GREAT PLANES Electro Streak User manual

INSTRUCTIONBOOK
PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS INSTRUCTION BOOKLET IN ITSENTIRETY BEFORE BEGINNING
ASSEMBLY. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY
AND USEOF THISMODEL.
WARNING!THIS IS NOT A TOY!
This R/Ckitand the model you will buildisnot atoy!Itiscapable of serious bodilyharm
andproperty damage. ITISYOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND YOURS ALONE-to buildthis kit
correctly, properly install allR/C components andflyinggear (motor, batteries, pushrods, etc.)
andto test the model andflyitonly with experienced, competent help inaccordance with all
safety standards andcommon sense asset down inthe Academy of Model Aeronautics Safety
Code. Itissuggested that you join the AMA andbecome properly insured before you attempt
to flythis model. IFYOU ARE JUST STARTING R/CMODELING, CONSULT YOUR LOCAL
HOBBY SHOP OR WRITE TO THE ACADEMY OFMODELAERONAUTICS TOFINDAN EX-
PERIENCED INSTRUCTOR INYOUR AREA.
Academy of Model Aeronautics
1810Samuel Morse Dr.
Reston, VA 22090
[phone]
POBOX788URBANA ILLINOIS6180)217/3672069

TABLEOF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION....................................................2
PRECAUTIONS ....................................................... 2
KEEP IT LIGHT ...................................................... 3
RADIO SELECTION ............................................... 3
SPEED CONTROL SELECTION ............................. 3
BATTERY SELECTION..........................................3
BATTERY CHARGER SELECTION ....................... 3
PROPELLER SELECTION ...................................... 3
OPTIONAL LANDING GEAR ................................ 4
SELECTION OF WHEELS ....................................... 4
GLUES(ADHESIVES) ............................................4
OTHER ITEMS REQUIRED .................................... 4
SUPPLIES & TOOLS NEEDED .............................. 4
COMMON ABBREVIATIONS ................................4
TYPES OF WOOD ................................................... 4
PERSPECTIVE DRAWING.....................................5
GET READY TOBUILD ......................................... 5
DIE PATTERN .......................................................5
FUSELAGE..........................................................................6
PREPARE FUSELAGE SIDES ................................ 6
ASSEMBLE FUSELAGE........................................9
SAND THE FUSELAGE ........................................12
TEMPORARILY MOUNT LANDING GEAR ........13
DRILL HOLE FOR TAIL SKID ............................. 13
CUT FIN SLOT IN FUSE TOP ..............................13
INSTALL RUDDER CABLE GUIDES .................. 13
INSTALL SERVO RAILS ...................................... 14
INSTALL WING PLATE ....................................... 14
FIN ANDSTABILIZER ......................................................15
BUILD THE FIN AND RUDDER .......................... 15
BUILD THE STABILIZER AND
ELEVATOR ........................................................... 15
MAKE THE HINGES ............................................. 15
TEMPORARILY INSTALL HINGES .................... 16
TEMPORARILY MOUNT CONTROL HORNS .....17
MOUNT THE STABILIZER ..................................18
MOUNT THE FIN ................................................. 19
WING...................................................................................20
BUILD THE WING PANELS ................................ 20
JOINTHEWINGHALVES ..................................23
FIBERGLASS CENTER JOINT............................23
MOUNT WING TOFUSELAGE .......................... 24
INSTALL WING FAIRING .................................. 25
INSTALLAILERONS..........................................25
INSTALL AILERON SERVO AND HORNS ........26
COMPLETION.................................................................. 27
MAKE THE ELEVATOR PUSHROD ................... 27
MAKE THE AILERON PUSHRODS .................... 28
PREDICT THE FINISHED
FLYING WEIGHT................................................28
INSTALL VELCRO..............................................29
BALANCE THE AIRPLANE LATERALLY .........29
FINAL SANDING .................................................29
COVERING..........................................................29
ADD TRIM ........................................................... 30
FINAL ASSEMBLY............................................................ 30
INSTALL ALL COMPONENTS ...........................30
BALANCE YOUR MODEL .................................. 31
FINAL HOOKUPS ANDCHECKS ....................... 32
PRE-FLIGHT..................................................................... 32
CHARGE THE BATTERIES ................................. 32
TEST THE MOTOR OPERATION ........................ 32
FIND A SAFE PLACE TOFLY ............................ 33
GROUND CHECK THE MODEL ......................... 33
RANGE CHECK YOUR RADIO ........................... 33
MOTOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ...................... 33
AMA SAFETY CODE .......................................... 34
FLYING ..............................................................................34
APPENDIX .........................................................................34
PROPER CARE OF YOUR GOLDFIRE
MOTOR................................................................34
OVERLOADS ....................................................... 34
HOW TOACHIEVE TOBEST
PERFORMANCE FROM YOUR ELECTRIC-
POWERED MODEL.............................................35
PARTS LIST.......................................................................39
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations! Thank you for purchasing the Great
PlanesElectroStreak! Tom Stryker's original design for this
airplane was firstfeatured inthe November, 1987issue of Model
Aviation magazine. We builtthis airplane "just for the fun of it",
and we were soimpressed with itsperformance onour standard
"Thrustmaster" motor, we knew it would bea success asa kit!
During the testing process, the new Goldfiremotor was devel-
oped,and we found this motor tobeideally suited for the
ElectroStreak,due toitstremendous power.
This is one of the very few easy to build electric-
poweredairplanes in kitform thatreally does provide excitingand
satisfyingacrobatic performance withoutthe need for expensive
cobalt motors or exotic buildingmaterials. Itisa very smooth and
stable flier, yet itwillperform all basic pattern maneuvers, such
asrolls, inside and outside loops,snap rolls, spins, inverted flight,
Immelmans, hammerheads, Cuban 8's, and many others.
While not a beginner's plane, the ElectroStreak isgreat
for the intermediate oradvanced flyerwhowantsreal perform-
ance, with the quiet convenience of electric power.
PleaseInspect all parts carefully before starting to
build! If anyparts are missing, brokenor defective,or if you
haveanyquestions aboutbuildingor flyingthis airplane,
please call us at [phone] andwe'llbe glad to help. Ifyou
are callingforreplacementparts, please look upthepart
numbersandthekitidentificationnumber(stamped on the end
of the carton)and have themready when calling.
PRECAUTIONS
1.You must build the plane according to the plansand
Instructions.Do not alter ormodifythe model asrepresented by
the plans, asdoing somayresult in an unsafe or unflyablemodeL
2.Youmusttaketimetobuildstraight,trueandstrong.
2

