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ATIS
07-21-2009, 08:41 PM
PARKZONE SU-26M SUKHOI
BNF REVIEW




http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=10&pictureid=96
http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=10&pictureid=98http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=10&pictureid=97



The Parkzone SU-26m comes neatly and well packaged.

Whats in the box:

(1) SU-27m
(1) Charger
(1) 1s 110mah lipo
(1) Wire landing gear
(1) Spare prop
(1) package of AA batteries

Whats not in the box:

(1) Spectrum TX (DX5, DX6i, or DX7)

The Build:

The entire build takes 10 seconds... just snap the landing gear to the bottom and your done. It takes longer to install the 4 AA batteries into the charger so I recommend you do that first as it takes 30 minutes to charge the lipo. To make CG you may need to remove a littl glue around the motor (inside) or add a small nail to the tail.

Center of Gravity:

Is 30-32mm from LE of wing. I used 2 tooth picks and a block of foam to make a CG machine for her. Shifting the lipo even a little causes huge changes in CG. This step is very time consuming. Once you find the sweet spot, mark the lipo location to easy later flights.

Binding:

I used my DX6i so the binding is easy. Just plug in the lipo and then turn on the TX while holding the trainer switch forward. Look into the nose of the plane and when the flashing light goes solid your bound to the SU-26.

Please insure you have already set up your TX for a new plane before binding.

Report Card:

Good:
- Easy build
- Nice looks
- Larger capacity lipo then the Vapor/mCX

Bad:
- Slightly underpowered, climbouts are slow
- Charger is iffy...mine claims full charge after 2 minutes!! Just leave the lipo on her for 30 minutes to be safe.
- Weak props
- Difficult to make CG. (I removed a little glue from around the motor and then added foam safe CA inside the tail)


Flight Report:

Weather Conditions:

- 4 to 7 mph winds
- Sunny

http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=10&pictureid=100http://www.horizonrcflyers.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=10&pictureid=101


Maiden:

I realize that the instructions are specific about her being an indoor or outdoor flyer only with CALM winds...but I couldnt resist. I took her out and ran her down the neighbors driveway for a nice ROG...good idea as she will ROG however the winds were a little heavy at the time and this plane gets pushed around to the extreme making her very twitchy!! I managed to break a prop. (the prop screws off in a counter clockwise direction).

After replacing the prop with the included spare I went out in the backyard with a freshly charged lipo to try my luck on the golf course. I hand launched her this time and she was off and flying. Surprisingly she is fast for her size, roughly 10 mph at WOT!! I managed to fight the wind which made for a very tense flight!! I amanged a few rolls but was unable to pull off a loop due to the wind as she would just blow down the field while maintaining altitude.

Report Card:

HL: Easy, WOT and let go.
Glide: NA (too windy)
Rolls: Fast
Loops: NA (too windy)
Inverted: NA (too windy causing too much twitchy behavour)
Speed: 10 mph
Landing: Non-event
Beginner: No, need to be familiar with aelirons first as the response is immidiate

Summary:

CG IS CRITICAL! Surprisingly fast and manueverable for her size in level flight, however climbouts are disappointing and loops didnt happen from level flight. Alot of fun to have something capable of sport flying in such a tiny package. She requires more space then the Vapor (I tried to fly her in my living room...bad idea as she will eat up a 20x15 living room in seconds unless your in a high alfa) due to her speed. Keep an eye on the rudder, on hard landing I noticed the rudder would shift and have to be recentered. The Charger has issues, you might need to open it up and check for bad connections to ensure a full charge. Without the full charge you wont be able to gain altitude.


WARNING: The motor mount will work loose after a few nose in's...especially if you removed any of the white glue to help shift the CG. I used a little foam safe CA to re-attach mine, however, IT ATE THE FOAM!! I now have a hole in the bottom of my fuse!!

ATIS
07-21-2009, 10:24 PM
Here the video (finally)...mine is a little underpowered compared to FlyBye's)

http://www.vimeo.com/6344234

WJCJR1
07-22-2009, 04:28 PM
I like the idea of a more capable small airplane. Fly on calm days in your backyard...

