Distributed by:
Great Planes Model Distributors
P.O Box 9021
Champaign, IL 61826-9021 www.electrifly.com
"Ever since the original
.40-size kit appeared in 1982, Super Sportsters have grown with
every advance in the R/C hobby. They've adapted like champs to 4-stroke engines, ARF assembly
and brushed electric power. This design just gets better with
time!" - Don Anderson, Founder of Great Planes Model Manufacturing.
Electrifly is adding to
their line-up with the new Super Sportster EP RxR.
This is the first plane in the Sportster family to be molded in Aero-Cell foam - a lightweight, but tough
material.
Channels Used: 4 total - Aileron, Elevator, Throttle, Rudder
Control Throws: LOW
Elevator, up/down: 1/4" (6mm) 7°
Ailerons, up/down: 7/32" (6mm) 9°
Rudder, right/left: 5/8" (16mm) 14°
Control Throws: HIGH
Elevator, up/down: 9/16" (14mm) 16°
Ailerons, up/down: 5/16" (8mm) 13°
Rudder, right/left: 7/8" (22mm) 19°
Items Needed To Complete
4 Channel Radio (min) w/ Receiver
3S 11.1V 25C LiPo Battery
Phillips and Straight Screwdriver
Hobby Knife (optional)
Adjustable Wrench
Straight-edge Ruler
Needle-nosed Pliars
The Super Sportster EP RxR arrived on
my front porch in the standard brown shipping package. Inside, I found a brightly colored box with lots of
pictures, specifications, and a 'required items' list. Although there is minimal packing material inside
the box, the foam cradles protect the plane from shipping damage.
After the parts had been removed
from their bags and inventory was taken, I realized just how few parts there were. With the low parts count,
this plane should go together quickly!
There are several features that I
really like on this plane. The large, removable battery hatch gives ample access to the battery, and all of
the servos and push rods are pre-installed.
Also of interest were the pre-installed
brushless outrunner motor, ESC, and cowl. The two-piece horizontal stabilizer is attached to the fuselage
with four screws, and there are no adhesives required to assemble the Super Sportster!
Manual
The instruction manual is very
informative. The illustrations are clear, and the written instructions are easy to follow.
TAIL ASSEMBLY
Assembly starts with installing the
horizontal stabilizer halves.
The square elevator joiner tube is inserted into one half of the elevator, and then the halves are slid into
the plastic holder in the fuselage. Lining up the two alignment pins required a little patience, but wasn't
difficult. Once the halves met in the middle, I secured the stab with the four screws. Since the elevators are pre-hinged, and the
control horn is pre-installed, the last thing to be done was to attatch the push rod to the elevator
horn with the included connector.
WING ASSEMBLY AND
INSTALLATION
The wing tube is inserted into one wing half,
and then the second wing panel was slid onto the tube. The only item that is even remotely challenging is making sure that
both servo wires are in their respective cutouts as the two wing halves meet.
I then installed the included Y-harness,
attached the wing to the fuselage, and pushed the landing gear into their mounts. That completes the wing
assembly!
FINAL TOUCHES
The receiver was installed using the included
hook-n-loop tape, and the servo wires were connected. Since I used a Futaba FASST 2.4 gHz receiver, I taped the
antennas to the inside of the fuselage perpendicular to each other.
Installing the prop adapter, spinner back
plate, and propeller was the only area I found a little frustrating. Normally, the prop adapter is slid on the motor
shaft, followed by the spinner back plate and propeller. I tried that the first time, but found that once the prop
nut was tightened, the back plate was rubbing on the cowl. After shimming the assembly with some card stock, it all
worked just fine. Two more screws secured the spinner in place.
Checking and adjusting the control surfaces was
easy using a straight edge. I did have to adjust the elevator push rod, but that was easily done.
The
battery and hatch were installed, and the CG balance point checked. Using the Super Tiger 1250 mAh battery, the CG
came out perfectly (2 5/8" from the leading edge of the wing) with the battery place as far forward as it would go.
I made a small wedge using a piece of light plywood to keep the battery in this forward location.
That's it!
Now that the Super Sportster EP RxR has been assembled, let's take a few pictures and see how she flies!
Due to the fact that the Super Sportster is a small,
lightweight plane, I had to wait for a calm day for the maiden flight. When the day did finally arrive, I wasted no time
getting to the field!
As I taxied the Super Sportster away from myself
it was clear that the steer-able tail wheel was a great addition to the plane!
Once lined up on the runway, I opened the
throttle, and off into the blue she went! Take-offs need a little right rudder to offset the motor torque, but are easy
and non-eventful.
As the plane gained altitude, I banked gently to
the left and made a few circuits around the field to set the trims and get a feel for her. Very little trim was needed
to get the plane to fly "hands-off". At half throttle, the Sportster flies very nice - just a great little sport plane!
On to aerobatics! Since the Super Sportster is a
four-channel plane, the sky is the limit (no pun intended) when it comes to aerobatics. The included brushless outrunner
motor has more than enough power to pull the plane up and over large loops, and rolls are crisp and clean. With lots of
rudder authority, stall turns are a blast to perform! Most 'precision' type aerobatics can be done with ease, and Immelmans
and Cuban eights are just 'plane' fun to do!
Slowing the Super Sportster down can be a lot of fun
too - she will just seem to hang in the air at lower throttle settings. When she finally stalls, the nose drops with level
wings. Add a little power and some up elevator, and she's flying again!
When the time came to land, I simply lined her up on
the runway, brought the throttle back to just above idle, and the little plane settled in nicely. With the wheels just a
few inches off the ground, I pulled the throttle back and she touched down gracefully on the main gear, rolled a bit and
then dropped the tail. As is typical of the Super Sportster family, this plane is a blast from start to finish!
Check out the video to see
the Super Sportster in action!
Electrifly Super Sportster EP RxR
Or,
Download the Video (21 Meg) CLICK HERE
Electrifly has added another great airplane
to their line-up, and the fact that it's a Super Sportster is wonderful. The history of the Super Sportster line added to
a foam, receiver-ready plane makes this a great little plane to keep in your car for those 'spur-of-the-moment' flights.
The price is reasonable at $129.99 for a receiver ready plane, considering all of the servos are included AND pre-installed.
Electrifly hit the proverbial nail on the head with this 'Great Plane'!
Distributed by:
Great Planes Model Distributors
P.O Box 9021
Champaign, IL 61826-9021
The comments, observations and conclusions made in this review are solely with respect to the particular item the editor reviewed and may not apply generally to similar products by the manufacturer. We cannot be responsible for any manufacturer defects in workmanship or other deficiencies in products like the one featured in the review.
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