3.You must usea proper R/C radiothatisinfirstclass
condition, the correct size motor and correct components
(wheels, etc)throughout your building process.
4You must properly installall R/C and other compo-
nentssothat the model operates properly on the ground.
5You must test the operation of the model before the
first and each successive flightto insure thatallequipment is
operating and you must make certain that the model has remained
structurally sound.
6.You mustflythemodel onlywithcompetenthelp
from a well experienced R/C pilotifyouare not already an
experienced andknowledgeableR/C pilot at this time.
Note: We, asthe kit manufacturer, can provide you with
atop qualitykitand great instructions, butultimatelythe quality
and flyabilityof your finishedmodel depends on how youbuild
it, therefore, we cannot in any wayguarantee the performance of
your completed model, and no representations are expressed or
implied asto the performance orsafety ofyour completed model
Remember:Take yourtimeandfollow directionsto
endupwith a well-built model thatisstraight and true.
KEEP IT LIGHT!
Because the electric motor and motor battery are rela-
tively heavy, and because electric motors do not produce asmuch
thrust asglow engines (when compared to their weight),it is
essential that the basic structure of the airplane be keptaslight
aspossible In doing so,you will help insure that the finished
airplane will not be tooheavy tofly well.
One way to prevent excessweight build-up isto use
only asmuchglueasneeded forgoodgluejointsDo not apply
extra "fillets" of glue thinkingthatit willmake your plane
stronger' All thatextra glue adds ouncestothe weight ofyour
plane, and will detract from the performance.
In order to helpyou builda lightairplane,manyparts
inthis kitare made from soft balsa Because the wood issoft,it
does not die cutcleanlyand itdents easily Therefore, you will
haveto do a littlemore sanding on the edges of the die cut parts
before using them, and you mayhave to filla fewmore dents and
"dings".The soft balsa is also more fragile,souse a littleextra care
toavoid damaging the parts.
We willgive you tips throughoutthis book onhow to
keepthestructure light, and we urge you tofollow them.
RADIO SELECTION
Because the ElectroStreak isoptimized for lightweight,
you must usea radio system with "micro" servos and a 225 mAh
flightpack battery Our prototype uses a Futaba radio withthree
S33servos and a Robart HQ500 electronic speed control The
radio equipment you choosemust besmall and lightweight.
SPEED CONTROL SELECTION
You must equip your ElectroStreak withsome typeof
motor control to enable youto turn the motor onand off with the
transmitter The best wayto accomplish this is by installing an
electronic speed control,whichprovides fullyproportional
control of the motor speed You should choosea speedcontrol
that iscapable of handling at least 25Amps of continuous current.
It isnot necessarytohave fully proportional speed
control in this airplane Instead, you may prefer the simplicity
(and cost savings)of a simple on-off switch,activated by a 4th
micro servo Toaccomplish this you maypurchase a micro
switch or toggle switch (from an electronics supply store, such as
RadioShack) and mount itto the "throttle" servo using double-
stick tape.
NOTE: Many electronic speedcontrolshave a built-in safety
featurewhichacts likea circuitbreaker in case ofan overload due
to a short circuitora stalledpropeller, however,ifyou are using
asimple switchsystem, you should install a 20or25amp fuse in
yourswitchharness to protect the electrical components and to
prevent fire orexplosion in the event ofan overload
BATTERYSELECTION
In order to give the ElectroStreak sufficientpower to
perform large acrobatic maneuvers, we strongly recommend that
you usea good quality7 cell nicadbatterypack for motor power.
The individualcells inthe batterypack should be"low imped-
ance", whichmeans thatthey arecapable ofdelivering high
current to the motor (Sanyo SCR cells, for example)
If you choose a 7-cell 1200mAhbattery pack, itshould
bea "flat" pack, such asthe"Kyosho Turbo Racing Battery"
You can cut several ounces from the flying weight of
your ElectroStreak, thereby improvingperformance, by using a
7cell 800mAhbattery pack The major disadvantageisthat
flighttimes willbe reduced to only 2 or2-1/2 minutes(continu-
ousmotor run).
BATTERY CHARGERSELECTION
You may use any of the commercially available battery
chargers thatare designed for charging 7 cell nicad batterypacks.
Some chargers have a "peak detector" which sense when the
battery is fullycharged and automaticallyshut off at the right
timeSome chargers operate from 110volthouse current, 12volt
DC (automobile battery),01both Forconvenience, we recom-
mend a "fast charger" thatwill charge a 7-cell1200mAhbattery
pack m approximately 20minutes.
PROPELLER SELECTION
We testedseveraldifferent propellers on the Electro-
Streak,andfoundtheGrishTornado7x6 nylonproptobea very
good allaround choice An 8x4 prop provides a littlemore thrust
ontakeoff,butthe 7x6 gives more speed and better overall
performance Wood props break very oftenwhenthis airplane is
"belly landed", sothey are not recommended unless you areusing
the landing gear.
3

