“I was fortunate enough to purchase one of the two Horizon Hobby Draco models that Mick from RCMA Model Shop managed to get in. This is one impressive aircraft, this is a model you could mount on the wall and put frame around, it is a work of art.
Little work is required to put it together ready for that first flight. All the hard work is already done on the amazing undercarriage, you just need to bolt it in place with the 4 supplied bolts and secure the wheels in place. Next is the tail wheel, held in place with 3 supplied bolts and nuts, A left and right plastic cover is then added.
The tail-plane slides into place until the retaining clip clicks. The tail-plane struts are retained by ball links.
Aileron Counterbalance are held in place with a bolt, the wing tip guards are clipped into place.
Leading Edge Slats are glued in place with gap filling cyno, the the wing tube is put through the fuselage and the wings added. No servo leads to be plugged in here, each wing root has 4 micro USB plugs going into the reciprocal female plugs in the fuselage. I like the wing retention system. Four nylon locking pins hold them in place. Very efficient and simple.
Fuselage steps and antennas are the last items added, along with the prop and spinner. Draco is now ready for it?s maiden flight. I bound the radio without the SAFE Select. All control surfaces were centralised and did not need adjustment.
I?m using 6S ACE-Power 5400 & 5500 mAh LiPo?s (available from Mick). CoG was set at 100mm back from the Slat leading edge. First flight was a nice morning, no wind. Power up, short take off run and Draco was flying. Model immediately felt comfortable and no trim adjustments were required. First, second and third flights, I bounced the model on landing causing the undercarriage oleo's to compress and then bounce Draco back into the air. It was on the fourth, fifth and sixth flights that I managed to get Draco down without bouncing. I spent these flights just doing touch and goes to get the feel for landing. Turn onto finals, deploy full flap, hold pitch up so clean air is flowing under the slats and then control the descent using the throttle. Perfect 3 point touch down each time. If you slow the airspeed down, Draco will tell you by rocking the wings. Apply power and Draco settles back down.
Increase power and Draco is quite aerobatic. Big loops, rolls are a bit slow, powerful stall turns. Fly straight and level, apply full rudder and Draco will roll into a nose down spiral. Take off rudder and Draco will pull out.
Overall I?m very impressed with the scale detail look and the flight performance. Horizon Hobby have certainly got this model right.
Treat yourself to one.”
