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Combat Wing's Vulcan 3D EPP Foamie ARF Review
By Allan Wright
Oct 27, 2005, 02:00 AM
Introduction
Over the past two flying seasons I have seen 3-D foamies go from relatively unknown to a full-blown craze. I'd resisted the temptation to jump on the bandwagon, but when the opportunity to review the Vulcan 3-D from Combat Wings came up, I gave in. The features that lured me to the Vulcan 3-D were its ease of assembly and high durability. As a competent pilot but relative beginner to 3-D, I wanted something that would withstand a few bumps. Wanting to squeeze the most flying I could out of a waning New England summer, a quick assembly and setup also were prime motivating factors in choosing the Vulcan 3-D. As you will read below, the Vulcan 3-D fulfilled both of these requirements beautifully and had some additional pleasant surprises.
Kit Contents
When I opened the box for the kit I was surprised to find all of the control surfaces 'live hinged' --the ailerons and wing are all one sheet, with the ailerons a part of the fixed portion of the wing with the hinge gap cut from the EPP in a 'V' shape. These hinges are nice and flexible and seem to be very durable. Both the ailerons and rudder are hinged this way. The elevator is full flying, using a unique mounting system that I'll discuss later.
The second thing that impressed me is that the kit comes pre-painted with teardrop graphics. My plane came with blue graphics, although it is also available in red or without graphics for those who wish to decorate their plane. Since the plane is 100% EPP, if you choose to do your own graphics you can use regular spray can paint without fear of harming the foam. The supplied hardware is complete, containing pushrods, control horns, mounting hardware for the motor and elevator and Du-Bro E-Z connectors that make adjusting the pushrods during setup very convenient.
Recommended Flight Equipment
My review model provided the recommended power plant consisting of a Himax 2808-0980 outrunner brushless motor, Castle Creations Phoenix-10 brushless ESC and a 2s1p 900 mAh Thunder Power Gen2 lithium polymer battery pack. Combat Wings also recommends using 3s1p packs for those wanting a bit more power, but I chose the 2s1p pack as I wanted the plane to be set up to be compatible with other battery packs I owned. I found the 2s1p to be quite ample, providing nearly unlimited vertical and enough power to hover throughout the entire flight. For radio equipment, I chose the recommended HS-50 servos for the rudder and elevator, but I decided to go slightly larger for the aileron servo, choosing a Cirrus CS-20 servo. I chose a GWS R-4P single conversion receiver to control everything because of its extremely lightweight.
Assembly
To say this plane is ARF is really not giving it full credit. Unlike many of the sheet foamies available, which can be quite involved to assemble, the Vulcan comes with all flying surfaces attached and pre-hinged using the EPP foam itself as the hinge. There are only a few quick assembly steps before you're installing the power plant and radio equipment. My build, from opening the box to the first test flight in my front yard, took about two and a half hours. This includes a significant amount time for detailed photos and note taking for this article. If I was building without photographing I could easily have had the plane from the box to the air in under two hours.
Carbon Reinforcements
Since the airframe is made entirely from EPP I used regular medium CA for all steps of the assembly. It isn't necessary to use foam-safe CA. I also used regular kicker on the foam without worrying about the kicker dissolving the foam from either chemical reaction or excess heat from the CA curing. I used low-tack masking tape on the back side of each slot during installation and laid the part directly on my workbench to insure that the pieces were completely flat as I installed the carbon reinforcements. After installation the EPP became quite stiff.
It's important to note that on the fuselage, the builder must leave the slot in front of the wing under the motor mount stick unglued until AFTER you glue in the wing. Failure to do so will prevent you from installing the wing. This is clearly stated in the instructions, but I wanted to mention it again as we all know how sometimes one can get in a hurry and, well...
Tail
I wrapped my servos with clear shrink wrap and glued them in with medium CA. I had to make minor enlargements on some slots for the servo horns, but besides that the provided slots were well positioned and sized for the recommended servos.
