E-flite Stearman PT-17 15e ARF Review
Climb into the front seat and ride along as Andy Grose flies the exciting new Stearman PT-17 15e ARF from E-flite.
Introduction
| E-flite Stearman PT-17 15e ARF | |
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| Wingspan: | 44.0 in |
| Length: | 35.0 in |
| Wing Area: | 608 sq in |
| Weight: | 52.6 oz (3.3 lb) empty 61.8 oz (3.9 lb) w/battery |
| Servos: | JR Sport MN48 (x2) and JR Sport MC35 (x2) |
| Receiver: | Spektrum AR6200 |
| Battery: | E-flite 3S 11.1V 3200mAh Lipo |
| Motor: | E-flite Power 15 brushless outrunner |
| ESC: | E-flite 40-Amp Pro Brushless ESC |
| Propeller: | APC 12x6E |
| Transmitter: | Spektrum DX7 |
| Manufacturer: | E-flite |
| Available From: | Horizon Hobby |
| Price: | $179.99 |
The Stearman PT-17 is arguably one of the most recognizable trainer aircraft from the WWII era. The classic blue-and-yellow Army color scheme is unmistakeable. If you've been fortunate enough to witness a Stearman do a low fly-by, the sound of the wind through the wires is unforgettable.
The Stearman was introduced to train American pilots during the years leading up to WWII. It was equipped with tandem seating and dual controls so either student or instructor could fly the plane. The Stearman made a perfect trainer because it was built tough and was relatively easy to fly. Thousands of Stearmans were built and flown throughout WWII, and many continue to fly today. From hard-working crop-dusting to exciting airshow performances, the Stearman has flown itself into legendary status among aviation enthusiasts.
Building on that passion, E-flite is now offering the Stearman PT-17 15e ARF. Sporting very accurate scale lines and a beautiful U.S. Army color scheme, it very closely mimics the famous full-scale version. It is a little bigger than your average parkflyer, but it doesn't disappoint when it comes to gentle-natured flight characteristics.
If you'd like to find out more about the classic Stearmans, be sure to check out Warbird Alley for lots of good information. For some outstanding pictures of a full-scale Stearman, click over to Max Haynes' wonderful photography website, MaxAir2Air. He has a fantastic photo essay there highlighting Paul Ehlen's Stearman. Also worth checking out is John Mohr Airshows. Flying a stock Stearman PT-17, John puts on a breathtaking low-level airshow routine that includes fire-belching slow rolls down the length of the runway. I have seen John's routine at Sun-n-Fun, and it is simply unbelievable what John does with that Stearman.
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MaxAir2Air
Let's take a closer look and see what all the fuss is about.
Kit Contents
The Stearman comes packaged in a very attractive and colorful box. The detailed pictures give you a good idea what fun is to come. When you open the box, you're greeted with a meticulously-packed model kit. Each airframe part is in its own plastic bag and separated from other major parts by cardboard dividers. The wings even sport foam padding blocks that cover the wing strut attach points and keep them from gouging a hole in the pretty Ultracote. The cowling/engine assembly is tucked safely into a smaller cardboard box, as are the landing gear and hardware packs.
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Since the Stearman is an ARF kit, the major airframe compenents are pre-built and ready for quick assembly. The quality and trim scheme of the airplane is quite pleasing, with the covering nice and tight except for a few little wrinkles here and there (most ARFs suffer from this, and a few minutes with the sealing iron will take care of that).
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The illustrated assembly manual does a very good job of guiding the builder through each step. The pictures and descriptions are very clear and easy to follow. Go check it out for yourself...a PDF copy of the manual is online .
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E-flite recommends the following equipment:
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While the Stearman could be flown with any four-channel radio system, I used a Spektrum AR6200 DSM2 6-channel full range receiver with a Spektrum DX7 transmitter providing the control link.
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Assembly
Wing
The wings are prebuilt and ready to install. The top wing is made of three panels, while the bottom wing is made of two wing halves. The top wing has a center section that bolts onto the cabane struts and remains part of the fuselage when the wings are removed. The right and left top wing panels slide onto the larger carbon-fiber wing tube and are secured with the supplied bolts.
