Overview
The E-flite® Super Timber® 1.7m represents the pinnacle of the legendary Timber line, delivering an exceptional blend of short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance with genuine sport and aerobatic capability. This impressive 1.7-metre electric RC aircraft is the largest and most feature-rich Timber model ever produced, designed for pilots who want authentic bush-flying characteristics combined with modern flight performance. Whether you're an experienced RC pilot looking for a versatile brushless RC plane, or an intermediate flyer seeking to expand your aerial skills, the Super Timber 1.7m BNF Basic offers factory-installed electronics and innovative engineering that makes it a standout choice in the UK RC hobby market.
Compared to earlier Timber variants such as the Timber X 1.2m, Turbo Timber 1.5m, and Twin Timber 1.6m, the Super Timber 1.7m is not simply larger—it's fundamentally more capable and better engineered. The aircraft features a specially tuned Spektrum brushless motor system that's compatible with 4S, 5S, and 6S LiPo batteries without requiring any modifications, giving you extraordinary flexibility in choosing your power setup. The flexible battery compatibility means you can select between popular 3200mAh, 4000mAh, or 5000mAh packs to suit your desired flight style, whether you want extended endurance or increased performance.
This ready-to-fly Bind-and-Fly Basic aircraft arrives with virtually all electronics pre-installed and tested, meaning you'll need only a compatible Spektrum transmitter, a suitable LiPo battery, and a charger to get airborne. The composite-reinforced EPO airframe construction balances durability with light weight, whilst factory-installed LED lighting provides authentic navigation and landing lights that look impressive during evening flights. From gentle STOL circuits to spiraling aerobatics, the Super Timber 1.7m delivers the performance and reliability you'd expect from one of the world's most respected RC aircraft manufacturers.
Key Features
- 4S to 6S Battery Compatibility — The specially tuned Spektrum brushless outrunner motor accepts 4S (14.8V), 5S, and 6S (22.2V) LiPo batteries without any modifications needed, allowing you to choose between popular 3200mAh to 5000mAh packs to match your desired flight characteristics, endurance requirements, and performance envelope.
- AS3X Stability Technology — The integrated Spektrum AR637TA receiver includes exclusive AS3X (Artificial Stabilization 3-aXis) technology that automatically dampens unwanted aircraft movement and delivers an incredibly locked-in, stable flying feel even in turbulent or windy conditions, making it far easier to maintain control and enjoy precise flight.
- SAFE Select Flight Envelope Protection — Optional-use SAFE (Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) Select technology can be engaged to restrict the aircraft's control inputs to safer limits, preventing inadvertent stalls, spins, or overly aggressive manoeuvres—an excellent feature for building confidence and developing skills progressively.
- Inflatable Tyres with Beadlock Wheels — Rather than solid plastic wheels, the Super Timber features authentic inflatable rubber tyres with beadlock wheels, enabling smoother ground handling on rough surfaces, authentic bush-flying aesthetics, and improved shock absorption during takeoffs and landings on unprepared terrain.
- Heavy-Duty Articulated Landing Gear — The specially engineered main landing gear features shock-absorbing articulation and robust construction to handle rough-field operations, grass landings, and the inevitable hard touchdowns that come with STOL flying and bush-plane operations.
- Clip-In Leading-Edge Slats — Professional-grade leading-edge slats can be installed or removed in seconds without glue, dramatically enhancing slow-speed flight characteristics and STOL performance when deployed, or removing them for faster cruise flight—giving you two distinct flying characteristics in one aircraft.
- Spektrum Avian 85-Amp Smart Lite ESC — The brushless speed controller provides real-time telemetry data including battery voltage, current draw, and other vital information transmitted back to your receiver and compatible transmitter, allowing you to monitor your battery health and performance during flight.
- Six Factory-Installed Digital Metal-Geared Servos — Precision digital servos with metal gearing are pre-installed throughout the airframe, delivering reliable, responsive control inputs and the durability needed for repeated aerobatic manoeuvres and demanding flight operations.
