FMS/RocHobby F/A-18F Super Hornet 70mm EDF Jet
Fast assembly, scale looks, and terrific flight performance make this jet a triple threat
Fast assembly, scale looks, and terrific flight performance make this jet a triple threat
FMS and RocHobby have built a name for themselves over the years as a staple in the scale foam aircraft market. Their models tend to be heavy on details and easy on the wallet. This new offering continues this trend and is a great addition to their lineup.
The F-18 is constructed out of molded foam that is prepainted in gray from the factory. In the kit, you will find everything you need to get your 70mm F-18 into the skies, with the exception of a transmitter, receiver, and flight battery. Retractable landing gear, scale cockpit, 70mm 12-blade fan and motor, speed control, and all required servos are included and installed. Another great feature is the scale armament that can be quickly attached for that extra touch of scale realism. The plug-in wing halves are supported by a carbon-fiber spar.
A detailed instruction manual walks you through all the steps to complete your model. Although this plane can be built by anyone regardless of modeling experience, it’s recommended for more advanced pilots. With its small size, high speed, and quick control response, you will want to have a few sport models under your belt before you tackle this one.
UNIQUE FEATURES
All control surfaces arrive 100 percent prehinged and ready for flight. The hinge lines are molded into the foam and are reinforced with pin-style plastic hinges. This produces smooth movements and durability that should provide years of service. This F-18 is loaded with scale details, including functional flaps and CNC-machined aluminum electric retracts. Everything arrives preinstalled and wired, so all that is left for you to do is to connect the proper wires to the correct channel on your receiver and you are ready for flight.
There are no fiberglass parts on this plane. There is a Lexan canopy, which is premounted and ready to go. Pretty much everything else is foam except the parts already discussed. There is a large decal sheet included in the kit, and it gives the modeler four choices for the final scheme. The manual includes instructions on where to place the decals for your desired scheme. The high-quality water decals stick well to the foam model.
All included hardware appears to be metric in thread. With the exception of the four bolts for the wings and the four bolts for the vertical stabilizers, you don’t need to worry about any of them because they are all installed for you at the factory.
I did not make any modifications to this model. One thing that I am a little concerned about is the short length of the wires coming from the speed control. They are so short that plugging and unplugging the battery is a little cumbersome. As a quick fix, I soldered an extension that was a few inches long. As with everything else, the motor/fan comes preinstalled and ready to go.
In doing some research on the Internet, I did find that some people recommended using Goop to lock the C-clips on the front wheels in place. This seems like sound advice, and I would recommend it for anyone building this kit.
IN THE AIR
The wheels on this model are pretty small and will require a mostly smooth surface. The shock-absorbing landing gear help, but they can only do so much. I flew this model from a smooth dirt runway that was finished with PolyPavement and had no issues at all.
On takeoff, I was sure to let the model gain plenty of speed before lifting off, and this proved to be a solid approach. On landing, I deployed half flaps and was sure to carry plenty of air speed. When it came time to flare, the wings were still providing enough lift to balloon when I pulled back on the stick.
GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
Stability: For a scale jet, the FMS RocHobby F-18 is more stable than most. I flew the plane fairly aggressively for two five-minute flights
and I never noticed any bad habits. There was no sign of a high-speed stall, and with the flaps down, it slowed down for a comfortable landing pace.
Tracking: Point and shoot is the best way I can think to describe the tracking of this model. The tracking is extremely predictable, and the plane looks very smooth and incredibly realistic in the sky. (Some of this realism may have to do with the awesome sound of the included fan/motor combination!)
Aerobatics: This plane easily performs the basics, like rolls, loops, and vertical Cuban-8s.
Glide and stall performance: The F-18 is a fairly sleek airframe with a relatively small wing. This makes for a plane that glides well as long as you keep the air speed up. The stall wasn’t too abrupt or unpredictable, but I did not really push the envelope in this area.
PILOT DEBRIEFING
This plane is designed to go fast and look good doing it. Low, fast passes are a thing of beauty and will be sure to draw attention at any field. As I mentioned earlier, the sound of the included fan/motor combined with impressive looks and speed make for a plane that presents well in the sky.