The bottom wing requires a little more work. The first order of business is to install the aileron servos onto the aileron hatches. When you are marking the position for the hardwood blocks, be sure that you have already installed the rubber grommets and bushings onto your servos. If you didn't have them in there when you marked (and then glued) your blocks down, your servo wouldn't be aligned as you expected it.
After the servos are secured in their hatches, you have to hinge the ailerons. The ailerons are pre-slotted for the CA hinges, but they are not secured. E-flite recommends the T-pin method of centering the CA hinges before gluing. That worked out great for me and the ailerons were attached in short order.
Once the ailerons are attached, you have to install the control horns and linkages. The instructions are specific here about locating the proper position for the control horn. Install the pushrod and adjust the clevis such that the pin is directly over the hinge line. Install the horn onto the clevis and mark the holes. A little drilling, a little CA'ing, and a little screw-driving and the bottom wings are good to go!
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The bottom wing-halves slide onto the smaller carbon-fiber wing tube and are secured with the supplied bolts. The recommended servo (JR Sport MC35) leads were long enough that there is about an inch protruding into the fuselage. I used the recommended 9-inch servo extensions to reach the receiver.
The final step in the wing installation is to install the interplane struts. These are the "N-shaped" pieces that connect the wings out near the tips. Be sure to pay attention to the instructions as it points out which way is up. Use the supplied bolts to attach the struts to the top and bottom wings.
Fuselage
Access to the inside of the fuselage is by way of the cockpit hatch. The hatch is secured to the fuselage by two tabs at the front and two strong magnets at the rear. The hatch is a little difficult to remove until you get the hang of it. Use caution when removing the hatch so you don't damage the stringers of the fuselage by holding it too tightly.
The rudder and elevator servos were mounted in the rear section of the hatch area. The instructions point out that you should mount the elevator pushrod so that the quick-connect is on the top side of the arm. This way there will be no interference with the servo case when the servo arm swings back and forth. This is a necessary step, but I also decided to add a couple of slight bends to get the pushrod more in line with the servo arm. It was a quick and easy fix with some pliers.
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The Stearman comes with some really nice, scale landing gear. The main gear legs are made of sturdy aluminum, but they have fairings made onto the legs to give the scale appearance. The really nice thing here is that the gear legs are ready to be bolted to the fuse. The wheels are already installed on the axles, too.
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Mounting the Power 15 motor and 40-amp Pro ESC was a snap. The motor bolts to the motor box using the motor's hardware and the spacers and bolts that came with the Stearman kit. The ESC was attached to the bottom of the motor box with some hook-and-loop tape. I used some cable ties to tidy up the wires.
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Once the motor is installed, it is time to mount the cowling. The instructions offer an easy way of marking the holes for the cowling screws. Follow the instructions carefully and you'll be pleased with the results. The goal here is to have the motor centered in the cutout on the front of the cowling. Remember to handle the cowling carefully because the dummy radial engine is made of very thin plastic.
If you want to save yourself some headaches down the road, you should really consider replacing the little cowling screws with something easier to use. The supplied screws just didn't seem to hold up well. After only a couple of times screwing them in and out, I had stripped the head out of one of them. I quickly replaced them with some hex-head cap screws. Now I won't have to worry about stripping them out anymore.
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Tail
The installation of the tail surfaces may be the most challenging part of the assembly. The instructions are very clear on the order of assembly, so be sure to follow them carefully.
The step that gave me the most trouble was getting the elevator hinged. Since the elevator is inserted first, getting the horizontal stabilizer inserted and aligned with the hinges is a bit of trouble. You have to wiggle and flex the surfaces a bit to make it work, but eventually everything lined up and the elevator was hinged.
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The tailwheel provided with the Stearman kit is a pretty good attempt to replicate the full-scale Stearman's rear under-carriage. The tailwheel assembly consists of the wheel mounted to a wire that is attached to a wheel-collar sort of thing. This collar attaches to a wire that travels through the bottom part of the fuselage and up into the rudder. Be sure to follow the instructions here for the order of installation.
I will also point out that the tailwheel shaft provided with my kit was a bit too long. As a result, the collar of the tailwheel assembly didn't sit all the way up against the bottom of the fuselage like the instructions showed. I contacted E-flite about this and was instructed to trim the appropriate amount from the bottom of the wire. I used some wire cutters to shorten the wire and everything worked out just fine. E-flite told me that this issue would be addressed in future production runs.
