XK A160 J3 RTF Large 25.6-Inch Brushless RC Plane 2.4GHZ 6-AXIS Gyro Remote Control Airplane 5CH EPP Foam World War II Aircraft Model Smart-Fly with Double-Batteries

I need to preface this by saying that I did the detailed painting (I couldn’t help it) on the engine cylinders, exhaust and oil cooler on this model. It does not ship like that. Anyway, onto my thoughts of this one.The scale detail on this model is very, very good. It goes miles above most models in the price range to be as true to the real thing as realistically possible while keeping the cost reasonable. I’ve worked many Pipers in my time in aviation and they did a great job with it. From the rib structures in the wings, engine and cowlings, landing gear, etc. Really well done.Once some tweaks are made (read below for the nitpicky stuff, assembly and some recommendations) this model flies fantastic. It is nearly perfect scale. Floaty, but authoritative when you need it. It flies nice and slow with a super slow stall speed and it is dead quiet. You cannot even hear it when it’s flying away from you. Really the perfect park flyer.I think there’s still some minor issues with the flight controller. When the gyro is disabled the control throw decreases instead of increases so it feels like there is less authority in this mode. There’s also barely any rudder authority on the ground (or in the air from what I can tell) so it’s impossible to taxi with the controllable tail wheel. The rudder is also mixed into the aileron channel as it ships and from what I can tell there’s no way to change this unless you have a multi-protocol radio and can change your rates from there. For a tight turn you need full bank, full rudder and elevator to get through it. I really, really wish the second mode gave you more control authority.There’s a lot of things that could be better, but as it sits now after I’ve made some changes and repairs it’s been an absolute blast to fly. It is definitely the best flying model of this scale that I have and I can fly it around a small ball diamond easily. It is definitely better than when it first released, but could still use some work.I would not recommend a Cub as a first airplane, but as an intermediate it is a great option. I think someone brand new to the hobby would struggle with this one without some simulator time or experience with a larger, more noob friendly airplane.The manual is also very, very poorly translated to the point that it’s basically impossible to understand most of it. I only referenced it for the transmitter modes and even then I still barely understand it.Despite all of that I think it is a great value for the money. I’ve paid double the price for much worse Cubs.With all of that said, I’ve got some recommendations below and some guidance on assembly if needed:Assembling this model is finicky at best and the manual is not nearly detailed enough (among other issues with it) to explain exactly how to assemble it. It’s basically “put the tail on, put the wing on,” etc. so I will share my experience to hopefully help others.The tail goes on with the black plastic piece facing down (towards the ground) and both control linkages need to be on the bottom of it so you have to sort of bend them down a little bit and slide the tail in. Put the front in first, pull back on the vertical fin just enough for the elevator to clear and the longest two screws will hold this part on.The wing is again, finicky. I would highly recommend gluing the strut uprights (brace in the middle of the strut that attaches to the center of the wing) in place otherwise they will constantly fall out. The two connectors for the aileron servos are not matched, either one can go either way since they are tied together. The two wing halves just slide in together and the two clear notches slide into the top of the windshield. I had to file mine to get it to fit properly so if it doesn’t go in easily do not force it. Trim up the flashing with a file or a knife and do so carefully. Once that’s done you will have to press the wings together pretty hard (from the inboard trailing edge, NOT the wing tips - they’re too thin) and slide the two yellow locking cams into place. Watch them through the windshield glass to line them up. It’s ½ turn to lock them properly.Wing struts go in-between the fuselage and the plastic battery box, landing gear goes on the very bottom. These are the two smaller screws.You should have one of each screw and 4 spare springs, give or take.I HIGHLY recommend adding 3-4 grams of nose weight it really brings this model to life. It is just a tad bit too tail heavy, but feel it out and see how you like it. I also recommend gluing every clip of the landing gear or else it will constantly pop out. The control horn for the rudder broke on mine immediately when it flipped over and I had to replace it. XK does not sell a replacement part for this, you’d have to replace the entire fuselage. Just keep this in mind. I had to drill a hole through where the factory one was and glue in a new one. It’s held up great since, the original one is just way, way too thin.

This RC aircraft is a lot of fun to mess around with. I would not consider this to be any type of a professional flyer - but it is not advertised as one either. I think the quality is excellent and it is very easy to put together and it looks great.The flying functionality is pretty decent - especially when the winds are low, there is not too much weight to the aircraft. It will take a bit to get used to, but nothing that would make a beginner want to quit - you will be able to get the aircraft up fllying in no time. The plane itself is able to fly quite slow without falling out of the sky which makes landing pretty easy - I do have a couple of scratches on mine already, but it is pretty rugged so no worries - which also makes it perfect for beginner pilots.I think this RC airplne is a great option for those that want to get into flying without spending a bunch of upfront $$ and it also includes everything you need in one box, to include two batteries!My grading scale:5 Stars = Knocks it out of the park, PERFECT BUY!4 Stars = Excellent find, you should definitely give it a shot.3 Stars = It works and functions as advertised.2 Stars = A little scary, but do your research and it may work out.1 Stars = Avoid this product and look elsewhere.All of my reviews are based on actual use of the product. I do not communicate with sellers and I am not compensated for positive or negative reviews - they are as honest as I can make them.

The order took a month longer than advertised to deliver and had a defective part that prohibited operation.

The piece that connects the controls to the stabilizer snapped when installing. I wasn’t even able to fly the plane. Buyer beware!