Chris Balling

I just finished the maiden hop on the new F-4 from Hobby Lobby. If you enjoy flying small electric ducted fans you're going to love this bird. This Phantom comes complete, goes together very quickly, and everything fits perfectly. It also has a slight angle of attack (just like its big brother) which makes take off easy and scale like. It flies a lot like an old 60 sized pattern plane, being very solid......some call it "on rails". It will do consecutive loops with ease, rolls with true authority and to be honest, in the air looks just like the real airplane. The airframe color, on this first production round, came our more green than gray, and the decals are a combination of both Air Force and Navy, so if you are a perfectionist (as I am) you'll not be completely satisfied (Hobby Lobby tells me that this will be fixed). Additionally, it only has a single nose wheel (picky-picky-picky) but the flight performance more than makes up for the minor imperfections concerning original appearance. The four cell, 2200 mph, included lipo, coupled with the preinstalled 70 mm fan unit really provides plenty of power. At 4600' asl with our 42 F temperature this morning I only used about half of the battery capacity for a 6 minute hop. Be aware, the CG, as listed in the assembly booklet, makes it a bit tail heavy, so unless you move the CG ahead slightly, keep up the speed. Additionally, like the real airplane, keep up the speed in a tight turn as she will tuck a bit. When I'm not flying my KINGCAT, you can rest assurred I'll have this little Phantom ready to sortie.

Chris Balling

rcmiket

I really like the F-16 they offer. Besides the CG being wrong on this one also. Its a keeper. Talk about bang for the buck. Mike

nyaoaka

GOT ONE JUST WHERE IS THE CG ON THE f4

Chris Balling

I recommend 1/2 to 1 inch ahead of the suggested CG in the instruction book. With that you only need just a tiny bit of down elevator pressure while inverted and the airframe is completely stable on final. Remember, this F-4 lands like the real machine.......Nose high-power on.

Chris

MustangAce

My Feedback: (3)

The F-16 is big! Thinking about putting a JetScreamer 1400 in that one and making it really scoot.

Very nice planes!

nyaoaka

thanx for the reply

Chris Balling

I had the opportunity this morning to really ring out my F-4. This is not a beginner or first ducted fan airplane. If you've purchased one because you like Phantoms, but do not have a lot of stick time then hang it up and look at it until you're proficient on either another ducted fan or turbine. Moving the CG forward an inch works out perfectly for me. One other change I've made is to shorten the nose strut 1/4 inch. On a hot landing this bird will bounce but with slightly less angle of attack she still rotates perfectly and sticks to the runway on touchdown. This model is like the real deal in one respect........you've got to keep the speed up in a tight turn or she will tuck hard (it's a design thing shared with deta wings like the A-4). No big deal as long as you keep the speed up. BTW, I've also recommended to Hobby Lobby that when their Mfg corrects the color from Green to Grey they put flat white on the bottom as to help in orientation should/when this bird gets out a bit too far........believe me; it will as she really scoots. More to come.

Chris Balling
FLY NAVY

rob737

My Feedback: (3)

congrats on your new jet! thanks for the info and the flight reports. i have been looking at the exceed/starmax f4 (smaller) being sold by nitro. have not taken the plunge yet. it would be my first edf plane. rob

Tomcat_104

My Feedback: (42)

Hey Chris,

Congrats and Thanks! Because of what you experienced I'm now looking at a HL F-4 for my son. He's an experienced pilot who's away at college where they will on allow him to keep electrics in his dorm. I don't get it but for some reason I guess they don't like the smell of kerosene. I've been looking for something that's very responsive and scoots for him and since I'm now disabled something that I don't have to build. This sounds like the perfect thing so I'll look into it............TODAY!

David

Chris Balling

Dave,

Check out my post about the little Blue Angel F-4. It's smaller, uses 11.1 volts, and can be very easily hand launched. Both are very fine little machines, but the smaller one will be much easier out of a Dorm Room.

Chris

Tomcat_104

My Feedback: (42)

Chris,

That's a good suggestion. Do you have a link to the larger one? I'm having a lot of trouble finding it so I'm taking the wimp way and asking you for it!

David

joeflyer

My Feedback: (48)

Chris,

I just took delivery of my F-4. I got it from Banana Hobby and it is identical to yours, except in camo scheme. The instructions are between poor and useless. Would you mind posting your exact CG location and elevator & aileron throws.

Thanks,
Joe

rob737

My Feedback: (3)

joe.....good luck with your new jet.....i looked at that one from banana, too. it looks great! rob

Chris Balling

Joe,

Two weeks ago I took delivery of Bananna's new Blue Angel version of the 70mm fan F-4 (my green HL is still alive and well). It's exactly the same airplane HL sells, except that Bananna got the color scheme correct. My balance is 6" back from the leading edge of the wing where it meets the fuse. My high rate aileron throw is 1/2 inch and elevator is 3/4 inch. I've also removed the Y-harness from the ailerons and go direct to the receiver for the flaperon version. At full flap I drop the aileron's 1/2 inch and compensate the elevator up 1/8 inch. It really slows down the airframe and with two clicks of power the machine looks very scale with a nose up angle of attack. We flew the airplane last Thusday at TIMPA in Tucson and the group was really impressed with it's speed and stability (but, what can you say, it's a Phantom). NOTE: This is exactly the same Phantom that HL sells except the colors are correct and it is considerably less expensive.

You'll love this Phantom.

Chris

joeflyer

My Feedback: (48)

Chris,

Thanks a lot. I also have mine set up for flaperons. After a few flights I'll give it a try. Not sure when that will be. It's winter in Michigan so it might be a while before the maiden. I hope it flies as good as it looks.

Joe