OPTIONAL LANDING GEAR
Partsareincluded inthe ElectroStreak kitfor a wire
landing gear and tailskid The landinggear adds a littleweight
and drag, thereby reducing overall performance slightly,there-
fore, ifyou want maximumperformance, donotinstall the
landing gear.
If you willbelanding your plane on a hard surface, such
asblacktop, concrete orgravel, you should installthe landing
gear or nylon skids onthe belly to prevent damage to the fuselage.
Ifyour flying site has a smooth grass surface, belly
landings are no problem, and (usually) result inno damage tothe
fuselage ornylon propeller.
SELECTION OF WHEELS
Ifyou plan toinstall a landing gear, we strongly recom-
mend that you choosewheels thatare both lightweightand
aerodynamically clean We have used WilliamsBros #127
wheels withgoodsuccess. If you uselightweightfoam rubber
wheels, you should round the edges of the wheels with sandpaper
to reduce drag
GLUES (ADHESIVES)
You maybuild this entire airplane usingCA (Cya-
noacrylate) adhesive ThinCA runs rightintoa good fittingjoint,
soyoucan assemble the parts first,then apply thinCA ThickCA
is more like syrup and itwillnotharden untilyou press the two
parts together squeezing the glue out to a thin layerA related
and very handy product isCA Accelerator spray(Zip Kicker or
Hot Shot), and isused to instantlyharden CA glue When using
CA glues "trial fit" thepartsto makesuretheyfitwellbefore
gluingbecause they don't give you a second chance The most
common mistake madeby new modelers is using loomuch CA
glue Rather thansqueezing the bottle, itisusuallysufficientto
touch the tipof the applicator spout to the jointbeing glued and
allow a few drops ofCA to flow into the joint.
There maybea couple of instances during construction
ofthis model in whicha small amount of AliphaticResin or
Epoxy adhesive will make construction easier.The amounts
requiredwill bevery small,however.
In any case, a "glob" ofglue isnot a substitute for a good-
fittingjoint'Take the time to sand the parts until they fitwell, then
asmallamount of glue willdo the job.
OTHERITEMSREQUIRED
Radio, Speedcontrol orSwitch, Batteries (Seeabove
comments onthese items)
2-1-1/2" Diameter Main Wheels
4-1/8"Wheel Collars
Iron-on Covering Matenal (SuperMonokote, Black
Baron Film orequivalent)
Rollof 1/16"x 1/4"self adhesive foam wing seating tape
(Sonictronics #230)
SUPPLIES & TOOLS NEEDED
2oz- Thin CA Adhesive
1/2oz - Thick CA Adhesive
Instant Glue Accelerator (optional)
2.5oz - 30Minute Epoxy
2oz AliphaticResin (Titebond. etc.)
Hand orElectnc Drill
Drill Bits(1/16',5/64", 3/32",5/32",11/64",13/64")
Sealing Iron (for covering)
HeatGun (optional, for shrinking covering)
Soldering Iron
Hobby Saw (X Acto Razor Saw)
X-Acto Knife, #11Blades
Pliers
ScrewDrivers
Flat File
T-Pins (small)
Straightedge orRuler
Masking Tape
Sandpaper (80, 100,220 and 400grit)
T-Bar Sanding Block, or similar
Waxed Paper
LightweightBalsa Filler
COMMON ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS BOOK AND
ON THE PLANS:
Elev = Elevator
Fuse = Fuselage
LE= Leading Edge (front)
LG= Landing Gear
Lt= Left
Ply = Plywood
Rt = Right
Stab = Stabilizer
TE= Trailing Edge(rear)
"=Inches
TYPESOFWOOD
BALSA
Studytheperspectivedrawingon page 5 to become
familiar withthepartsoftheElectroStreak
4

GETREADY TOBUILD
D1. Unroll the plan sheet. Re-roll itinside out to make itlie
flat. NOTE: Ifyou havea small work area, you may cut the plan
into two sections,"wing" and "fuselage".
D2.Remove allparts from the box. Asyou do, figure out the
name ofeach part by comparing itwiththe plans and the parts list.
Using a felttippen, write the part nameor size on each piece to
avoid confusion later. Use the die-cut patterns shown below to
identify the die-cutparts andmarkthem before punching out. Save
all scraps.Ifany ofthedie-cutparts aredifficulttopunchout, donot
force them! Instead, firstcutaround the parts withan Xacto knife.
NOTE:After punching out the die-cut parts, useyour T-Bar or
sanding block to lightlysand the edges toremove any die-cutting
irregularities.
D3.As you identify and mark the parts, separate them into
groups, such asfuse (fuselage), wing, fin & stab (stabilizer), and
hardware.
DIEPATTERNS
5

FUSELAGE
PREPARE FUSELAGE SIDES
D1.Laya 6"x 6"pieceofwaxed paper onthe plan
inthe area where the front and rear fuse sides join, to
protecttheplan.
D2.Lay a die-cut 3/32"balsa fuse side frontand fuse
siderear on the plan and carefully line them up along the
bottom edge. Apply thin CA glue tothe joint,then apply
thick CA glue to fillany gaps. Sand thejointsmooth using
aT-barsander with 100-gritsandpaper.
D3.While the fuse side isstill inplace onthe plan,
usea straightedge and a pen tomark thelocationsof
formers F-3and F-4only. Note thatwe haveextended the
former lines above and below the fuse for your conven-
ience.Mark this fuse side "Rt. Inside".
of waxed paper between the fuse sides to prevent gluing
them together. Sand the Lt. fuse side joint smooth.
D5.Remove the waxed paper, put the two fuse sides
together and line them up at the front and the bottom
edges. Then check tomake sure they are exactly the same
all the wayaround. Sand the edges asnecessary untilthe
twofuse sides match. Itisespecially importantthatthe
overall lengthbethe same. sosand the tailend asneces-
sary.
D6.Lay the two fusesides flaton the table, with the
straight portion of the bottom edges touching at the front
half.Then, using a straightedge and a pen, extend the
former location linesonto the fuseside that does not have
them. Also, mark the 2nd. fuse side, "Lt.inside".
D7. Glue the 1/8"x 1/8"x 30"balsa stringers to the
inside ofthe fuse sides, along the bottom. Thestringers
begin at the front edge of F-3. Trim the stringers even with
the aftend of the fuse sides.
LANDING GEARNOTE: Ifyou have decidedto install a landing
gear, you willnow installthe Lt. & Rt. LG Doublers. However.
even ifyou donotplan tousealandinggear, youmaywishto install
these doublers anyway,in case youchange your mind later. (The
extra fuselage parts required for the LG willadd 1/4oz.).
D4. Glue the leftfuseside halves together by care-
fully positioning them onthe rightfuseside. Use a piece
6

