Dynaflite Skeeter User manual

•Easy-to-Build • All Wood Hand-Launched Glider
•2-Channel Radio Required
(mini servos recommended)
BEFORE STARTING CONSTRUCTION, READ THROUGH THIS INSTRUCTION
MANUAL.IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS ANDWARNINGS
CONCERNINGTHE ASSEMBLY AND USEOF THISMODEL.
WARRANTY
Dynafliteguarantees this kittobefree from defects inbothmaterial and workmanship at thedateof
purchase. This warrantydoesnotcover anycomponentparts damaged byuse ormodification.Inno
case shall Dynaflite's liabilityexceedthe originalcostofthe purchased kit.Further,Dynaflitereserves
the righttochange ormodify this warranty withoutnotice.InthatDynaflitehas nocontrol overthe
final assembly ormaterial usedfor final assembly,noliabilityshall beassumednoracceptedfor any
damageresultingfrom the use bytheuserof the final user-assembled product.Bythe act of using
theuser-assembled product,the useraccepts allresulting liability.Ifthebuyerisnotpreparedto
accept theliabilityassociated with theuse of thisproduct,returnthiskitimmediatelyinnewand
unusedconditiontotheplaceofpurchase.
SKTRP03 PrintedinUSA EntireContents©Copyright1996

PROTECT YOUR MODEL.
YOURSELF & OTHERS BY
FOLLOWING THIS
IMPORTANT SAFETY
PRECAUTION
Your Skeeterisnota toy,buta sophisticated working
model thatfunctionsverymuchlike a full-size
airplane. Because of its realistic performance, the
Skeeter, if not assembled and operated correctly,
could possibly cause injury toyourself or spectators
anddamageproperty.
Tomake your R/Cmodeling experiencetotally
enjoyable,we recommendthatyou getexperienced,
knowledgeablehelpwith assembly and duringyour
first flights. You'll learn faster and avoidriskingyour
modelbefore you're truly readytosolo. Your local
hobbyshophas information aboutflyingclubs inyour
areawhosemembershipincludesqualifiedinstructors.
You can also contact the national Academy ofModel
Aeronautics(AMA), which has more than 2,300
chartered clubs across thecountry. Through any one
of them, instructor training programs and insured
newcomer training are available. Contact the AMA
at theaddressortoll-free phonenumberbelow.
Academy of ModelAeronautics
5151 East MemorialDrive
Muncie,IN 47302
[phone]
Fax[phone]
1.You must assemble the plane according tothe
instructions. Donot alter or modify the model,as
doing somay result inan unsafe or unflyable model.
Ina few cases the instructions may differslightly
from the drawings or plan. Inthose instances you
should assume the written instructions are correct.
2.Youmusttaketimetobuildstraight,trueandstrong/
3. You must properly install all R/C and other
components sothat the modeloperates properlyon
theground and intheair.
4.Youmusttesttheoperationof themodelbeforethe
firstand each successiveflightto insurethatall
equipmentisoperatingcorrectly.You must alsomake
certainthatthemodelhasremainedstructurallysound.
NOTE:We,as thekitmanufacturer,canprovide
youwitha qualitykitandgreat instructions,but
ultimatelythequalityandflyabilityofyourfinished
modeldependsonhowyouassemble it;therefore,
we cannotinanyway guaranteetheperformance
of yourcompletedmodelandnorepresentations
are expressedorimpliedas totheperformance or
safetyof yourcompletedmodel.
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the Dynaflite
Skeeter.TheSkeeterisan attractive,easytobuild,all
woodpolyhedralHandLaunchedGlider(HLG).With
its55-1/2" inchwingspanandSelig3021 airfoil,the
Skeeterisa realwinner.You willhavemanyhoursof
fun with this little ship and never have to chase a
Hi-Start.TheSkeeteriseasytobuildandcoverwithits
liteweight all balsa conventional construction. The
polyhedralwing,alongwithsimple2-channel (elevator
andrudder)controlmakefor gentle,forgivingflights.
TheSkeeter,withitsidealproportions,isperfectlysuited
forsmall flyingsites.Sogoahead...enjoy,anddon'tlet
thoselittleflyingsitesgetinthewayofyourfun!
At Dynaflite we take pride inoffering kits that are
simpleandstraightforward tobuildandprovidevalue
foryourmodelingdollar.AlthoughtheSkeeterissmall
andeasytobuild,we recommendseekingthehelpof
anexperiencedmodelerifthisisyourfirst kit.Your local
hobby shop or model club are prime sources of
modelinginformation.
2

