PCM MINI-S Instruction Manual

MINI-Fireworks building instruction May 2015
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Wingspan [mm]:
950
Aspect ratio:
7,7
Wing area [dm2]:
11,7
Wing loading [g/dm²] :
12-13
Takeoff weight [g]:
155 (Mini-S), 165 (Mini-Q)
Airfoil:
AG03 mod
3-side-view –version with ailerons
BUILDING INSTRUCTION
SAL-DLG MINI-FIREWORKS

MINI-Fireworks building instruction May 2015
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CONTENTS
DATA
1. Kit –contents
2. What else do you need?
3. Electronic equipment
4. Settings for the first flight
ASSEMBLING THE MODEL
5. General information on DLG-models
6. Fuselage - structure
7. Stabilizer
8. Fuselage - installation of electronic components
9. Controlling of the ailerons
10. Installation of antenna
OTHER
11. Check list before starting
3
3
3
4
5
5
7
13
14
15
16

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DATA
1. Kit –contents
Fuselage (canopy, middle part, boom)
Wing
Elevator (Balsa)
Rudder (Balsa)
Radioboard
Balsa part for mounting elevator, 1 piece
Carbon lever for controlling elevator, 1 piece
Carbon lever for controlling rudder, 1 piece (Mini-S)
Carbon levers for controlling ailerons, 2 pieces (Mini-Q)
Carbon push rods for controlling ailerons, 2 pieces (Mini-Q)
Steel wire for controlling elevator (and rudder, Mini-S)
Steel wire for springs, 1 piece (Mini-Q), 2 pieces (Mini-S)
Screws for fixing wing, 2 pieces
Carbon roving, glass fibre
Building instruction
2. What else do you need:
Iron-on covering film (for coating balsa stabs), f.e. Oracover, or
special varnish to fill pores
Epoxy-glue (for example UHU 300 endfest or Pattex Stabilit, no fast
hardening epoxy resin)
Super glue, thin
Maybe cotton flocks (to thicken epoxy-glue)
Electrical equipment (On/Off-switch, cables, plug, ...)
Electronic equipment
Steel wire, shrinking tube...
3. Electronic equipment
Servos
elevator/rudder/aileron
- Dymond D-47
Similar: - Futaba FS31
- Modell Expert X31
Accumulators:
- GP NiMH Accu 35AAAH, weight/cell 6g
(1,2 Volt 0,35 Ah 1/2AAA)
Receiver:
- MZK Sexta Mini
- Jeti Rex 540MPD

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4. Settings for the first flight
Centre of gravity: 62mm
(measure from the leading edge of the wing to the back)
MINI-S: Deflection of controls
MINI-Q: Deflection of controls
MINI-Q: Flaps negative (start, speed)
MINI-Q: Flaps positive (thermal)
MINI-Q: Landing position
MINI-Q: Snap Flap

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ASSEMBLING THE MODEL
5. General information on DLG-models
DLG-models - such as MINI-Fireworks - are constructed strong enough to withstand the demands
of starting, flying and landing and at the same time light enough to achieve the least possible flying
weight. Each part is dimensioned to its possible minimum and produced using lightest and fewest
material.
In order to continue this concept, please account the following when you assemble the model:
- Always use glue sparingly. Grind all gluing spots thoroughly, before you apply the glue.
- Electronic components should be placed as far as possible to the front, as you normally
need additional lead in the nose of the fuselage to achieve the necessary centre of gravity.
- For the same reason try to save weight especially when you finish and mount the
stabilizer.
- If you don’t have any experience in working with resin or if you prefer an easier method, you
can combine the carbon rovings and glass fibre with super glue: Put some drops of super
glue on the rovings or the fibre, spread and press it with a (rustling) plastic bag. You will also
save one or the other gram with this method.
As both versions (Mini-S controlled by elevator/rudder and Mini-Q controlled by elevator/aileron)
are described in the following, you can skip the parts of the instruction, that don’t apply to your
model.
6. Fuselage - structure
Cut holes as shown
into the fuselage for
the pushrods of the
ailerons.
(Mini-Q)
Push the boom into the middle part of the fuselage, until the
boom stands out 530mm. If the boom can’t be pushed out
far enough, you can sand off some material inside the
middle part of the fuselage.
Before you glue the boom, check that the servoboard can
be fixed to the boom inside the fuselage later according to
the picture. The flat side of the boom should be on the
upper side, the round one on the downside.

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Further, you must check, that the distance between the
end of the boom and both wingtips is the same.
If all alignments are correct, glue the boom with epoxy-
glue to the middle part of the fuselage.
In addition, the boom must be glued to the bottom of the
fuselage (see picture above).
Before you fix the servoboard inside the fuselage,
strengthen the board with a carbon roving.
You can glue the roving with super glue or epoxy glue.
We recommend to install all electronical components
provisionally before (see chapter 8) you glue the board
and try to mount the canopy. So you will be sure, that
everything fits inside.
In order to gain full strength, it is absolutely necessary to
fix the servoboard in the fuselage!
Strengthen the edges of the servo board with super glue.
Glue the board with epoxy-glue to the boom (see picture
above) and to the sides of the fuselage.
If you have a hard landing, always check if the servoboard
is still fully glued before you make the next start!

