Written by Joe Hass A small, yet tough, flying wing Product review As seen in the Winter 2017 issue of Park Pilot.
Specifications:
Type: Foam flying wing Skill level: Intermediate Wingspan: 19.7 inches Weight: 2.8 ounces Price: $24.99 Info: towerhobbies.comFeatures:
>> Assembles quickly >> Incredibly durable >> Lots of power and equipment optionsProduct review
The HotWing Mini 500 is an EPP foam flying wing that gives you a durable flying platform in a small package. It goes together quickly with plenty of options for power and equipment. No hinging is required. Regular CA glue and kicker attaches the components. There are a few tricks. Regular, thin CA adhesive will wick through the pores of the EPP foam, meaning that it can drain onto your workbench or unexpectedly glue your fingers together. Use only a minimal amount of CA glue and quickly use kicker to set the adhesive. Covering your workbench with waxed paper will help.
The basic kit includes control horns, pushrods, and EZ-type connectors.
Begin by joining the wing halves. I start in the center on one side and tack the wing together. Move to the LE (leading edge), then the TE (trailing edge), apply CA glue and then kicker to hold one side. Flip the wing over and repeat the process on the opposite side. Next add the carbon-fiber rod reinforcement. This is tricky because the rod is small and brittle. I found that cutting a slot with a number 11 blade at the center, as indicated in the instructions, is a good place to start. Insert a Popsicle stick or tongue depressor into this slot to open it up slightly. Push the carbon-fiber rod into the slot with the same Popsicle stick and secure it with a drop of CA glue. Using the curved end of the stick will keep it from breaking the carbon-fiber rod. Work slowly and carefully, making sure you don’t push too hard. Next cut the rest of the slot, opening it with the Popsicle stick and again gently pushing the carbon-fiber rod into the wing with the rounded end of the stick. Put thin CA into the slot to hold everything together. Repeat the process on the opposite side of the wing.
The micro servo fits inside of the wing. Pushrods and control horns are included.
The foam motor mount is cut to match the TE. Make sure that you install it correctly. The clear plastic motor mount hard point is then glued to the foam motor mount. I sanded the surface of this clear plastic, positioned it in place, and then applied a few drops of thin CA adhesive. The control horns are also clear. I sanded the horns before cutting a slot in the elevons, positioned the horns, and applied CA glue and kicker. The instructions call for adding fiberglass tape around the LE. If you are flying from a rough surface, that might be necessary. I didn’t do it. The instructions suggest mounting the receiver and battery on the bottom. I mounted everything on the top to help protect them. The included EZ-style connectors should be approximately 1/2 inch from the center of the servo arm for proper throw. Wrap some clear tape around the servo case to make sure no CA glue wicks into the servo. Center the trims on your transmitter and make sure the servo arms are at 90° before gluing the servos in place. The kit includes pushrods with prebent Z-bends. The RimFire 200 motor comes with a three-wire connector in place, so changing the motor rotation is as easy as simply rotating the connector. A 5 x 3 propeller will provide great sport performance.
The RimFire 200 motor with a 5 x 3 propeller that screws into the included motor mount.
I used a Castle Creations Thunderbird (castlecreations.com) 6-amp ESC and a Tactic 624 receiver driving Hitec HS-40 servos with an ElectriFly (electrifly.com) 250 mAh 20C 2S LiPo battery and a Deans (wsdeans.com) two-pin micro connector. I went one step further and installed the Tactic FPV T1 transmitter and a camera to try my hand at FPV (first-person view). This required some extra wiring to pick up the 8.4 volts directly from the battery for the Tactic FPV transmitter, but only took a few minutes of soldering to accomplish. Launching is easy. A hard toss roughly 45° upward will get you plenty of altitude and enough time to advance the throttle. Even with the FPV camera and transmitter, flight performance was great. Loops and rolls from level flight are easy. Control response is great. With this power combination, you will have comfortable sport speed and flight times in excess of 10 minutes. Chop the throttle immediately before touchdown for landings. The EPP foam absorbs the minor shocks and dents from flying. Should a repair be necessary, just a drop of regular CA glue will do the trick. Without the FPV system, you will save roughly one ounce and get even more performance. Either way, this is a durable, aerobatic platform for flying in small areas. It goes together quickly and is easily repaired. Its reduced control throws make this aircraft as easy to fly as a trainer. -Joe Hass [email protected]
