E-flite F-18 Blue Angels: Soar Like a Legend! 80mm EDF BNF Basic - Ready to Fly!
Alright, buckle up buttercup, because this ain't your grandma's garden gnome. This is a portal. A shimmering, whispering window to a world of pure awesome. Feel that energy humming in the air? It's anticipation. It's the promise of epic adventures, legendary tales, and maybe, just maybe, a slightly improved ability to bench press. We're not selling you a thing, we're offering you an experience. A chance to rewrite your story. So, go ahead, take the plunge. What have you got to lose, besides your current level of boredom? This is the future, baby, and it's calling your name. Get it now, or regret it later. You know you want it.
Product Details
The E-flite® F-18 Blue Angels 80mm EDF jet delivers an unmatched flying experience, combining fantastic performance and easy handling with Extra Scale details and features, plus a finish that pays tribute to the iconic U.S. Navy demonstration team.
Key Features
- Scale replica of the iconic aircraft flown by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels demonstration team
- Functional Extra Scale features including LED lights, full-flying stabs, flaps, main and nose gear doors
- V2 12-blade 80mm fan delivers excellent top speed and vertical performance plus turbine-like sound
- Easier to fly with innovative and optional-use SAFE® Select flight envelope protection
- Bind-N-Fly Basic completion level comes with receiver installed, so all you need to do is bind it to your favorite transmitter, and install a charged battery (both sold separately).
In The Box
- (1) E-flite® F-18 Blue Angels 80mm EDF
- (1) 100A Brushless ESC (installed)
- (1) Brushless Inrunner Motor (installed)
- (1) V2 80mm EDF Unit (installed)
- (10) Metal-Geared Servos (installed)
- (1) Spektrum™ AR636 6-Channel Receiver (installed)
- (1) Product Manual
Needed to Complete
- (1) Full-range 6-7+ Channel Spektrum™ DSMX®/DSM2® Compatible 2.4GHz Transmitter
- (1) 6S 22.2V 4000–7000mAh 30+C LiPo with EC5™ or IC5™ Connector
- (1) Compatible LiPo Charger
Introduction
Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and Northrop, the F/A-18 has served the U.S. Navy Blue Angels since 1986 — longer than any other aircraft flown by the famous flight demonstration team. F/A-18s flown by the Blue Angels are nearly the same as those used by the Navy and Marine Corps as both fighters and attack platforms. The weapons are removed, a smoke-oil tank is installed, and the control stick spring system is adjusted to offer more precise control. The E-flite® F-18 Blue Angels 80mm EDF provides an exceptional flying experience highlighted by an abundance of Extra Scale details and functional features including LED lights, full-flying stabs, operational flaps and more, while also being factory-finished to pay tribute to the iconic demo team.
Features
- The best handling high-performance F-18 EDF (Electric Ducted Fan) jet model yet
- Scale replica of the iconic aircraft flown by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels demonstration team
- Factory-applied trim scheme with decal sheet to apply the number designation of your choice
- Extra Scale details including removable ordnance and tanks, painted landing gear, molded-in panel lines and more
- Functional Extra Scale features including LED lights, full-flying stabs, flaps, main and nose gear doors
- V2 12-blade 80mm fan delivers excellent top speed and vertical performance plus turbine-like sound
- Factory-installed, high-power 6S-compatible brushless inrunner motor and 100-amp ESC
- Fits a wide range of 6S batteries from 4000-7000mAh to deliver class-leading flight times
- Ten factory-installed metal-geared servos with ball-link equipped linkages
- Spektrum™ AR636 6-channel receiver with industry-leading 2.4GHz DSMX® technology
- Easier to fly with innovative and optional-use SAFE® Select flight envelope protection
- The unmatched stability and locked-in feel of exclusive AS3X® technology
- Electric retracts with scale painted shock-absorbing, trailing-link struts
- No glue required for assembly and can be ready to fly in less time than it takes to charge a battery
- Two-piece wing that bolts into place and a magnetically secured nose cone
- Convenient top hatch with clear canopy, cockpit detail and a pilot figure
- Extremely durable, fully molded EPO airframe
Overview
The E-flite® F-18 Blue Angels 80mm EDF has the size, scale details, functional features and performance to provide an unmatched flying experience. An abundance of Extra Scale details, including molded-in panel lines and hatches, removable ordnance and drop tanks, a pilot figure and more, take the realistic appearance to another level. Functional Extra Scale features include LED navigation lights, full-flying stabs and operational flaps, plus retracts and sequenced gear doors. It's also equipped with the most scale-like landing gear of any F-18 EDF model yet, and the shock-absorbing, trailing-link struts are painted white for even more authenticity. There are ten factory-installed metal-geared servos in both versions, and you can install the compatible receiver and an 80mm EDF power system — from another similar class model or using other compatible components — of your choice in the ARF Plus version. Or, the BNF Basic version comes factory-equipped with a Spektrum™ receiver that includes exclusive AS3X® and optional-use SAFE® Select technologies, along with a V2 12-blade 80mm fan, high-RPM brushless inrunner motor and 100A ESC to deliver fantastic performance with 6S 4000–7000mAh LiPo batteries. This power system also provides better performance and longer flight times than the 6S-compatible power systems used in larger models — plus it offers a turbine-like sound! Constructed of durable, fully-molded EPO material, no glue is required for assembly and it can be ready to fly in less time than other similar class models.