The elevator is full flying and installed in a very interesting manner. The fuselage is pre-cut with a hole for the elevator joiner. I reinforced this area with the provided plastic bushings. Once this was done each elevator half was glued to the provided carbon fiber joiner rod. First one half was glued on the rod, then a control horn was glued to the rod, then the rod was inserted through the bushings, then the other side was glued on. Since I was using medium CA, I didn't have to worry about getting glue in the bushing, but I was careful to use kicker on the joints right away to prevent any glue from oozing into the joint.
Wing and Pushrods
I glued the tail and aileron control horns into their respective control surfaces by poking holes into the EPP and gluing the horns into the holes with more medium CA. The provided pushrods came supplied with 'Z' bends already installed and the provided DuBro E-Z connectors meant that connecting the four control surfaces took me less than 15 minutes, including adjusting their centers after connecting up the receiver.
Power and Control
The manual had good photos of the equipment installation. I modeled my equipment mounting after the photos in the manual. The ESC was bound to the motor mount with one zip tie, and a second zip tie was used as a strain relief, in case of accidental motor ejection. Securing the motor to the stick simply involved using the provided screw. I used an additional zip tie to insure the motor power leads didn't foul on the rotating can of the motor. By cutting shallow slots in the foam, I was able to run the servo leads and extensions, pressing them into the slots and securing them into the slots with Blenderm tape. This made for a nice clean look and has held up well in regular use of the plane. Similarly I ran the receiver antenna underneath the left wing, pressed into a shallow slot that I cut into the foam.
The battery is mounted with Velcro. The photo shown is where the manual recommends for beginner pilots. I've settled on this location, considering it optimal for me and I have added an additional Velcro 'seat belt' around the battery at this position to add extra security during high-G maneuvers. Also shown in this photo is the HiMax prop saver and GWS prop installed. Since this photo was taken, I've chosen to replace the elastic bands provided with the prop saver with some black rubber O-rings purchased in the plumbing department of the local hardware store. They're stronger than the rubber bands, but still flexible enough to allow the prop to flex in the case of a crash.
Flying
My first flying session with the Vulcan 3-D was during a lunch hour with my friend and flying partner, Tucker Hurton, who took some of the in-flight photos used in this review. The full flying stabilizer and very large ailerons required a lot less throw than I expected. Once I had the plane properly set up on my transmitter with dual rates and negative exponential, I found the plane extremely responsive and a pleasure to fly. The CG recommended in the manual for beginners was not divergent but still allowed for full control for all 3-D maneuvers. This plane likes to fly nose up and will prove an excellent platform for me to perfect my hovering skills. The second flying session I brought the Vulcan 3-D to my local club field. My friend Brad Chisholm (Impact here on RCGroups.com) piloted it while I filmed the video that's included in this review. Brad is an experienced 3-D pilot, and in his hands the Vulcan really shined, as the video shows. Compared to other flat-plate foam 3-D planes he has flown, Brad said the Vulcan 3-D was quite similar to the other 3-D foamies he has tried. The fact that it's of an all EPP construction doesn't detract from its flight characteristics at all!
3-D Performance
Since the Vulcan 3-D has no undercarriage, hand launches as shown in the video are the norm. With plenty of extra I can easily launch into a hover, torque roll or vertical climb. Landings can be conventional, or hand catch. One nice feature of the EPP airframe is it will shake off less than perfect landings without damage; the plane just bounces shaking off damage that would cripple a depron foamie. Hovering and torque rolls are all very easy with the Vulcan 3-D. The huge control surfaces and full flying elevator provide plenty of control for these types of maneuvers even at half rates. Inside loops can be as tight as you like without tip stall, but outside loops can be made to tip stall if you don't keep the airspeed up or fail to keep the loop shape round. Knife edge flight will hold the high-alpha with plenty of rudder and side area, but the angle is quite high, almost 45 degrees. Both of these shortcomings would probably be eliminated with the additional power from a 3s LiPo pack which could achieve a higher pitch speed and thrust. Since the ailerons are on a shared servo, you can't do a crow-assisted harrier landing, but the plane does hold high alpha attitude quite easily allowing walk in the park and high alpha flared landings without trouble. I would imagine that those wishing for a four servo setup could easily add another servo for the wing if they chose to use the 3s battery. At this point I was unable to assess the ability for the airframe to hold flat spins, waterfalls or other more advanced maneuvers due to my lack of 3-D piloting skill. I hope to remedy that problem shortly as my skills advance. Considering the ample control authority and power I have available, I cannot imagine these being a problem at all. Experienced 3D pilot and RCGroups member Jon Mann adds, "It flies great. I mostly fly indoors with it, and it will do everything, hovers well, knife edge, waterfalls, rolls, tumbles, flies as well inverted as it does upright, and I can even get this thing to flat spin. It will also do a mean blender (I do those when I fly it outside). For a flat wing EPP plane I think it does a fantastic job performing all the 3D stuff and we even have several beginning fliers in our indoor group who are abusing the heck out of this plane and it holds up very well. I think it is a very nice plane and a fantastic value the way Combat RC has it packaged with their electronics kit. I would recommend it to anyone."
