Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Subscribe if you like what you see, and follow me on instagram to see the builds in progress : instagram.com/ajwoodpiece
Sorry for the long gap in videos, this one has actually been done for a couple of months, and has been a build a few years in the making. I have always loved the T-16, and have attempted to make a working one several times, but I usually run into controllability issues and shelve the project. The design has enough lifting surface to work as a plane, but the combination of the upswept skinny wings, TONS of vertical surface area, and a rather blunt fuselage, make for a complex controls problem. The keys to getting this working were tuning the attitude mode of the Ultrix electronics, through varying elevon size, and lots of experimentation with the vertical placement of the center of gravity. After lots tweaking and lots of crashes, I got it flying surprisingly well. The airframe is built out of 3mm Depron, doubled up for the lifting surfaces, painted and detailed with a variety of Tamiya acrylic paints. With a 1s500mAh battery, it weighs right around 70 grams, which is very light for the size, so it can fly pretty slowly in small spaces. It is remarkably stable in attitude mode, but will rapidly depart controlled flight with the stabilization turned off. All the experimentation and rebuilds were worth it though, as it is incredibly fun to do canyon run up against big piles of dirt :)
As with all my builds, this is strictly for fun. I do not intend to sell any sort of kit based on this project, although I will be glad to answer questions about the build, and help anyone who is interested create their own. Do not upload my content as your own, and please provide proper attribution if you are sharing it. RC models are not toys. Build and operate at your own risk and in accordance with your local regulations. Fly smart, fly safe.
Subscribe if you like what you see, and follow me on instagram to see the builds in progress : instagram.com/ajwoodpiece
Sorry for the long gap in videos, this one has actually been done for a couple of months, and has been a build a few years in the making. I have always loved the T-16, and have attempted to make a working one several times, but I usually run into controllability issues and shelve the project. The design has enough lifting surface to work as a plane, but the combination of the upswept skinny wings, TONS of vertical surface area, and a rather blunt fuselage, make for a complex controls problem. The keys to getting this working were tuning the attitude mode of the Ultrix electronics, through varying elevon size, and lots of experimentation with the vertical placement of the center of gravity. After lots tweaking and lots of crashes, I got it flying surprisingly well. The airframe is built out of 3mm Depron, doubled up for the lifting surfaces, painted and detailed with a variety of Tamiya acrylic paints. With a 1s500mAh battery, it weighs right around 70 grams, which is very light for the size, so it can fly pretty slowly in small spaces. It is remarkably stable in attitude mode, but will rapidly depart controlled flight with the stabilization turned off. All the experimentation and rebuilds were worth it though, as it is incredibly fun to do canyon run up against big piles of dirt :)
As with all my builds, this is strictly for fun. I do not intend to sell any sort of kit based on this project, although I will be glad to answer questions about the build, and help anyone who is interested create their own. Do not upload my content as your own, and please provide proper attribution if you are sharing it. RC models are not toys. Build and operate at your own risk and in accordance with your local regulations. Fly smart, fly safe.
