Electric Drive Kit for Ka 8

To equip our Ka 8 with a nose-mounted drive, we offer a complete electric drive kit. In addition to the selected drive components—electric motor, brushless controller, folding propeller—the kit also includes mounting bulkheads that allow for precise installation of the drive system in the fiberglass fuselage.

This eliminates the need to create your own bulkheads with the correct motor downthrust and sidethrust settings. This kit simplifies the installation and ensures that all components fit together perfectly.

The drive system is more than just a return-to-home aid. It is designed to enable hand launches on level ground with this model, meaning that even airfields without aerotow facilities or flat terrain no longer prevent you from getting a Ka 8 airborne.

The drive system is designed as a front electric drive (FES), so only a short motor shaft is visible on the fuselage. Conversion to pure glider operation is possible at any time.


Technical Data

Motor actro-n 35-4-790
Electric Controller actrocon 60A
Propeller CAMcarbon 12.5x6
Center Section 38 mm
Designed for 4S LiPo 3000-4000 mAh (not included in the set)
Weight: The total weight of the model with electric drive and a 4S LiPo 3800 mAh battery is approximately the same as the glider version. The motor and battery replace the ballast weight required in the glider.

Reasons for an electric drive in the Ka 8
1. Independence from infrastructure (self-sufficiency)
A pure glider is unmaneuverable on the ground. To get airborne, you normally need:
A tow plane (and an available pilot).
Or a winch (and a team to operate it).

With an electric drive, the pilot is "self-sufficient". He can drive to the airfield alone at any time, switch on the motor, and take off whenever he wants.

2. The "Sinking Insurance"

In model shipbuilding, we often affectionately call an electric motor in a sailboat the "light-wind booster," while in gliding, it's known as the "home-return aid." The Ka 8 is an excellent thermal glider, but it has a low glide ratio compared to modern high-performance gliders. If the pilot doesn't find any thermals or misjudges the return to the airfield, the motor prevents an outlanding in tall grass or a field, which often results in damage to the model.

3. Safety in Slope Soaring

When flying on slopes or cliffs, you depend on updrafts. If the wind suddenly drops or dies down, the motor acts as a lifeline. Without propulsion, the model would have to land in the valley, which often means total loss or a hours-long recovery hike.

4. The “Scale” Dilemma

Purists often criticize the propeller on the nose of a vintage glider. But technology has advanced. It's a FES (Front Electric Sustainer): Small propellers mounted directly on the nose are now even standard on some full-size gliders.