- Spektrum AR637TA Full-Range Receiver — The included 6-channel receiver features industry-leading DSMX® technology, full-range telemetry capability, and compatibility with all modern Spektrum DSMX/DSM2 transmitters, ensuring strong signal quality and rapid response even at extended distances.
- Plug-In Wing Panels with Hands-Free Servo Connections — The innovative wing attachment system features quick-release wing locks with no fasteners required, plus hands-free servo connections that automatically mate when wings are installed, allowing tool-free assembly and disassembly in under one hour.
- Convenient Top Hatch with Quick-Release Battery Tray — The accessible top battery compartment includes a multi-position, quick-release battery mounting tray that simplifies pack changes between flights, allowing you to switch between different capacity batteries without tools or fiddling with velcro straps.
- Optional Thrust Reversing Capability — The motor and ESC can be configured for optional thrust reversing, enabling unique ground-handling possibilities and significantly shortened rollout distances after landing on grass strips or unprepared surfaces.
- Oversized Control Surfaces with Double-Bevel Hinge Lines — The ailerons, elevators, and rudder are oversized with double-bevelled hinge lines, providing enhanced aerobatic authority and allowing smooth, powerful control input response throughout the entire flight envelope.
- Functional Flaps with Dual-Travel Capability — Two-way flap travel enables you to deploy them for enhanced low-speed flight and landing approach, or configure them as full-span ailerons for increased aerobatic capability when you want higher-energy flying.
- Factory-Installed LED Lighting — Functional red and green navigation lights, plus white landing and strobe lights are pre-wired and installed, adding realism to evening flights and improving visibility during low-light operations.
- Water-Flying Ready Hardware — The airframe includes dedicated hardware mounting points to attach optional float sets, allowing you to convert the Super Timber 1.7m into a water-based bush plane for operations on lakes, rivers, and coastal areas.
- Composite-Reinforced EPO Construction — The airframe combines durable expanded polypropylene foam with composite reinforcement, balancing light weight (just 2641 grammes without battery) with structural rigidity and resistance to the inevitable hangar rash and rough handling that comes with regular flying.
- No-Glue Assembly — Every joint and attachment has been engineered for tool-free, glue-free assembly, meaning you can have this aircraft ready to fly in less than one hour from unboxing without needing to apply any adhesives or wait for curing time.
Technical Performance
The E-flite Super Timber 1.7m combines impressive specifications with intelligent engineering to deliver genuine versatility across a wide performance range. The airframe measures 1.727 metres in wingspan with a fuselage length of 1.143 metres, providing authentic aerodynamic proportions that generate abundant low-speed lift for extended STOL operations whilst maintaining enough wing loading for confident sport flying and aerobatic manoeuvres. The airframe weighs just 2641 grammes without battery, yet with a recommended 6S 3200mAh battery pack installed, the all-up weight reaches approximately 3149 grammes, resulting in a wing loading that enables both slow cruise and energetic flying from the same airframe.
Power comes from a specially tuned Spektrum brushless outrunner motor that accepts 4S, 5S, and 6S LiPo batteries without modification, offering remarkable flexibility for selecting the performance envelope you desire. This compatibility with batteries ranging from 14.8V (4S) to 22.2V (6S), combined with popular capacities of 3200mAh to 5000mAh with either IC5 or EC5 connectors, means you can choose your flight duration and performance characteristics with precision. The Spektrum Avian 85-Amp Smart Lite brushless electronic speed controller (ESC) manages power delivery with intelligence, continuously monitoring battery voltage and current draw, then transmitting this telemetry data back to your receiver and compatible transmitter—allowing you to track battery health in real-time and land safely before excessive voltage sag occurs.
Flight control is managed by six factory-installed Spektrum digital servos with metal gearing throughout, ensuring precise, responsive input to all control surfaces without flex or slop. The AR637TA receiver incorporates the acclaimed AS3X (Artificial Stabilisation 3-aXis) technology, which uses advanced gyroscope sensing to automatically detect and dampen unwanted aircraft movement caused by wind turbulence, rough air, or control input over-correction, delivering a locked-in, stabilised feel that experienced pilots appreciate and beginners find enormously helpful. Optional SAFE Select protection can be engaged to limit control authority and prevent inadvertent stalls or spins, making skill development safer and more progressive.
