Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE FG Review
Let's face it who doesn't love a great looking rounded cowl aerobatic airplane? I have always been a huge fan of the Russian Yak and Sukhoi airplanes ever since they exploded into the r/c arena several years ago. The Sukhoi has been in Hangar 9's fleet for many years and was originally offered as a SU-31 but is now being offered in the Mike McConville updated SU-26 versions. So what sets this Sukhoi apart from the previous versions or other versions being sold by other manufactures? The new Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE comes with pre-hinged control surfaces, a removable rudder, pre-plumbed fuel tank (with fuel dot), totally slick new pilot bust figure, and is canister/pipe ready right from the factory.
Now most people would be happy with that amount of pre-fabrication on their next ARF airplane but Hangar 9 decided to throw in one more pretty cool feature on this airplane. The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE also comes with ALL the servos and ALL the control linkages pre-installed!! SAY WHAT?? Yep, Hangar 9 has pre-installed (5) Spektrum A6030 servos (all control surfaces) and a Spektrum A6000 (throttle) directly from the factory and ready to use right out of the box. That means you only need to install your motor of choice, the tail assembly, receiver, and cowl before you're ready to head to the field for some serious smack down with your Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE.
Review
By SleepyC |
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Introduction
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Out of the Box: 
The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE arrived in 3 boxes. One box for the wings, the next box was for the fuselage, and the third box for the cowl. I was very impressed with how well everything in the boxes were packaged and protected. The fuselage literally comes framed into the shipping box with cardboard and protective foam completely encasing it from damage. The wing box also houses the impressive decal sheets which will later add a lot of bling to the already impressive covering scheme on the airplane. After carefully removing every part from the boxes I was grateful to see everything was in perfect condition. All the hardware components and small parts were individually bagged making it easy to keep track of them until needed. After looking over the manual it was time to get my build on…….not sure if you want to really call this a build, more like a minor assembly!! Product Specifications Specs Wingspan: 97.0 in (246 cm) Overall Length: 91.0 in (232 cm) with spinner Wing Area: 1762 sq in (114 sq dm) Flying Weight: 21.5 - 24.0 lb (9.80 - 10.9kg) Engine Size: 58 - 85cc gas Radio: 7 channel Servos: 5 Spektrum A6030 servos and 1 A6000 on throttle (installed) Trim Scheme Colors: Ultracote White (U870), Orange (U877), Silver (U881), Pearl Purple (U847), Black (U874) Prop Size: 24 x 10 to 27 x 10 in Spinner Size: 4-1/4 inch Hardware Included: All hardware included Minimum Age Recommendation: 14 years Experience Level: Advanced Recommended Environment: Outdoor Assembly Time: 7-9 Hours Is Assembly Required: Yes
Assembly For a giant scale build assembling the Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE just couldn't get any easier. I started by installing my Spektrum AR9100 receiver onto a pre-installed receiver tray which is located at the front of the turtledeck area. The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE comes pre-plumbed with extension wires for the rudder, elevator, and throttle. These wires are all labeled and ready to connect to the receiver. The manual does a great job of laying out where to install the receiver antennas and there is even a rear mounted receiver plate already installed under the turtledeck area for mounting an antenna toward the back of the airplane. I also installed a male/male charge lead into a charge jack mount which could be used later as a bind/data port. This is a really nice setup because I can now rebind or check signal fades without having to remove the canopy.
The manual gives you two different setups for installing your batteries and regulators. The first installation is used if you are planning on using the airplane primarily for 3D flying. In this setup the regulators are mounted right next to the receiver on the receiver tray and the battery packs are mounted aft of the fuel tank. The other setup is used if you are planning on flying the airplane primarily for precision aerobatics (which is how I setup my airplane). In this configuration the regulators are mounted aft of the fuel tank and the receiver batteries are mounted next to the fuel tank. I decided to run two Spektrum VR6007 (6V) voltage regulators and two Spektrum 7.4V 2000mah receiver packs in my Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE. Using the precision aerobatic installation called out in the manual my regulators were attached to plywood side mounting plates which were then epoxied in place to the inside of the fuselage. I installed the two regulator switches and charge jacks for the receiver batteries in the pre-cut slots in the side of the fuselage. The receiver batteries also get attached to two plywood battery mounting plates and are held in place using foam with hook and loop straps. The battery mounting plates then get epoxied to the sides of the fuel tank tray. 
