TOWER HOBBIES SBACH 3D EP AEROBATIC AIRPLANE ARF
Josh Bernstein
joshbernstein2@yahoo.com
A budget-friendly aerobatic performer
Named for its designer, Philipp Steinbach, the full-scale Sbach 342 (XA42) gained popularity in a short period of time. Its single-seat predecessor, the Sbach 300/XA41, won the first competition it entered: the unlimited category at the German Aerobatic Championships in 2006. This win came five months after the aircraft’s maiden flight.
Two years later, the Sbach 42/XA42 was released. Extremely curvaceous, the airframe looks fast simply sitting on the tarmac. The RC community was quick to embrace this dreamy-looking machine, and for much of the past decade, manufacturers have been turning out scale versions.
From tiny profile foamies to massive 40% beasts—the Sbach 342 has taken its place among the most popular RC aerobatic designs. I was pleased to hear that Tower Hobbies would be releasing a version that was sized (and priced) for the masses.
As most experienced RC pilots will tell you, the wingspan limit for a model transported in an average-size vehicle without its wing being removed is somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 to 52 inches. Considering the universally accepted axiom of “bigger flies better,” the Tower Hobbies Sbach 3D ARF, with a wingspan of 49.6 inches, is sized to maximize flight performance while minimizing setup time. No wing bag or tools are necessary—grab the airplane, your radio, and a few 4S 3,300 to 4,000 mAh LiPo battery packs, and you’re good to go.
A word about this Sbach’s design: If you are a scale airplane purist, you’ll notice that the Tower Hobbies Sbach 3D differs slightly from the full-scale version. Some airframes scale down well, and some don’t. The feature that arouses such passion in Sbach enthusiasts (the uniquely curved nature of the fuselage) makes scaling it down challenging, but considering its size and aesthetics, I found this version appealing.
Assembly
This Sbach arrived well protected with