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7. Stabilizer
Sanding the airfoil onto the balsa boards
You can use the working aids (see end of instruction or
sheet attached) for easier sanding:
Make simple grinding blocks out of material that can be
easily worked on.
For example, you can cut out the drawings and glue them
onto hard foam. Go over the outline with a hot wire or a
sharp knife. Glue abrasive paper on the sloping surface.
Then, cut the drawings of the elevator and the rudder along
the lines. You can use these templates for transfering
lines of same height to the balsa boards.
Begin with the line
near the leading
edge and work step
by step to the trailing
edge.
(Here shown with
elevator of
Fireworks4)
Mark each line on
the upper- and the
underside.
Lay the sanding
block on the table
and then sand along
the line until you
touch the line.
When you have
sanded to the first
line on both sides, go
ahead with the next
line.

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The last line serves
for sanding to the
trailing edge.
Mark the midline on
the trailing edge.
Sand with a normal
grinding block until
there is a plane
between the front
line and midline on
the trailing edge.
At last, grind over
the edges, which
have resulted from
sanding, until there is
a smooth airfoil.
Mounting the rudder to the fuselage
You can glue a carbon roving with super glue or epoxy
glue on the downside edge of the rudder to reduce
damage from landing.
(photos from prototype-stabilizer)
Attach the rudder softly to the boom with some drops of
super glue.
Then check the
exact alignment on
each axis and
correct it if
necessary. If the
rudder is positioned
correctly, glue it
carefully with super
glue or epoxy glue.

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Add some carbon
rovings on both
sides for
strengthening.
You can also
strengthen with
glass fibre (1x
50g/m²).
Sand the rudder wedge-shaped on the hinge line, so that
you can move it in both directions up to 45°. Note that the
hinge line must be placed on the left side (looking
towards flight direction) for right-handers and the other
way round for left-handed persons. (Mini-S)
Next, glue the lever in extension of the axis of the boom.
The hole of the lever should be above the hinge line.
(Mini-S)

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Mounting the elevator to the fuselage
Cut the sanded
elevator into two
parts. Sand the
hinge line wedge-
shaped analogous
to the rudder and
harden the hinge
edges with super
glue.
Sand the carrier for the elevator aerodynamically on both
sides and round on the top, so that the boom fits
precisely. Glue the lever a little bit moved to the side.
Fix the carrier first to the elevator and then to the boom:
Attach the elevator softly with a drop of super glue first and
check the correct alignment:
- The elevator is positioned 1 cm in front of the rudder.
- The elevator must be horizontal. You can check this
best by mounting the wing and looking on the model
from the front.
- Die EWD (angle between wing and elevator) must be
2°. Normally, the angle results automatically, if you
mount everything correctly. Nevertheless you should
check the angle before you glue everything. Proceed
according to the drawing below:
If the wing is positioned horizontally, the leading edge of
the elevator must be 2mm lower than the trailing edge.
Strengthen the joint between elevator and boom with
carbon rovings or glass fibre (1x 50g/m²). You can find
shape templates at the end of the instruction or in the
attachment. You can glue the strengthening with super or
epoxy glue.

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Making the surface
Now you can iron the stabs with the iron-on covering film
or indoor foil. Alternatively, you can varnish the balsa with
a special varnish to fill the pores.
Mounting torsion springs
As the rudder and
the elevator are
controlled with only
one steel wire each,
you must insert a
torsion spring,
which makes the
control surface
deflect in the
opposite direction.
Fix the control
surface of the rudder
with adhesive tape.
Then, tip back the
control surface of
the rudder
completely.
(Mini-S)
Stick the spring into
the balsa material
and then harden the
balsa with super
glue.
(Mini-S)
Insert the torsion
spring in the
elevator analogous
to this.

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Now you can hook
in the steel wire(s)
into the lever(s).
Make a loop and put
the end of the wire
into a shrinking
tube. Shrink it and
fix it with a drop of
super glue.
Drill a hole in the
boom to lead the
wire inside the
fuselage to the
servo.

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8. Fuselage –installation of electronic components
Suggestion for
arrangement:
View from above:
Mini-S
(elevator/rudder):
green accus,
right side
Mini-Q
(elevator/aileron):
red accus,
left side
View from the
bottom
Mini-S
(elevator/rudder):
green accus,
right side
Mini-Q
(elevator/aileron):
red accus,
left side

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9. Controlling of the ailerons
To avoid
unintentional
demounting glue
little steel hooks to
the ends of the
carbon pushrods.
Connection to the
servos in the
fuselage
Connection to the
levers on the wing

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10. Installation of antenna
In order to have an undisturbed reception a part of the
antenna must be situated outside the model.
An easy solution is to fix the antenna to the end of the
elevator. Lead the antenna inside the fuse behind the wing
and then leave the fuselage.
Another possibility is to lay the antenna inside the gap of
the aileron. For improving reception you can solder the
antenna to a steel wire, d=0,3mm, which you fix at the end
of the wing and let stand out to the back about 10-15cm.
Always TEST THE RECEPTION on ground before you
fly!

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OTHER
11. Check list before starting:
1. Check centre of gravity
2. Check control surfaces:
Do control surfaces move in the correct direction?
Check the greatest swings
3. Check reception:
Leave the antenna inside the radio control and go
away from the glider up to a distance of about 60m.
The control surfaces should not tremble.