Bengtson Company Albatros DII User manual

AlbatrosDII36”
Copyright©2005‐11M.K.BengtsonAllRightsReservedRev07/11
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AlbatrosDII
R/CScaleModelInstructions
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CONTACTINFORMATION
TheAlbatrosDIIwasdesignedbyM.K.Bengtson
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ManufacturedandDistributedby:
BengtsonCompany
e‐mail:[email protected]
WebSite:www.aerodromerc.com

AlbatrosDII36”Page1
Copyright©2005‐11M.K.BengtsonAllRightsReservedRev07/11
AlbatrosDII
ThankyouforpurchasingtheAlbatrosDIImodelfor
electricflight.
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THEMODEL
AsemiscaleadaptationoftheAlbatrosDII,thismodelis
designedtobeeasytobuildandexcitingtofly.
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FinishedModelbyDaveOttney
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POWERSETUP
The6VS400motorpowersthemodelusingtheMini‐
Olympus2.33:1Gearboxanda10x4.7APCprop.Battery
powerpackisan8cell600maHNicadoranequivalent
weightNimh
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SPECIFICATIONS
Morethan215lasercutparts
Scale: ~1/10
Wingspan:36ʺ
WingArea:442sqin
Weight: 24oz
Channels:R/E/A/T
PowerSystem:Speed400,Mini‐Olympus2.33:1gearbox
Prop:  10x6
Wheels: Balsa&plywood,Neoprenefoamtires
AirfoilType:Flatbottomed
Spinner: Foamandfiberglass
Decals: Availableonwebsite
Covering:LitespanorPolyspan
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BUILDINGTHEMODEL
BEFORESTARTING
Anoteaboutthephotos:Thephotosweretakenofa
prototypeandthepartssuppliedmaylookslightly
differentfromthem.However,theconceptsillustrated
arethesame.
WINGS
WingConstruction
Pindown,overtheplan,thet/e,sparsandwingtip,
gluingasrequired.Addtheleadingedgestockafterthe
basicframeisdoneasthestockisinsertedinarotated
fashion.Addthewingtipsandalignthefronttipalong
thecenteroftheleadingedge.Sandtheleadingedge
stocktoberoundedandmeettheribs.
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WingPinnedtoPlan
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Scallopingcanbedoneeasilybyfittingsandpaperona
dowelorotherappropriatelyshapedobjectandsimply
sandthescallops.Startsandingatthecenterpointofthe
scallopandstopassoonasthedesireddepthisreached.
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WingDetail(Note:PhotoisoftheAlbatrosDIIIAileron)
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Theleadingedgeoftheaileronisroundedoverwith
sandpapertomaketheaileronmovablewithaminimum
gap.Thetrailingedgeofthewinginthatsectionisleft
flat.
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FUSELAGECONSTRUCTION
Thefuselageisbuiltastwosidestructures,whicharethen
joinedovertheplan.Thissystemnotonlykeepseach
stagesimple,butitalsohelpstoensureastraightfuselage.

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BuildingtheFuselage
Beginbybuildingtwofuselagesideframesovertheplan
andallowtodry.
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FrameConstructionDetail
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Jointhetwoframesovertheplanwithcrossbracesand
thetailskidmountF7.Check,checkandcheckagainthat
thisandALLotherstructuresremainperfectlyaligned.
Therightsideofthefuselageisabitshorterthantheleft
side.Thisistobuildinrightthrustandallowthespinner
torotateproperlyonthemodel.FormerF1isalsoangled
abitfordownthrust.PlaceF7carefully.Itisdesignedto
rundownthecenterlineofthefuselage.Itservesto
positiontheverticalstabilizerandtailskid.Usealength
of1/4”diameterbirchorhardbalsadowelattheendof
thefuselage.Thisgivesthefuselageanicerounded
termination.
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FuselageConstructionDetail
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FuselageBottomStringers
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FuselageNoseFillerBalsaBlocks
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SandFusetoShape
AddingtheDecking
Addallthestringersandformers,andcarefullytrimto
sizeandfit1/32”sheeting(sheetingisoptional).Some
havealsosheetedthefuselagesideswith1/32”balsaas
well.Keepinmindthatexcessweightinthetailistobe
avoided,sousethesesheetingoptionswiththelightest
balsaavailable.
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DeckingConstructionDetail
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Optional1/32”balsasheetingisshownoverstringers.
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BlueFoamInsertedtoShapeFuselage
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BlueFoamSandedtoShape
Sandthebluefoamtoshape.
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Davechosetosheettheentiretop,bottomandsidesofthe
modelwith1/32”balsa.
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SheetedTop,BottomandSides
Itweighsonly3oz.
AddingTheUndercarriagePlates
Removefromtheboardandaddtheplywoodcrosspieces
thatserveasu/cplates.
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TAILSURFACES
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Layoutandgluepartsofthetailsurfacesontheplans.
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TailSurfaceDetail
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Sandthetailparts,roundingoffalledges.Don’taddthe
hornsorhingethesurfacesuntilaftercoveringis
complete.
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TailSurfacesPinnedonPlans
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LANDINGGEAR
Theundercarriageismadefromtwopairsof1/16”wire
cuttotheshapesasshownontheplan.Eachhalfinserts

