Cool Turboprop plane w/scale 5-bladed prop & retracts - Fast and Fun |
The Pilatus PC-21 is a unique aircraft in today's world. It is the most advanced training turboprop available and provides a great platform for training tomorrow's front line fighter pilots.
Our model has a 36" wingspan, is 44-1/4" long, with 236 sq. in. of wing area, and weighs 43 oz. ready to fly. The PC-21 is molded with tough EPO foam and is pre-painted, and decorated. It is a faithful reproduction of the turboprop trainer that is being used to train the next generation of jet fighter pilots. This model is very close to the scale outlines of the real plane and includes the signature 5-bladed scale prop with scimitar blades. This prop is not just for display, it is a great match for the 760Kv brushless motor and 50A ESC w/BEC and can be flown with either a 3-cell or a 4-cell Lipo of 1600mAH to 2100mAH. It's no slouch on 3-cells (our video plane is flying on 3-cells) but if more power and speed is what you are looking for then go with a 4 cell.
The sturdy mechanical retracts are pre-installed in the wings and fuselage and pre-connected to the retract servos. The gear legs have scale gear doors attached and the nose wheel has gear doors and is steerable. Battery access is under the huge canopy that is held in place with magnets. Battery changes are quick and easy. The installation of functioning flaps is an option, the servo locations are pre-molded and all that is necessary is the addition of 2 servos and their pushrods after cutting the flaps free.
We offer this airplane as a receiver-ready model and recommend the use of a computer radio so that the control throws can be set per the illustrated instructions. With these settings the airplane is a terrific performer and exhibits the precision and feel of a pattern plane with the impeccable scale looks that will turn heads every time that you show up at the flying field. Requires a 6-channel radio system (computer type recommended), lipo batteries and a lipo battery charger to complete.
Pilatus PC-21 ARF w/Retracts Specs:
- 36" Wingspan
- 44-1/4" Length
- 236 sq. in. Wing Area
- 43oz. Flying Weight (with 3-Cell Battery)
- 760Kv Brushless Outrunner
- 50A ESC w/5A BEC (switch mode)
- 5-Blade Scale Turbo Prop
- Mechanical Retracts
- EPO Foam Construction
Required Not Included:
- 6-Channel Radio System (Computer type recommended)
- 3 or 4 cell Lipo Battery Pack 1800-2200mAh
- Lipo Battery Charger
To add flaps, you need the following items:
i researched this model before purchasing it. if you are buying this plane because it looks like a great flying please realize that some work needs to be done it before you get to that point. here is the list i had to do:
1. one servo came stripped and another sounded really rough. HL cust service was awesome and sent the stuff right away no questions asked.
2. wheels - you need to make sure you sand down the wheel retaining pins because they bind on the wheel.
3. retracts - i set them up so all 3 close at the same time and servos are not buzzing.
4. the pilots needed to be glued into place.
red sharpie marker does a great job touching up the paint.
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2 stars for appearance only - very scaled, detailed painting, sleek and powerful look.
Everything else is the lowest quality stuff I ever had - soft foam with scratches and dents right out of box, wet sticky paint, heavy motor with visible rotor misalignment, 50A ESC overheating at 40A, retracts needed adjustment, significantly overweighted for it's size and materials, expensive props shipped with smashed spinners, fragile motor mount which comes with whole fuselage only, ...
And finally, it didn't fly for me. Two tries - two flips over left wing with crashes. Now in doubts if it makes sense to invest into it again, because overall budget after 0 successful flights comes close to $300 already, what is enough to get decent scaled balsa model of .40 class.
Nothing personal , H-L, but this offer is just horrible
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In one word this model is garbage. I have never had a bad plane from Hobby-Lobby before, but this one truly is. Like everyone else, my paint and decals were sticky. The parts didn't fit together properly. The canopy paint scrapped off. The retractc doors were broken. But it gets worse. When I went to install one of the exhausts I realized that it was already broken and couldn't be attached. I finished up the plane did some taxi tests and took it to the field. On my initial takeoff run, the right wheel fell off just as I lifted off. Now I had a choice, either belly land it on a paved runway or land it with the gear down. I went gear down and managed to only break the retract pushrod for the nosegear on landing. As I went to put the main wheel back on I realized that they are just a press fit, with no way to change the wheel to a collar without replacing the entire wheel with a different kind. That is just insanely cheap. For the price I expect a plane to at least go together and fly well and not fall apart the first time I try to fly it.
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Great plane with lots of power...Very easy to build. Was flying in hours with this plane...
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This plane came in shabby shape. The screw holes did not line up properly to attach wing assembly to the fuselage. Therefore the left wing is 1-2mm larger than the right. I did not figure this out untill i had attempted to fly it. The landing gear is not lined up properly either. Basically every moving part needed adjustment to fit properly, which isnt a big deal as long as they will fit properly, which they did not. I had to bank left slightely to fly straight. Good luck, made in China what would i expect for such a cheap plane.
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Ditto on the previous review detailing slightly damaged nose gear door. Decals seemed not fully dry (sticky)on model but clear coating solved problem. I am very pleased with this model and it is recommended for intermediate to advanced flyers. Just go over all the linkages and do a thorough pre-flight before taking to the air (taxi test, run up, etc. take your time).Beautiful plane!
First flight was on 3s pack--fly it like an EDF. I installed flaps right away and highly recommended! I chose to hand launch first.Landing speeds are high but I was pleased to see that vertical surfaces provide much directional control (in the yaw department) which made the roll outs, although fast, pretty darn tame. Very exciting model and pleased to see that this scale prop pulls very well (I'll be going to the 4s after I get the 3s mastered).Check out some of the reviews on the web (one shows a 4s to provide more than 2x the thrust) showing flight on 4 s with blistering speeds. Model was very responsive in the air. A couple of tip stalls in the pattern while dirty were quickly fixed by full power (yikes!). This ship gets 4.5 stars I am very excited about this plane!!! I am a former, short term, customer of Banana Hobby (ugh!): Enter Hobby Lobby!
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Just got mine yesterday and put the maiden flight on it today. Too much fun! The build was really quick, not a lot to do there. It looks so cool hanging from my ceiling and equally as cool in the air. I flew mine on a 3S battery and the speed nice. I can see a 4S upgrade in my future though. The retracts were solid once adjusted properly, and the electronics seem to be working just fine. All in all, I'm glad to have purchased it and can't wait to get some more stick time in.
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Packing: Model is not packed adequately. Front Retract door hinges were broken upon receipt.
Finish: Paint was very tacky and not completely dry. Decals were especially sticky and had in some cases been scaprd away in shipping. Because of the paint not being dry, it was peeled away in many places requiring touchup. You could actually scrape away paint on cowl with finger.
Design: Tail surfaces are stuck in place with double sided tape which does not work on the horiz stab since it has to be slid in place. Remove all tape and use epoxy. Pilots were taped in place in cockpit. One was loose in the canopy when it arrived. The other came loose in assembly. You have to remove one side of the canopy (held on with tape) and glue the pilots in place with epoxy and reassemble. Front landing gear if reall sloppy and probably will break.
Flying: Model flew weel and looked great in the air, which is why I rated it a 2 instead of a 1.
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