SebArt's Katana S30E Review

- Wingspan: 1250 mm -
Fuselage length: 1250 mm -
Airweight: approx. 1200 g -
Motor: Hacker A30-14L -
ESC: Hacker X40-Pro

The Katana S30E ARF kit is available for CHF 299.– or as a complete set, consisting of the Katana S30E ARF kit, including a motor and ESC, for an incredible CHF 499.–.

- 1 LiPo Flight-Power 2100 mAh 3s1p 11.1
V flight battery - 4 Hitec
HS-56HB servos - 1 JR
R16Scan receiver - 1 APC 14×7 E propeller

After opening the box, I was immediately impressed by the perfect build quality. All parts are covered with multicolored heat-shrink tubing and are absolutely “bubble-free.” The fiberglass cowl is painted to match the design. The extensive list of accessories is also impressive: control horns, linkages, screws, spinner, wheels, fiberglass wheel covers, (motor and ESC included only in the complete set). The Katana S30E features a classic wood-frame construction, and all parts are laser-cut. All glue joints—and I emphasize this—“are very clean and glued with just as much adhesive as necessary”—which cannot be said of many other ARF models, as these are, in most cases, built and shipped with too little or no adhesive at all.

The kit includes only English assembly instructions, but they feature plenty of helpful step-by-step photos—so you can follow along even without knowing English. Assembly takes about four hours. Let’s get started… Cut out the openings for the 4 servos (2× aileron, 1× rudder, and 1× elevator) from the fabric covering on the wings and fuselage. Screw in the servos—and they fit perfectly. Attach the control horns and hook in the pre-bent control linkages. Now glue the horizontal and vertical stabilizers in place with CA

Glue them in place, then glue all the rudder hinges with CA. Install the steerable tail wheel and the main landing gear. Even the wooden reinforcements in the fiberglass wheel wells are already embedded in resin—install the wheels, and the fuselage is already standing on its own “legs” in front of me on the table. Glue the motor mount—which is also included in the kit—to the fuselage with CA, install the ESC and motor, and then position the fiberglass cowl with masking tape and drill it into place. Now just secure the receiver with Velcro, and the fuselage is finished. A real highlight is attaching the already completed canopy—it holds rock-solid with four small magnets and is guided at the front and sides to prevent slipping—just click and it stays in place. The way the wings are attached is also elegant—the fuselage and wing

already have a fiberglass tube embedded in them and are connected via a “suction-fit” bond with a carbon-fiber tube—even the carbon-fiber centering pins are glued in place—and the wings are secured from the inside with two plastic screws.

The center of gravity is specified as 110 to 120 mm, depending on flying style. The center of gravity can be easily adjusted by moving the power battery.

On a day that wasn’t too windy, the KATANA S30E took to the skies for the first time. After just a few meters of takeoff roll and without any major corrections, the model lifted off the runway. The control responses are breathtaking, but—thanks to “Expo”—still manageable. Every imaginable aerobatic maneuver can be conjured up in the sky, and it’s worth noting the forgiving and neutral flight characteristics. Anything is possible with this model—the only limits are set by the pilot’s skill. In my opinion, the center of gravity setting I chose—115 mm—is just right.

Perfect craftsmanship, beautiful multicolored design, all hinge slots are already precisely cut to fit, painted engine hood, pre-assembled cockpit canopy, parts that fit perfectly, plenty of useful accessories, nice decal sheet. All in all, highly recommended. The value for the price is definitely right here.

Bruno Thali