Please inventory and inspect all parts carefully
beforestartingtobuild!Ifanyparts aremissing,
brokenordefective,orifyouhaveany questions
aboutbuildingorflyingthismodel,pleasecallusat
[phone]andwe'll begladtohelp.Ifyouare
callingfor replacement parts, pleaselookupthe
partnumbersandhavethemreadywhencalling.
*0nourworkbench/ we havefour 11"Easy-Touch™
Bar Sanders/ equipped with #50/ #80/ #150 and
#220-grit sandpaper.This setupisallthat isrequired
for almost any sanding task. Custom sanding blocks
can bemade from balsafor sanding hard-to-reach
spots.We alsokeep some #320-gritwet-or-dry
sandpaperhandyfor finish sanding before covering.
REQUIRED ITEMS
#1 HobbyKnifeHandle(XACR4305)
#11Blades (Qty.100- HCAR0311) or
(Qty.5-XACR2911)
Hand or Electric Drill
Drill Bits: 3/16", 1/2" and 9/64" (or #26)
and a 10-24 tap
MediumT-pins (HCAR5150)
Wax Paper
Clothespins
MaskingTape
1/2 oz.ThinCA Adhesive - (GPMR6001)
1/2 oz.MediumCA+(GPMR6007)
4oz.AliphaticResin(WoodGlue)(GPMR6161)
6-MinutePro™Epoxy(GPMR6045)
Bar Sander(GPMR6170)orSanding Blockand
Sandpaper(coarse/ medium,fine grit*)
1rollfilm covering plustrim colors
CoveringIron
Straightedge(Fourmost Non-Slip/FORR2149)
IMPORTANTBUILDINGNOTE:Duringconstruction!
you will beusing a number ofbalsa sticks toframe
variousassemblies.Amplematerialisincludedbut
youshouldstudytheplans/thenmakeanefforttocut
thelongestpiecesyouwillneedfirst.Labelthepieces
as youcut themfor laterreference. Bydoingthis
now,youwon'thavetosplicepiecestogetherlater,
BETREADY TO BUILD
1.Unrolltheplansheet.Rerolltheplaninsideout
tomakeitlieflat.
Q2.Remove allparts from the box.As you do,
determine thename of each part bycomparing if
with the plans/instructionmanual and parts list
included with this kit.Using a felt-tip or ballpoint
pen/ lightly write the part name or size on each
piece to avoid confusionlater. Use the die-cut
patterns shown on page 4 toidentify the die-cut
partsand mark them beforeremovingthem from the
sheet.Saveallleftovers. Ifany of thedie-cut parts
are difficult topunchout/ donotforce them! Instead,
cutaround the partswith a hobby knife.After
punchingoutthedie-cut parts/ use yourbarsander
orsandingblocktolightlysand theedgestoremove
anydie-cutting irregularitiesorslivers.
LJ3.As youidentifyand mark theparts/ separate
themintogroups/ suchas fuse (fuselage)/ wing/ fin,
stab (stabilizer) and hardware.
3