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Radio Installation and Setup
I mounted the Spektrum AR6200 receiver on the right side of the battery bay area using some hook-and-loop tape. The remote receiver was routed to the left side of the fuselage. All of the servos, servo extensions, and ESC wires were connected to the correct channels on the receiver. I used some cable ties to keep the wires neat.
The battery is mounted to the floor of the battery tray using a combination of hook-and-loop tape and a battery strap. You will need the battery as far forward as possible for CG purposes, so plan accordingly when positioning your hook and loop tape.
As far as programming the radio goes, you'll just want to set up some dual rates and exponential. I went with about 50% travel for low rates on all the surfaces and about 40% expo on both high and low rates. I didn't set any aileron differential either. The manual gives recommended control throws, so be sure to pay attention to those numbers.
Completion
While the Stearman does come with a very nice dummy radial engine, I wanted to go a step further and make it look a little more realistic. Taking inspiration from my good buddy and fellow RCG author, Napo Monasterio, I decided a little dry-brushing was in order. Napo gave a good description of the technique in his really cool E-flite Neiuport 17 review. Basically what you do is to dip your brush into the paint and then squeeze all the paint out with a paper towel. Next you brush the cylinders so that the contours are now highlighted. I couldn't keep all the fun to myself, so during the Stearman's visit to the Monasterio Electric Aerospace Institute and Crash Test Facility©, Napo added a little copper paint to the exhaust manifold. Now we're talking! Looks very nice!
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The next detail that had to be addressed was the pilot figure. Nothing looks more strange than a open-cockpit biplane with no pilot. Luckily, E-flite sells the 1/9th scale pilot that matches the Stearman perfectly. The pilot looks great as is, but again, I couldn't stop there. A quick trip to the fabric store got me a 50-cent budget spool of white ribbon. Now the pilot has a scarf to whip around in the propwash. A little patch of hook-and-loop is all that is needed to secure the pilot in the cockpit.
The most important step in getting the Stearman airworthy was to get it balanced. The manual calls for a center-of-gravity (CG) somewhere between 3.25-3.75 inches from the leading edge of the top wing. The manual also states that you will most likely need 2-4 ounces of lead in the nose to get the plane balanced. It took 4 ounces for mine to balance at 3.5 inches. For my nose weight, I used 4 ounces of Number 7 birdshot glued into the bottom two cylinders with canopy glue.
One last detail I have to applaud E-flite for is the nifty set of wing transport jigs they include with the kit. These jigs are made of lite-ply with padding on the ends that contact the wing surfaces. They attach to the wings with a rubber band around the top and the bottom. The idea here is that you can remove both wings by only removing 4 small bolts and disconnecting the aileron servo extensions. The jigs allow the outer interplane struts to remain attached for transport and storage. This is a really handy feature!
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And since the Stearman is such a nice-looking plane, let's take a moment to admire it from several different angles.
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Flying
So now it’s time to get the Stearman in the air. But wait a minute…I’ve been reading about pilots having all sorts of problems with this airplane. From drastic pitching-up on takeoff to incorrect wing incidence and motor thrust angles, it almost seemed that the Stearman was doomed to fail unless some modifications were made. After reading all of these reports, I will admit that I was a bit apprehensive when it came time for the maiden flight. My Stearman was built stock as per the instructions. I balanced it in the middle of the CG range and decided to maiden it that way.
When it came time for the first takeoff, I was ready. So what happened? You guessed it...as I pulled back on the stick, the Stearman pitched up a lot more than I expected. I quickly released back-pressure and the climb settled into a more comfortable angle. I got the Stearman to altitude and added in some down-trim. After that, everything was fine and dandy. I trimmed it for level flight somewhere between 50-75% throttle.
So what did I learn from this? A few things actually. First of all, full-throttle isn't needed for takeoffs. Using less throttle reduces the pitch-up tendency. Second, even with the CG in the middle of the recommended range, you're gonna need some down-trim. Lastly, only use a little up-elevator during takeoff...you don't need much. I am willing to bet that most of the problems during takeoff are a result of too much throttle and too much up-elevator. If you go full-throttle and yank back on the stick, of course you're gonna be headed for the clouds in a hurry. That shouldn't surprise you. Fly the Stearman with finesse, and you'll soon agree with me.
