E-flite/Horizon Hobby Clipped Wing Cub 1.2m
Rock-and-roll with this timeless classic
What’s not to love about a Cub? With its many variants and the abundance of colorful trim schemes, the Cub is a low-cost iconic classic, which is seen at airports and in airshows across the country. The E-flite Clipped Wing Cub 1.2m brings a new level of excitement to the RC enthusiast, with its snazzy styling; being that the plane is constructed out of durable EPO foam makes it possible to replicate complex detail in a lightweight form. The result is an outstanding scale appearance, which is easy to maintain and repair. But beauty is more than skindeep on this new release, as E-flite has equipped the Cub with AS3X and
SAFE Select Technology as well as a powerful
10-size brushless motor that uses the popular
11.1V 3S LiPo battery, so the Cub can be flown securely by beginners and experts alike. Assembly is quick and easy with its minimal parts count, and all you need to supply for the Bind-N-Fly (BNF) version I review here is a full-range 4-channel
(minimum) DSMX transmitter, 11.1V 3S LiPo battery, and a charger. The
Cub is also available in a
Plug-N-Play (PNP) version without a receiver.
UNIQUE FEATURES
The E-flite Clipped Wing Cub 1.2m is a “Cub Lover’s” delight. For a model with this level of detail, assembly takes minimal effort with a screwdriver, as the servos, pushrods, motor, speed control, and all graphics are factory installed. The instruction manual covers all aspects of assembly as well as the allimportant required radio programming. The one-piece wing is very rigid for aerobatics as well as for easy field assembly/disassembly and uses a single nylon bolt to secure the wing to the fuselage. Surprisingly, the wing struts are aluminum and offer fold-away convenience with quick-release hardware, which consists of a rotating pin that slides into tabs on the bottom of the fuselage; a screw keeps the pin in place. The dummy engine is nicely molded, and the cooling baffle provides a good grip to remove the large battery hatch for easy battery changes and reveals a sporty brushless motor, which delivers crisp throttle response.
The Clipped Wing Cub’s landing gear is fully assembled with strut covers and matching wheel pants. The landing gear are fully articulated with shock-absorbing springs that are hidden in the bungee covers, and they install on the model with just six screws. For you fly-off-the-water pilots, the kit includes the required struts for the optional floats, and installation is quick with just a twist of a few screws. The tailwheel assembly simply screws into the fuselage, and a couple of springs are fitted onto the steering tiller and then to the rudder for positive steering control. The
stabilizer halves slide onto a carbon rod, and the elevators automatically interlock; a couple of screws secure the stabilizer to the fuselage. An interesting point is that the fuselage is reinforced with two molded-in carbon-fiber tubes that run from the battery compartment to the rear of the model. Completing the model is as simple as attaching the elevator pushrod to the elevator control horn, locking it in place with the supplied keeper, and binding the receiver to your transmitter.
IN THE AIR
The BNF version of the Clipped Wing Cub comes with a factory-installed AS3X (Artificial Stabilization) receiver that helps smooth out the effects of wind and turbulence for remarkable stability that feels like a larger aircraft. Add in SAFE (Sensor Assisted
Flight Envelope) Select Technology, which is custom-tuned for the Cub, and you have a model that’s virtually crashproof. SAFE and its combination of multiaxis sensors and software make the aircraft smart enough to understand its flight attitude, so if you become disoriented or uncomfortable, just release the sticks and the model instantly returns to level flight. To activate SAFE Select, simply change up the binding sequence as directed in the manual; it only takes a few seconds to accomplish.
With some freshly charged batteries, it was time to head to the field. Despite having wheel pants, the Cub handles our grass runway easily. For a dramatic takeoff, you can hold up-elevator and firewall the throttle and the Cub will leap into the air. Scalelike takeoffs, however, are a lot more fun.
GENERAL FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
Stability: When balanced as recommended, the Cub is solid and feels a lot like a larger model. With the throws toned down, the Cub makes a terrific second airplane.
Tracking: It’s surprising how well the Cub tracks; it stays on point and is predictable.
Aerobatics: Don’t let its high-wing configuration fool you; this plane is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Rolls are crisp and quick, you get nice long vertical lines, it flies inverted hands off, and it can perform a ton of aerobatics. It even hovers!
Glide and stall performance: Slow flight is easy and gentle. The Cub slows down nicely for realistic two-point or fully stalled three-point landings. It takes a lot to stall the Cub, and when it does, it just mushes forward a little and a quick blip of the throttle gets the Cub flying again.