DIE-CUT PATTERNS
4

BUILD THE WING
U1.Start the wing byplacing the wing portionof
the plans on the building board. Cover the plans
with wax paper or plastic wrap. This is toprevent
thewing from becominggluedtotheplans.
Q2.Pinthe bottom.040"x 15/16" sheettrailing
edgeoverthedrawings.
NOTE:.040"isthethinnest of thesheeting.
Q3.Pinthe1/8" x 3/16" hardwoodbottomspars
overthedrawings.
VERTICAL GRAIN SHEAR WEB
U7.Cuttheshear webs from the1/16" x 3" balsa
sheet. Gluetheshear webs intoplace betweenthe
ribs.Besure thegrain runs vertically.
NOTE:DoNotinstallthe shear webs where the
polyhedralbraces willbeinstalledlater.
MAIN PANEL / TIPSEPARATION
Q4.Gluethe.040"bottomsheetbetweenthespar
andthetrailingedgesheet.Refertothesketch above.Q8.Sand theshear webs sotheyare flush with the
topof thespar.
Q5.Gluetheribsinplacefromthecentertothetipas
shownontheplans.We willcuttheribslaterfor the
polyhedralbraces.Theribsshouldfitas shownabove.
Q9.Gluethe3/16" x 1/4" leadingedgesto the
front of theribs.
Q6.Testfit thetop1 /8" x 3/16" spar intoplace.If
itdoesn'tfit properly,enlarge thenotches intheribs
so the spar fitscompletely inthe notch. Thisis
important sothe.040"LEsheet willblendwith the
rearportionof therib.Gluethespar inplace with
thinCA.
U10.Carve and sand the leading edge top to
blendintotheribs.You willprobablyneedtotake
thewingoffthebuildingboard.
5

Q11. Carve and sand thetrailing edgesheeting to
accepttheuppertrailing edgesheeting.
Q12. Laythewing back downonthework surface.
Apply thick CAtotheareawhere thetopTE isabout
tobeinstalled.
Q13.InstallthetopTE.Usepinstosecuretheparts
untilthegluedries.
Q14.Withthewing stillpinneddown,install the
topLEsheet.Cut the .040"x 3" balsa sheetingtothe
approximatelength.If youhaven'tputon LE
sheetingwithCAbefore, usethefollowing method:
Applythick CA tothe topspar, ribs and leading
edge.PlacetheLEsheetintoplace,and startpinning
down... LET DRY!
Ul15.Oncedry,trim off excess wood at W1,W2
and the LE.
Q16.Prepare thewing for thePolyhedral.
BeginnersNote:Toavoiddifficulties, read this step
through BEFORE cutting and sanding! Refer to the
dimensions ontheplans. With each center panelflat
onthework surface, lift thetips sothat thebottoms
of rib W6 are 2-3/4" off the table. With the tips still
blocked up,carefullysand the roots of each tip
panelso theyare flush with W2. The final fit should
betightwith nogaps. Takeyour timewhile sanding,
removingsmallamountsatatime.
U17.Referring tothe plans, sand thecenter and
tippanelstoshape as shown.
CUT RIBASSHOWN
Q18. Working with the left wing, cut through and
remove1/16" of ribW2 justbehind thespar.This
will make a slot for thepolyhedralbrace to fit into.
Test fitthe die-cut 1/16"plypolyhedral brace in
place as shown ontheplans. The polyhedralbrace
should contact the top and bottom spars along it's
entire lengthand thefront edgeof W2 should touch
theback of the polyhedralbrace. Ifthe polyhedral
brace fits, removethe brace and glue the wing tipto
the center panel with CA. Ifthe polyhedral brace
does not fit,slightlyadjustitsangle withyour
sandingblock.
Q19.Using 6-minute epoxy,gluethepolyhedral
brace intoplace. Clothespins work well as clamps
while theepoxycures. When theepoxyhas cured,
glue ribW2 to thepolyhedral brace with medium
CA.Repeatsteps 18 and 19 fortherightwing.
6