Basics
The Stearman is a very pleasant airplane to fly. I would almost go as far as to say it is a relaxing airplane to fly, but that might be a little much. While it is a well-mannered plane, the Stearman still requires decent piloting skills and your full attention while maneuvering. Anyone with good aileron experience would be comfortable flying the Stearman.
The speed range is pretty wide for the Stearman. With the recommended Power 15 motor, a comfortable cruise speed is achieved at about 50-60% throttle. Adding a little more throttle will get the Stearman moving along pretty good. You'll rarely need full throttle, but it does help doing those big round loops and nice tall hammerhead stalls.
One flight characteristic worth pointing out is the left-yawing tendency when a lot of power is added. If you are flying along and pull back to start a climb and then add power, you'll need to feed in some right rudder to fight the left yaw. This behavior is normal, so don't be alarmed.
Flight times with the recommended 3200mAh battery are about 10 minutes or so of lazy aerobatics and touch-and-goes.
Taking Off and Landing
I've flown my Stearman from both grass and pavement, and the Stearman has handled both with ease. There is plenty of power for takeoff from short grass, and landings in the grass have been really nice with only a few ending up on the nose. The weight of the model and the nice big wheels really help it roll right on through the grass. When operating from a paved runway, you can achieve some slower, scale-like takeoffs with a little practice. The longer you take to get airborne, however, means that you'll need to be more careful with the rudder to keep the plane pointing down the runway...especially if there is any kind of crosswind. Smooth landings on the pavement look really nice, but watch out for the long rollout if you're carrying too much speed. Prudent use of the rudder should keep you nice and straight. Too much rudder during your rollout and you'll tip up and drag the wingtip. However, this is only a hypothetical situation yet to be tested out by yours truly.
So let's hear more about the takeoffs.
Takeoffs with the Stearman shouldn't be anything to fear. I have found that the Stearman is pretty forgiving in both takeoffs and landings. Just line up with the runway, preferrably into the wind, and advance the throttle to about 75% and be ready to correct any heading deviations with quick jabs of rudder. Be careful not to use too much rudder or you'll quickly make the situation worse. I have found that low-rate for the rudder works best during takeoff. Once you're moving along pretty good, it doesn't take much rudder since the rudder is very effective.
The Stearman will take flight from either a three-point attitude or with the tail up. Either way, you'll want to break ground with just a slight application of up elevator. There is no need to yank the Stearman into the air and climb out at a ridiculous angle. Once airborne, I have found myself easing back on the power a bit and keeping the climbout pretty shallow. It just looks better to see a Stearman doing a lazy climbout.
Takeoffs are optional, but landings are...well, with the Stearman...LOTS of fun!
Start setting up your landing approach on the downwind leg of the pattern. Reduce your throttle and start descending as you make your turn to base leg. I like to make a wide, sweeping base to final turn because it just looks so cool. Roll out on final approach at about 30 feet of altitude and reduce your throttle even more. Keep the airplane coming down and level out a foot or two off the ground. You may need to add a little power to stop the descent. Wheel landings (landing on the main landing gear while keeping the tail off) are very easy with the Stearman and they look great. If you want a three-point landing, just keep easing the stick back as you reduce the throttle. Don't let it get too slow if you still have some altitude to kill. You don't want to stall it and cartwheel the landing. No hypothetical here...been there, done that, and the Stearman shook it off quite well. When landing on the grass, you can achieve a nice long rollout if you keep a little power in to help it roll. Chopping the throttle will result in a fairly quick stop in the grass. Again, on pavement, be prepared for a long rollout because the Stearman doesn't seem to want to stop rolling.
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Aerobatics/Special Flight Performance
The Stearman really shines when you ask it to perform some nice, scale aerobatics. Big, lazy barrel rolls and loops are its forte. On low rates, the rolls happen nice and slow. High rates will give you a very crisp, almost snappy roll. Hammerhead stalls are really fun to perform with the Stearman, and they look very scale.
If you want to venture beyond scale aerobatics, the Stearman will continue to deliver. Inverted passes are definitely high on the cool factor. The Stearman spins very well and recovers with ease. Snap rolls can get pretty interesting if you hold onto it and let it develop into some crazy spinning, rolling something-or-other. Snaps/spins to the left seemed to work best. With a little work, the Stearman will even do some nice knife-edge passes.