D8.Strengthen the inside surface of the fuse sides in
the areaofthe LG wires by applying thickCA and spreading
it smooth withwaxed paper.
D11.Glue the 1/8" x 1/8" x 7/8" hardwood fillerto the
Lt. fuse side, along the frontedge of F-3. NOTE: The
bottomend ofthis fillermustbe1/16"above thebottomedge
ofthe fuseside, and there must be a 1/8"gap between the
filler and the LG doubler for the LG wire.
D12.Using a razor saw, cut oneof the 1/2"x 24" balsa
triangles into two 6-1/8"lengths and two 5-7/8" lengths.
D9.Glue the die-cut 1/8"ply Rt.LG doublerto the Rt.
fuse side.The bottom edge of the doubler iseven withthe
bottom ofthe fuse side, and there must bea 1/8"gap in front
ofF-3.
D13.Glue the 5-7/8" long triangles to the inside ofthe
fuse sides along the bottom, from the front ofF-3 forward to
the frontof the fuse sides. Note thatthe triangle isangled
inrelation to the bottom edge of the fuse side (see the fuse
plan side view).NOTE: Ifyou have installed the 1/8"ply
LGdoublers, run the triangles from the front ofthe doublers
forward.
D10.Glue the die-cut 1/8"ply Lt. LG doublerto the Lt.
fuse side. The bottomedge of the doubler iseven withthe
bottom ofthe fuse side, and there must be a 1/4"gapin front
of F-3.
D14.Using yourrazor saw, cut slots inthe 6-1/8"
lengths of1/2"triangle,to permit bending. Then glue these
trianglestothe fuse sides along thetopedge,beginning atthe
rear edge of F-3 and extendingforwardto the front ofthe
fuse sides.
(See Steps l5 and 16 at the top of page 8.)
7

D15.Trimand sand thebalsa triangles evenwith the
front of the fuse sides.
D16.Sandoffthebottom triangles even withthe bottom
edge of thefuse sides.
D17.Glue the remaining two 1/2"x 24" balsa triangles
tothe fuse sides along the top edge, beginning at the front
edge of F-4, and extendingto the aftend of the fuselage.
NOTE: Sand the frontend ofthe balsa trianglesto an angle
sothey line up withthe front edge of F-4. NOTE: The
triangles extend intothe stabilizer saddle area and willlater
besanded even with the stab saddle.
D18.Trimand sand the balsa triangles even with the aft
endof the fuse sides.
D19.Find the two 1/16" x 3"x 15"balsa sheets. Select
thesheetthathasthesoftestbalsa,anduseitinthenextsteps.
D20.Using an Xacto knifeand a straightedge, cut the
1/16" x 3"x 15"balsasheet into 6 pieces, each havinga length
of2-l/2".
D23.Trim the ends ofthe battery compartmentdoubler
tofitbetween the rear ofF-3 and the frontof F-4.
D24.Mark the outline ofthe wing saddle onthe battery
compartmentdoubler, then trim the doubler to thisoutline
using an Xacto knife.
D25.Glue the doubler to the fuse side in the following
manner: apply thick CA to the doubler, press the doubler in
place, then apply thin CA around the edges.
D26.Repeat steps 21-25to make and install the other
battery compartment doubler.
D21.Edge glue three of these pieces together tomake
thebattery compartment doubler.
GLUEGLUE
2-1/2-
D22.Sand smooth, andsand onelongedgestraight,
using your T-bar.
-FUSESIDE
—1/2" TRIANGLE
1/4"
REMOVETHIS
PORTION
D27. Atthe aftends of the fuse sides, sand the triangles
to a taper asshown in the sketch and photo. This willenable
the tailend tobepulled together and will provide a strong
base for the stabilizer and fin.
8

D28.Spread a couple drops of thick CA onthe battery
compartmentdoublers in the areaofthe servorailsand wing
hold-down plate. Use a piece of waxed paper to spread it
smooth.
ASSEMBLEFUSELAGE
D1.Trial fitthe die-cut 1/8"ply formers F-3 and F-4.
You may haveto sand the top comers slightlyto make the
formers fitperfectly. (Remove only a very small amount at
atime).
view, working on a flatsurface and glue the Lt.fuse sideto
F-3 and F-4.NOTE: The bottom edgesofthe fuse sides
must bedown onthe flatsurface during thisstep.
D 4. Trial fity our electric motor through the hole in F-
2.Sandthe hole asnecessary for a snug fit(Use a pieceof
sandpaper wrapped around a dowel). NOTE: If the motor
label givesyouproblems when fitting, youmay want topeel
offthe label.
D5.Note thatwe have punched the locationsofthe two
screwholes in F-l. Drill 1/8"holes at these two locations.
Besure to use a wood backingwhen drilling to prevent
damaging the part you aredrilling.
D6.Mount F-1 onto the front ofthe motor with the two
M3 x 6 metric screws.
D2.Glue F-3 and F-4to the Rt. fuse side. Use a square
tomake sure these formers are installed at right angles
(perpendicular) tothe fuse side.
M3x6SCREW
D3.Placethe fuselage upright onthe fuselage top D7.With F-1mounted to the motor and F-2 positioned
9

