3D Foamy 3DF016 User manual

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
1
F-18 Park Jet
Made In Washington State, USA!
Kit# 3DF016
A High Performance Electric Jet
About This Construction Manual
This booklet divides the construction into sub-assemblies; wing, fuselage, etc. Please read each section carefully before starting
on that particular sub-assembly. There is a complete description of all parts under “Kit Contents” Please check to make sure your kit
is complete. We are human, and occasionally miss something! If you have trouble identifying a part, or are missing something, please
contact us and we can help.
During the construction process the steps will outline what part to use. We have used actual pictures instead of unclear or often
inaccurate illustrations to assist in the building process. This manual was intended for English users, and all measurements are made in
standard units. (Inch, foot, etc.)
Customer Service:
Should you experience a problem building or flying this kit, we recommend you see your hobby shop first. If you are unable to solve
the problem, feel free to write:
3D Foamy (Levi Jordan)
10040 West Barberry
Cheney, WA 99004
[email protected] or online at www.3DFoamy.com
This product is sold with exclusion of all warrantee, expressed or implied, statutory or otherwise.
Pilot assumes all risk in building and operating this model. Do not operate if you are not an experienced modeler. Refer to
and abide by AMA rules at www.modelaviation.com for regulations on Radio Control Models.

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
2
Kit Contents
Part No. QTY. Dimensions Description
16200a 1 Laser Cut Foam Foam Kit Parts A
16201b 1 Laser Cut Foam Foam Kit Parts B
16202 2 .21” dia carbon tube Wing Spar
16203 1 .157” carbon tube Stabilator spar/pivot
16204 1 1/8” lite ply (laser cut) Motor mount
16205 3 1/32” plastic squares (laser cut) Stabilator supports
16206 2 1/8” lite ply squares (laser cut) Wing spar doublers
16207 4 1/8” lite ply elbows (laser cut) Vertical tail supports
16208 3 3/16” aluminum tubing Stabilator pivot bearings
16209 1 CD ROM Instruction/Plans CD
16210 1 Laser Cut Plastic Control Horns/Doublers
16211 1 Intro Sheet Getting Started Paper

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
3
Additional items you will need
□4-5 Ch radio system with 4 micro
servos and mini or micro receiver
(HS-55 or similar)
□GWS “C” type gearbox which has a
5.3:1 ratio
□Props - A GWS 8x6 prop is
recommend for brushed motors
□Odorless Medium CA and
accelerator. (Accelerator a must)
□Connectors – Dean’s Ultra
connectors are recommend for this
model.
□Speed Control - Castle Creations
Pixie 20 brushed motor speed
controller or equivalent
□5 or 15 minute Epoxy □Li-Poly Battery pack (1200-1500
mah 3s1p recommended)**
□Li-Po Charger (Must be approved
for Li-Po Cells!)
□3M Satin tape □Extra high quality flexible hook up
wire.
□Foam-safe contact glue (sold at
most craft stores)
** 11.1 Volts over rates the 350 motor, but is great performance. Use full throttle sparingly.
Building supplies that make it easy
□Scissors □Sand paper (150, 220, and 320 grit) □Steel straight edge
□Razor saw □Hobby Knife and extra blades □Small building square
□Denatured Alcohol □Pencil and Pen □Wire cutters
□Soldering iron □Assorted screwdrivers □Paper towels
Definitions
•LE- Leading Edge •CA- “Super Glue” •Brushless- New
motors, no brushes,
computer controlled.
•3S1P- 3 cells, 1 Pack
•3S2P- 3 cells, 2 packs
•ESC—Electronic
Speed Control
•TE- Trailing Edge •Brushed- Normal
motor type, brushes,
can, magnets.
•Li-Poly-New Battery
packs. Lithium
Polymer (Cell phone
battery)
•“C” Rating- the maximum charge or discharge
rate of the cell. A 1000 mah pack rated at “10C”
could provide a 10 amp discharge. All packs
should be charged at “1C”(1000mah pack should
charge at 1000 mah max. That means a 1 hour
charge time.