Q20. Joiningthewingpanels: Using the same
techniques outlinedinsteps16 thru 19,prepare,fit
and glue the two wing panels together using the
die-cut 1/16" plydihedral brace.
NOTE:The measurement for blocking upthe wing
panels for this stepis3".Refertothe plans.
Q21. Using.040"balsa, sheet the center of the
wing on top.Leavethe lowerbottomforward section
unsheeted where we willneedtogettotheW1 ribs
toinstalltheholddowndowel.
Q22.Glue the 3/16"x 1/2" balsa tip sheets
intoplace.
Q23. Sand the wing so the airfoil looks like the
drawing onthe plan labeled "typical ribsection".
Shape thewing tips as shown ontheplan.
U6.Hingethe elevatorto thestabilizer.Start by
cutting thehinges from the2" x 9" strip of hinge
material toa size of 1/2" x 1".Snipoff thecorners
of thehingesfor easier insertion.
Lt7.Nowuseyourknife to cut the slots intothe
stab and elevatorat the hinge locations shown on
the plans. CAUTION: Dothis slowly. The wood is
thin. Itisbest to use many smallcuts to get the
required depth. Test fitthe hinges byjoining both
parts. Makesure the bevelwillallow the elevator to
move adequately upand down. Donot gluethe
hingesinplaceuntilthemodeliscovered.
Q8.Sand thestabtothe approximate airfoil shape
as showninthecross section onthe stab drawing.
Q9.Gluetherudderfront totherudder.
U10.Beveltheleadingedgeof therudder
BUILD THE TAIL GROUP Q11. As before/installthehingestothefinandrudder.
U1. Removethedie-cut stabilizer,elevator,fin and
rudderfrom their die-cut sheets. Refer to thedie-cut
layoutfor identification.
Q2.Start assembly byjoining the stab front tothe
stab. Using your sanding block, removeany die-cut
irregularities. When they mate toyour satisfaction,
useCA to glue the two parts together.Sand the joint
toobtain a smooth surface.
Q3.Tape the elevators tothestab.
U4.Cut a pieceof leftoverspar materialtofit into
thetie bararea betweenthe elevators. When itfits
toyoursatisfaction glue itinplace.Becareful notto
gluethe elevator tothestabilizer!
Q5.Removethe elevator from the staband bevel
its LEas shown inthecross section onthe plan.This
will allow for propermovement.
Q12.Sandthe finand rudder to a nicethin
airfoil shape. Setthese parts aside and moveon to
thefuselage.
BUILD THE FUSELAGE
Q1.Coverthefuselage sectionof theplanswithwax
paperorplasticwrap. Start thefuselage byaligninga
die-cut 3/32" balsadoublerovertheinsideof a die-
cut 3/32" balsa fuse side.Align the doublerat the
frontandtop.Wheneverythingisaligned,gluethe
doublertothefuse sidebyapplyingthin CAaround
theperimeterof thedoubler.Besuretomakebotha
leftanda rightside.
7

Q2. Gluethe1/4"sq.topand bottomlongerons
intoplace.
Q3.Drillorcut and file a 1 /2"holeinthecenter of
F3.This willallowthepushrods topass through it.
Laythesides overtheplans and markthelocationof
theF2 and F3fuselage formers.
Q10.Startingat thenose/ cut andglue3 piecesof
1/8" balsabottomsheetingas shown ontheplans.
[-ll1. Glue the 1/16" balsa bottom sheeting into
place. Donot sheet the top yet, we will need to
installthepushrodsfirst.
Q12.Findthe1/2" x 1-3/8" x 1-1/4" blockthat
fits cross grain infront of thecanopy.Sanda bevel
totheapproximate angle shown ontheplan.
Q13.Gluetheblockintoplace.
Q4.Taperthe1 /4" sq.longerons at therearof the
fuselagewitha sandingblocksowhenthe
bulkheadsare installed thetailwill pulltogetherto
measure about 1/8" thick.
LJ5.Usinga small triangle,glueF2 and F3tothe
leftfuse side at a 90-degree angle.SeesectionAA
ontheplansfor bulkheadorientation.
1—6.GluetherightfusesidetoF2andF3.
Q7.Pull the fuse together at the tail and glue
intoplace.
LJ8.PullthefusefronttogetherandglueF1intoplace.
Ul9.With your sanding block/ sand the topand
bottomflattoacceptthe1/16"and 1/8"
balsabottom.
Q14.Sand thefront flat and gluethenoseblock
intoplace
Ql15. Gluethetowhook block into place. Itfits
betweenthetwo 1/4" sq.longerons and against the
bottomsheeting.
U16. Cut a small exitholeoneitherside of thefuse
nearthetailfor thepushrodguidetubes.
U17.Slidethepushrodguidetubesintotheslotsat
therear,thenthroughF3and F2.Leavethetubesas
theyare untilyouinstalltheradio.
Q18. Sheet the rear topof the fuse with 1/16"
balsa.Donotsheettheareawherethestabilizerwill
mount.
Q1 9. Cut or sanda bevel atone end ofthe
hatch/canopy blocksoitwillfit with thecross grain
blockalreadyinstalled.
Q20.Hollowout thehatch/canopy blocksothatit
just clears F2,and sits flat onthefuselage.
1/8"THICK
8

