DuraPlane Aerobat 40 User manual

Aerobat40
AlmostReady-to-Fly
Assembly Instructions
Specifications:
Wingspan:
Wing Area:
Weight:
Fuselage Length:
44 in(120 mm)
420 sq in (27.1 sq dm)
5.5 lb (290 g)
38.75 in(984 mm)
Engine Required: High-performance
2-stroke.40 to .46 cu in(6.5-7.5cc) or
4-stroke.48cu in(7.86cc)
Radio Required: 4-Channel with
4servos
READ THROUGH THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL BEFORE BEGINNING ASSEMBLY. ITCONTAINS
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND OPERATION OF
THIS MODEL.
DuraPlane
P.O. Box 788
Urbana,IL61801
[phone]
PrintedinUSA DURA1130 3005059
ENTIRE CONTENTS © Copyright 1995

The Aerobat 40 isthe third generation of DuraCraft models
specificallydesignedforacrobaticflightBecausethe
Aerobat 40 isfullyaerobatic, itisrecommended that you do
notattempt to fly itasyour first model.
Althoughdesigned foradvanced flying, the Aerobat 40
maintainsthetraditionofsimpleconstructionand
outstanding durability that you have come to expect from
DuraCraft models
Ifthis isyour firstmodel, the bestway to learn tofly R/C is
to joina flyingclub The Academy of Model Aeronauticsis
thenationalorganizationthatchartersmodelclubs,
sanctions competitions and insures flyingfields throughout
theUnitedStatesWeurgeyoutojointheAMA
Membership will bring you flyinginsurance, a subscription
to Model Aviationmagazine and many other benefits The
AMA will gladly send you membership informationand lists
of AMA-charteredclubs inyour area where you can seek
the help of experienced modelers.
Academy of ModelAeronautics
5151 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, Indiana 47302-9252
[phone]
Your hobbyshop isalso aninvaluable place for service,
partsand informationthatyou requireWe urge you to
patronize your local hobby dealer, he's there to help you
enjoy your hobby.
Finally,ifyou have any questions or comments aboutyour
DuraPlane, please write or callusat:
DuraCraft
PO Box 788
Urbana, IL61801
[phone]
Radio controlmodels are intended for adults or use under
the close supervisionof an adult Flying model airplanes
can bedangerous and can cause serious injury DuraCraft
assumes noresponsibility for accidents or injury caused by
this product.
This instructionmanual provides step-by-stepinstructions
forassembling the Aerobat 40 kit Assembly of the Aerobat
40 consists of eight major steps and must becompleted in
the following order:
BUILD THE TAILFEATHERS .....................Page 3
BUILD THE WING ....................Page 5
ASSEMBLE THE FUSELAGE ..................Page 6
RADIO INSTALLATION Page 8
COVER THE WING & TAIL SURFACES Page 10
FINAL ASSEMBLY ......................Page 11
BALANCE THE MODEL .................... Page 12
FINAL HOOKUPS & CHECKS...................Page 12
FLYING........................................................Page14
To assemble the Aerobat 40, you need the following tools:
Warranty
DuraCraft guarantees this kitto befree from defects inboth
materialand workmanshipat the date of purchase This
warranty does not cover any component parts damaged by
use ormodification Innocase shall DuraCraft'sliability
exceedthe originalcostof the purchasedkit DuraCraft
reservestherighttochangeormodifythiswarranty
without notice.
Flatbladeand phillips screwdrivers
Small pliers (needle nose)
Hobby knife with #11blades
Electric drill
Drill bits 1/16", 7/64", 1/8", 5/32", #18 (or 11/64")
Hobby coveringiron w/Hot Sock - optional
(TOPR2175)
Sandpaper assortment andsandingblock
Ruler& felt-tippen
Masking tape