Is this for a beginner?I wouldn't consider the Vulcan 3-D a beginner's plane, as it's very responsive to control inputs when set up for 3-D flight. However, it's durability and predictability in flight make it an excellent choice for the experienced pilot looking for a 3-D trainer, or for the experienced 3-D pilot who's looking for a more durable alternative to the other less durable non-EPP planes on the market. The manufacturer indicates it would even do well as a 2nd plane, set to softer rates, for a newer pilot who has really learned all s/he can from a trainer.
Flight Video/Photo Gallery
Conclusion
I have extensive experience flying power planes, including pattern planes, but this is the first 3-D plane that I've owned and dared fly 3-D. The affordable price, EPP durability and fast assembly time all make this plane a low-risk 3-D training platform. With some helpful tutoring from Brad, I've already started being able to hold hover and even started working on torque rolls with only a few flying sessions under my belt. |
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Oct 27, 2005, 05:04 PM
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#2 |
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Lithium Member #2
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Electric Aircraft World
Posts: 294
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Sorry Guys,
do not mean to be a downer, but this plane is not that great. It doesn't do the floaty stuff it should, the airframe is too heavy and the recommended motor and set-up is too heavy , too. You do not need an almost two-ounce motor for 3D performance, all you do is add wingloading. If you keep the airframe light enough (and it can be done with EPP) it works-- this one is just all around to heavy. And as for landings, the nose likes to break off easily. It hovers ok, but the wingloading just requires it to be flown a lot faster and hence less enjoyable than it could be. -Gigawatt. |
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Oct 28, 2005, 03:27 AM
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#3 |
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Senior Moment Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Posts: 1,335
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I'd have to disagree with Gigawatt. I have the black (Nighthawk) version of this plane and what Allan says about it is true. It flies very well and is VERY durable for learning 3D or just bashing around. I've nose dived mine into hard-packed clay from 10 feet up with no damage other than filling the motor up with rocks. I've smacked it into a chainlink fence twice with only minor damage to the wing - easily repaired in two minutes with some CA. At no time has the nose even gotten close to breaking off. I'm no 3D expert, but I can tell you that it will flat spin until the battery runs down and can take a beating. I highly recommend this plane especially to anyone wanting something durable to learn to fly 3D.
-Wes |
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Oct 28, 2005, 09:54 AM
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#4 |
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Gambler-AG DLG Designer
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Lee, NH, USA
Posts: 4,665
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I completely disagree with the comment about durability. I've bounced mine nose-first into the ground, HARD, several times (more than 10 - I'm learning 3-D with this plane) and my nose is absolutely pristine still. VERY durable.
As for floaty, I can't say, but this power system and airframe is quite impressive for me. I agree that you have to hold airspeed for knife edges, but then again I have to fly that way with my pattern planes so this didn't really bother me. No offense intended to Gigawatt, who I'm sure is more versed in this area than I am, but sometimes I think there is a little too much stress or elitism associated with these flat-plate foamies. Would a lighter wing loading serve you better? Sure. I'll gladly trade durability and excess power for light wingloading while I'm learning though. This plane is easy to build, durable and fun. I believe it lives up to the statements that I put in the review. |
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Nov 01, 2005, 09:23 PM
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#5 |
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High Roller designer
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Londonderry NH
Posts: 1,384
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I found the plane to be quite fun to fly and I may buy one for myself. I didn't crash the plane so I can't speak on durability but I'll bet it will take a beating. I would recommend one to anyone as a fun plane to practice 3-D or just plain fun......Impact
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Apr 02, 2006, 11:47 AM
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#6 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Gurnee, IL
Posts: 1,590
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I have been considering this plane. Anyone have more comments or thoughts about this plane? I haven't heard about it in a while, but I really like the size, powersystem, and it being 100% EPP/
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Apr 04, 2006, 10:49 AM
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#7 |
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Gambler-AG DLG Designer
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Lee, NH, USA
Posts: 4,665
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Mine is still flying strong after storage for the winter.