I kind of deviated from the manual and instead of mounting the motor at this point I decided to get the airplane up on its feet. To install the main landing gear you first have to remove the landing gear cover which is held in place with (2) 4-40 x 3/4 socket head screws. Once removed the landing gear is put in place using (4) 8-32 x 3/4 socket head screws, washers, and lock nuts. I have to admit it did take some maneuvering in order to get not so nimble hands in the fuselage so I could tighten down the landing gear screws. However, once I figured out a good way to get them locked down it didn't take much time at all to get the landing gear installed and the landing gear cover reinstalled on the airplane. I then moved back to install the rudder and tailwheel on the airplane. As mentioned earlier the Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE comes with a removable rudder. In order to install the rudder you have to feed the rudder wire through the line of rudder hinges. I used my cordless drill to help guide the rudder wire through the hinges and embedded the wire slightly into the bottom of the rudder counterbalance. Once installed the rudder wire hangs down about 3/8" below the fuselage. The tailwheel bracket will help ensure the rudder wire does not come out prematurely. The tailwheel setup is a very straight forward install and uses two steering springs to help maneuver the airplane on the ground. In addition to installing the tailwheel the rudder servo also gets hooked up which is simply a matter of tightening the bolt to the Spektrum A6030 rudder servo arm. THAT'S IT!! 
The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE can handle a variety of 80-85CC motors and I opted to go with the recommended Evolution 80GX. The firewall comes with etched markings for the Evolution 80GX which makes it super easy to determine where you need to drill your motor mounting holes. After drilling out the holes in the firewall and installing the blind nuts it was time to install the motor. The kit comes with four 3/16" spacers which are used to provide the appropriate spacing for the front of the cowl and the spinner backplate. With the fuel lines attached and the throttle linkage connected the Evolution 80GX easily mounts to the firewall. I then attached and adjusted my throttle linkage to the Spektrum A6000 throttle servo. The Evolution ignition was mounted to the side of the motor box and my Spektrum 7.4V 2000mah ignition battery was mounted to the top of the motor box. I used a Spektrum 7.4V 2000mah lipo battery to power the ignition on the Evolution 80GX. I love the fact the Evolution 80GX is capable of running on direct 7.4V as this battery pack is lightweight (3.3oz.) and has enough capacity to last nearly all day without needing to recharge. I decided to use the inverted wraparound pitts style smoke muffler on my Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE. This muffler is perfect for the Evolution 80GX as it provides a lightweight and powerful alternative to using a pipe or canister setup. I did have to lightly sand down the bottom left corner of the motor box as the top of the muffler was rubbing ever so slightly against this area. The cowl on the Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE is really a thing of beauty and it absolutely killed me to have to dremel out the bottom in order to fit the motor and muffler. The front of the cowl is pre-ducted to allow the appropriate airflow over the cylinder head on the Evolution 80GX. For those of you looking to install a pipe or canister there are included mounts and tubing to easily install any of the recommended equipment. 
In The Air My finished Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU 26-MM SE came in at completed weight of 24 lbs. This is at the high end of the published manufacture specs. but I knew with the airplanes respectable wing loading of 31.38 oz./sq.ft. (cubic wing loading of 8.97oz. cubic/ft.) and the performance of the Evolution 80GX I would have no problem powering through either IMAC sequences or demanding 3D maneuvers. Out at the field the Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE goes together rather quickly and you are on the flight line in a matter of minutes. I was very impressed by the Evolution 80GX right from the first run up as it showed it had tons of power and required very little needle work to run properly. The airplane taxies quite well on both grass and hard surfaces and has no problem handling moderate cross-winds takeoffs. The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE requires very little rudder to maintain a nice straight track during the takeoff run and with a smooth advancement of the throttle the airplane is in the air after only a short takeoff run.
Once in the air the airplane tracks extremely well on low rates and I felt quite comfortable with the recommended control throw settings after only a few minutes of flying the airplane around. Inverted flight requires a small amount of down elevator to maintain level flight which was to be expected with the batteries and regulators moved forward in the fuselage. The airplane snaps very cleanly and I was quite impressed by how well the servos centered on all the control surfaces. Pulling to a vertical line revealed the airplane pulled slightly to the left and for the time being I have put in a throttle to rudder mix but I will eventually add a small amount of additional right thrust (washers behind the motor) and remove the mix. As predicted the Evolution 80GX powers the airplane through extended vertical runs with ease and usually ends in either hammerhead/stall turns or humpty bump maneuver. 