Trimoff the excess
screw threads
Inaddition to the parts included with the Aerobat 40 kit, you
need the following accessories (we have had good success
usingGreatPlanes-brand Adhesivesand Accessory
Items):
Four-channel radiow/4 servos
.40-.46 2-stroke engine w/muffler or.48
4-stroke engine.
Propellers (see engine instructions for
recommended size)
1roll Top Flite' EconoKote® modelcovering film
6-minute epoxy - (GPMR6045)
30-minute epoxy - (GPMR6047)
1 oz.thinCA- (GPMR6002)
1oz. medium CA - (GPMR6008)
Aliphatic resin (whiteglue) - optional (GPMR6160)
#6x1"engine mounting screws - 4 (GPMQ3134)
2-1/4" spinner
8oz. fuel tank - (GPMQ4103)
12" medium silicone fueltubing - (GPMQ4131)
Box of #64 rubber bands - (HCAQ2020)
5/32" wheel collars - 2 (GPMQ4306)
1/4" Foam rubber sheet - (HCAQ1000)
2-1/2"wheels- 3 (GPMQ4223)
Fiberglass reinforced "strapping" tape
1/2" Double-sided foam mounting tape (GPMQ4440)
1/16"x 5/16" wing seating foam tape (GPMQ4422)
Loctite®threadlock
Refer to the Parts List fora description of the parts and
hardware included with the Aerobat 40 kit.
2. Sand the Leading Edge (LE) of the shaped 1/4"
balsaRuddertoa "V"shapetoallowformovement.
Positiona nylonControlHornon theruddersothe
bottom edge of the horn is7-1/4"below the top of the
rudder. Use the control horn as a template to drill two 1/16"
holes forthe 2-56 x 1/2" screws.Push the screws through
the control horn. Then thread them into the Control Horn
Back Plate until itissnug.
fin as shown inthe photo above.
1.Glue the shaped 1/4" balsa FinFront to the FinRear
with medium CA.Use 150-grit sandpaper and a sanding
block tosand the Fin flatand evenbeforeproceeding.
Glue the 1/4" x 1/2" x 5-7/8" balsa FinBase Sides to both
sides of the Fin.Make sure that the bottom of the fin and
thebottomsof the finbase sides are flush.
4. Use a hobby knife with a #11blade to cut the hinge
slots.Tip: Carefullymove the blade back and forthto
enlarge the slot.
3.Mark the locations of the Hinges on the rudder and
3

use scissors to snip the corners off.Test fitthe hinges to
see ifthe slots are deep enough.
hinges. Donot glue the hingesinthefin and rudder
untilinstructed to doso.
5. Cut the hingesfrom the 2" x 9"CA HingeStrip, then
6. Temporarilyjointheruddertothefinwiththree
3.Sand the leading edgeofthe1/4"balsaElevator to a
"V" shape. Cut fourhinge slots inthe elevator and stabilizer
at thelocationsshownin thephoto.Withoutusing any
glue, temporarilyjointhe elevatorto the stabilizerwith
four hinges.
4.Draw a lineon the top of the elevator 6-7/8" from the
lefttip. Align the leftedge of a nylon control horn with the
line, then drill two 1/16" holes through the elevator- just
the same as you did on the rudder. Mount the control horn
tothe elevator with two 2-56 x 1/2"screws andthe backplate.
Rear withmedium CA.Tip: Sand the Stabilizer flat and
even before proceeding. Draw a centerline on the stab and
also on the 1/16" plywood StabilizerBottomPlate.
plate to the stabilizer.The end of the bottom plate should
beflush with the TE of the stabilizer. Seethephotoatstep 3.
1.Glue the shaped 1/4"balsaStab Front to the Stab
2. Align the center lines. Then glue the stabilizer bottom
1.Drill two 1/8" holes through bothsides of the rear of
the Aluminum Fuselage Channel at the locations shown
inthe photo (the rear isthe end withthe two pre-drilled
smaller holes inthe bottom that are closer together). Insert
the fin inthe fuselage channel so that the trailing edge is
aligned with the aft edge of the channel. Mark the location
of the holes inthe bottom and the sides of the fuselage
channelon thefin.Removethefinand drill1/8" holes
through only the marks on the sideof the fin.
4

