Xtreme 3D
 There isn't really a lot of point in this review as Balsacraft no longer produce the kit! Only the ready built ARTF Xtreme Lite is available now; however, for what it's worth...The Xtreme 3D is a nice build. The instructions are clear and the build sequence is logical. You really feel that you are advancing with each step. The wood in my kit was very heavy and a lot of it had that very rough "just sawn" texture; it takes a lot of sanding to get it smooth! I also had a few bits missing, the most annoying of which were the wing leading edges. The hardware pack was comprehensive and covered everything except a propellor. I changed the tank to a Kavan type but this is just a personal preference. I'm sure the Slec provided would be fine.
 Xtreme is well engineered with adequate strength built in where it's needed. I particularly liked the wingmainspar construction. All formers and cut parts were accurate and fitted with one another well. The undercarriage mounting plate was, I thought, a little over engineered and would be unlikely to detatch from the rest of the fuselage without causing severe damage. This isn't helped by the very robust 1/8" duralamin undercarriage which has virtually no flex at all. I may make a piano wire version later to replace it. I also fitted an extra pair of triangular gussets to the wingtips as there were only two aligned with the mainspar ends to support them, and this allowed them to flex rather too easily. The covering would almost certainly bow them one way or the other. The engine is supposed to be mounted inverted, not something I like, so I threw away the plastic cowling and mounted my engine a few degrees off sidewinder. I then blocked up the nose with light 1/2" balsa sheet and sanded it to a Spitfireish shape. It looks quite good and has had a few nice comments at the field. I fitted a S.C.53 two stroke and a Kavan 10oz tank. I had to modify one of the nose formers to get the tank in as the carb' is higher with the engine mounted sidewinder. The front fuselage was given a couple of coats of 50/50 thinned Clearcote, as was the wing centre section. Covering is Solarfilm to save weight. I used transparent red on the flying surfaces and solid red on the fuselage.
All the radio was fitted forward with the 600mah NiMH fitted under the tank. I'm using a Futaba FF6 with S148 servo's.
 Test flights were a non event. It just flew fine right off the bat. The control surface movements as specified in the handbook are nothing like enough though. I used 3.5" total on aileron, 3" total on elevator and 5" total on rudder. All measured at the broadest chord of each surface. All up weight is 5 .25 lbs. The S.C.53 while providing adequate power, isn't really enough for hovering. Those that I've tried always fall back after about 10 seconds; but you have to allow for the engine still not being run in and still being run on the rich side. It could well improve with more time on the engine and maybe a finer prop'. I'll probably end up wishing I'd fitted a .60! What put me off was the extra three quarters of a pound in weight plus extra fuel as well, to say nothing of shorter flights. This would have meant fitting the elevator and rudder servo's out in the breeze (and oil) at the tail end to achieve the c.g. balance point, which I didn't fancy much.
 Xtreme flies well but is reluctant to snap or spin even with the C.G. slightly behind the rearward position indicated on the plan. (actually it's indicated in the Addendum sheet `cos everything else is wrong!) I guess that big `ole wing is just too thick! Apart from that it's just fine and is a lot of fun to fly, especially the low speed low level maneauvers. It's not as good as my Limbo Dancer at low level hot dogging mainly due to the extra weight, but it's still a blast compared to the conventional type of model. Now if my Limbo had a symmetrical wing...Altogether a nice, rewarding building and flying experience. Go and buy one today! Oh sorry, I forgot, you can't can you? Oh well, nevermind... G :-)
FF-22-05-02
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