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
4
General Construction Notes
1) Start by thoroughly reading this manual, and also look carefully at the plans. Many items
are addressed more clearly on the plans.
2) Normal CA will melt the foam, but odorless CA can be used. Accelerator is a must! It will
take hours to dry on its own…
3) PAINTING: Painting is not necessary. However, test the paint on a small scrap first.
Check the “Painting” section for brands that work well. If masking for painting, use blue
low adhesive tape or else when the tape is removed, the film will inadvertently be
removed as well. When removing the tape, pull the tape towards any edge of the film so
that the film is not pulled loose. You will likely need to put striping tape between the
colors as they can bleed under the tape. An alternative to painting is colored packing
tape. It is easy to use, self adhesive, and low cost.
Electronics Notes
There are many choices to make when deciding on your power system and it can get confusing. Here is a brief summary of several
different motor/gearing/prop combinations that would all be appropriate for this model (all data is from MotoCalc):
Motor Gearing Prop
Batt
Amps Watts/lb
Static
thrust, oz
Pitch speed,
mph Comments
GWS EPS-350 5.33 8x6 9.7 93.2 14.4 48.7
Max amps and watts with GWS
brushed motor for reasonable life
" " 9x6 12.1 113.0 18.5 43.4 VERY hard on motor
Himaxx 2015-
4100 4.43 9x6 11.6 108.7 18.9 43.8 Pitch speed slow
" " 9x7 12.4 115.8 18.3 49.2 Great combo
" 3.75 9x6 14.2 129.2 20.0 45.0
" " 9x7 15.0 135.0 18.9 50.0
Himaxx 2015-
5400 5.33 9x6 12.9 118.7 20.0 45.0
" " 9x7 13.8 126.1 19.3 50.5 Great combo
" 4.43 8x6 13.4 122.7 17.1 53.1
Axi 2212/20 NA 8x6 13.6 124.5 15.6 51.3
" " 9x6 15.4 138.3 18.2 43.3 Pitch speed slow
Mega 16-15-5 Direct 6.5x4 15.3 126.1 17.7 56.9
Razor RZ350 4.43 8x6 9.2 89.1 14.7 49.2 Least current for good performance
" " 9x7 13.2 122.7 19.7 51.1 Great combo

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
5
For good performance, it’s important that the motor/gearing/prop used generate 15-20 oz static thrust and a 45-50 mph pitch speed. A
program like MotoCalc is invaluable for analyzing different power systems and is highly recommended.
Here are the two most recommended setups for this model:
Brushed Setup
Motor: GWS EPS-350C with "C" gearing (5.3:1)
Battery: High performance 1000-1500 mAh 3S1P Li-poly pack (capable of supplying at least 12 amps continuous). Note 2 cell Li-poly
battery packs cannot be used with this model due to inadequate performance.
Speed Control: Castle Creations Pixie 20
Radio System: 6 channel FM transmitter and a micro receiver. GWS or Hitec servos are recommended (GWS Pico BB, Hitec HS-55,
Cirrus CS-5 or 10, Bluebird micros, etc)...4 are needed
Charger: Must be approved and designed to charge Li Poly packs. The Kokam charger is great, and so is the Apache 2500
Prop: GWS 8x6 slow flyer
Stuff: Get a few feet of red/black high quality silicone wrapped hook up wire, 2 sets of Deans Ultra plugs
This setup provides excellent performance at minimum expense, generating 14.4 oz thrust and 50 mph top speed. The downside is the
motor won’t last long at these power settings (perhaps 3-5 flight hours), but then again the motors are cheap and easy to replace.
Brushless Setup
Motor: Himaxx HA2015-4100 with "B gearing (4.4:1)
Battery: High performance 1000-1500 mAh 3S1P Li-poly pack (capable of supplying at least 12 amps continuous). Note 2 cell Li-poly
battery packs cannot be used with this model due to inadequate performance.
Speed Control: Castle Creations Phoenix 25 brushless controller.
Radio System: Same as above
Prop: APC 9x6 slow flyer or GWS 9x7 slow flyer
The benefit of going brushless is two-fold—better performance and better run time. Plus your motor will last for years instead of weeks.
This setup will produce 18.3 oz static thrust with 50 mph top speed.
Please note this model was designed to be a lightweight parkflyer type of airplane and was not designed to handle extremely
powerful motor systems and high flying weights. Thus, avoid the temptation to overpower this model unless you have the
knowledge and experience to modify the design appropriately!
About your Plane
Your aircraft was designed by computer (CAD) for accuracy and construction ease. All parts have been precision cut on a CNC laser
cutting system right here in the 3D Foamy shop!