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intothemountingblocks,whichareattachedtothe
fuselage.Theyaresetinplaceusingepoxy.Thejoints
wheretheaxleandU/Clegsmeetshouldbecleanedwith
thewirebushonaDremeltool.Withthejointsniceand
shiny,abitofbrassorcopperwirebindsthejoints.Solder
usingplentyofheat.
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Somemodellerspreferanalternatemethod.Insteadof
wireandsolder,lashthepartstogetherwithKevlar
threadandCAglue.Finishthejointwithepoxy.This
methodalwaysworksandavoidsthecoldsolderjointthat
canfailintime.BesuretouseKevlarorNylonthread,as
commoncottonthreadwillfail.
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Itisbesttoattachthelandinggearafterthebottomofthe
fuselageiscoveredandpaintedascoveringandpainting
withthegearonisawkward.
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DUMMYMOTOR
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DummyMotorMountedInPlace
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Assemblethedummymotorfromthebalsapartssupplied
andsandtoshape.Notallthepartsoftheengineare
suppliedassomearebestfabricatedfromothermaterials.
Solid16gaugecopperelectricalwire(blackinsulated)
makesanexcellent“radiatorhose”.
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SpinnerComponents
Thespinneriscomposedoffiberglassedbluefoam.The
spinnerismadefrombluefoamwhichistackgluedtoa
pieceof1/32”ply.Epoxyashort1/4”diameterdowelto
thebackinthecenterofthedisk.Placetheassemblyina
drillchuckandsandthefoamtoshapewhileitspins.
Glassthefoamusingstandardglassingtechniques.(Note,
MinwaxPolycrylicisanexcellentsubstituteforepoxy).
Whentheepoxyisready,cuttheexcessfiberglassaway.
Thenremovetheplywoodandcarveoutthenecessary
recessforthepropeller.Drilloutthedowelonthe
plywooddisk.Gluethespinnertotheplywooddiskafter
thepropismountedtothemodel.Itshouldbeperfectly
alignedwiththefuselage.Itlookscomplicatedbutin
practicetheprocessgoeseasilyandworksverywell.
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SpinnerDetail
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COVERING
Anylightweightcoveringmaterialcanbeused.Polyspan
makesagoodchoicealthoughLitespanisalsopopular.
DaveOttneyusedLitespan.Healsousedstainanda
streakedwoodfinishforthefuselage.Downloadabledecal
outlinesareavailableon‐lineat
http://www.aerodromerc.com/decals.
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AssembledModelReadytoCover