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Jul 24, 2006, 05:50 PM
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#8 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 39
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I have had this plane for about a month now and must say that it's the most durable plane I have flown. I have the whole recommended set-up and run a 2 and 3 cell, both provide enough power to hover, and etc.This planes allows you to learn 3-d without the pain of broken parts after a crash.
I hope this helps somehow. Jack |
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Apr 13, 2007, 12:14 AM
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#9 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 36
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I had the black nighthawk version of the vulcan
Over all its a good plane and taught me to hover, spin and 3D. The nose under the motor does like to break off during landings I had to glue it several (15+) times. I broke the wood stick the motor mounts twice. The black version is very hard to see, esp at dusk, and cause me to crash as Plane was just too dark in color and looked like a black dot on horizon. This plane can take more abuse them most, but it's far from indestructable. I just got a new vulcan as my nighthawk was worn out and tired. |
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Jun 18, 2007, 06:49 PM
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#10 |
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Registered User
 Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: England, UK
Posts: 107
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Just maidened mine on 2S. Cant believe how well this thing flies, slowed it to a crawl and it remained responsive on low throws.
Need to play with it some more because light was fading. Would agree the lower nose area seems very week. Can't decide yet whether to stock up on CA and kicker or re-inforce the area with some carbon. For the price, this is an absolute bargain. There aren't many planes you can replace for less than 20 GBP and have ready to fly within an hour! |
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Sep 03, 2007, 05:15 AM
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#11 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 495
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Finally got to fly my Vulcan 3D today, after having it for about 2 years and never flown it!
It was a blast! I'm a 3D rookie, but it was easy to fly and easy to fly without the stress of crashing. (EPP) I also flew my ParkZone Typoon 2 3D for the first time today as well and while it was fun, I was happy to land it and get back to the Vulcan. Now to order up some more battery packs so I can stay airbourne! |
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Sep 03, 2007, 02:36 PM
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#12 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: England, UK
Posts: 107
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I'm a complete 3D noob. I think i need to put the CoG much further back in order to hover! I cant do knife edge for toffee, I end up using too much elevator and rudder to keep level and roll out of it...
 Got the hang of landing  - due to the lack of wing section there's no floating in of course! I find if I let her come down, about 2 feet high, hit the throttle to lift the nose up and then sit her on her belly! This also saves that bit under the nose from breaking off!Oh and dont come down vertical and expect to pull out of it in a hurry 
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Nov 07, 2007, 03:18 PM
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#13 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Gurnee, IL
Posts: 1,590
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Well, I'll chime in now after I've owned the plane for a while. It's a good durable plane to begin learning the hovering 3D basics in a small area. But honestly, beyond that it's not really that great. It doesn't fly like a normal plane because it has no airfoil. I perfected my hovering on it, but I got quickly bored with it, because it couldn't do any of the stuff my normal balsa planes could. All my opinion, yours may differ..
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Dec 09, 2007, 06:26 PM
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#14 |
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 204
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A friend just gave me one of these (took out the electronics)
I dropped in my own stuff and am wondering where the CG should be? |
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Dec 10, 2007, 01:09 PM
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#15 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: England, UK
Posts: 107
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Don't worry too much about the CoG on this thing! I've never actually bothered to measure it!
I sit my 3 cell pack on top of the wing, so it hangs half way over the leading edge. It will go further back than that but that seems to be a safe spot. For 2 cells (what i maidened with) I stick the pack half way between the motor mount and the leading edge. Have fun with it and remember it's just a foam brick!
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