RocHobby Staggerwing Review

Josh and Alex took the new RocHobby RC Staggerwing out for a test flight, but not all went to plan.

The original Beechcraft Staggerwing was ahead of its time in many ways. It had innovative aerodynamics and an unconventional wing layout that put it ahead of its contemporaries. The company RocHobby just released an RC version of the classic Staggerwing, but is it a step backwards?

Ground Inspection

On the ground, once a slightly tedious build was out of the way, the Staggerwing looks alright - but it's nothing too special. Like most models, the plane is made from durable EPO foam and includes flaps, LED navigation lights, and servoless electric retracts. Unfortunately, we had problems with both of the flaps and one of the gear legs. If this were a full-scale airplane, it wouldn't pass many airworthiness tests!

One notable issue is that the landing gear on relatively small 1030mm wingspan model - they're simply not great for grass field takeoffs as they're just too tiny. We managed them okay, but you'll really need to get the lawnmower out!

It really wasn't boding well for the maiden flight.

Flight Testing

Despite initial problems on the ground, the Staggerwing was surprisingly 'okay' when it got up into the air. The aircraft runs a brushless 850KV motor along with a 11x7 prop meaning it has plenty of power in the air.

The aerodynamics certainly contribute to its performance, just like the real Beechcraft 1930s airplane, although Josh and Alex's Staggerwing was slightly tail heavy. This could be trimmed out in the air, but the battery compartment is really too small to do much weight shifting whilst on the ground.

In terms of flying characteristics, therefore, the RocHobby Staggerwing isn't a bad airplane. It is quite docile in a stall and predictable in turns.

Low fast flybys are a buzz. Josh recommends that you set the expo to 30% and travel to 70% for this model.

Touchdown with Josh at the controls was quite uneventful and probably went the best it could have gone on this grass. For new pilots, when you're coming in for a landing on grass, bleed off as much airspeed as possible and then apply a little burst of throttle right above the ground as you flair. This should bring the nose up for a three-point landing and help to reduce the chance of you flipping over!

The next flight of the Staggerwing was a little more eventful, unfortunately. As happened on the ground tests, one of the servoless retracts failed to deploy! Alex got it down just fine despite the drama.

Should you buy one?

Josh and Alex were a little disappointed with this model, however, if you love Staggerwings you might be able to look beyond its shortcomings. As mentioned, the build is also not exactly the most straightforward, but if you're fine with putting a little extra effort in this isn't the biggest problem. Here's the crux of the matter: the RocHobby Staggerwing could be great, but it's just not quite at the same level as some other products out there. At $189.99, many other airplanes fall into its price bracket. If you'd like to pick one up, though, make sure to visit MotionRC!