The first Hangar 9 turbine jet
By Ron Hull | [email protected]
Photos provided by the author
As seen in the November 2024 issue of Model Aviation.
LET’S BE HONEST, jets are cool! There’s something about the sound of a turbine spooling up that gets my blood pumping. I was excited when Hangar 9 announced that it was releasing the Aermacchi MB-339 60-85N ARF turbine jet. This is the first turbine model released by Hangar 9 and Horizon Hobby. I’ve always had luck with Horizon products, so I knew that it would be the perfect model to take my first step into that part of the hobby.
The color scheme on the MB-339 sport jet version makes it stand out in the sky as it settles in nicely for a landing.
Turbines have come a long way since they were first used in model airplanes, and there really hasn’t been a better time to start flying one than now. Reliability and the ease of use have greatly increased in the past several years, and that opens the door for more people to make the leap to turbines.
If this is your first turbine model, as it is mine, I strongly recommend finding someone who is well-versed in the turbine world to look over your airplane and give everything a once-over before getting it in the air. Because these are powerful airplanes that can fly fast, they can do a lot of damage if something goes wrong.
The MB-339 is available in two schemes—a scale livery and a sport variant.
AMA guidelines require a non-turbine-waivered pilot to fly their training flights on a buddy box, which really lessened my stress and made my first flights much more enjoyable. Please follow all of the AMA rules.
At a Glance
Specifications
Type: Sport turbine-powered jet
Material: Wood
Wingspan: 84 inches
Length: 79 inches
Wing area: 1,135 sq. in.
Radio: 10-plus channels
Servos: Four standard; four mini (digital high-torque, high-speed)
Batteries: Four total: two for the receiver, one for the retracts, one for the turbine
Price: $1,599.99 to $3,879.99
Power system: 60- to 85-newton turbine engine
Weight: 24.4 pounds
Flight time: 5 to 8 minutes
Pluses
- Great-flying airframe and price point for an introduction to turbine aircraft.
- Quick assembly and disassembly for easier trips to the field.
- Built for economical 60- to 85-newton-size turbines.
- Size is impressive in the air, but not so large that storage and transportation become an issue.
- Easy access to the turbine and electronics through the removable hatches.
Manufacturer/Distributor
Hangar 9/Horizon Hobby
What’s in the Box?
The Hangar 9 Aermacchi MB-339 jet is available in several configurations and two scheme variations. It comes in a sport jet scheme (orange, blue, and white) and a military livery. The military livery features several scalelike details, including printed covering with weathering, panel lines, and rivets. The ARF lists for $1,599.99 and comes with the airframe, landing gear, controller (with an extra set of tires for the main gear), thrust tube, and a complete hardware kit.
It is also available as a combo kit with a turbine (either a KingTech K-70 G4+ or K-85 G4+) or a combo kit with a turbine and a servo set that includes the eight required servos (four standard-size, high-voltage servos and four mini. high-voltage servos).
The author poses with his MB-339 for the obligatory post-maiden flight photo.
I ordered the combo that included the K-85 G4+ turbine and the servos through my favorite hobby shop, Dynamic Balsa, in Leonore, Illinois. Horizon Hobby offers a slight discount when these are purchased as a combo package, so it made sense to me to get them all at once and save a little money.
Assembly and Setup
I had a lot of help with the assembly from my friend, Tommy Dale. We were able to complete the build in just a few sessions. We have both built several ARFs in the past, so we knew what to expect because this isn’t a beginner’s build. We did run into a few issues along the way, but nothing that was too difficult.
We had to enlarge the holes for the flaps because they were slightly misaligned and enlarge the holes in the aluminum plate that holds the fuel tank so that it would align with the mount in the fuselage. We also needed to enlarge the holes in the plate that holds the two-piece fuselage together.
It is worth noting that a friend of mine is currently assembling his own MB-339 and has not run into these issues. Other than those few minor inconveniences, the assembly went smoothly and I was pleased. I was also pleased with the hardware kit. I’ve had other ARFs that come with screws that strip out easily, but I had no issues with these. The hinges felt sturdy, along with the control horns and the included landing gear and controller.
The ARF comes with a double-walled thrust pipe and fuel tank. Installing the turbine was easier than any other engine that I’ve mounted. The vertical stabilizer gets glued on, so it is not removable. The horizontal stabilizer has a wing tube and is held on by one bolt on each side, making it easy to remove for transport. Installing the wing is nearly as simple. It has a single wing tube, and each wing is held on by two thumbscrews.