Video Overview
Exclusive Technologies
This is the first high-performance F-18 Blue Angels model equipped with exclusive Spektrum™ AS3X® and SAFE® Select technologies. AS3X works behind the scenes to smooth out the effects of wind and turbulence to deliver a locked-in feel that makes it seem like you're flying a much larger airplane. Optional-use SAFE Select offers pitch and bank angle limits along with automatic self-leveling that can be turned on and off at the flip of a switch, making this an easier to fly F-18 Blue Angels model than there's ever been before! And if you don't want to enable the SAFE Select features, simply bind the receiver normally and only AS3X will be active.
High-Performance EDF
The V2 12-blade 80mm fan, high-RPM brushless inrunner motor and 100-amp ESC combine with your 6S 4000–7000mAh 30+C LiPo battery to deliver great vertical performance and a fantastic speed range with virtually instantaneous throttle response. This power system also delivers better performance and longer flight times than the 6S-compatible power systems used in larger models. But what makes the experience truly rewarding is the fantastic sound it produces — it's almost like a real turbine.
Extra Scale Details
The F-18 Blue Angels 80mm EDF features an accurate outline and an abundance of Extra Scale details including molded-in panel lines and hatches, painted landing gear, removable ordnance and drop tanks – more details than you typically find on similar class and smaller models.
Functional Extra Scale Features
Factory-installed LED lights, full-flying stabs, operational flaps and control surfaces with pocket hinges – even main gear and sequenced nose gear doors – are functional Extra Scale features that take your experience to another level.
Capable Gear
The steerable nose gear with dual wheels and the rotating main gear feature reliable, factory-installed electric retracts equipped with durable metal components including Extra Scale painted trailing-link, shock-absorbing struts. It's the most scale-like landing gear installed on an F-18 EDF model yet!
Durable Precision
Construction with fully molded EPO material makes it possible to replicate complex detail and shapes in a lightweight yet durable form. The result is an outstanding scale appearance that's easy to maintain and delivers the best possible flight experience. The factory-installed metal-geared servos with ball-link equipped linkages deliver crisp and precise control at every speed.
Easy Assembly
No glue is required for assembly and you can have the F-18 ready to fly in less time than it takes to charge a battery! The stabs plus the two-piece wing bolt into place and can easily be removed for convenient storage and transport.
Iconic Trim Scheme
The factory-applied paint and decal finish pays tribute to the iconic U.S. Navy Blue Angels demonstration team. A decal sheet is also included so you can apply the number designation of your choice.
Bind-N-Fly Completion Level Advantage
Already own a Spektrum™ transmitter? Bind-N-Fly (BNF) aircraft make getting into the air quickly and with the best control experience possible easier than ever. They come out of the box with the power system, servos and a Spektrum 2.4GHz receiver installed so all you need to do is bind the receiver to a compatible transmitter, finish any final assembly, and fly!
This Bind-N-Fly Basic model is equipped with a Spektrum 2.4GHz DSMX® receiver featuring AS3X (Artificial Stabilization–3-aXis) technology that works behind the scenes to smooth out the effects of wind and turbulence. The result is a heightened sense of stability and precision that makes you feel like you're flying a much larger, expertly tuned aircraft.
If this is your first model of its type, or you want an extra margin of safety while familiarizing yourself with the airplane, you can enable the optional-use SAFE® Select flight envelope protection technology built into the receiver. No programming is required. Simply change up the binding sequence as directed in the manual.
With SAFE Select enabled, you get:
Pitch and Bank Angle Limits
- These envelope limits keep the airplane from rolling or pitching upside down. They also prevent excessive climb or dive angles.
Automatic Self-Leveling
- The airplane instantly returns to and holds level flight when the sticks are released and in the center position. It's also helpful for keeping the wings level during takeoffs/launches and landings.
Easy Switch Assignment—No Complex Programming Required
- The simple procedure for assigning a transmitter switch to turn SAFE Select features on and off doesn't require any complex programming and takes just a few seconds.
If you don't want to enable the SAFE Select features, just bind the receiver normally and it will function like a standard AS3X receiver.
Product Specifications
| Airfoil Shape | Symmetrical |
| Approximate Assembly Time | Less than one hour |
| Approximate Flight Time | 3 - 5 minutes |
| Battery | Sold Separately |
| CG (Center of Gravity) | 2.75 - 3.07' (70 -78mm) from leading edge of the wing where it meets the fuselage |
| Charger | Sold Separately |
| Completion Level | Bind-N-Fly Basic |
| Fan Size | 80mm EDF |
| Flaps | Yes |
| Power Type | Electric |
| Landing Gear | 100 degree rotating electric retracts |
| Material | EPO |
| Minimum Required Radio | 6-channel |
| Minimum Speed Control | 100A included |
| Motor Size | 3270-2000Kv |
| Product Length | 53.1' (1349 mm) |
| Product Weight | 6.6 – 7.5lb (2.99 - 3.4kg) |
| Radio | Sold Separately |
| Receiver | Included |
| Recommended Motor Battery | 6S 4000 - 7000mAh 30C+ LiPo w/EC5 or IC5 connector |
| Retracts | Included |
| Servos | Included |
| Skill Level | Level 3 |
| Speed Control | Included |
| Technology | AS3X and SAFE |
| Transmitter Range | Full |
| Trim Scheme Colors | Blue Angels |
| Wingspan | 38.6' (980 mm) |