Do you feel the twitchy nature can be dialed out with a CoG change of just strictly a wind versus vehicle weight issue causing the twitchy flight character?

I will look for your continued review of this plane.

Wayne

ATIS
07-22-2009, 04:53 PM
I admit I did a terrible job of setting the CG. I have tweaked it back to 31mm so I hope that will remove some of the twitchiness. Being nose heavy (as bad as she was) really caused the nose to drop on turns so I found myself fighting the wind and a very nose heavy plane... my CG was a good 4-6mm in front of the most forward recommended CG. Loops should be much easier... hope to get a fight tonight plus the in flight photos...even if my daughter has to come out and try and take them. She is actually pretty good at airshows with my camera.

WJCJR1
07-22-2009, 05:01 PM
With the extreme forward CoG which has now been corrected, I would not be suprised to see the climb-out improve dramatically. I have flown some nose HEAVY planes before and BLAhhhh they are a dog and can't climb to save themselves.

Wayne

ATIS
07-22-2009, 05:10 PM
I suspect the same on this one...that and the loops should improve since the pivet point on the wing is the same but the weight is now across it rather then the elevator trying to create the leverage to pivet all that weight.

ATIS
07-22-2009, 07:23 PM
CG change made a huge difference. She isnt nearly as touchy and she doesnt drop the nose in banking turns.

I removed glue from the motor area, cut foam out at the back of the lipo box, added some foam safe CA in the tail all to help move the CG back.

flybye
07-23-2009, 01:59 PM
nice review atis.

well, I saw one of these at the lhs and thought, what the heck, lets try one.
I have been reading alot about these on forums all over the web, so right off I did some mods after checking my cg. she was so nose heavy.
ditched the spinner, carved off the front scoop, moved the batt back(carved a little foam out), tape on ele and rud, oil on the gearbox bushings, maxed throws. still need some up trim, but not much.
flew great, inverted only needed a touch of input to fly level.
flew nice inverted harrier fairly slow, im impressed.
looped from level flight at just over 1/2 power.
power was more than I expected.
flies fast for its size.
very little glide, so landings are fast.
harrier landings can be done, but is tricky.
rolls fast.
props ok after three no so great landings.
just catch it!
so far love it, even got a ugly hover out of it.
scott.

flybye
07-23-2009, 02:02 PM
after opening this up, I can see why its so nose heavy, the glue on the front motor is GOBBED on. way to much.

ATIS
07-23-2009, 02:04 PM
Scott, happy to hear your having success. I hope I have the CG dialed in as mine still seems extremely touchy... I look worse then Art flying his Apprentice!! No inverted yet for me but I plan to get her out when I get home. Its hard trying to build a plane for a review AND review this one at the same time!!

flybye
07-23-2009, 02:25 PM
hey bryan, I was all over the place at first with mine to. 70% expo calmed her down.

ATIS
07-23-2009, 02:36 PM
I dialed in 75% but I think I decreased my throws too much and now I am heavy on the sticks since they dont respond till I get them to the xtremes and then the throws are extreme.. I am goin gto adjust it all when I get home. CG is marked so thats one less thing to toy with. I have been flying her in the front yard (the car in the pict is my neighbors since his yard has less trees... and his long straight driveway makes a great runway!! :)

ATIS
07-23-2009, 06:22 PM
OK, I got home and tested the new CG... she flew great. However during the trimming process I hit my house and cracked the foam on the lower fuse half and the motor came loose causing massive vibrations. A little contact cement (looks just like the crap thats there now) fixed it... I originally tried foam safe CA but for some reason it ate the foam.

flybye
07-24-2009, 04:45 AM
wjcjr1, I see alot of people (including myself at first) going to max rates with lots of expo, not the best idea IMO with a tiny plane thats already a handfull. unless your used to a really responsive plane.
I ended up reducing some of the aileron throw with not as much expo, and calmed the roll rate back a bit and it made a big difference for me.

ATIS
08-30-2009, 12:14 PM
video added to main page... Scott, thanks for flying her for me.