FIRST-TIME TRIP TO JOE NALL WEEK!
By Jim Hiller | jetmodeler@earthlink.net
WHAT A WONDERFUL time I had in May! I finally attended my first Joe Nall Week at Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina. This is a must-attend event for modelers of all skill levels!
The main line had incredible Scale beauties, warbirds, and jets all flying together with minimal issues, and the electric flightline and nearby float-fly line were busy all day long. There were also a lot of foam aircraft, and the 3D flightline was active with some of the best pilots in the 3D community. There was something for everyone. Vendors were well covered with some of the best products available near the main line on Vendor Row, as well as at the electric and 3D flightlines.
New Jets
On to some of the new jet models that were seen at Joe Nall Week, including the Horizon Hobby Hangar 9 Viper, the Elite Aerosports MBX, and the MiboJets X-35. First, let’s look at the Hangar 9 Viper—this one hits the sweet spot.
Hangar 9 introduced its latest model for 100-newton turbines by following the proven carbon-fiber-reinforced balsa and plywood structure for light weight and durability that is featured with its Hawk/T-45 and Aermacchi MB-339 jets. The wing is a two-piece, plug-in design and includes removable horizontal and vertical stabilizers to allow it to be easily packed for a trip to the field. It’s a great size and a well-thought-out model for every day, affordable flying.
The Viper has a wingspan of 82.6 inches and a length of 76.9 inches, which would fit perfectly in the back of my pickup for no-trailer trips to the flying field. This model is expected to weigh approximately 32 pounds with a 100-newton turbine. Lights are included in this ARF, and the covering is printed film.
Horizon Hobby has packaged the sale of the Hangar 9 Viper according to various levels of needs, such as the base ARF only, a combo with retracts, a combo with retracts and a KingTech 102-newton turbine, and a combo of the jet with retracts, a KingTech 102-newton turbine, and Spektrum electronics. This will be a serious contender in everyday sport model competition and will make a great addition to any jet modeler’s inventory.
A new jet that has caught my eye is the Elite Aerosports MBX, which was inspired by the famous MB-339 but with some nice twists.
The front of the fuselage has taken some cues from the company’s Vantage sport jet and has a non-swept straight wing with tip tanks. It reminds me of the Lockheed T-33 wing with MB-339-style wing tanks. The empennage follows in the style of the MB-339 as well. Overall, it is a very nicely styled airframe. It was designed for aerobatics, from its airfoil through the tall fuselage. Having a general proven layout will make it a contender in precision RC Jet Aerobatics competition.
This model is quite large, with both a wingspan and length of 114 inches. A 180- to 210-newton turbine is recommended. The model has been kept quite light, with an expected weight in the 40- to 45-pound class. I am looking forward to flying the MBX; I might even have to sell one of my other sport jets to make room for it.
The other jet that caught my eye was in the Extreme Flight RC tent—you know, the company that is all about 3D propeller models of all sizes and types. It has gotten into jets with the Skywing Falcon series and is continuing to grow with the MiboJets X-35. You know Mibo for its famous A-10 Thunderbolt “Tank Buster,” so why not a sport jet?
This X-35 is unique because Mibo designed it to be lightweight and it’s sized for good hover-capable performance. It has a wingspan of only 69 inches, a length of 104 inches, and a dry weight of approximately 35 pounds. A 190- to
The Elite Aerosports MBX was inspired by the Aermacchi MB-339 jet but with a few twists, such as a taller angular canopy and nose section for the improved knife-edge capability that is expected with modern aerobatic jets.
260-newton turbine is recommended; the larger turbine size would be for full hover capabilities when it’s combined with the supplied 3D tailpipe.
This model is available as an ARF and as turnkey from MiboJets, with Extreme Flight handling the US distribution. Extreme Flight is owned and staffed by very experienced modelers, as well a number of demonstration pilots who have proven their hovering capabilities with the Skywing Falcons. They performed some awesome 3D flying and hovering at Joe Nall Week with the X-35.
The X-35 is available in a wide variety of paint schemes, from military grey to the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and even some pretty impressive sport jet color schemes. MiboJets has a very unique product that looks impressive both on the ground and in the air, so check out the Extreme Flight website for information about the X-35.
SOURCES:
Jet Pilots Organization
jetpilots.org
Triple Tree Aerodrome/Joe Nall Week
tta.aero/jn-2
Hangar 9
horizonhobby.com/hangar9
Elite Aerosports
(954) 444-8809
eliteaerosports.com
MiboJets
order@mibojets.com
mibojets.com
Extreme Flight
(770) 887-1794
extremeflightrc.com
