Over the past few years, Multiplex was rather quick to bring their new products on the market. This year we had to wait longer than usual.

Finally the wait is over. This week the first kits of the Xeno hit the shops and I got mine from www.hoellein.com today. Here are my first impressions and some weights:

Right wing: 141.5g
Left wing: 138.4g
Center section: 143.9g
Vertical fins: 6.7g
Carbon spars and pushrods: 12.1g
Small plastic parts: 28.1g

All parts show the usual quality expected from Multiplex. The foam of the wing is very dense with a very smooth upper surface. The usual Elapor dimples are on the lower surface.

Jürgen

can be downloaded here:

http://www.multiplex-rc.de/cms/vorsc...m_xeno_5sp.pdf

Jürgen

At Last! Thanks. Now where's the build blog.......

Neat

I wanna see this thing fly too

Should be flying around the states this summer of 2010.

did you get that power thingy too?

who will be the first to pain one green to make it look like a woII prototype

Originally Posted by cmulder

did you get that power thingy too?

I have not decided yet, wether I should get the standard or the tuning drive.

Jürgen

Wow, the motor gets mounted in front of the pod, and there's a shaft connecting it to the prop?

One thing I noticed - the increased weight of the Xeno:

Initially the models weight was advertised (still is on the MPX website):

395/460 g all-up weight (glider/electric)

while according to the instruction manual it is now 550g / 650g (standard drive) / 690g (tuning drive).

Judging by the weight of the components, even the 550g for the glider version appear rather optimistic - but we will see.

Jürgen

I still wonder why they decided to put so much plastic in the Xeno, seems like an odd choice combined with the "unbreakable" foam. I guess that also hurts the weight problem.....well not so much of a problem for the electric version I imagine.

^Nor for a glider version. ~20oz is typical for a slope wing of this size, and in windier conditions, more weiht is always better

Originally Posted by Pook

I still wonder why they decided to put so much plastic in the Xeno, seems like an odd choice combined with the "unbreakable" foam. ...

The "plastic" used for the Xeno appears to be rather tough and flexible, i.e. not a bad combination for the Elapor wings, but we will see how well it will hold up in the hands of the average modeler.

Jürgen

Originally Posted by Xpress..

^Nor for a glider version. ~20oz is typical for a slope wing of this size, and in windier conditions, more weiht is always better

For slope soaring, I don't the additional weight will be such a problem, but I inititally I thought the Xeno would be a nice competitor against my Sport Wing:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1107042

At twice the weight I don't think it can get anywhere near the HLG- and thermal performance of it, but we'll see.

Jürgen

Jurgen ..... can it take a larger battery than the 950 mAh lipo in the specification ...... It seems very small? .....