneously.
Key features include a 12-bit balance circuit, built-in USB DataPort, 20 memory slots per port (40 total), and a maximum current per port of 15 amps. The DUO3 supports charging-capable batteries at up to 5C.
Handy functions include storage mode, which charges or discharges to about 60% capacity for safe storage—great for those who cannot fly year-round—and Sync mode, which allows two batteries to be charged as if they were one (we used this to charge two 6S 5000 mAh batteries together).
Supported battery types:
- 1- to 6-cell Li‑Ion and Li‑Poly
- 1- to 6 A123 cells
- 1- to 16-cell Ni‑Cd and NiMH
- 1- to 12-cell Lead‑Acid
The DUO3 comes with the charger, charge leads, two Hyperion balance adapters, and a USB cable. It supports balancing of other balance plugs with multi adapters available separately.
- Empire Hobby LLC: 950 E. Baseline Ave., Unit 210, Apache Junction, AZ 85219
- Tel.: (480) 982-0909
- Web site: www.empire-rc.com
Worth a Closer Look
GX02 Magic Box
The price barrier of the heading-hold gyro has been broken. When an RC pilot trusts the operation of a gyro—the heart of a well-trimmed helicopter—his or her potential to become a better flier is virtually unlimited.
The gyro is where money on a machine is well spent, and it has been one of the more expensive parts. The new Walkera GX02 offers the advantages of a remote accelerated (oversized) gyro system in a package suitable for 250- to 600-class helicopters. And it’s less than $100—$84.95, to be exact.
All features found in digitally programmable gyros are available in this little AVCS‑equipped unit. It’s user-friendly (it even says “Hello” at startup) and comes with clear instructions.
We’ve been flying our sample for several months on a 450-class helicopter and are very satisfied. Pirouette rates are blinding in both directions, and the unit can carry the tail through a full-speed backward down-line without blowing out. Say no to drift—this box has none.
- BP Hobbies, LLC: 140 Ethel Rd. W., Ste. J, Piscataway, NJ 08854
- Tel.: (732) 287-3933
- Web site: www.bphobbies.com
Light Up Your Model
XeroGear’s Night Fly System makes it easy to fly in the dark. It is made from bright LEDs mounted on flexible tape with 3M-brand adhesive backing.
The LEDs emit bright, vibrant light available in red, blue, green, and amber. The light strips can be cut every 2 inches for easy placement on your model. The included wiring is soldered to a tab on each strip and wired to a power source; we soldered the leads directly to the speed control (ESC) for simplicity and less weight.
XeroGear’s lights are available in kits for both airplanes and helicopters; extra LED tape lights are sold separately in any of the four colors.
- XeroGear Ltd.: 484 Juneway Dr., Bay Village, OH 44140
- Tel.: (800) 407-0473
- Web site: www.xerogear.com
G3 Li-Polys
Hyperion Generation 3 Li‑Poly batteries provide more time in the air and less time at the charger. Amazingly, they can be safely charged at up to 5C—for charge times as low as 10–12 minutes. Our 3S 1300 mAh battery has been charged at 5C since it came out of the package and doesn’t even get hot after its typical 11-minute charge time.
The G3s deliver a flat discharge curve under load, allowing for even power throughout the flight. They’re made with new Hybrid RS construction technology, super-fine substrate materials, rigorous ISO 9001 quality control, and final cell-matching processes to guarantee performance in tightly balanced, long-lasting packs.
The G3 Li‑Polys come in two series:
- CX line: capable of 25C continuous
- VX line: capable of 35C
Available sizes range from 1S to 7S and 120 mAh to 6500 mAh.
Reaper Brushless Speed Controllers
Reaper Brushless has released its own line of switching BEC ESCs, providing more power to servos with a 4-amp switching BEC.
Available in three sizes to support continuous currents of 40, 60, and 85 amps (burst ratings of 60, 80, and 100 amps), these ESCs feature auto Li‑Po detection and fully programmable settings for brake, battery type, low-voltage cutoff (LVC), rotation, soft start, timing, frequency switching, and active RPM control.
- Reaper Brushless: 233 Legate Hill Rd., Leominster, MA 01453
- Tel.: (978) 230-2383
- Web site: www.reaperbrushless.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
