SPECIFICATIONS

Name T-HAWK

Aircraft Type Sport Electric/Trainer

Mfg. By Toytronix LLC, 3370 N. Hayden Rd. #123-296, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Ph. (480) 994-4344, www.readytoflyfun.com

Mfg. Sug. Retail Price $129.95

Available From Direct from Mfg.

Wingspan 40 Inches

Wing Chord 5.425 Inches (Avg.)

Total Wing Area 217.0 Sq. In.

Fuselage Length 27 Inches

Stabilizer Span 10.5 Inches

Total Stab Area 29 Sq. In.

Mfg. Rec. Motor Direct drive 380, factory-installed

Rec. Battery 7-cell, 600 mAh NiCd

Rec. No. of Channels 3

Rec. Control Functions Rud., Elev., Throt.

Basic Materials Used In Construction

Fuselage Plastic, Carbon Fiber

Wing Foam - plastic covered w/preinstalled spar

Tail Surfaces Plastic-covered Foam

Building Instructions on Plan Sheets NA

Instruction Manual Yes (7 pages)

Const. Photos/Drawings Yes

RCM PROTOTYPE

Radio Used 3 ch. 27 meg AM (provided), 2 servos

Motor Used Direct drive 380

Battery Used 7-cell, 600 mAh

Weight, Ready to Fly 18 Oz. (1 Lb. 2 Oz.)

Wing Loading 12 Oz./Sq. Ft.

SUMMARY

WE LIKED THE:

Clever packaging, bright color scheme, well-written instructions, good flying habits.

WE DIDN'T LIKE THE:

Mode I transmitter.

The Toytronix T-Hawk is a ready to fly park flyer. The model is shipped to the buyer in a molded 3-piece Styrofoam box measuring 7.5" x 9" x 42". There is no colorful display box, just sturdy cardboard. Included in the package is the plastic fuselage with a 3-channel 27meg AM radio and 380 direct drive motor factory installed. The hardware package containing the rubber bands, landing gear, and transmitter antenna flag occupies a molded pocket as does the 3-channel transmitter, and AC wall charger. A pair of plastic covered foam wings is packaged in a molded channel in the box to prevent damage or warping. The purchaser also receives two complete tail assemblies, two props, and two 600 mAh NiCd battery packs! The package is complete except for the obligatory 8 AA Alkaline batteries for the transmitter which are not included. A seven-page photo-illustrated instruction manual completes the contents. Our overall first impression was one of careful packaging and good quality. We read the instruction manual and began assembling our T-Hawk.

Assembly:

The first thing to do is push one of the propellers onto the motor shaft. The instructions caution you to make sure the propeller has adequate clearance after installation. Next we popped the soft wire landing gear into its slot on the fuselage bottom. The bottom of the vertical fin has two threaded studs, which are slipped through the horizontal tail, then through the tail boom. After positioning the tail wheel assembly, two nuts are placed on the studs and tightened with a pair of pliers. The pre-installed control horns are gently twisted to allow the pushrods to be installed in the middle hole. This completes the builder assembly! Total time required was about 15 minutes.

Flight Preparation:

Next, the 8 AA batteries are installed in the transmitter. A red ribbon is tied to the transmitter antenna to act as a wind indicator. To prevent overcharging the battery, the manual has you fully discharge your battery packs by installing them in the model and running the motor until the prop stops. Once the battery is fully discharged, it can be recharged on the wall charger. The time required for a full charge is 3.5 hours per battery pack. An optional 12-volt quick charger is available for field use. The wing is then installed with four rubber bands. We really liked the molded arrows in the center section plastic reinforcing material. It sure made it easy to align the wing with the fuselage. In addition to a pre-installed brace on top of the wing, nylon reinforcing tape is factory installed on the bottom of the wing. This is one of the strongest wings we have seen on this type of model. After installing the battery, the control surfaces are aligned and tested. The soft wire pushrods are bent in or out by hand to center the rudder and elevator. The whole process takes about a minute. After a range check and motor check we were ready to fly the model. Our all-up weight was 18 ounces for a wing loading of 12 ounces per square foot. Since no Center of Gravity was specified, we didn't bother to check it. The brilliant orange color of the T-Hawk is offset with black graphics, making for a very visible and attractive color scheme.

Flying:

The 3-channel transmitter consists of two single axis sticks, one on the left for elevator, and one on the right for rudder. A non-proportional toggle switch is provided for motor on/off control. The transmitter is the only thing we could find to complain about. There are very few Mode I fliers in the U.S., and we aren't one of them! Our first flight attempt from a hand launch resulted in a gentle full power descent into the weeds, while we fruitlessly pulled back on the immovable rudder stick! Of course we immediately chopped the throttle, which gave us up elevator! Finally we got it sorted out and managed to find the toggle switch and shut off the motor! Had the field been smooth enough for a ground take-off, we could have started with our hands on the proper controls and perhaps avoided the problem. That must be why the instructions recommend the ground take-off to first-time fliers. Undamaged and undaunted we tried again, with a little up trim. This time we were rewarded with a gentle climb straight away. With our hands now properly affixed to the control sticks it was time to see what the model would do. Beginners are advised in the instructions to let the model climb to about 100 feet high. The motor is then shut off and turns can be practiced until the T-Hawk nears the ground. The process is then repeated until the flier becomes adept at maneuvering his model. Our T-Hawk climbed fairly quickly to 100 feet and, with the motor off, glided well enough to give us about a minute of flight time. Power-off turns both left and right were gentle, and very little elevator was required to keep the nose up. The model flies faster than most park flyer types and can be flown in light windy conditions with some experience. The T-Hawk will take off from a smooth surface in about 30 to 40 feet in no wind conditions. Due in part to the long tail moment, little if any rudder correction is required, provided the model is launched directly into the wind. Our flight times ran in the 12 to 15 minute range, with new batteries.

After shooting the outstanding in-flight photos, wife and cameraperson Linda took her turn at the sticks. She had a bit of trouble adjusting to the higher speed and faster control reactions. I think the Mode I transmitter compounded the problem. At low altitudes she would "apply power" thinking Mode II and put the T-Hawk into a dive! She learned quickly just as I did that pulling back on the rudder stick doesn't help much! With a little verbal assistance, she had the T-Hawk flying smoothly around the sky in short order. Her landings werepretty good, but again required concentration to remember to flair with the left stick!

Once we had the photos it was time to wring the T-Hawk out. Loops required just a little bit of down elevator in the beginning to increase the model's airspeed. Snap rolls were good and if timed correctly really looked spectacular! We couldn't get the model to fly upside down at all, but that's probably a good thing! The reinforced wing showed no signs of flexing during any of the abrupt maneuvers we flew. At low speeds the model is well behaved and showed no sign of wanting to snap out of tight turns. We even managed to find enough lift to extend one flight to over 20 minutes.

Conclusion:

Our overall impression of the T-Hawk was a good one. The quality of ours was great. It flew gently enough to train with, but had enough "suds" to cut capers in the sky when called upon. I think a beginner could succeed with a T-Hawk. Besides being a gentle flier, it comes with enough spare parts to do almost a complete rebuild!

For experienced RC'ers who already own radio equipment, you can use your own R/C gear and have a proportional throttle because the T-Hawk contains a proportional ESC with a BEC. Additionally, the ESC and servos are all compatible with current Hitec/JR/Airtronics (Z-type connectors). If you already own your R/C equipment, you can order your T-Hawk without the transmitter and receiver and save an additional $15.00. For ease of assembly, good flying, and low cost, the Toytronix T-Hawk is a hard package to beat.