Q21. Tack glue the hatch/canopy blockintoplace
with about 4 drops of CA. This will holditinposition
whilethefront of thefuse isbeingshaped.
Q22.Carve andsand thefuselagetoa niceround
shape. Section AA and CC shows approximately
what you should try to achieve. Donotcarve the
wing orstabmountareas!
Q23. Gluethe 1/8" plywing boltmount into
position as shown onthe fuselage drawing.
Q7.Remove thewing and apply6-minute epoxyto
the frontdowel at W1.Before the epoxy cures,
reinstallthewing soitwillsetintheproperlocation.
NOTE:Becarefulnottogluethewingtothefuselage!
1-18.Pinthestabilizer tothefuselage. Sight down
thefuse from the rearmaking sure the stabilizer is
parallel tothe trailing edge of the wing. You may
needtosand the stab mount area so thestab sits flat
onthe fuse. When everything looksgood,gluethe
stab tothe fuse with medium CA.
FINAL ASSEMBLY
Q1.Cut thecanopy blockloosewith your knife. Set
thecanopyaside.
Q2.Place thewingonthefuselageintheposition
shown in theplans.Push theleadingedge up
against F2.
Q3. Drill a 3/16"holethrough F2 and intothe
leadingedgeand ribW1.
Ul4.Beforeyougluethedowel,letusinstallthe
rear bolt.Startby aligningthewingwiththe
fuselage.Use a measuringtape to measurethe
distance from thewing tiptothetail of thefuselage.
Q9.Pinthefin tothecenterline of thestab.Usea
90-degree triangle to make certain that the finis
perpendiculartothestab and centered,when viewed
from theback. Whensatisfied that thefin iscentered
and straight,glueitinplaceusing mediumCA.
U10.Usea pieceof 1 /4" sq.leftoverbalsafrom the
fuse longeronstocut triangular sticks tofit where the
stab and fin intersect.Gluetheminplacewith CA.
This shouldfinish thebasicconstruction.Coveryour
"Skeeter"according tothe instructions included with
the covering of your choice.
RADIO INSTALLATION
LI5.Whenboththeleftand right sides areequal/
use a #26 or 9/64" drilltodrilla hole through the
wing and the 1/8" plywing bolt mount. Seethe
fuselage drawingfor theproperlocation.
Q6.Usea 10-24 taptothreadthewingboltmount.
Applya coupleof drops of thinCAtothethreads to
harden them. When dry,run the tap through the
threadsagain.
Q1.At this pointthepushrod guides are inplace.
You will needtotest fit yourservos before youcut
theguides totheirfinal length.
9