The airframe construction utilises composite-reinforced EPO (expanded polypropylene foam), balancing light weight and durability with excellent impact resistance. The fuselage and control surfaces are reinforced with composite materials at critical stress points, ensuring the airframe can handle the rigours of repeated rough-field landings, tumbles, and aerobatic flight without requiring expensive repairs. The iconic yellow and white trim scheme is factory-applied with professional finish, requiring no additional painting or cosmetic work.
What's in the Box
- E-flite Super Timber 1.7m airframe with factory-installed components
- Spektrum brushless outrunner motor (pre-installed)
- Six Spektrum digital, metal-geared servos (pre-installed throughout airframe)
- Spektrum Avian 85-Amp Smart Lite brushless electronic speed controller (pre-installed)
- Spektrum AR637TA 6-channel receiver with AS3X and SAFE Select (pre-installed)
- Product manual with assembly and operation instructions
What You Need to Complete
- Full-range 5 to 7+ channel Spektrum DSMX/DSM2 compatible transmitter (not included; essential to control the aircraft)
- 4S 14.8V to 6S 22.2V LiPo battery pack with 3200mAh to 5000mAh capacity and IC5 or EC5 connector (not included; choose capacity to match desired flight style)
- Compatible LiPo battery charger (not included; required to recharge your battery between flights)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the E-flite Super Timber 1.7m suitable for beginners? — The Super Timber 1.7m is rated as Skill Level 2-3, making it appropriate for intermediate pilots and those with some RC flying experience. Beginners can absolutely learn on this aircraft, particularly if they enable the optional SAFE Select flight envelope protection, which prevents over-aggressive inputs and reduces the likelihood of stalling or spinning. The stable, locked-in feel from AS3X technology further assists learners by automatically dampening unwanted aircraft movement. If you're entirely new to RC flying, you may benefit from starting with a dedicated trainer aircraft, then progressing to the Super Timber once you've developed basic control skills.
- What battery should I use in the E-flite Super Timber 1.7m? — This aircraft accepts 4S (14.8V), 5S, or 6S (22.2V) LiPo batteries ranging from 3200mAh to 5000mAh capacity with IC5 or EC5 connectors. A 4S 3200mAh battery will provide extended flight endurance with gentle performance, whilst a 6S 5000mAh pack delivers spirited aerobatic capability with shorter flight times. Most pilots use 6S 3200mAh or 3500mAh packs as a practical middle ground, offering good aerobatic performance with reasonable flight duration. Spektrum Smart batteries are recommended as they communicate battery data directly to your receiver and transmitter for real-time monitoring.
- How does the AS3X stabilisation system work? — AS3X (Artificial Stabilisation 3-aXis) uses three-axis gyroscope sensing integrated into the AR637TA receiver to detect unwanted aircraft movement in pitch, roll, and yaw. When turbulence or imprecise control inputs cause the aircraft to wobble or drift, the system automatically applies corrective servo input to dampen that movement, resulting in a rock-solid, stable flying feel. Unlike traditional autopilot, AS3X doesn't lock the aircraft to a specific attitude—you retain full control authority, but oscillations and unwanted movement are continuously smoothed out. This technology is particularly valuable in gusty conditions and when practising precision manoeuvres.
- What is SAFE Select and should I use it? — SAFE (Sensor Assisted Flight Envelope) Select is an optional protection feature that can be engaged through your transmitter to restrict the aircraft's control authority to safer limits. When activated, SAFE Select prevents excessive pitch input that could stall the aircraft, limits roll authority to prevent spiralling, and restricts vertical manoeuvres. This makes SAFE Select ideal for building skills progressively—you can disable it once you're confident, or keep it engaged when flying in challenging conditions. Engaging or disabling SAFE Select requires a compatible Spektrum transmitter with programming capability.