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WHEELS
Gluingtheplysidesonthe¼“balsacoremakesthebasis
forthewheels.Usethebrasshubforalignment.Epoxy
thehubsinplaceandaddasufficientamountofepoxy
aroundthebaseofthehubtoreinforcetheconnectionof
thehubtotheply.Plywoodreinforcinghubsare
providedthataretoslipoverthebrasstubingasshown.
Alternatively,gluinganadditional½”squarepieceof
scrap1/8”balsawithaholedrilledinthecentercanbe
substituted.Next,CAgluetheneoprenecordingtogether
tofroma“tire”.UsethinCAsparinglyastheCAbonds
veryaggressivelytotherubber.PresstheCAwettedends
togetherforaninstantbond.Thebestwaytoalignthe
endsistogluethemwhiletheyareinplaceonthewheel.
ThenattachthetirestothewheelsandCAinplace.A
thinbeadofCAaroundtherimmakesforasecuretire.
Paperconesarecutout.Useaballpointpentoscoreeach
lineonthebacktomakeanimpressionof“spokes.”Itis
helpfultodothisoperationonapapertabletsothatthe
penmakesagoodcrease.Foldthepaperalongthecrease
linestoexaggeratetheraisedlines.Oneofthesections
formingawedgeiscutout.Makecutstothecenterofthe
circlealongapairofthespokes.Closethepapercut‐out
toformaconeandtapethejointinsidethecone.
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CompletedWheels
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Theinsideconesmaynowbeattachedtothewheels.The
outsideconesmaybeattachedatthispointifwheel
collarsaretobeused.Alternatively,afterinstallingthe
wheelsonthelandinggear,awashermaybesolderedto
holdthewheelinplaceandthentheconeisattached.
Thismethodmakesaverynicescaleappearance.
INSTALLINGTHERADIOCONTROLGEAR
AileronServos
Aileronservosaremountedinwingandattachedwith
shortthreadedrodstotheailerons.Usea“Y”wiring
harnessconnectortowiretheservostoasingleradio
connection.Ifdifferentialaileronthrowsaredesired,
rotateeachservohornforwardabout20degrees,while
maintainingtheneutralpositionoftheaileron.This
shouldcounteranyadverseaileronyaw.
BatteryTray
Afteralltheabovehasbeenplaced,mountthebattery
traymadefrom1/8”balsaandusethebatterypositionto
balancethemodelasshownontheplan.
ASSEMBLY
Wing
UsingLocatingDowelsAndAligningWingPanels
Thefirsttaskistoepoxythelowerwingsaccuratelyonto
thefuselage.Use5‐minuteepoxyforthistask.Apply
epoxytothewingribthatmeetsthefuselage.Attachthe
wingstothefuselage.Usethelocatingdowelstoassist
withaligningthewingpanels.Allowepoxytoset.
Afterthelowerwingsareattached,thestrutsareinserted.
UsemusicwirelashedandCAgluedtothelasercutply
cabanestrutsasstrengthenersandattachmentpointstobe
epoxiedintohardbassblocksinthetopwings.Thetop
wingisaddedandepoxiedinplace.
FittingTailSurfaces
Thehorizontalstabilizerisintwohalvesandhastabsthat
fitintoslotsinthesideofthefuselage.Insertthetwo
halves,anddryfittheelevatorusingCAhinges.The
elevatorservesasanalignmenttoolsothatthehorizontal
stabcanbeCAgluedinplace.Theverticalstabilizeralso
fitsintoaslotinthetopofthefuselageformedinF7.
ControlHornsOnThePushrodEnds
Slipthecontrolhornsontothewirepushrodendsand,
withboththeservosandthecontrolsurfacescentered,
gluethehornsintotheirslots.
Fittingtheriggingwires.
UsestrongthreadorKevlarfishinglineorelasticbeading
cordingtosimulateriggingwires.Usesmallscrews,

AlbatrosDII36”Page6
Copyright©2005‐11M.K.BengtsonAllRightsReservedRev07/11
fishinghookeyes,straightpinheadsorsmalleyeletsto
attachthelines.Whilenottechnicallyrequiredthese
wirescanaddadegreeofstrengthtoyourmodel.

WindsockDatafiles“AlbatrosFighters“publicationhas
detailsonplacementandmarkings.Availableat
http://www.aeroplanebooks.com/

Batteryhatch


FashionaBatteryHatchfromSoftBalsa


BatteryHatchDetail

ServoBayDetail

BalancingTheModel
Balancethemodelatthepointshown.Itisbestto
positionthebatterytodothisoperation.

FLYING
ThemodelshouldROGonpavementorhardsurfaces.
Ongrass,themodelmayrequirehandlaunching.Be
carefulthatyourhandorfingersdonotcatchonthelower
rigging.Launchfirmlyandlevel.

Letthemodelgainaltitudeslowlyofftherunway.
Applyingtoomuchupelevatoratslowspeedsrisksa
stall.Makeyourturnsgentlyastightturnsrisktip
stallinginanymodel.Don’texpecttheelevatortomake
themodelclimb.Thinkoftheelevatorasadeviceto
changetheattitudeofthemodel.Thewingandairspeed
ultimatelymakethemodelclimb.Oftendownelevator
appliedatstallingcanavoidamajorcrash.Themost
importantdetailsforproperflightoperationsare:
1.CGlocation.Tail‐heavymodelsneverflywellor
atall.
2.Downandrightthrust
3.Straightandnon‐warpedwings.


FinishedModel

CONTACTINFORMATION
Distributedby:
BengtsonCompany
e‐mail:[email protected]
WebSite:www.aerodromerc.com
