Mini F-8 Crusader FES Fighter Jet EPO (PNF)

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Customer Rated

Jun 08, 2016

Despite the complaints - it will fly, it just needs some tweaks - cut a cheater hole (eg: under the belly just in front of the EDF) & you may also need to replace the ESC with something better (the original in mine never delivered full power & died after a short while). I also tried to balance the prop - I think it's a bit better, but not perfect.
It's not very aerodynamic with that great big mouth & on 3S needs a lot of power to keep it in the air - using a 1,000mah 3s. I will see if the motor can take 4s which should help a lot. Tempted to paint it brown & call it a flying p*o

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Customer Rated

Feb 01, 2016

When I recieved this plane my first impressions were that it was very durable and of exceptional quality for the price.
After a while I found that the best way to launch this was to sprint with it into wind and then chuck it horizontally. Once in the air it flies OK.
Haven't summoned the courage to try a stall yet.

Overall, the experience of flying a vacuum cleaner with wings is an entirely new one to me and it is getting easier every time. Would recommend for the intermediate flyer.

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Customer Rated

Sep 10, 2015

Difficult start and landing but good to fly. The main problem are the
cheap plastic gear servos which causes the loss of my f8 as the elevator
failed and the model straight rammed in the field. I had the same problem with my T33 too and so i recommend to exchange them as soon as possible!

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Customer Rated

Jan 16, 2015

Picked up plane, son had it together withing 30 minutes, sounded good and looking forward to the first flight. Excellent cost for the plane.

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Customer Rated

Dec 10, 2014

Ok so even after reading all the reviews and comments to set this up it still wont fly nice its super unsteady in the air and can sometimes flatspin just after throw due to a lack of thrust and or roll to the right. not the best build either. i would suggest spending a bit more and getting the F16 or the F18 which do fly nice. SAFE TO SAY I WILL BE STRIPPING THIS MODEL FOR PARTS AND REBUILDING MY F18

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Certified Buyer Rated

Feb 14, 2014

hand launching this model is not easy.....it need speed. wings and height and rudder were not straight... with a little heat can you bend them right. nice plane

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Customer Rated

Dec 18, 2013

The CG in the manual is wrong. This jet will be too nose heavy to take off at 0.6:1 thrust weight ratio with 850mah 25c 3s. If you even get it to fly, it's going to bank right and crash unless you throw really hard in to the wind. The 84mm cg is WRONG. IT is NOT spot on. Only amateurs will say it is, after they modified the power setup. CG should more to 100mm from leading edge of the wing. A glide test with this cg high up, the nose still slowly points downwards. Do NOT follow the CG recommendation. You will have hard time launching it. After I converted it to pusher prop 4.5x4 with 3000kv hxt blue wonder motor, I get 1:1 at half throttle and vertical power at full, for much less heat/wasted. Longer flight time too.

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Customer Rated

Jul 09, 2013

Quality and looks are fine.
Flight characteristics are rather disappointing.
When you get it to fly it's quite fast with fast roll rate.
Has to be thrown very fast or it stalls very quickly with difficult or no recovery!
Same problem if you try to loop it!
All in all I would not recommend ...

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Customer Rated

Jun 06, 2013

This plane is a dud! Way under powered and if you go by the CG given you have to add lots of nose weight. HK should send this plane back to the maker for an upgrade. Too bad it looks very good.

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Customer Rated

Mar 08, 2013

A beautiful looking model and really well made. Decals look good and the paint job is nice. Everything fits together perfectly. Slight modification allows for up to about 1100mAh 3s under the canopy with gentle foam removal.
The 50mm edf units that come with this skyangel are all the same. They are very thin and the outer casing flexes. Put that with a very tight fitting fan recess and you end up with fan blade contacting the housing.
My fan blade shattered during the bench run BEFORE the maiden.
400g AUW, 180watt peak and 16amps I was expecting good things.
I changed the housing for the 50mm on HK, and reinstalled the stock motor and skyangel 5 blade fan (which I have a stock of from my T-45).
Took it to my flying field and balanced the C of G just 5mm forward of recommended.
One HUGE throw and bang - flat spin into the ground = no damage
Another HUGE throw - plane flying but no elevator authority and crash = no damage
Throws adjusted and battery moved rearwards (not sure how you can achieve the C of G with a smaller pack) and another really really big throw - flies for 5m huge roll to the right, tip stall and lands pointing backwards on the ground = light damage to nose
Now, I am not sure where it is all going wrong, but I can honestly say the Mini T-45 is one of my favourite models in my very large fleet, but this F-8 is by far the worst.
Requires far to much power and is v