onthe motor asshown inthe fuse plan side view, trial fitthis
assembly into the frontof the fuse. Pull the fuse sides
together over the formers and note the fit.If itisnecessary
tosand thecomers ofF-1 foraperfect fit,youmustalsosand
thetop comers ofF-2 an equal amount, to maintainthe
correctdown-thrust angle. NOTE: Remove the formers
from the motor while sanding, toavoid getting pieces of
wood inside the motor. NOTE: When trial fitting,notice
that the right fuse side protrudes infront of F-1. This is
normal, due tothe built-in right thrust. You willlater sand
everything off even with the front ofF-l.
D8.Holding the motor, F-l and F-2 inplace, glue F-l
and F-2tothe fuse sides withthin CA. (Do notgluethe
motor to theformers!) Then remove the motor and
reinforce the glue joints by adding thick CA.
D9.Align the fronthalfof the fuse onthe plan (top
view) and hold it down with weights.
NOTE: This sheeting begins atthe front ofF-4andendsatthefront
of the stab saddle area (trim asnecessary).
D13.Fromthe1/16"x 3"x l5"hardbalsasheet,cutfive
2-1/2"lengths. Edge glue these piecestogether asshown.
Then sand smooth onboth sideswith yourT-barand100-grit
sandpaper.
D10.Pullthe aft ends ofthe fuse sides together, align
with the plans, and glue the triangles together. NOTE: If,
whenpulling the fuse sides together, younotice that oneside
seemsstifferthantheother,youmaymakeafewverticalcuts
inthe triangle onthe stiffside to "soften" itup and allow it
tobendtothe same curvature asthe other side.
D11.Using a T-bar orsanding block, sand the top edges
offormers F-l,F-2, F-3 and F-4even withthe topofthebalsa
triangle stringers. Also sand the top ofthe triangle stringers
even with the top edgeofthefuse sides, and toremove any
rough glue joints.
D14.Glue this sheeting tothe bottom ofthe fuse,
beginning at the front of F-l.
D15.From one of the 1/16"x 3"x 18"soft balsa sheets
(theother twoareusedinthewing),cutseven2-1/2"lengths.
Edge glue these piecestogether asshown.
Thensandsmooth onbothsides withyourT-barand 100-grit
sandpaper.
D12.Glue the 3/32"balsa top rear sheetinginplace.
10
D16.Glue this sheeting to the bottom ofthe fusefrom

F-4to the aft end.NOTE:Ifyou areplanning to installthe
landing gear,do not sheet the aft9/16"ofthe fuse bottom.
D17.Trim and sand the cross-grain bottom sheeting
evenwith the fuse sides.
FRONT
DOUBLER
REAR
DOUBLER
D18.Ifyou are installing alanding gear, glue the die-cut
1/16"ply frontandrearLG doublersto the 1/16"ply LG
top plate.
D20.Cut a 1/4"wide slot inthe bottom sheeting for the
landing gear. NOTE: This slot isapproximately 5-1/2 to 5-
3/4"back from the front ofF-1. Youmay push apin through
thebottom sheeting in afewplacesto"find"thecorrectslot
location before cutting.
D21.Trialfit the 1/8"wire landing gear wires into the
LGslot.File the slot asnecessary for a good fit.
D22.Atthis time, before you closeup the front ofthe
fuse, make a final check of the motor fitthrough F-2. You
should be able to readily slide the motor into place from the
rear, but itshould fitrather snugly. Ifthe motor isloosein
F-2 itwillresult in a noisy vibration when the motor is
running. You can tightenitup bycoating the inside hole in
F-2 witha thinlayer of thick CA glue. If itis tootight,use
sandpaper wrapped around a dowel to enlarge the hole
slightly.
D19.Trial fitthe LG plate/doubler assembly in place in the
fuselage, sanding and filing asnecessary for a goodfit,then
glue in place. NOTE: Theslot between the front and rear
LGdoublers must bedown. D23.Glue the 3/32"balsa top frontsheetingin place.
NOTE: This piecehas beencut slightly oversize to allow
extra for trimming.
11

D24.Sand allbalsa parts flat and even with the front of
F-l. Also sand the rear edge ofthe fusetop fronteven with
therear edgeofF-3.
SAND THE FUSELAGE
D
25.Glue the four layers of the balsa noseblock
together, alternating the graindirection ateach layer (you are
making balsa "plywood"). NOTE: Use thinCA to achieve
good penetration, makinga hard and durable nose block.
After the glue has hardened, sand the inside ofthe openings
with sandpaper wrapped around a dowel.
D1.Carefully sand the vertical grain balsa battery
compartment doublers evenwith the fuse sidesinthewing
saddle area.
D26.Glue the laminated nose blocktothe front ofthe
fuse. NOTE: The layer havingvertical grain should be in
the front.NOTE: Ifyouare installing a landing gear (and
tailskid),perform steps 27and 28 now.
D
D27.Cut a scrap of 1/8" ply (from die-cutting scrap) to
fitsnugly between the 1/8"x 1/8"balsa stringers at the aft
end of the fuse. Glue inplace.
D
D
D28.Glue the die-cut 1/16"ply tailskid plate to the
bottom ofthe fuse at the aftend. Then sand thetailskidparts
evenwith the fuse sides and fuse tail end.
2.Note that the 1/2"balsa triangle stringers protrude
above the fuse sides inthe stab saddle area. Sand these
triangles down evenwith the fuse sides inthe stab saddle
area.
3.Study the cross-section drawingsof the formers
andcross-sections "E-E" and "F-F"togeta"feel"forhow
muchsanding willhave tobedoneonthe fuselagetoproduce
the correct shapes. Now use a sanding block withcoarse
(#50or#80 grit)sandpaper to sand the fuselage toits
approximately final shape.
4. Change to progressively finergrades ofsandpaper
to achieve the finalshape and smoothness. Ifyou cut along,
narrow strip(1" x 10")of400-gritsandpaper and useit like
a"shoe-shine cloth" on the top of the fuse, you willbe
surprised at the uniformityand smoothness that can be
achieved.
12