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
6
The foam used in your kit is the best quality available. The Blucore foam is very light and stiff, and the Depron is very forgiving and easy
to paint. However, because we want weight at the minimums, the planes are still somewhat fragile, so a little care can go a long way.
Note that this model is intended for experienced modelers, and is not suitable for beginners. If you’re comfortable flying a fast sport
aerobatic airplane, you can probably handle this model.
I hope that you are going to enjoy building and flying this plane as much as I have! Best of luck, and don’t hesitate to e-mail me with any
questions or comments at [email protected].
P.S. If you think I can improve or clarify something in this manual, please let me know!
-Levi Jordan
Construction
Airframe Construction
All parts have been accurately cut on a computer controlled laser cutting
machine. Remove the aircraft parts from the foam packing sheets. Cut the
tabs loose with a razor blade for best results.
Get friendly with your glue of choice. Different situations call for different
adhesives, and this model is best built using the following types:
•Epoxy (both 5 minute and 30 minute)
•Odorless CA (with accelerator)
•Contact glue such as GWS contact cement, UHU Por, or craft store
foam contact glues
•3M 77 spray adhesive
ProBond can also be used in place of epoxy. It is lighter than epoxy but
takes much longer to cure.
If you’re building this model from BlueCore foam instead of Depron, you’ll
need to peel the film backing off of the fuselage exterior parts to allow
sanding the fuselage corners round.
Note that all of the construction photos shown here are of the prototype F-18
Park Jet, which differs slightly from the production version. However, the
general procedure and construction principles are the same.

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
7
1. Begin by assembling the forward fuselage. Lay the two fuselage sides
down flat on the work bench and glue the triangle stock to the locations
shown. Make sure to make two mirror image parts—a left side and a right
side. Either contact glue or odorless CA works best for this step since they
cure so quickly.
After the glue has dried, glue the three fuselage bulkheads to one of the
fuselage sides at the locations shown, making sure they are perpendicular.
2. Next glue the two fuselage sides together. Set the fuselage sides upright
and flat on the workbench, apply glue to the edge of the bulkheads
(contact glue or odorless CA recommended), and push the sides together.
Note the aft end is left open at this point—it will be glued together later
after the aft fuselage assembly is attached.
After the glue has dried, glue the forward fuselage bottom piece to the
bottom.

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
8
3. Glue on the foam nosecone block and the forward fuselage top piece as
shown (5 minute epoxy recommended).
Once the glue has dried, carve the nosecone to shape. Start with coarse
sandpaper (150 grit) to rough out the basic shape, then move to a finer
sandpaper (220 grit) to do the final shaping. End with 320 grit sandpaper
to do the final polish sanding and provide a very smooth surface.
4. Carve the canopy to shape using the same procedure as the nosecone.

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
9
5. Now we’ll begin assembling the aft fuselage. Notice on the plans how the
fuselage sides, top, and bottom all have a gentle curve at the aft end of the
fuselage that forms the exhaust nozzles. Assembly of these parts goes
much easier if you first pre-form these curves into the foam pieces using a
heat gun. This is very easy to do! Just hold the heat gun about a foot
away from the foam and heat the foam SLIGHTLY (it doesn’t take much).
Then gently bend the foam with your hands to the curves required (note
the foam will spring back some, so the initial bends need to be slightly
more that what’s required). If you bend the foam too much don’t worry
about it—it’s easy to reheat the foam and take the bend back out. To
judge how much curvature is required for each piece, simply hold it up next
to the part it attaches to and keep bending it until it matches fairly closely.
6. Draw a centerline on the inside of the fuselage bottom piece. This line will
help with aligning other parts later.
Now glue the triangle stock to the aft fuselage sides as shown on the
plans. Note these parts are curving in two directions at once—up and in.
Thus, a contact glue is ideal for this step. Just apply the glue, let it dry,
and then pre-bend the triangle stock with your hands as you push it onto
the fuselage sides. If using balsa triangle, you’ll need to cut small notches
in the balsa to allow it easily form the curves.
7. Glue on the aft fuselage bottom piece (the centerline should be on the
inside as shown).

Page
© 2004 3D Foamy (Levi Jordan) All Rights Reserved.
10
8. Now we’ll glue the forward and aft fuselage assemblies together. Draw a
small centerline mark on the inside of the forward fuselage bottom piece,
and align that mark with the centerline of the aft fuselage piece. Apply
glue (5 minute epoxy recommended) to the bottom edges of the forward
fuselage sides, and to the free aft ends of the forward fuselage sides.
Then temporarily tape the two free aft ends of the forward fuselage
together. Make sure everything is properly aligned, then press the forward
fuselage down onto the aft fuselage on a flat surface. Adjust the taped
ends of the forward fuselage as required to make sure they are aligned on
the centerline of the aft fuselage. Let this cure thoroughly.
9. Laminate the two identical motor mount pieces together (3M 77 spray
adhesive recommended). After the glue is dry, glue in the hardwood motor
mount with 5 minute epoxy and let it cure. Check the fit of the elevator
servo used, and trim or shim the foam as required for a tight fit.
10. Glue in the aft motor mount (5 min epoxy recommended), making sure it
is aligned with the centerline drawn on the aft fuselage bottom.
After the glue is cured, sand all of the bottom fuselage corners round.