1—12.Basedontheservolocation,cut thepushrod
guidetubes tofit. Leaveenough roomfor theservo
outputattachment.Use1/16" wire for this.
Z-BEND
Ul3. When you have the forwardpartofthe
pushrod bentand attached/ slide the wire intothe
tube from the front. Then mount the servos using
double-sidedtape.
Q4.UseCA togluetheguidetubestothefuselage
formers and therearof thefuse.
LI5.Trimoff and sand theexcess guidetubesflush
with thefuse sides.
LJ6.Beforeattaching the threadedshaft and clevis,
installthe controlhorns using two 2-56x 5/8"
screwseach.
the coupler). Now,measure another 1/2" toward
theelevatoronthepushrod wire and make another
mark. Trimthepushrodwire at thesecond mark.
Bendthewire betweenthetwo marks as shownin
the sketch. Remove the clevisesfromthe control
horns and unscrew theclevis from thecoupler.Slide
the coupler onto the wire and carefully solder the
coupler to the wire. Reassemble the clevisesand
reattach them tothe control horns.
Q8.Mountthe battery inthefront of the fuse. If
you can fitany foam aroundthebattery,useitto
keepthebattery inplace.
Ul9.Gluethe1/16" plywoodtonguetothebottom
front of thecanopy,as shownonthefuse plan.
Ul10.Toholdthecanopy down,simplyuse a piece
of tapeonbothsides.
Q11. Mountthereceiverand checkthedirectionof
thecontrol surface movement.
Q12. Check thebalance. A good place tostart is
onthe spar. Movethe center of gravity (C.G.) to
yourliking- rememberifyoumovethe C.G.back
themodelwillbecomemore sensitive inpitch,tothe
pointthat itsnap rolls,sogoslowly.
OR
Q7.Turn on the radio and centerthe servos.
Thread a nylonclevis onto a threadedsoldercoupler
at least 10turns. Attach a clevis/coupler assembly to
the rudder and elevator control horns. Align the
coupler with the pushrod wire(makingsure the
rudder and elevators are centered) and mark the
wireat thebackof thecoupler(whereitwould enter
IMPORTANT
Ifthisisyourfirstmodelwe recommendyounowenlist
tnehelpofanexperiencedmodelerand Test Pilot. Doing
so will assure a more successful first experience.Your
localhobbydealerorR/C clubisa great source of
assistanceifyoudon'talreadyknowsomeoneintoR/C.
10

Airfoil - A curved structure designedto create lift by
the reaction toair movingoveritssurface.
AMA- Academy of ModelAeronautics
A.R.- Aliphatic Resin glue (wood glue).
Bulkhead- A structuralmemberinthefuselageusedto
strengthenandestablishtheshapeofthecross section.
CA- Cyanoacrylate glue
C.G.- Center of Gravity
Clevis- Used toattach thepushrods tothe control
surfaces through a control horn.
Control horn - A lever projecting from a control
surface which translates motion from the pushrod
and clevis.
Die-cut- Parts of sheet wood that are precutsothe
modelercan usethemwith a minimumof preparation.
Dihedral - The angle formed bythe wing panels
where theyintersect.
Doubler - Partofthe structurethatis used to
reinforce a memberbylamination.
Elevator- The horizontal moving surface hingedto
the stabilizer. Used to raise and lower the tail in
flight, thus causing the aircraftto pitch about the
lateralaxis.
Fin- The fixed vertical stabilizer
Fuselage - (fuse)The structure of an airplane to
which the wings and tails are attached.
Glider- A heavier-than-airunpoweredaircraft.
Leadingedge - (LE) The forward edge of a wing,
stabilizer,fin etc...
Pushrods - Wooden or wire rods which transfer
motion from the electronic servos tothe aircrafts
controlsurfaces.
Rib - A structuralmember which maintains the
contour of thewing surface.
Rudder- Thevertical controlsurface hingedtothe
fin and usedtocontrol yaw about thevertical axis.
Slopesoaring- theart of remainingaloft ina glider
orsailplane byutilizing the vertical components of
air currents caused bywind being deflected upand
downa cliff orhill.
Spar- The principle spanwise structural memberof a
wing orstabilizer.
Tierod- Structural member that connects two halves
of a split elevator.
Trailingedge- (TE) The rearmost edgeof thewing,
stabilizer,fin,etc...
Towhook- a device usedtoconnect thetowline to
theaircraft duringlunch.
DYNAFLITEBUTTERFLY. .DYFA1010
The Butterfly isa "powered sailplane" or"motor
glider"and isan idealmodelfor learning toflyradio
controlledmodels.Becauseof its largewingspan and
lightwing loading,theButterflyisa gentlemodelthat
will give you plenty of time to think and react. The
Butterflydoesnotrequirea powerful engine.Any .10
to.15 cu.in.2-stroke willdothejob - all theengine
hastodoisprovidea littlethrust andthelargewing
willdotherest!
11

FLIGHT LOG
Started Construction
Finished Construction
FirstFlight
COMMENTS
DATE