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 The kit contains the pre-assembled fuselage, combined right and left wing halves with mounted ailerons, horizontal stab with elevator and vertical fin with rudder. All of the parts are pre-covered with a premium self-adhesive plastic film which has heat activated shrinking and adhesion, along with 7 years of UV protection. These are high quality, hand crafted airplanes. The fuselage and tail feathers are made very conventionally with balsa and ply. Perhaps the only differences in these airplanes and that which any expert modeler would build, are that the cowl, belly pan and tail fairing are not built up balsa or other materials, polycarbonates and PETGs. Also the wings are not built up, but constructed with structural composite covering over a foam core and internal structure. All the components (except foam core wings and the ailerons) are laser cut. The wing center section has already been completed and the internal braces and framework are an integral part of the wing structure. By joining the wing halves at an early stage of manufacture, the center section becomes an integral part of the wing structure and results in a very strong joint capable of high level aerobatics. The recommended engine size for this kit is .60 - .90 cid, 2 stroke or 4 stroke engines. I installed an Super Tigre 90 engine. The only modification was to replace the hard wire throttle control rod with flexible rod. The engine fit perfectly in the supplied Dave Brown engine mount. After the servos and receiver are installed and the control throws are adjusted, the model must be balanced. If an Super Tigre 90 is installed, consideration must be give to the fact that it is heavier than the intended engine weight of 14.7 ounces and it will require you to relocate the CG in the proper place by moving the batteries and the receiver. If it becomes necessary to add some lead weight near the tail this added weight will be offset by the gain from the more powerful engine. While a true builder may be able to finish the kit in 2 hours, it took me 5 hours to complete. The hinges are tight and the covering is EXCELLENT. It is strong and well applied. All the wood pieces, except the landing gear block, are interlocking and I don't see any plastic short of the cowl, belly pan, and rear fairing. The plane flies good and it is real responsive. My plane came out at 7 pounds even with an Super Tigre 90. I used Hitec 422 servos and a 1000maH battery. I can get 7 - 10 minute flights without recharging. The plane is very responsive and does not float when landing. The Super Tigre 90 with an APC 14" x 6" propeller was started and adjusted for proper running and the plane took off. It needed a small amount aileron and elevator trim to fly straight and level. The power of the Super Tigre 90 was sufficient to take off at ¾ throttle and to fly at ½ throttle. The CG was at the 4 1/8" position with no weight in the tail. This CG position makes the plane slightly tail heavy but allows a smoother transition from a trainer. The first flight showed that the plane was very responsive and nimble on high rates and smooth and stable on low rates. Basic aerobatics were attempted and the plane responded very nicely. Rolls, loops, hammer heads, tail slides, Cuban eights and inverted flight were performed without any aircraft induced errors. At the forty third (43) flight with my original model, my OS 91FS died while making low speed inverted pass. It flew into the high corn and was totaled. I purchased a second kit for $170 and the above revisions reflect the improvements to this ARF. As of this review, the second Epic Extra 300 S RTF 2h has flown two (2) times without incident.
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Developed by Geistware of Indiana© ., 1999.
Updated May 25, 2002