2.Align the centerline you drew on the stabilizer bottom
plate with the holes inthe fuselage channel and mark their
location. Note: The TE of the stab should bealigned with
the end of the channel. Drill 1/8"holesthrough the slot at
themarks.
4-40x3/4"
Machine Screw
3.Use6-minute epoxy to glue two 4-40 x 3/4"machine
screwsinthe bottom rear holes of the fuselagechannel.
Afterthe epoxyhas cured, temporarily mount the stab to
the fuselagechannel with the 4-40 screws, #4 washers and
two 4-40 nuts. Note: The bottom of the stab isthe side
with the 1/16" plywood stabilizer bottom plate.
4-40x1" MachineScrew
1.Cut both 1/4" x 5/16" x 24" balsa Trailing Edges to a
length of 22" and both1/4"x 1"x 24" balsa Ailerons to a
length of 20".
2. Use aliphatic resin ("white glue" such as Great Planes
Pro ) or epoxy to glue the trailingedges to the wing. Use
masking tape to hold the trailing edges inposition until the
glue cures. Tip: Ifyou decide to use 6-minute epoxy,mix
one batch at a time.Don't tryto glue both trailing edges
with the same batch.
3.Sand the leading edge of the ailerons to a "V" shape
needed to clear the heads of the screws,then temporarily
mount the finto the fuselagechannel with two 4-40 x 1"
machine screwsand nuts.
4.Removematerialfromthebottomof the finas
to allow forcontrolmovement. Mark the locations of the
hinges on the aileron and the wing as shown inthe photo.
Then make the hinge slots justthe same as you did forthe
rudder and elevator. Temporarily attach the ailerons to the
wingwith the hinges.
Install The Aileron Servo
1.Cut the 1/8"x 1/4"x 2" plywood Servo Mount into
two 7/8" long strips. Then glue them to the servo railsinthe
middle of the wing with 6-minute epoxy.
5

2Drill or cut a hole through the wingto allow the servo
cordto pass, then testfityour servointhe wingso the
outputshaftis closestto thetrailingedgeMake
adjustmentsto the spacing of the rails ifrequired Then
mounttheservowiththescrewsincludedwithyour
radiosystem.
3.UseKyosho® Lexan® Scissors or a hobby knife with a FasLink
Servo Horn
2-56 (074")
Pushrod Wire
sharp #11blade to cut out the servo area on the plastic
Wing Shield.Trim the edges of the wing shield to fitthe
wingTemporarilyset the wingshield inposition onthe
wing but donot glue ituntil instructed to doso 3Make a 90degree bend ateach mark Then cut the
pushrods 1/4" past the bend you justmade and connect
them totheservo armwith a NylonFasLinkpushrodkeeper
NylonClevis
Pushrod
1Draw a lineon each aileron1/4"from theinboard tip
Screw a nylon Clevis about 20 turns onto each 12" wire
Pushrod. Connect a nylon control horn to each clevis in
the second holefrom the top
1Test fityourenginetotheEngine Mount Ifthe
engine iswithin the recommended range but does not fit,
usea Dremel Moto-Tool or a fileto carefullygrind away
the plastic until your engine drops into the mount Mark the
location of the engine mounting holes, then drill 7/64'holes
for mounting the engine with #6x1"screws and washers
(not included) Some modelers preferto drill andtap the
holes for6-32 machine screws instead
2Fita servo arm on your servo Position each control 2Mark the location where the throttle pushrod will pass
horn (with the pushrod connected) on the ailerons so that
the edge of the horn is on the lineand the control rods are
overtheholeson theservoarmDrilland mountthe
control horns to the ailerons with 2-56 x 1/2" screws,then
use a felt-tippen to mark where the pushrods intersect the
holes on the servo arm
throughtheengine mount when it isconnectedto the
throttle Drill a 3/16" hole through the engine mount at this
point Temporarily mount the engine to the mount Fita 12"
Outer Pushrod Tube and a 12" Inner Pushrod Tube
through the holeinthe engine mount.
6

