HL 64mm Sabre

[19000rpm]

As some may recall I had the Skyblazers version of this plane last year. It struggled a bit at launch with the stock motor so I upgraded the motor and it and it really transformed the plane. And then one day the fan blew up and foam fell like confetti. What fun!

Since it was late in the season for belly landers I decided to wait until this spring to replace it. In the interrim they came out with the Jolley Roger scheme. I decided to get that version since it was the same scheme I had on one of the Guillows stick and tissue Sabres I built as a kid.

I bought the airframe kit since I have all of the electronics including the 5000kV motor from the Skyblazer.

I intend on balancing the fan this time, which I did not do on the last one. That could have been part of the reason the last one went Kaboom!

Photobucket seems to be doing maintenance right now so I'll post some picks later on.

[19000rpm]

Here's a few quick pics of the Jolly Roger version of the HLI F86.
I've got it set up exactly like the Sky Blazers version. Reinforced battery tray and 5000kV motor.







For some reason this plane seems a lot less inclined to stall than the Sky Blazers version. The low speed flying characteristics are really good.

[akent]

That looks good!

I wonder if they might have slightly changed the airframe? The front end of my Skyblazers version looks more round than yours, especially on the bottom.

It wouldn't take much to improve the stall characteristics of those, I wouldn't think.

I added a some 'reflex' (up aileron at neutral on both sides) to mine and that helped a lot. I did that on my Sapac L39 too, and it took that jet from a stall monster to almost no stall at all.
Kent

[19000rpm]

Adding reflex sounds like a great idea. I never thought of that. I've got the ailerons in line with the airfoil. So, maybe they did change something in the wing design.

Yes, the intake does look different now that you mention it. I'm not sure how that would effect flight performance though. Maybe the oval shape adds some lift at the nose?

Anyway, what ever it is it's a whole different aircraft. Very good even in a high angle bank at 1/2 throttle and also at lower speeds. Throttle management isn't nearly as critical.

Before, with the Sky Blazer, it needed to be landed at relatively high speed and half the time I'd break a tank off the wing. Now, with the new F86, I can bring it in at a relative crawl.

[19000rpm]

This little plane remains a joy to fly. Relatively fast, tremendous roll rate and plenty aerobatic. Tracks like the proverbial arrow.

A few days ago I was flying for the guys at the field in N Mankato and I was doing a low fly by and I heard this ratchetting sound. first thought was oh, oh, the fan is going so I better get her down quick so I turned it around quickly and had a light touch down.

Well, it turns out, it wasn't the fan at all it was the elevator servo. How I managed to get it down without a mishap is a minor miracle.

I put a new servo in it and back to business as usual.

If you're looking for an inexpensive EDF that perfoms well, looks great in the air, this should be on the list. One of the guys in N Mankato agrees. It's his go to EDF for having stress free fun and he has some really high end EDF's to choose from.

[19000rpm]

I've flown this little guy at least 50 times this season.

It's getting a little beat up around the edges due to faultly hand launches and unexpected obstacles hidden in the grass when landing , but it still flies great. Just awesome looking in the air. One of my favorite EDFs and one of those most commented on by onlookers.

I just purchased a new airframe as a replacement, I wouldn't want to be without one, when this one breathes its last intake of air. I hope that won't be any time too soon though.