Twin-tail fighter jet scale model with twin props

Nov 09, 2026 Last reply: 1 hour ago 4 Replies
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Plenty of scale jet models go the ducted fan route, with a fan unit tucked inside the fuselage. This twin-tail fighter takes a different path: two small prop motors sit behind the wings, and a high-RPM electric motor with its drive runs at the rear of the fuselage. A servo motor handles the control deflection, and a battery rides onboard. That power layout alone makes this one worth a closer look.



The finish reads as a proper scale job. The forward fuselage and the vertical stabilizer both carry the marking 'SB 042', and the tail wears an Indian flag insignia. The launch itself is confident stuff: the model is held overhead, the throttle is pushed up to high speed, and the airframe is tossed into the air. It climbs away into an overcast sky, heads off over the nearby buildings, and the people at the launch lose sight of it as it rises.



The catch comes in flight. The maker reports the aircraft cannot bank and suspects the servo does not give enough deflection. The open question is whether the real issue is servo deflection or simply needing more flying practice, and the maker has asked readers to explain the problem.



My own take: check the balance first. A tail-heavy model will fly poorly no matter how much elevator authority goes in, and the advice to slide the battery forward, then test fly and adjust again, strikes me as the right first move before touching the servo. The guideline that the model should balance level when measured from the wing line at its thickest point looks like a handy starting check.


The pick of two small prop motors behind the wings instead of a ducted fan is the choice that stands out to me. My view is the trade-off there is thrust: at this size and design, small props may lack the push needed for stable, level flight. If the model struggles to hold level, that layout is where I would look first.

How was the balance point set before that toss? Was the battery position worked out by measuring along the wing, or was it simply placed where it fit and left there for the launch?

The maker has not said how the balance was set, and that detail stays open for now. The advice on the table is to move the battery forward, then test fly and adjust, using the wing line at its thickest point as the reference and aiming for the model to sit level there.

Two changes I would try: first, get the battery forward and confirm the balance, since a tail-heavy airframe will fly poorly no matter how much elevator is applied. Second, if banking is still off, set up differential thrust between the two props to add a yaw moment. My thinking is that with balance sorted, any remaining trouble points more clearly at servo deflection or at handling.

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