2.Align the aft edge of the aluminum Landing Gear
with the line you drew on thebottom of the fuselage, then
mark the location of the two outermost holes inthe landing
gear.Drilla 7/64"holethrough the fuselage at each mark.
#6x1/2" Sheet
Metal Screw
3.Mark the locations on the sides, top and bottom of the
Fuselage fortheeightmountingholes,evenlyspaced,
5/16" behind the frontedge. Fitthe mount inposition, then
drill eight 7/64" mounting holes through the fuselage into
the engine mount. Becareful notto drill into the throttle
pushrod. Install the enginemount onthe fuselage with
eight#6 x 1/2"sheet metal screws.
3.Usecoarse sandpaper anda sanding block to round
offa bottomcornerofeachlandinggearplateso it
conformsto the curve inside the fuselage. The bottom of
each landing gear plate isthe side withthe line you drew.
Place each landing gear plate inside the fuselageso the
line isvisible through the holes you drilled, then mark the
location of each hole on the landing gear plate. Drill a 7/64"
holethrough each plate.
4. Assemblean 8 oz.fueltankaccordingtothe
manufacturer'sinstructionsand install 6" of medium fuel
lineon the filland vent tubes.Insert the fueltank into the
rear of the fuselageand slide itup to the frontwiththe
throttle pushrod between the tank and the fuselageside.
Route the vent and fillerlines through the hole inthe center
of the engine mount. Confirm that you have notdistorted
the throttle pushrod too much due to the location of the fuel
tank - make surethatthe inner pushrod can stilleasily
slideinandout of the outer pushrod.
4. Enlarge the landing gear holesinthe fuselage only
with a 5/32" drillbit. Use two #6 x 1/2" screws to mount the
landing gear to the fuselagewiththe landing gear plates
inside. Optional: For added strength, glue the landing gear
plates to the fuselage.
or a builder's square to mark a line 5" fromthe rear of the
fuselage. Draw a line across the middleof each 1/4"thick
plywood Landing Gear Plate.
1.Place the fuselage on its side and use a 90° triangle
5. Remove the engine from the mount. Then secure the
wireNose Gear totheenginemountwiththree5/32"
wheel collarsand 6-32"x 1/4" screws.Insert one of the
wheelcollarsinto the nylon Steering Arm.Arrangethe
wheelcollarsand temporarilytightenthescrewsso the
fuselage islevel when sitting on your workbench.
7

6.Drill the hub of the 2-1/2" main wheels with a #18 2.Insert threeservosinto the fuselagechannel as
(or11/64")drill, then secure them to the landing gear with
8-32 x 1-1/4" sockethead cap screwsand a 6-32 nut.
Apply thread lock compound to the remaining portion of the
8-32 cap screw,then screwit into the landing gear and
secure itwith another nut and another drop of thread lock.
Secure the frontwheel to the nose gear with a 5/32" wheel
collar (not supplied) on each side of the wheel.
shownin thesketchabove.Wraptwolayersof1/2"
fiberglassreinforcedtapearoundtheservosand the
channel.The frontservoshould be about 1" behind the
frontedge of the channel and the servosshould notbe
touching each other. Install a servo arm on each servo.
3.Temporarily connect theservos to the receiver and
the battery pack, then turn the system on to center the
servos. Position the servo arms on the centered servos in
aneutral position as shown inthe photo above. Turn off
the transmitter and receiver. Then disconnect thereceiver
andbattery.
7. Set the fuselage onthe landing gear and readjust the
wheelcollarson thenose gear so the fuselageis level
when sittingon your workbench. Secure the 6-32 screws in
the wheel collars with a drop of thread lock or CA.
1.Use 6-minute epoxy to glue two 6-32 x 1/2" machine
screwsinthe frontholes inthe bottom of thefuselage
channel. Insert the screwsfromthe insideof thechannel
just like the rear 4-40 screws forthe stab.
4.There are several waysto mount the receiver. The
fastestand easiest way is to wrap it with1/4" foam rubber,
then secure itwithtape or rubber bands to the fuselage
channelbehind therearservo.Or, youcouldmake a
receiver plate out of 1/8" lite-ply which can bepermanently
mounted to the fuselagechannel. The receiverisinturn
mounted to the plate with 1/4" foam inbetween. Make sure
this arrangement willclear the rear 1/4" Wing Dowel when
the fuselagechannel ismounted to the fuselage.
8