D5.At this time, you should check the basic fuselage
weight. It should weight approximately 2-1/2oz.withthe
ply LG plates installed. Ifthe fuse weighs closer to 3 oz., go
over the entire fuse with sandpaper another time ortwo to
reduce weight, especially on the top and front.
TEMPORARILY MOUNT LANDINGGEAR
D1.Placethe 1/8"wire main landing gear in position.
NYLONL.G. STRAP
2.While holding two ofthe nylon landinggear
straps inplace,mark thelocations oftheholes to bedrilled.
Drill 1/16"pilot holes at these locations. NOTE: Use only
two ofthe landinggear straps (the others are extras).
D
CUT FINSLOTINFUSE TOP
D1.From the front ofthe stab saddle area, measure
forwardandmakemarks onthe fuse top at 1-3/16"and
1-11/16".
2.Between the above marks,cut a 3/16"wide slot in
the exact center ofthe fuselage top, using an Xacto knife.
D
INSTALL RUDDER CABLE GUIDES
D
D3.Securethenylon straps with #2 x 3/8"screws.
#2x3/8" SCREW
DRILL HOLE FOR TAIL SKID
D1.Drilla 1/16"holeinthe plywood tail skid plate,
drilling atan angle, asshown ontheplan.
D2.Trialfitthe 1/16"wire tail skid.
D3.Now remove the main gear and tail skid(theywill
bepermanently attached after covering).
D
D
1.Measure 1" forward from the frontedgeofthe stab
saddle, and make a mark on the fuse top. Then make marks
1/4"Rt. and Lt. from thefuse centerline.
2.Drill1/8"holes*at the above two marks for the
rudder cable guides.NOTE: You must hold the drill at a
very "flat"angle, asshown onthe plans. *NOTE: For
cleanerholes, youmaydrillthese holes witha 1/8"diameter
brass tubethathasbeensharpenedby running anXactoknife
around the inside of oneend.
3. Insert the 1/8" diameter plastic rudder cable guide
tubeinto one of the holes youjustdrilled. Looking through
the opening in the aftend of the fuse, insert the tube until it
13

justprotrudes into the inside ofthe fuse. Then mark the tube
onthe outside (allowing 1/4"extra) andcut itoff.Repeatfor
the other side.
D4.With the cable guide tubes in place, apply thin CA
where they enter the fuse.
D5.Cut and sand the tubes offeven withthe surface of
thefuse top.
INSTALLSERVO RAILS
NOTE: Theplans and photos show installation of FutabaS-33
servos. If you are using a differenttype servo you may have to
modify the servo railsand installation procedure.
D
5.Cut a heavy paper shim and lay it on the fuse
bottom, under the servos (to prevent the servos from touch-
ing the bottom). With the servos and rails inplace, glue the
rails to the fuse sides and F-4 withthinCA. Remove the
servosafter the glue has hardened.
D
1.While you can still easily reach through F-4, place
afew drops ofthick CA on the fusebottom inthe receiver
area and smooth itout witha piece of waxed paper. This
Strengthens the balsa in the area where the receiver will be
fastened with Velcro.
2.Sticktwo servostogetherwith the square of
double-stick tape. NOTE: Make surethe servosare
positioned asshown onthe plan.
D
D6.Cut 1/4"balsa triangles to fitunder the servo rails.
Glue inplace. Add thick CA asnecessary for secureglue
joints.
INSTALL WING PLATE
D1.Findthe 1/8"x 1/2"x 2-1/16"birch ply wing plate
and sand it asnecessary to fitsnugly between the fuse sides.
D3.Install the servo grommets and eyelets, and mount
the servos to the die-cut1/8"ply servorails using the screws
provided with your radio.
D4.Sand the servo railsa little at a time until the
servo/rail assembly fitssnugly between the fuse sides at the
front of F-4.
D2.Position the wing plate exactly asshown onthe
plan and glue it inplace.
D3.Build upfilletsofthick CA or epoxy allaround the
wingplate, on top and bottom, to securely lock itinplace.
NOTE: This installationmustbe verystrong!
14

FINANDSTABILIZER
BUILDTHEFINANDRUDDER
1.Findthe following parts: Six 3/16"x 3/8"x 18"
balsa sticks, and the die-cut 3/16"balsa rudderbottom and
dorsal finpieces. Lightlysand the edges of the die-cut
pieces withasanding blocktostraightenoutanydie-cutting
irregularities. Select the twostraightest3/16" x 3/8"x 24"
balsa sticks and set them aside forlateruse asthe stab
trailing edge and the elevator leading edge.
D
D2.Working over the separate FIN drawing onthe
plan, mark and cut the balsa sticks for the outerframework
ofthe fin and rudder. Hold orpin the parts over the plan and
glue the outer framework together withthinCA, working on
waxed paper to prevent gluingto the plan.
D3.Cut the 3/16"x 3/8"balsa ribs to fitbetween the
leading and trailing edges of the fin and rudder, and glue
theminplace.
D4.Glue the die-cut 3/16"balsa dorsal finparts
togetherover the plan, tomake thedorsalfin.
D5.Sand both sides of the fin,rudder and dorsal fin
smooth using your T-bar and 100-grit sandpaper. Draw a
centerline onthe fin trailingedge and the rudder leading
edge. Sand the leading edge of the finto a roundedshape
(exceptin the areawhere thedorsal finwillattach).Sand the
leading edge ofthe rudder to a "V-shape (asshown onthe
plan).
D6.Using your sanding block, sand the rudder toa
taper, asshown inthe detail drawing onthe plan.
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
2.Tapea pieceof waxed paper overthe separate
STABILIZER drawing onthe plan, then lay the die-cut
3/16"balsa stab centerpieces onthe planand pin inplace.
NOTE: These die-cut pieces may have irregular edges, so
youshould sand the edges withyourT-bar first, until they fit
the plan exactly.Edge glue these stab centerpieces together
with thin CA.
3.From 3/16"x 3/8"balsa sticks, cut the outer
frameworkpieces and glue them together. Note: The
straightest 3/16" x 3/8"balsa stick should be usedfor the
trailing edge.
4.Cut the stabilizerribs from the3/16"x 3/8"balsa
sticks and glue them in place.
5.Sand both sides of the elevator smooth with your
T-bar, then sand the stabilizer leading edge and ends toa
rounded shapeasshown onthe plan.
6.In the same manner, working overthe plan, build
the elevator.
7.Draw acenterline onthe stabTEandelevatorLE.
8.Sand the elevator leading edge toa V-shape as
shown onthe plan.
9.Sandtheelevatortoataper,asshownontheplan.
MAKE THE HINGES
D1.You'll need the following: The7"length ofhinge
stripmaterial, apieceof220gritsandpaper,aruler,scissors
anda 1/16"drill.
BUILD THE STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR
D1.Get the following parts together: Die-cut 3/16"
balsastab andelevator center pieces, two 3/16"x 3/16"x
17"balsa sticks, and the remaining 3/16"x 3/8"balsa sticks.
D
2.Take the strip ofhinge material and roughen both
sideswith 220 grit sandpaper. Thisisbest done withasmall
15

