Slite V2 2m

Amazing kit with superb precision laser cut parts however it does require model building experience as the build instructions are sketchy, although the build log link is useful. The German pamphlet provides basic visual steps supplemented by a bizarre English translation but the plan on its own is a work of art.
Mistake 1. when building the wing centre section (misled by the usually helpful build log) I glued each ply rib trailing edge reinforcement to each rib individually before assembling the wing. Definitely only do this after adding the trailing edge as it’s far easier and achieves a better and more accurate fit as I later proved on the outer panels.
The stiff outer leading edge rod is very difficult to “curve” and fix to the tip, I ended up filing a 50% taper for about 5 cm from its end to make it more willing to follow the tip LE profile.
Mistake 2. locate the elevator servo nearest the nose as if you don’t the rudder pushrod will be too short (I found out too late and had to cobble an extension to it at the servo end).

5+ stars for the kit however barely 3 stars for build instructions nevertheless it’s a brilliantly engineered design.

Superb quality kit. The wood selection and the laser cutting are the best I've seen in any kit. Probably not a kit for the inexperienced builder as the structure is intricate and some parts are fragile until framed up, but for for someone with a few balsa builds under their belt it goes together superbly.
I was intending it as a slow winter build but it was so enjoyable I put in some long shifts and had the airframe complete in a week.
I like to 'tweak' so I extended the tail boom by 95mm to make the tail moment arm a little longer. I figure this will make it more predictable in pitch, he standard design is quite short coupled. You can use the spare bit of main spar tube to extend the boom but you will need a bit of tapered tail boom tube to use as a joiner, luckily i had just the thing in my spares box.
Really looking forward to getting this one in the air.

I have had the opportunity to fly the Slite V2 on a few more occasions since my initial review, and I've learned that despite flying RC gliders since the mid 1970's, and having been away from the sport for a decade or so I didn't know as much as I thought!
Neil from Hyperflight suggested that for less delicate handling in pitch it might be worth moving the centre of gravity forward by a few mm.
This I duly did and today I am happy to report that this glider is in my opinion the best thermal soarer that I have ever flown.
The model still goes up in lift like nothing I've ever had, but now the handling feels very purposeful and elegant. todays conditions were windy and from a direction that's not great at our site, but warm with thermals coming through, and the Slite handled the conditions better than I had hoped and so I feel very happy with the flying outcome - that is 10/10!
The ability to fine tune characteristics to this level is great and took me by surprise, this model will teach me a lot I think!
Thanks again Hyperflight.

Ordered the Slite Kit along with recommended Hyperflight Nimh flight pack and Bluebird Servo's.
All arrived very quickly and well packaged, so no damage or issues before I got started.
I think the whole build took me about 30 hours and was rewarding and fun!
Its been awhile since I built an rc model (23 years or so) and I was gobsmacked as to the ease of construction and the accuracy of the parts supplied - on that note I was impressed that all of the accessories save covering, rc gear and nose weight were included which helped with building the model as close as possible to the planned spec.
The build really went without a hitch, everything fitted well and the illustrated instruction booklet although in German made the build easy to follow and identify the parts.
So nothing to report on the build, I think that anyone with a model or two under their belts will have no problems with building the Slite.
In overall terms I added 20g of nose weight and the all up weight came out at 460g which I was amazed at.
So to flying, and the maiden off a restricted length bungee (10/50M) delivered a 37minute flight so I can't complain! This model goes up like nothing I've ever flown and handling was good save for neutrality around the pitch which I'm still getting used to- think "stays where you leave it" and you get the point!
So overall 10/10 for Hyperflight on delivery and recommended accessories and 10/10 also for the quality of the kit.
I'm at 8/10 for the performance only because I have got to get my head around the longitudinal stability, but once I have flown it a few times more this will be 10 I'm sure!
Lovely model highly recommended!

Thank Neil! Slite V2 arrived promptly and unscathed in your bombproof packing. I've been modelling for...gasp...60 yrs. This is a beautifully designed and executed kit. Best materials, layout and cutting I've ever seen. Frameable plan! Bet I can throw this one into lift in 5 throws or less...

The kit looks amazing, the lazer cutting looks so intricate and precise, can't wait to start the build. Packaging and delivery was first class as is to expected from Hyperflight, thanks again Neil :-)

I built more than my fair share of the original Slite, and when this version came along, I found I was initially disappointed. Initially! I completed my third example last year, and I can now enthusiastically recommend this airplane. My current example flies very straight, and delivers the goods time after time. Mine is built as per plan, with these two exceptions: I substituted carbon rods for the steel wing joiners, and truncated the rudder to fit the finished bird into my travel box. The key to a good build is to assemble the wing panels, but without the trailing edges. When all else is complete, remove the panel from the board, and tape, clamp or weight the trailing edge flat on your board. Apply glue, and carefully position the wing upside-down, right on top of the trailing edge. It will come out straight! I've never been able to build the Slite v2 as light as the original, but in the end, if you set the CG at the plan location, it will fly fine, in light lift or wind. I wish there were a V-tail version, but oh, well.

I purchased this model a few months ago with the intention of building it as slowly.
The kit (along with other items) arrived very quickly, and was very well packaged.
This is a beautiful kit, the plan is full size and it very easy to follow using the supplied instructions (in German) and an English translation on the iPad.
I mainly used Gorilla wood glue as I prefer the addition working time this affords.
Everything slotted together perfectly, and is all well thought out.
I covered using Oralite throughout, fitted KST X08 servos in the fuselage for the rudder and elevator, and a Bluebird 101 HV in for the spoiler, this fitted very well indeed just needing 2 screws to hold it down flush with the spoiler frame.
I’m using a Hyperflight 300 NIMH battery right up front and it’s needed 25g of lead to balance.
I’ll be updating the flying set up of the F3/F5 RES Facebook site.