Connect The Throttle Servo
ofthe12"innerpushrodtube.Then,frominsidethe
fuselage, slide itinto the outer pushrod tube through the
enginemount.
Threaded Stud
1.Connect a clevis using a 1" threaded stud to one end
1.Thread a nylon clevis onto a 1"threaded stud about 6-32 Nut
20 turns, then thread the other end of the threaded stud
about 1/2" into a 24" long Inner Pushrod Tube. Connect
the clevisto the controlhorn on the elevator.Routethe
innerpushrod tube over the receiver and place iton top of
the elevatorservoarm. Cut the inner pushrod tube 7/8"
short of the servo arm.
2. Temporarilymountthefuselagechanneltothe
fuselage witha 6-32 nut on each of the two 6-32 screws
that you glued to the fuselage channel. Mount the engine if
you have not already done so.
2.Cut a 24" OuterPushrodTube2" shorter than the
inner pushrod and slide itover the tube. Thread another
clevisonto a threaded stud,then screwitintothe inner
pushrodjustthesameas youdidon theotherend.
Temporarily connect the clevis to the servo.
3.Connect the clevis on the throttle pushrod tube to the
throttle servo arm. Use another clevisand a 1" threaded
stud to connect the other end of the throttlepushrod to the
arm on thecarburetorbarrel.The outerpushrodtube
should be about 1" shorterthan the throttlepushrod at
eachend.
3.Perform the same operation forthe rudder with the
same hardware you used forthe elevator.
4.Secure the frontend of the elevator and rudder outer
pushrod tubes by taping them directlyto the receiver. Tip:
Place a 3/16" x 1" x 2"balsa block (not included) between
the pushrods. 1.Screw a 1" threaded stud with a clevis into the 36"
5. Temporarily tape the aft end of the outer pushrod
tubestothefuselagechannelabout1"aheadof
the stabilizer.
long inner pushrod tube, then slide itinto an outer pushrod
tube cut to a length of 30". Connect the clevis to the rudder
control horn next to the other clevis fromthe rudder servo.
Remove the tape fromStep 5, then tape allthree pushrod
tubes to the fuse channel.
2.Installtwo Pushrod Hold Down Clamps on the outer
pushrodtubeand positionthemon thebottomofthe
fuselage at theapproximate location shown inthe photo in
thefollowingstep.Do not drillintothefueltank,
receiver, receiver battery or other equipment. Drill two
7/64" holes through the bottom of the fuselage. Then use a
#6 x 1/2"screw to fasteneach nylon clamp to the fuselage.
9

3Cut the inner pushrod tube to the correct lengththen
install the last 1" threaded stud with a clevis Position the
steering arm as shown inthe photo Adjust the length of
the pushrod so thatwhen the rudder is neutraland the
pushrod isconnected to the steering arm, the nose wheel
isalsoneutral.
1Disconnect the elevator and rudder pushrods from
the tailfeathersRemove the control horns and hinges.
Then takethe stabilizerand finoffthe fuselage channel
Use a sanding block and 150-grit sand paper to round the
leading edges of the finand stabilizer Final sand all the tail
surfaces with 320-grit sandpaper Tip: If you don't mind a
little extraworkand would like to have a better looking
model witha 'finished" appearance, taper the rudder and
elevatorby sanding the trailingedges to a thicknessof
approximately 3/32' This is optional anddoes notaffect
the flight performance of the Aerobat.
4Turn the modelover and confirm the coordination of 2While the ailerons are stillconnected, sand the tips of
the rudder and the nose wheel - when the rudder moves
left,the nose wheel should turn left. the wing so the balsa trailingedge and ailerons are all flush
with the wingtip Disconnect the pushrods and remove the
control horns fromthe aileronsDetach the ailerons from
the wing and remove the hinges
3Apply white HobbicoHobbyLite" filler to any dentsin
the foam wing Afterthe fillerhas hardened, use a sanding
block and 220-grit sandpaper to remove irregularities and
the seam on the leading edge For the best appearance, it
isrecommended that finalsanding bedone with320-grit
sandpaper but withouta sanding block Tip: Aswith the
rudder and elevator, for a "finished" appearance, you may
taper the ailerons
We presume that the Aerobat will bebuilt byexperienced
modelers but due toitssimplerapidconstruction,the
Aerobat may appeal to less experiencedmodelers as well
Fornewmodelersorthoseunfamiliarwithfinishing
techniques,wehave providedsome basic information
aboutthecoveringmaterialsavailableandthe
recommended covering sequence.
Thefoamwingand thebalsasurfaces,includingthe
aileronsandtailfeathers,mustbe coveredwitha
protective,fuelprooffinishAmongthemanymodel
airplane covering materials available Top Flite EconoKote
film isrecommended EconoKote filmrequires a lower heat
range to apply than other iron-on films, so itcan beapplied
over the foam wing Itcan also beapplied to the wood tail
surfaces as well Apply EconoKote film with a hobby heat
seal iron.
Onesix-footroll will beenough to coverthe Aerobat,but if
you wish to add trim colors or other designs, you will have
to purchase more than just one roll
4Before covering, remove as much balsa and foam
dust as possible leftfromsanding the model This can be
done with compressed air,a vacuum cleaner, a brush or a
tack cloth.
Now the Aerobat 40 wing and tail feathers are ready
for covering
Carefully follow theinstructionsincludedwiththecoveringyou
haveselected
10