HINGE
o o
0 0
3/8"
pieceof sandpaper held with your fingers, rather than a
sanding block. Do not sand the centerline ofthe hinge
material.
TEMPORARILY INSTALL HINGES (Donot glue thehinges at
thistime).
1.You'll needeightof the hinges youjust made,plus
an Xacto knife witha No. 11blade.
D
D
2.Ifyou have not already done so, draw an accurate
centerline onthetrailing edgeofthefin andstabilizer.
D
D
3.Using a ruler and a ball pointpen, draw lines
dividing the hinge material into sixteen 3/8"-wide seg-
ments.
4.Drill four 1/16"holes in each of the hinge seg-
ments asshownon theplan. Use a wood block asa backing
whendrillingthese holes. Afterdrilling, lightlysand the
hinges again to remove any rough edges caused by drilling.
6.Cut the hinges apart witha scissorsonthe lines
you previously drew. Also snip off a small piece ofeach
comer.
(Seesketchattopofnextcolumn.)
D5.Foldthehingematerialback andforth a few times
to"condition" the hinges.
D
3.Lay the fin and stabilizerontheplan and mark the
hinge locations on the trailing edges.
D
4.Now, while holding the elevators in place against
the stabilizer trailingedge, transferthe hinge locations over
to the elevator leading edge. Repeat thisprocesstomark
the hinge locations on the rudder.
D
NOTE: Thehinges supplied withthis kitare thin enough that they
canbeinserted intoa slot made withan Xacto knife.Most other
hinges requireyou to use ahingeslottingtool. The following steps
describe how to easily cutthe hinge slotswith an Xacto knife.
CAUTION!!!: Youmustuseextremecarewhencuttinghinge
slots withan Xacto knife,toavoid cuttingyourself! If the
balsapart breakswhileyou are pushingonthe knife,theblade
could gointo your hand before you knowit!A goodprecau-
tion isto wear leather gloves while performing the following
steps.
16

D
D
D
D
D
D
D
5.Begin by carefully cutting a very shallow silt in
the fin trailing edge at the hinge location. This firstcut isto
establish your cut inthe rightplace, soconcentrate on
staying onthe centerline and don'tcut too deep!
6.Make three orfour more cuts in the same line,
going slightly deeper each time.As you make these
additional cuts. work ongoing straight into the wood.
7.Afteryou have cut about halfwayinto the wood,
you can push the blade all the way through, while"wig-
gling" theknife handle backand forth. Continue topivotthe
knife while moving the blade to both ends ofthe hinge
location.
8.Trial fitthe hinge into the slot. Ifthe hinge is
difficulttopush in,re-inserttheknifeand move itback and
forth in the slot a few times to enlarge the slot.
9.Repeat the above processto cut slotsat allthe
hinge locations inthe fin, rudder, stabilizer and elevators.
10.Assemble the rudderto the fin and the elevators to
the stabilizer (DONOT GLUE),andcheck the operationof
the hinges.
TEMPORARILYMOUNT CONTROLHORNS
2-56x5/8"SCREW
D
D3.Cut and sand the two nylonrudder control horns to
the shape asshown in the "RudderDetail" drawing onthe
plan.
D
1.You'll need three nylon control horns, two 2-56
x3/8"screws, two2-56 x 5/8" screws, two2-56 hex nuts, a
3/32"drill, a small screwdriver and a pliers.
2.While holding two nylon horns together at their
bases, drill 3/32"holes through the holes in onehorn,
making two new holes inthe otherhorn. Thepurposeofthis
isto enable the horns to be bolted together onboth sidesof
therudder.
4.Lay the rudder onthe fuselage plan side view and
determine where the nylon control horn should belocated.
Holdingthe nylon horn withonly twoholes on the left side
of the rudder, use a pencil to mark through both holes inthe
horn.
2-56x 3/8" SCREW
NYLON HORN ANDNUT PLATE
17

