71in Piper J3 Cub 40 ARF (Balsa)

Product Rating:

Product Review (submitted on August 20, 2015):

The build for the most part was very easy and enjoyable. The instructions are a bit vague with regard to mounting the struts and setting up the motor mount for electric power. There does appear to be some right thrust built into the plane, but it needs more down thrust added. The holes to mount the e motor box did not line up exactly with the holes in the firewall, I had to do a bit of slotting to make them fit correctly. Also, the wheel collars were missing in my hardware bag. Not a big deal, but surprising since otherwise this really a very nice kit, especially for the money. I was able to finish the build in a week's worth of evenings, and with the G32 motor, and a Gforce 4000mAH 4 S battery, the CG came in at the recommended location without adding weight.

The maiden flight was a bit spooky however. The plane acted like it was a bit tail heavy, and constantly wanted to climb during power and turns. I was able to trim it to fly straight, and for the next flight I plan to add some downthrust to the motor, along with moving the CG to 30%, or 75mm. Take offs and landings were pretty easy though, even with the initial set up. The plane glides well, and looks good in the air. This is my first ARF after flying many foam planes, and has been fun to get set up. I am hoping with the two changes noted above that the next flight will be smoother. Overall, I would definitely recommend this plane to a friend, but you do need a bit of experience to build it as the instructions are pretty vague in some areas.