Many modelers are experts at applying iron-on coverings to
wood surfaces but have never tried it over foam Here are
some tips
ATop FliteHotSock" ishighly recommended for covering
the foam wing. Ithelps distribute the heat and keeps dents,
scratches or 'swirlsfrombeing added during covering
Findthe optimum temperature of the iron. The hotter the
betteruptothe point of distortingthefoamThe Top Flite
MonoKote Iron can beset at around "2-1/4", but this may vary
fromiron to iron Use the flatcenter section on the bottom of
the wing as a test area Cut out a piece of covering and apply it
to the bottom of the wing inthe centerIncrease the heat of the
iron until the coveringgets that 'pigskin look (like a football).
Atthat pointthe iron isslightly too hot, so turn the heat down a
littleandyou're ready to applythecovering.
Start by touching the iron to the middle of the covering
and workoutwardwhen covering the wing (or other
large surfaces).
Lightly "push out" wrinkles and airbubblesas you get to
theedges.
Don'tbeafraid to press down on the iron and apply a little
pressure to the covering. This helps bond itto the foam and
will eliminate wrinklesand air bubbles fromappearing later
Avoid moving the ironina circular motion and holditas
flat as possible.
Alwaysuse a sharp hobby knife to cut the covering. Some
modelers prefer a singleedge razor bladefor this
1Stab bottom plate
2Stab bottom left, then right**
3Stab top
4Elevator
5FinBase Sides
6Finleft, then right side
7.Rudder
** Some modelers cover the tips of the ailerons, elevator,
rudder, stab and finseparately Ifyou use this method, this
should bedone firstGenerally, itiseasiest to cover the
stab and finintwopieces (halves) The ailerons, rudder
and elevator are smaller, so they may becoveredinone
piece by "wrapping" the covering allthe way around Try to
makeallseamsin thecoveringfacerearwardor
downward.
1Slitthecovering on allthe surfaces where each hinge
1Bottom of the center section
2Right, then left wing tip
3Bottom right wing panel
4Bottom leftwing panel
5Top left wing panel*
6Top right wing panel
7Ailerons**
*Ifyou have decided to glue the plastic wing shield to the
wing after the coveringis applied, temporarilyplace the
wing shield on the wing Then lightly trace its outline onto
the wing The coveringshould extendpast the line and
"under lap"the wing shield by1/8" The wing shield must
beglued directly to the bare foam, notthe covering.
slot islocated Drill a 7/64" hole 1/2" deep inthe center of
each slotThiswill enablethe CA to "wick"intothe hinge
much better.
2.Cut the covering away from the slot.
11