 Power is definitely not an issue with this setup!! Knife edge flight is very clean and after nearly 40 flights on my Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE I have not adding any kind of knife edge mixing. If the airplane does show any kind of knife edge mixing it is very minimal and is easily flown out using the sticks. I have been having an absolute blast flying my Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE through the Intermediate IMAC sequence. This sequence puts the airplane through snaps (positive and negative), spins (1 3/4 positive), hammerheads, humpty bumps, and even a 90 degree roller. The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE easily and gracefully flies all of the intermediate sequence maneuvers better than many of the larger giant scale airplanes I have flown in the past. Landing the airplane is really a non-pucker event. Simply line the airplane up, adjust throttle for altitude, and once the field is made simply reduce the throttle to idle and the airplane will settle right in for a nice 3-point landing. Just doesn't get any easier than that! But how well does it 3D? The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE is a 3D machine!! Even with the forward placement of the battery packs and voltage regulators the airplane easily hovers at just over half throttle with plenty of power for spirited pull outs. Rolling harriers/circles, knife edge spins (very fun), elevators, walls, and upright and inverted spins are all well inside the capabilities of the Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE. My servos have held up extremely well considering the amount of abuse and stress they have been put under over the past 40 flights. I really enjoy flying upright and inverted harriers with the airplane as they are so solid thanks to the absence of any wing rock. The rudder on the airplane also packs tons of authority so high beta knife edge flight and knife edge loops are totally fun to fly and super impressive to show other club members at the flying field. The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE shows no bad in-flight characteristics which definitely is a confidence booster and will get you flying the airplane on the deck in no time flat!! The video that follows shows some of the 3D and IMAC capabilities of the airplane as well as how well great Mike McConville's new color scheme presents in the air. Let's take a look at the Sukhoi SU-26MM SE in the Air! 
Tips for Success The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE includes aluminum wing and stab tubes which makes mounting the horizontal stab/elevator and wings extremely easy. The stabs are installed on the stab tube and are then held in place using 4-40 screws and washers. The wings attach to the fuselage using two nylon wing bolts per wing half. It is very important to note on this and any gas airplane to ensure you use threadlocker on any hardware that has metal to metal contact. Before the airplane left my work bench I ensured all screws were tight, that threadlocker was used wherever needed, and all my control linkages were properly centered and moving in the correct direction. I setup my airplane using the manuals recommended control throw setups for my initial flights.
Recommended Control Throw Ailerons: High Rate = 3 5/15", 35 deg. (up/down) Low Rate = 1 11/16", 16 deg. (up/down) Elevator: High Rate = 5 1/8", 42 deg. (up/down) Low Rate = 1/ 1/2", 11 deg. (up/down) Rudder: High Rate = 7 1/4", 45 deg. (right/left) Low Rate = 4 1/2", 28 deg. (right/left) 
Conclusion What can I say, Hangar 9 has once again set a standard by introducing a giant scale airplane that will meet or exceed all of your expectations in both the flying and building department. The pre-installed servos and plumbed fuel tank is a real time saver which helps make getting this airplane from box to flight line ready in just a few short hours and not days. The amount of pre-fabrication done at the factory, quality of the build/flying manual, and the in-flight performance of the airplane should definitely make it very appealing to people who have always wanted to get into giant scale airplanes but were afraid they would be too complicated to assemble and setup. The Hangar 9 Sukhoi SU-26MM SE offers the pilot a great platform to perfect either precision or 3D aerobatics with the only limitation being the pilot's ability. |
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| Horizon Hobby, Inc. 4105 Fieldstone Road Champaign, IL 61822 Sales Phone: 800-338-4639 Fax: 217-355-1552 Hours of Operation: Monday – Saturday: 8:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. CST Sunday: 12:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. CST Product Support Phone: 877-504-0233 Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday: 8:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. CST Saturday: 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. CST Sunday: 12:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. CST Main Phone: 1-217- http://www.horizonhobby.com |
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07-06-2011, 02:29 PM
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Swanton, OH USA
Joined Jan 2006
1,591 Posts
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Quote:
 Quote:
Tim |
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Last edited by sun.flyer; 07-06-2011 at 02:58 PM.
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07-06-2011, 02:54 PM
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United States, OH, Waynesville
Joined Mar 2007
27,056 Posts
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awesome job Tim
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07-07-2011, 10:27 AM
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Joined Jan 2009
11,130 Posts
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great review tim
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07-07-2011, 10:28 AM
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Joined Jan 2009
11,130 Posts
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the motor makes really good power, and once tuned in and broken in it doesn't have to bad of vibration. a big single will have more than a DA100, but it isn't to bad at all. |
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07-07-2011, 03:42 PM
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Swanton, OH USA
Joined Jan 2006
1,591 Posts
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Bigugly, I agree with Jim on this. My Evolution is running great for a big single now that we have the motor tuned and broke in. Power level is excellent using the Mej 27 x 10TH. Tim |
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07-07-2011, 04:37 PM
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Mesquite Tx
Joined Nov 2007
1,055 Posts
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07-07-2011, 04:44 PM
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Swanton, OH USA
Joined Jan 2006
1,591 Posts
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Firewall is holding up extremely well......no issues (closing in on 50 flights now). Tim |
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