This build began when iFlight released their 12a 16x16 stack. I had a little Mantis85 with T-Motor F10s on it. That frame only supports a 16x16 stack, and up until then the best ESC in that size was a 10a HAKRC running 2s. The motors are rated up to 3s so I was excited for the upgrade.

However, the noise of 2 inch props on 3s was a super loud and annoying high pitched scream. As my dedicated "yard ripper", I was concerned about annoying my neighbors. Hell, I was annoyed by it. So I took out the stack, went back to 2s and began theorycrafting a new build with the 12a stack.

I wanted to approach the max of what the 12a esc was capable of so I went with the Mamba 1105 motors which supposedly top out around 10 amps and can run 4s. These 1105s sing! Nice sound, lots of power, efficiency, and only $9 a piece! Highly recommended.

I could've built a 3in ultralight with bi-blades but since I already had one of those I decided to go with 2.5 inch or 65mm props. Now onto the frame... I had previously purchased a Hayabusa 3in from Tomoquads and was quite impressed so I checked out more of Tomo's frames and this little gem (Sidewinder v2) caught my eye. It's lightweight, the right size, supports a 16x16 stack and looks really cool!

The Runcam Nano 2 had just come out so I tried that and have since bought a couple more for other builds. I had previously been a fan of the Caddx EOS2 but the Runcam is much better.

The 65mm bi-blades were a no-go. They don't provide as much power as tri-blades and I had a one of them pop off during a punchout, scratching up one of my brand new motors! Fortunately everything still works.

The Gemfan 2540s and Emax Avan Rush are both great props on these motors. I feel like the Gemfans provide slightly more grip and top speed, however I ended up liking the Avans more due to their superior throttle management and responsiveness which allows me to get around a track (back yard) with more confidence. I'm "white-knuckled" when flying the Gemfans by comparison. Also, I fly this more like a racer than a freestyler, otherwise my preference might be reversed.

I initially planned on using 3s batteries but after experimenting I settled on 4s 450mahs. The power is really something. It feels like a scaled-down 5 inch racing quad which is exactly what I was going for. Something small to practice with at home. I usually get 3 minutes of flight time on a good rip. 4 min if I take it easy.

There was some extra room in the frame when I was done so I removed a HMDVR-S from it's casing and crammed it behind the camera. With the sd card included only 4 grams were added and I barely felt it. Overall I'm really happy with how it all turned out.