ASSEMBLE THEN APPLY 6 DROPS
OFTHIN CA TO CENTER
OF HINGE ON BOTH SIDES
3Insert the hinges and attach the ailerons to the wing
1.Add a 1/16" thick x 5/16" wide strip of wing seating
the elevator to the stab, and the rudder to the finGlue the
hinges byapplying 6 drops of thinCA to thecenter of the
hinge,onboth sides.
foam tape to the wing saddle area on the fuselage(where
the wing contacts the fuselage) Round the ends of the 1/4"
Wing Dowels, then install them inthe fuselage Noglueis
requiredto secure the dowels
This procedure must notbeomitted. A modelthat is
improperly balanced will beuncontrollable, resulting in
acrash andpossibledamagetopersons orproperty.
Note:TheC.G.mustbedeterminedwiththefueltank
empty.
1Apply twopieces of 1/8" wide tape or use a felt-tip
pento mark the Center of Gravity (C G ) location on the
bottom of the wing, near the fuse,3-1/2'back fromthe
leadingedge
2Mountthewing to the fuselage with a couple of #64
rubber bands With your battery pack handy, lift the model
at the C G location on each side of the wing Position the
battery pack on the wing until the model islevel or slightly
nose down This is the position where you must mount the
battery pack inside the fuselage Try to position the battery
pack so noballast willbe required to correct the C G
2Roughen the undersideof thewing shieldwith 150-grit
sandpaper so glue will adhere then glue it to the wing with
30-mmute epoxy Tip: "Clamp the wing shield to the wing
bymounting the wingon the fuselagewith#64rubber
bands with the wing shield inposition
3Reinstall theaileroncontrol horns andhookupthe
linkages
4Mountthe stab andrudderto the fuselage channel as
you did during construction Use thread lock or CA on all
the nuts Install the control horns and connect the pushrods
5Mount a 2-1/4" spinner (optional)anda propellerof
the correctsize to the engine
6Mountthe switch You can cut a slotand drilltwo
1Mount the battery pack There are several ways to do
this Wrap the battery pack in1/4" thick foam and tape it
directly to the fuselage channel or mount itto the inside of
the fuselage withfoam mounting tape Onour prototype,
the 500 mAh flatbattery pack was mounted directly to the
insideofthefuselagenexttothefrontservowithno
additional weight required forC G correction.
holes justabout anywhereand mount itdirectlyto the
fuselage or you can use foam mounting tape to secure the
switch inside the fuselaae atthe rear where itisaccessible 2Recheck the C G Add stick-on leadweights to the
nose or tail of the model ifrequired to correct the C G.
12

CUT
CUT
3.Route the receiver antenna. You can secure itto the
top of the finwitha piece of tape or make a strain relief and
antenna hook out of a servo arm as shown inthe sketch.
Connect the rubber band to a pinInserted intothe top of
thefin.
NylonClevis
4.AddsiliconeClevisRetainerstoallclevisesonthemodel.
4-CHANNEL RADIO SET-UP
(STANDARD MODE 2)
1.Confirm the directionofthecontrols.
ELEVATOR MOVES UP
RIGHT AILERON MOVES UP
LEFTAILERON MOVES DOWN
RUDDER MOVES RIGHT
CARBURETOR WIDE OPEN
5. Cut the plastic Cowl along the cut lines. Withthe
wing mounted to the fuselage, position the cowl so itmates
withthewing.Thenusedoublesidedtapeorfoam
mounting tape to hold the cowl to the fuselage.
2. Itis highlyrecommendedthatyoubalancethe
propeller. An unbalanced propeller can cause poor engine
performanceand decrease its life.Vibrationcan cause
problemswithyourin-flightradiosystem.A Top Flite
Precision MagneticBalancerisrecommended (TOPQ5700).
3.Make sure the fuel linesare properlyconnected. An
in-line fuelfilterisrecommended.
We recommend the followingcontrol surface throws as a
startingpoint.Thethrowsare measured atthe trailing
edgeof the ailerons, elevator andrudder:
Ailerons........................7/16".................UpandDown
Elevator........................7/16".................UpandDown
Rudder .........................3/8" ..................Left to Right
4.Makesure thetransmitter andreceiver batteries are
fully charged.
5. Performa range check of yourradio system as
described bythe radio manufacturer.
13