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Is This For a Beginner?
I would have to say that this Stearman isn't a good model for a beginner. This is not the average parkflyer, so you're going to need plenty of space to fly this model. While it is a pretty stable plane in the air, it moves along pretty quickly. A pilot with some good aileron experience could probably handle the Stearman with a little help in the beginning. The importance of getting the CG right is another thing that a beginner might struggle with on this model.
Could a beginner successfully fly the Stearman? Maybe so, but who's gonna want to risk such a nice-looking plane?
Photo/Video Gallery
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Downloads
Conclusion
I owe a big thanks to my brother, Gary, for his rock-steady video skills. He also gets credit for flying that nice inverted pass in the video. Another shout-out goes to my good friend, Napo, for the awesome studio shots and those spectacular flying shots of the Stearman. I couldn't do this without the help from these two guys.
A big thank you to Max and Jay for sharing their awesome Stearman photos with us.
I'd also like to thank Horizon Hobby for providing the ARF kit and components for this review.
Thank you all so much!
The E-flite Stearman PT-17 ARF is a definite winner in several categories. It delivers scale looks along with some gentle, good-natured flight characteristics. With the recommended equipment, the Stearman has plenty of power for some nice, lazy aerobatics. The handling during takeoff and landing should inspire confidence in any sport pilot.
All of this sounds great, but if I had to name one truly outstanding thing this Stearman has going for it...yep, you guessed it...looks. It just plane looks great in the air. When making that turn from base leg to final approach, it is hard to keep from muttering, "Man, does that look real or what?" As you can see from the video, I'm glad to report that the Stearman flies as good as it looks. With each flight I put on my Stearman, I grow to like it more and more.
Pluses:
- Fantastic scale looks
- Predictably smooth flying characteristics
- Nifty wing transport jigs allow easy removal/transport/storage of wing panels
- Did I mention it looks great?
Minuses:
- At least one pilot figure should be included
- Cowling screws stripped easily
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1Radioflyer here on RCGroups, shared this photo of his E-flite Stearman PT-17 sitting on the ramp with a full-scale Stearman. Nicely done, Jay!" />
Jay Husk, 1Radioflyer here on RCGroups, shared this photo of his E-flite Stearman PT-17 sitting on the ramp with a full-scale Stearman. Nicely done, Jay!
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Outstanding! The radial looks great!
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Nice review, clear and precise and great photo's too. I've had the same issues as most with regards to the pitch up etc, less so in fact when I had over 6oz of dead lead weight in the nose. I've now disabled the BEC and use a 5cell nimh rx battery to power the electronics. I figured if I was in need of extra weight up the front, it might as well be useful.
But yes, a nice model. I agree though, E-flite should think very hard about putting a pilot in the kit, all of there kits in fact. Thanks for the write up. Stuart. |
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Latest blog entry: One ticked from the bucket list,...
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Woot Woot! Looks great!!!!
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Nice work, Andy! I enjoyed touching up the engine and photographing the plane -- it looks even better in person. Quite impressive little aircraft.
I'd have to agree, too: It should come with at least one pilot. Great review! 
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Great review Andy! You hit everything right on the head. I have to go down to the cave now and try that cylinder weathering as shown
 Blessings! Jay |
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It looks like Jay Husk modified his to have scale wing bracing! Looks great!
I don't have any extra parts laying around, I may end up getting the ARF and all of the necessary parts, but it may be worth it!! There is a full size T-28 and Pt-17 at my airport that I'm always on the lookout for; I would love to have a model Pt-17 along with my PZ T-28, especially since its the exact same trim scheme as the full size (both are actually)! Tim |
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Thread OP
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To the rest of you that have liked the review, I have to say that I appreciate the comments. I am glad you enjoyed it because I had a ton of fun doing this review. The Stearman is a wonderful airplane that is so much fun to fly. As to the pictures and video looking great, although most of the pictures are my own, Napo provided some of the inflight shots (the really, really good ones mind you) and Gary shot the video. Those two guys deserve a lot of the credit, so thanks again to my "media crew"! You guys done good!  Anyway, ya'll talk this plane up and post some pictures of your Stearmans flying! Andy |
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