A favorite among airshow fans during the 1960s, the The Great Planes Zlin Z-526 Akrobat resurrects the popular Czech plane in all its flying glory. Like its full-scale inspiration, the single-seater model is designed for one thing: to thrill audiences with its sporty aerobatic prowess.
While putting ARFs together is always daunting, this particular plane was engineered for convenient assembly. Note the difference between "convenient" and "easy." This is, by no means, a breeze, but it could have been harder. For our purposes, we used a 4-stroke .52 engine, although you do get a wide choice for the kit (2-strokes and Outrunner brushless are also accepted).
The Great Planes Zlin Z-526 Akrobat is a roughly 1/7th scale, so it's quite a big plane (58-inch wingspan). That makes it perfect for outdoor aerial shows, since people on the ground can spot its on-air antics easily.
Up in the air, the good looks pave the way for even better flight. The plane is absolutely fast and smooth. Crank the left stick forward and you'll see it streak like a straight-aimed missile. Handling shows a lot of neutral tendencies, so there's plenty of room to innovate for aerobatic flyers. It's not as precise as 3D competitors would probably hope for, though, so keep that in mind.
Seldom do you find a Zlin plane modeled. It's especially rare to see one with full aerobatic qualities as Great Planes has done with Zlin Z-526 Akrobat. Throw in the not-so-difficult assembly plus excellent flight speed, and it's an easy call if you're ever considering getting one. Yep, get it now.
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US $8.49
Specifications
Wingspan: 58 in (1470 mm)
Wing Area: 633 in² (40.9 dm²)
Weight: 6-6.75 lb (2695-3005 g)
Wing Loading: 22-24 oz/ft² (66-74 g/dm²)
Length: 52 in (1320 mm)
Requires: 4-5 channel radio w/4-5 servos; 2-stroke .46-.55 cu in (7.5-9.0 cc) or 4-stroke .52-.70 cu in (8.5-11.5 cc) engine; OR RimFire? 42-60-480kV outrunner brushless motor, 60A brushless ESC & (2) 11.1V 3200mAh 20C LiPo batteries