recommendedthrowsarerelativelymildsoafter
familiarizing yourself with the model, experts willmost likely
wish to add a littlemore aileron throwand considerably
more elevator throw Ifthe model seems unstable or reacts
too quickly to control inputs the C G may betoo faraft
Add some weight to the nose ifthis isthe case Ata high
altitude, throttleback to see how the Aerobat will handle
during landing approach
LANDING: Make sure you have enough fuel leftto make a
few landing approaches Use a normal landing circuit and
keep a few clicks of power on until you are over the runway
thresholdPlantoland a littlefasteron yourfirstfew
attempts untilyou really get the feel of the Aerobat.
The Aerobatisa tough "kickaround"planethatlooks
rather sporty and islotsof fun to fly Soget carried away
andhave a blast'
TheDuraCraft Aerobat 40isintended for intermediate to
expert level pilots Beginners can enjoy flying the Aerobat
40also, ifthey have hadexperience flyingtrainer models
TAKEOFF: Control throws are notprovided for the nose
wheel as this varies greatly depending on the conditions of
thefieldMore nose steering willberequired if taking offa
grass field than would be required iftaking off froma paved
runway Too much nose wheel throw will make itdifficult to
keep the model on heading during roll out - especially if
using a paved runwayMovethe clevisout one or two
holeson thesteeringarmof thenosegearforless
response
Unless you are a highly experiencedpilot, firstflight
attempts should be reserved forcalm days or when the
prevailing wind isdown the runway if possible Advance the
throttle slowly at firstThen a little more rapidly, apply full
throttleBuild as much groundspeed as yourstripwill
allow, then smoothly apply upelevator until the nose wheel
rotates and the airplane lifts into the air Don't 'yank up"on
the stickbut slightlyrelax the up elevatorand allowthe
Aerobat to steadily climb to a comfortable altitude before
executing the first turn.
FLYING: The Aerobat isa straightforwardmodel with no
unexpectedtendenciesOnceairbornegetthetrims
correctedbeforeattemptingany aerobaticsFly a few
straight and level passes adjusting the trims each time The
most important recommendation we have isto get used to
thefeelofthemodelandthecontrolratesThe
14

BUILDINGNOTES
KitPurchaseDate
Where Purchased
DateConstructionStarted
FlightLog
DateConstructionFinished
FinishedWeight
DateofFirstFlight
15

DURAPLANE
Aerobat 40
Everything For Flying Your Aerobat!
DuraPlane Funfly 40
Alow-risk way to learn FunFlymaneuvers this competition FunFly
style model has a fully symmetrical wing and huge control surfaces It
features injection-molded parts that save time and aluminum channel
reinforcements forextrastrength High-quality components and a low
parts count make the DuraPlane series the most rugged and practical
airplanesavailableDURA1150
Hobbico*Ultra-Tote" FieldBox
Keep your fieldgear organized and handy withthe Hobbico Ultra-Tote
Toolscan be storedin itsdeep roomydrawerheld closedby a
hook & loop strip Foam padded cradles are included forplane repairs
andmaintenanceAlsofeaturedarea ventilated12Vbattery
compartmentand a power panel openingComes inkitform with
assembly instructions included HCAP5020
Futaba* 4NBF Conquest 4-channel Radio
Flexibility and convenience make the Futaba
Conquest FMradio systems a good choice
forexperienced fliers FUTJ39"
O.S.*.48Surpass 4-stroke Engine
Lower noise higher torque increased fuel
economy and longer engine lifemake the
0S 48 Surpass engine an excellent choice
for your Aerobat OSMG0848
Great Planes Pro' Thin, Instant SetCA
Instant-settin gProCAisidealforfast
assembly witha curing time of 1-3 seconds
All ProCAsaredatedforfreshness
GPMR6002
Great Planes Pro Medium CA
Thick CA+ isan excellent gap fillerthat cures
in10-15 seconds AllPro CAs wickbetter
intobalsa woodforthe strongestpossible
bondGPMR6008
Great Planes Pro 6-minute Epoxy
Pure powerfulPro 6-minuteEpoxycures
quicklywhilealsoprovidingincredible
strengthTwo-bottlesetincludes4 5 oz
bottlesof epoxy andhardener GPMR6045
Great Planes Pro 30-minute Epoxy
Pro 30-minute Epoxy provides modelers with
longer curingtimetorepositionpartsand
providesgreaterstrengthforhigh-stress
areas GPMR6047