D5.Start pilotholes with a pin at the marked locations,
then drillthe holes with a 3/32"drill.
MOUNTTHE STABILIZER
D 6. Trialmounttherudderhornswithtwo2-56x 5/8"
screws and hex nuts.
D1.Accurately measure and mark the exact center of
the fuselage top at F-4. Also measure the width of the
stabilizer and mark the exact center at the trailing edge.
D2.Placethe fuselage ona flat surface, andholdit
down firmly witha bookor other heavy object.
3.Position thestabon thestab saddle, centered side-
to-side,andpin it inplace.
D
D
7.In a similar manner, temporarily mount the eleva-
tor control hornonthe elevator. NOTE: Whenmarking
thelocations fordrilling,youmusthold thenylonhorn
on the BOTTOM of the elevator! Use the 2-56 x 3/8"
screws andnylon nutplateto mountthe elevator horn. IM-
PORTANT; Make sure the nutplateand screws of the
elevator horn do not touch the rudder when the elevator is
deflectedup1/2"Sandthebottomoftherudderifnecessary
toeliminate this possibility.
D
4.While holding the stab firmly inplace onto the
saddle, measure down to the flatwork surface from both
ends ofthe slab. Ifone side ishigher than the other, sand the
high side of the stab saddle withyour T-bar sander and 100
grit sandpaper (Sand onlya littleata time!). Replace the
stabin the saddle andre-check the measurements. Continue
thisprocess until the stab islevel within 1/16".
D
18
5.Again,pin the stabto the stab saddle, andmeasure
from the rearcorners of the stab to the center mark at F-4.
Adjust theposition ofthestab until thesemeasurements are
equal.

D6.Glue the stab to the stab saddle by applying thin
CA generously along both sides ofthe fuse. Also apply thin
CA inthe finnotch and at the front and back of the stab to
insure thatthe glue fullypenetrates into the joint. Finally,
add a small filletof thick CA along both sides of the fuse/
stab joint to fill any gaps.
MOUNT THE FIN
IMPORTANT NOTE: Improper fin alignment is one of the most
common causes ofpoor flyingairplanes. The fin absolutely must
line up withthe centerline oftheairplane! Therefore,use care in
the following steps to mount the finproperly.
1.Remember the fuselage centerline mark you made
at F-4? Now measure 3/32"left and right of thatmarkand
make two more reference marks. Now lay a straightedge
along the leftside ofthe fin, with one endofthe straightedge
onthe leftmark at F-4. Adjust the position of the fin until
it matches the straightedge.
D
D3.Hold the fin in place onthe stabilizer and line it up
withthe marks you justmade. Check to make surethe fin
is perpendicular to the stab, using a draftsman's triangle or
acarpenter's square. Apply a couple drops of thinCA to
tack glue the fin inplace.
D4. Double check the fin alignment (It must line up
withthe fuselage centerline),then apply thin CA allalong
thebaseofthe fin. Use thick CA tofillany gaps.
5.Cut the die-cut"bumps"off the dorsal fin parts.
D
D
6.Sand the top edge of the dorsal fin toa rounded
shape.
D2.Holding the fin in this position, draw lines onthestab
center on both sides of the fin for futurereference. Double D
check this by layingthe straightedgealong therightside of
the fin and holding it onthe right mark onF-4.
7.Alignthe dorsal fin on the fuselage centerline in
the same manner asusedforaligning the fin. and glue itto
the fuse top and fin.
THISCOMPLETESTHEBASICFUSELAGEASSEMBLY
19

WING
BUILD THEWING PANELS
NOTE: Itwill be helpful to build the wing on a piece of"Celotex"
orother semi-soft(and flat)surface, into which youmay easily stick
pinsto firmlyhold down the wing parts whilebuilding, toavoid
warps.
D1.Turn the plan around sothe wing drawing isfacing
you. Tapethe plan to your flatwork surface, and cover the
wing drawingwithwaxedpaper(soyou won'tglue the wing
totheplan!).NOTE; Ifyourwork space islimited,you may
cut theleft and rightwing half drawings apart.
D4.Before using the 1/8"x 1/4"x 23"hard balsa
spars, examine them carefully forpossible imperfections.
Lookforknots,soft spots, diagonalgrain and any other im-
perfections. Ifpossible, position each spar sothe imperfec-
tions (ifany) are onthe outer halfofthe wing panel (toward
the tip),where they will beleast affected by highstress. If
the spars are warped slightly,try to "balance them out" by
installing the warped spars inopposite directions (see
sketch).
TWOWARPEDSPARSINSTALLED
THISWAYWILLRESULTINA
STRAIGHTWING
D2.The shaped and notched wingleadingedges (L.E.)
and trailingedges (T.E.)are fastened together by thin layers
of balsa. Separate them by foldinguntilthe balsa breaks.
Sandawaytheexcessbalsathatremains along theedgesafter
breakingthemapart, usinga T-bar with 100-gritsandpaper.
D3.Before using the L.E. and T.E.pieces, you must
determine which pieces are to beusedfor thewingpanelyou
are building. Here's how;
A. Comparetheleading andtrailingedgeswiththe
following drawings to determine the top and bottom ofeach
piece.
TOPTOP
LE. T.E.
B. Notice that there arethree notches near one end
ofeach piece that are 1-7/8" apart. This isthe end thatgoes
toward the center (root) ofthe wing.
C.Take oneofthe LE pieces and lay itontheright
wingpanel plan withthe top up. If the three closely-spaced
notches aretoward the center ofthe wing,you have the
correctLE for the right panel.
TWOWARPEDSPARSINSTALLED
THIS WAYWILL RESULTINA
WARPEDWING
If you find that the spars inyour kit arenot satis-
factory (due togross imperfections, damage, orextreme
warp), justgiveusa call orwrite a note requesting replace-
ments (seethe"INTRODUCTION" onthefirst pages ofthis
book).
D5.Carefully punch out allthe die-cut 1/16"balsa
wing ribs. Sand the edges slightlytoremove any die-cutting
irregularities.
DD 6.Pin one ofthe 1/8"x 1/4"x 23" spars to the plan.
NOTE: The spars are slightly longerthan necessary,and
will be trimmed later.
D. Do thesame thing todetermine whichTEpiece
to use.
20
DD 7.Setrib W-l inplace on the plan, holding itperpen-
dicular to the surface, and glue it to the spar.