By Mike Gantt
As you’ve probably noticed, retro seems to be all the rage lately—be it in movies, music or cars—and BH Models is joining in by introducing the Wild Hots ARF, paying homage to the popular ’80s fun flyer. However, unlike the classic, you’ll be airborne in just a few hours, instead of spending days gluing and sanding. The plane features traditional built-up construction and is covered with genuine Oracover in a real hot-rod trim scheme complete with flames. To keep weight down without compromising strength or rigidity, the profile fuselage uses a sandwich of balsa and lite-ply, allowing non-structural areas to be hollow. The thick airfoiled one-piece wing is permanently attached to the fuselage, but the whole assembly is still very transportable thanks to its 40-inch wingspan. In the box you’ll also find a full metric hardware pack, alloy landing gear, lightweight plastic/foam tires and all the control horns and pushrods required to finish the model. Just add your favorite radio gear with four micro/miniservos, a brushless outrunner motor, speed controller and a 3-cell LiPo battery, and you’ll have everything required to go wild. Though not quite designed for the first-timer, an advanced beginner will have no issues with the build or the flying characteristics. If the control throws are kept within reason, this can be a very docile flyer, while the expert pilot will really be able to wring this baby out on high rates.
Unique features
The control surfaces are huge and installed after the wing and tail are in place using standard CA hinges. To get an even gap and allow maximum deflection, I used a couple of old credit card-style hotel room keys as spacers. Carbon-fiber pushrods are used for all of the surfaces with music wire at both ends. There are Z-bends on one end that fit into the nylon control horns, while the other end is kept straight to fit into the supplied EZ connectors. This makes servo hookup and adjustment about as simple as it can get.
Pilot Debriefing
What can I say; this plane is an absolute blast to fly. Its flight handling can be adjusted to allow the advanced beginner to progress from basic aerobatic maneuvers all the way to wow the crowd with 3D antics.
SPECIFICATIONS
Specification:
Name of plane: Wild Hots
Manufacturer: BH Models
Distributor: Hobby People
(hobbypeople.net)
Type: Profile 3D fun flyer
Length: 46.85 in.
Wingspan: 40.16 in.
Wing area: 650 sq. in.
Weight: 50 oz.
Wing loading: 9.5 oz./sq. ft.
Motor req’d: 2820/05 brushless outrunner
Radio req’d: 4 channel
Price: $179.99
Highlights
+Solid build quality
+Very visible trim scheme
+Quick assembly time
+Mild to wild flight envelope
Be sure to check out Mike’s review in the September issue of Model Airplane News
Love the Wild Hots. Do you know of one for sale. Would like a kit or an ARF.
Thanks
Don Allsep
Six Mile SC 29682
dallsep@charter.net