I purchased this model a few months ago with the intention of building it as slowly.
The kit (along with other items) arrived very quickly, and was very well packaged.
This is a beautiful kit, the plan is full size and it very easy to follow using the supplied instructions (in German) and an English translation on the iPad.
I mainly used Gorilla wood glue as I prefer the addition working time this affords.
Everything slotted together perfectly, and is all well thought out.
I covered using Oralite throughout, fitted KST X08 servos in the fuselage for the rudder and elevator, and a Bluebird 101 HV in for the spoiler, this fitted very well indeed just needing 2 screws to hold it down flush with the spoiler frame.
I’m using a Hyperflight 300 NIMH battery right up front and it’s needed 25g of lead to balance.
I’ll be updating the flying set up of the F3/F5 RES Facebook site.

Excellent quality wood and laser cutting. Well packaged. Only downside is that the instructions are in German and no translation supplied. Overall excellent - can't comment on how it flies as I am mid build.

HyperFlight reply:
There is a translation of the manual, see Slight Manual EN Translation

I read the reviews here before buying this kit, plus spending a fair amount of time on the forums, and I can only add that they are all accurate. Neil is well known for his superb packaging and I wish to add that that his customer service is equally as good - both before and even months after purchase. Thanks Neil!
As for the kit... The quality is outstanding, both in wood selection and accurate CNC cutting. So accurate that using the supplied jigs I did not have to use the plan for the entire build. The fuselage was such that when I pulled the tail end together the sides met perfectly and the shape was true around the centre line.
When I maidened the Slite (8mph wind) and started to extend the bungee I discovered that she went up vertically and was very stable during weaving on the line.
A pleasure to both build and fly.

This is a superb 'builders' kit with laser cutting to die for. Its made by Gruner who also make the "INSIDE F5J" and the winging layout is very similar. I decided to fit a Haker A10-7L geared motor as launching aid. The fuselage needs another 5mm in height and 4mm in width at the nose to accommodate the motor. I used a 28mm VM spinner with a 13x8 GM prop also from Neil. The battery is a 3S 450mAh Lipo. I used Bluebird BMS101DMS servos which are the only ones that would fit under the wing. The same servo is a perfect fit in the spoiler bay. The all up flying weight with battery came out at 515g which included 10g in the fin to compensate for the motor wieght. I flew it for the first time today and am very pleased with the performance. Those of you who enjoy building will certainly enjoy the sheer the quality of this kit. The RC groups thread for the Slite is mainly related to the early version from a different manufacturer and not this v2 so don't be put off. Although there are no english instructions I had no difficulty understanding the superb colour print plan combined with the pictures in the manual.

Next day delivery and really excellent packing....the type you keep 'because it is bound to come in useful sometime..!' Lovely to see a coloured and highly detailed plan with all the parts numbered on both plan and wood.
The quality of the wood laser cutting is the best I have seen as is the quality of the balsa and ply chosen. This a a beautifully engineered glider. I would claim that you do need prior building experience even though the german instructions are well illustrated. All parts are of course cut to the correct size but the order of 'events' and the glues used will have an effect on the final strength and performance. I have not actually started yet because I have some repairs to do on my Bird of Time but the package is a great incentive to get them finished so I can get this obviously high performance machine into the air. I am investigating launches via a small electric motor 6" x 3" folding prop and ESC......these will not have to be to competition standard as I only sport fly. I think I will just about be able to fit same into the existing fuselage by slightly widening at the nose. The fuselage is 26 mm wide at that point so a 23mm dia motor from Hyperfilght should fit. I look forward to a theraputic build.

Firstly, I ordered this kit and some servos etc. and everything arrived next day in very sturdy packaging so top marks to Hyperflite.
I have built many kits over the years but this is by far the most precise and well designed kit using jigs rather then building over traditional plans. Everything was high quality and precisely cut. In general the model went together very well but it was fairly fiddly in places. The instructions are all in German so I downloaded a pdf and used google translate for each section which worked out fine. There are a few oversights in the instructions such as no mention of installing the wing locator pieces but nothing that can't be easily worked out by looking at the plans. One thing I found strange was having a removable stabiliser but the control linkages are glued in place with no snap link! Again something that is easily fixed but when so much thought and detail has gone into the design this is a little suprising to find.
I have installed 3 x ripmax sd100 servos but as others have mentioned in the online build logs they were installed further back then shown on the plan to allow space for the battery. It seems the design was originally based around a 1S lipo but moving the servos back makes has made space for a 800mAh NiMH. I had to also remove a small former (F4) in the wing to fit the spoiler servo and allow the spoiler to fully close.
The finished model is very light and looks fantastic (transparent Oralite shows of the intricate design). I've no doubt it will fly superbly but I haven't had a chance to fly it yet. I had plans to fly not only from a bungee high start but for light winds on the slope but it might prove to be a little fragile for slope use.
I have given 4 stars due to the complexities of changing things around (something I feel most people would need to do) but overall a fantastic kit that promises great performance.

I purchased the Slite V2 and the Pures V2. The quality of the kits and overall design is outstanding. These two models have been a joy to build. And of course, Neil’s service is excellent. Order today in the states and receive your merchandise in less than a week. Great job!

It a complex and in places a very fiddly build, but it does make up into a high performance sailplane. The instructions are in German - I found that a translation was pretty much essential to building the model. The limitation on the instructions and the complexity of the build reduce my rating from 5 to 4 stars.

well made product, wish we had english instructions