- How long does it take to assemble the E-flite Super Timber 1.7m? — Assembly time is approximately less than one hour from unboxing to first flight. The aircraft arrives with all major electronics pre-installed and tested. You'll simply need to attach the wing panels (no fasteners required—they use innovative wing locks), install the tail, verify servo travel, and confirm receiver binding. No glue is required anywhere on the airframe, and most fasteners are tool-free clips or quick-release mechanisms.
- Can the Super Timber 1.7m be flown from grass strips and rough fields? — Absolutely. The Super Timber's STOL (short takeoff and landing) characteristics, combined with inflatable tyres, beadlock wheels, and shock-absorbing articulated landing gear, make it exceptionally capable from unprepared terrain. The airframe is designed for bush-flying operations, and whilst very short grass is ideal, the rugged landing gear can handle rougher surfaces than standard RC aircraft. Very long grass or muddy ground may present challenges due to the aircraft's weight and design, so smoother, shorter grass fields are preferred for optimal performance.
- How does the E-flite Super Timber 1.7m compare to earlier Timber models? — The Super Timber 1.7m is significantly larger than the Timber X 1.2m, Turbo Timber 1.5m, and Twin Timber 1.6m, offering greater capability and more refined engineering throughout. It features a more powerful, flexible 4S-6S compatible motor system (earlier models were typically 3S or 4S only), more durable landing gear, and additional features like inflatable tyres, clip-in slats, and vastly improved electronics including the AS3X and SAFE Select-capable receiver. The Super Timber 1.7m represents a significant step forward in capability, performance, and feature set compared to all predecessor Timber variants.
- What transmitter do I need for the E-flite Super Timber 1.7m? — You must use a full-range 5 to 7+ channel Spektrum DSMX or DSM2 compatible transmitter. The aircraft's receiver is a Spektrum AR637TA, so any modern Spektrum transmitter will work, including the Spektrum DXS, Spektrum iX20, or any other current Spektrum radio. Older Spektrum transmitters (more than 10 years old) may also be compatible if they support DSMX or DSM2 protocols. Budget transmitters will work, but higher-end radios with more channels and features will unlock additional capabilities like telemetry display and SAFE Select programming.
- Does the Super Timber 1.7m include everything needed to fly? — The aircraft arrives almost completely ready, with all electronics installed and tested. You'll need to provide a compatible Spektrum transmitter, a 4S-6S LiPo battery (3200-5000mAh with IC5/EC5 connector), and a battery charger. These items are widely available from UK RC retailers and are not included because pilots often have existing batteries and chargers. Once you have those three items, you can assemble the aircraft and fly within an hour.
- Can the Super Timber 1.7m be converted for water flying? — Yes. The airframe includes dedicated hardware mounting points for attaching optional float sets (sold separately). With floats installed, the Super Timber becomes an authentic bush-plane capable of operating from water surfaces including lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. Water-flying configuration requires additional weight and consideration of performance characteristics, so the aircraft will fly more slowly and with different handling than the wheeled version.
- What is the weight and wing loading of the Super Timber 1.7m? — The airframe weighs 2641 grammes without battery. With the recommended 6S 3200mAh battery installed, total weight reaches approximately 3149 grammes. This wing loading (roughly 56 g/dm² with a 6S pack) enables both slow STOL flight and spirited aerobatic performance from the same airframe, making it genuinely versatile for different flying styles and conditions.
Why Buy from RC Model Shop?
RC Model Shop is a trusted UK RC retailer and authorised dealer for all the brands we stock, including Traxxas, ARRMA, Losi, FTX, Hobbywing, Spektrum and more. Based in Walsall, we have a physical store where customers are welcome to come in, view products and purchase in store. Whether you are a seasoned competitor, a weekend basher, or just discovering the world of RC for the first time, our team of experienced RC enthusiasts is here to help you find the perfect setup and provide ongoing support. Order the EFL Super Timber 1.7m BNF Basic with AS3X and SAFE Select A-EFL02550 today with confidence, knowing you are buying from an authorised retailer with genuine products, expert knowledge and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Shop online or visit us in Walsall — we look forward to helping you get the most out of your RC experience.
