Xtreme FMS Junkers JU-87 G2 Stuka R/C ARF Warbird

3/01/2012
Would you recommend this product to a friend? : Yes
How long have you owned this product? : 4
: Week(s)
Pros : Nice looking, easy to assemble
Cons : No cons
Nickname : Mark Campbell
Title : FMS 1400mm Stuka Review
Detailed Review : 31 Dec 2011 FMS 1400mm JU-87 Stuka Review It all started when I got a call from Damian from Xtreme Hobby. The conversation went something like this…… “Mark, we are doing a special price on the FMS J-87 today, have put one aside for you. Get in your car and come and pick it up”. “Thanks Damian but I’m lacking space at home for another model, standing room only in the house so will have to pass”. “ Mark, just put a tent up outside to sleep in, get in your car and come and get the model”. And that is how I ended up with the FMS 1400mm JU-87 Stuka and sleeping in a tent in the back yard with the models inside having taken over the house. The model is to the usual high finish and detail that we have come to expect from FMS. This particular model is the JU-87 G-2 variant, which has the big 37mm underwing gun pods. It was nicknamed the Kanonenvogel (“Cannon-Bird”). As usual the vertical and horizontal stabilisers are held in place with screws. The wing has two carbon rods going through and is attached to the fuselage with front and rear plastic strips joining the wings and bolted to the fuselage with four screws – a la FU4 and T-28. System works well. The propeller blades are screwed onto the spinner backplate and the completed assembly mounted onto the motor shaft. The nicely painted spinner is screwed into place on the motor shaft. The 2 x 37mm underwing gun pods are a slide fit onto mountings. No risk of them coming off in flight. The undercarriage is bolted into place using 4 screws per wheel assembly. Last the twin machine guns and foot-mounting peg are glued in place to complete the model. Charging the battery takes longer than assembling the model. Time is taken up plugging in all the servo leads lighting leads and setting up the Ailerons and the 4 Flaps. They are all hinged below the wing trailing edge as per the full size. It is critical that you take the time to ensure they are align with the bottom of the wing – makes the first test flight easier. Well with no reasons not to test fly, the Stuka was lined up on the cricket pitch / runway and power applied. She tracked straight down the runaway and lifted off very nicely. Time spent in setting up really paid off. Turns were nicely balanced, plenty off power was available. Time to test flaps, first setting – no change in pitch, second setting – still no change in pitch. Thought I would come around and land the Stuka and let my friend John Knox have a flight. Unfortunately on the downwind leg of the circuit the model went off air and spiralled into the ground. Damage was the nose section broken off and wingtip damage. Overall impressions before the crash interrupted the test flight were this model is a pleasure to fly. I now need to replace this model (and the receiver) – Chad; do you have any FMS Hellcats left? I’m in the market for one. Investigation into the crash determined that the new Spektrum receiver was at fault and not the model. The receiver failed again in another model a day later. A pusher gilder this time used to test the faulty receiver theory. Model went off air after approx 4 minutes (same time as test flight) but as the model had height and was flying slow, we had time to turn the transmitter off then back on again to re-bind to the receiver for about 10 seconds before going off air again. Luckily we managed to level the wings and start flying back towards ourselves before going off air the second time. Model landed about 15 meters away with no damage and the receiver still not working. Managed to re-bind by unplugging the battery and turning the transmitter off then back on and re-plugging in the battery but did not try flying the model again.

21/09/2011
Would you recommend this product to a friend? : Yes
How long have you owned this product? : 4
: Day(s)
Pros : Easy Assembly, Good Flight behaviour, very nice to land
Cons : The tail wheel is apparently week and does not track too well on the ground
Nickname : Knoxie R.
Title : Mr
Detailed Review : I was given theis model by my wife as a Father's Day present. Yes she does have a sister, but you DO NOT want to go there! I gave the instructions a good reading before assembly, then got stuck in. Assembly was straight forward, with no nasty, "Oh Bugger" situations at all. The only area to pay particular attention to is the ailerons and flaps. Make sure that they're nicely lined up with the wing, and each other prior to flight. The Maiden. I have now been flying RC Aeroplanes for one year. I was a little nervous, as always, and planned to let my older brother, John, do the maiden when he came up this week end. Essentially, I tinkered with the model for a couple of days, then was satisfied that I had the setup just right, so this morning early (0600), I committed her to the air. Conditions this morning were calm, 8/8ths of blue and cool. I found that the local council had just mowed the oval, so the surface was perfect. I connected the battery, conducted final control checks, then gently eased the throttle forward for a grass take off. ( I would normally use the concrete Cricket Pitch, but considered it not necessary). The Stuka gathered speed, then gently lifted for a nice scale departure. I lifted my thumbs from the controls and wathched as she climbed away. I only had to trim some right aileron and up elvator out of her, and she was rock steady. On the second circuit, I opened her up for a low level, high speed pass....Nice. I then took her high and tested the stall characteristics. Straight and level, close the throttle, and she just drops the nose, no wing tip stall at all. OK, how about Loops and rolls? Full throttle, and up for a loop, at the top, close the thrttle, and allow her to complete and nice big scale loop. Nice Rols, pitch up, then roll. Very slow roll rate, nice and scale looking. Landings. On base, I applied 1/ flap, the gave her full flap as I rolled out on final. Then I just eased back on the throttle and allowed her to sink towards the ground, then eased back gently on the elevator to level off as the speed bled off, and a nice easy touch down on the mains. WOW, this model lands VERY nicely. I put a total of six batteries through her today, including the last two which were 16 mins of just circuits with touch and go landings. I really enjoy flying this model. It has very nice flight characteristics from take off to touch down. She has lovely presence in the air, which is enhanced by the lights. Do yourself a favour and GET THIS MODEL. I now have a new 'Go To'Model.