Model Airplane News – September 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019 53

The nose cone is easily removed for transportation or

if you need to replace it.

The plane is bound up to my DX18 Stealth and ready for its check flight.

BOTTOM LINE

The 70mm Thunderbirds F-16 requires only basic final assembly, and it can

be completed in approximately two hours. Medium Zap CA works well on the

EPO foam and is needed in just a few places, but be patient and allow it to dry

without using kicker. The only change I would make is regarding scale realism.

I will probably cut the AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles from the rails and install the

rails only because that’s how the full-scale jets are configured. J

paved runway. The high-quality landing
gear should hold up to grass fields with no
problem.
With the gyro-stabilized rudder, takeoff
was straight ahead and the F-16 accelerated
quickly and stayed on its line. A nose-high
landing approach can be easily established,
and by using the throttle to control the
descent rate, the F-16 will fly right to the
runway, touch down on the main wheels,
and roll out. Resist the urge to turn until the
plane comes nearly to a full stop and you will
have no problems with the narrow gear.

GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
Stability: Whether in SAFE or AS3X mode,
the F-16 is extremely stable in flight. High-
alpha flight is especially rock-solid and fun
to perform.
Tracking: Thanks to the smooth design and
AS3X assistance, the Thunderbirds F-16
tracks like a slot car. It’s particularly locked in
during landing approach.
Aerobatics: The F-16 performs the
maneuvers you would expect from a jet.
Vertical is good with a pack on the lower end
of the weight range, and with the gear up,
the F-16 is fairly fast. Point rolls feature crisp

stops, and the plane tracks well in loops but

looks best doing high-speed upright and

inverted runway passes.

Glide and stall performance: It glides like a

jet—in other words, not very well. Stalls,

however, are surprisingly gentle, and

recovery is nearly instantaneous. But if you

lose power, get the nose down and keep

your speed up.

PILOT DEBRIEFING

The E-flite Thunderbirds F-16 has a

surprisingly wide speed range and looks

good going fast or slow. While it’s not a

trainer, it is one of the easier-to-fly electric

jets in its class, and the included inrunner

motor and aluminum gear are optional

performance upgrades in other models of

the same size and price range.