The horizontal stabilizer is easily removable because it is only held on by a single bolt.
I added four-port multi-servo harnesses by Thunderbolt RC to simplify the electrical connections between the wing and the fuselage. There are three hatches on this airplane. The two top hatches give you ample access to the electronics and the turbine, while the belly hatch gives access to the wing bolts for the wing installation.
I had originally purchased a 20-channel Spektrum PowerSafe receiver (AR20400T), but I switched it out to Spektrum’s Synapse Gyro after it was released. The radio system installation and setup were simple. It did take a little bit of finesse to find a spot in the inside of the fuselage to mount the gyro and receiver. There are a lot of lightening holes on the inside of the airplane, so they had to be placed exactly right for every mounting screw to make contact with the mounting plate.
The airplane is powered by four batteries. Two run the PowerSafe receiver, one is for the landing gear retracts and brakes, and one is for the turbine. I’m using Spektrum’s 7.4-volt 4,000 mAh 2S 15C Smart LiPo receiver battery for the receiver and gear and a 9.9-volt 3,200 mAh 3S 15C Smart LiFe ECU battery for the turbine.
The turbine can run on diesel, kerosene, or Jet-A fuel and needs to be mixed with oil before use. I chose diesel because of the ease of availability in my area. As I mentioned, my MB-339 is guided by the new AR20410T 20-channel PowerSafe receiver with Synapse AS3X+ and a SAFE stabilization module. This is the newest PowerSafe receiver from Spektrum that features many upgrades over the AR20400T that make setup a breeze.
I’ve had to use programming cables and a computer to set up receivers in the past and was initially leery about the Synapse setup for this airplane. I fly with an iX20SE transmitter, and I was able to do all of the setup through forward programming on it.
Forward programming uses your transmitter to access the settings in the receiver, negating the need for any other hardware. It also has a first-time setup menu, which takes you through the necessary steps to make sure your system is working correctly. It was simple and intuitive and helps the jet with a locked-in feel, even when it’s breezy during flight.
The fuselage offers plenty of room for the electronics.
The Synapse gyro also has a heading hold for the nose wheel, which helps it travel straight down the runway during takeoffs and landings, even with a slight crosswind. This also helps a lot when landing if your brakes are not perfectly adjusted and proportioned by helping to keep it going where you point it on the runway.
The turbine installation is easier than any other engine that the author has installed.
First Flights
Now for the fun part. After assembling and setting it up, it was time to fly. One of our local turbine pilots was happy to help me with the final setup and to make the maiden flight. He had it completely trimmed in each of the three flight modes (no flaps, takeoff flaps, and landing flaps) within three circuits, and then he spent the next couple of minutes setting up the Synapse gyro before landing. It was a quick and uneventful flight that went by in a blur, but it was also exciting.
After talking me through some of the flight characteristics of the airplane and the differences in how a turbine reacts (throttle lag), he took off and gave me a few laps on the sticks before he landed. After a couple more flights, I was able to take off, fly through a tank of fuel, and land on my own without issues.
A couple of days later, I had a chance to get some more flights in with another club member. I flew an entire tank practicing stalls on the final approach (a few mistakes high, of course!), and this airplane stalls predictably every time.
I don’t have any experience with turbine aircraft other than this one at this point, so I don’t have a frame of reference for comparison, but after several flights under the direction of an experienced turbine pilot, I am comfortable and happy with the way it flies. It feels more forgiving and stable than flying an E-flite Viper 90mm, and it is a pure joy to pilot. Takeoffs are as simple as throttling up and giving a little up-elevator until it breaks ground. Landings are predictable.
After the turn to final approach, reducing the power allows it to settle in and land on its mains until the speed bleeds off enough for the nose gear to touch down. The brakes slow it down with authority and bring it to a stop within a short distance.
Conclusion
You can tell that much thought and development went into this airplane. What do I think of it? I’m hooked! It flies like it’s on rails. It feels very sturdy and predictable in the air and is well behaved. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.
If you are thinking about getting into turbine jets, this is the perfect one with which to start. If you already have your turbine waiver and are looking for another airplane to add to your hangar, this would also be the perfect airplane to consider.
There’s just something about a turbine that you must experience to understand! If you have any thoughts about getting this airplane, take the leap and start your journey into the world of turbines. You won’t be sorry!v
SOURCES:
RCPlaneLab
(818) 351-9846
Dynamic Balsa
(815) 856-2272
Spektrum RC
Thunderbolt RC
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