Phoenix Model Cariba Mk2 User manual

Cariba Mk2
63in Span Sports Aerobatic Slope Soarer for 4-6 Channel RC Equipment.
Designed by: Stan Yeo Produced by: Phoenix Model Products
Introduction
The Cariba is a follow-on from the Carrera in that it
shares the same wing. We have always liked ‘V’ tail
models since our days of flying 100S models and
over the years have designed and built several.
Whilst they can have a tendency to ‘spin’ in tight
slow turns if tailplane area is a bit tight we have
found them more efficient than cross tail models
with the same fuselage. Construction of the Cariba
features a ply sided fuselage with a fully sheeted
built-up wing containing a servo in each wing
allowing the ailerons to be used as Flapperons thus
enhancing the aerobatic performance of the model.
Most kit parts are either Laser cut or routed for
greater accuracy. The Cariba is a delightful model
to build and an even more delightful model to fly.
Radio Equipment Required
The recommended radio equipment required for
the Cariba is two metal geared servos i.e. Hitec
HS82MG or the Ripmax New Power XL16HM or
XL17HMB plus two standard size servos, a Square
AA receiver battery and a 4/6 channel receiver.
For Flapperons a 6ch Computerised transmitter
6ch receiver is required.
Tools / Materials Required
The tools required to build the Cariba are a
modelling knife with spare blades, a One Metre
Straight Edge, a miniature David Plane, 180 grade
Wet & Dry sanding block and soldering iron. The
glues used to build the model are white PVA wood
glue, some thin Superglue (please observe safety
precautions) and a small quantity of two part epoxy.
We recommend using a heat shrink polyester film
for covering such as Oracover/Profilm or the
thinner more economic version Easycoat.
Please Note for ALL wood joints use PVA wood
glue unless otherwise stated
Building the Fuselage
1. Lightly sand the fuselage sides, top and bottom
with 180 grade wet and dry to remove any
'release' agent. Remove dust with a small
brush or vacuum cleaner.
2. Align the fuselage sides with the Wingseat and
mark out the position of formers F2 & F3 on the
inside of the fuselage sides ensuring there is a
left and right side. Aligning with the Wingseat is
to offset any variation in plan length due to
changes in moisture content in the plan paper.
3. Cut slots for Ruddervator cable exits as indicated
on plan (bottom of fuselage).
4. Using PVA (wood glue), glue spruce nose and
wingseat strips to fuselage sides ensuring there
is left and right side! Note Wingseat spruce strip
extends back beyond F2.
5. Glue Tailplane triangular seat in place taking
care both sides are symmetrical. Check the seat
forms a 120 degree angle!!
6. Glue strip longeron super structure to the
fuselage sides.
7. Lightly sand edges of fuselage sides to prepare
gluing surface to receive top and bottom
sheeting.
8. Cover plan with polythene.
9. Position fuselage over plan and glue F1 & F2 in
position. Join fuselage at the rear. Take great
care to ensure the fuselage is both straight and
square!
10. When glue has set remove fuselage from plan
and fit F1 again checking fuselage alignment.
11. Fit Ruddervator control rods. Anchor to fuselage
side every 100-120mm as per Elevator control
rod. Before fixing control cables check control
cable inners are not binding and move freely.
12. Tie cables together where they crossover at the
rear. Seal knot with glue.
13. Fit Fuselage bottoms front and back.
14. Mark line of fuselage on underside of Hatch then
fit 10mm top nose sheet.
15. Sand the front of F1 flat and fit Noseblock.
16. Fit balsa strips to underside of Hatch. Align them
1mm outside the lines previously drawn to allow
for sanding.
17. Angle rear face of hatch to match front face of
F2. Centrally position ply end face and Superglue
in position.
18. Cut Hatch to length and slope end at front of
hatch to match abutting face. Allow enough
space between the front of the hatch for the two
ply end faces plus enough to ‘jam’ a third ply
plate (supplied) to hold the hatch in position
whilst the ‘front end’ is sanded to shape. This gap
is to allow for the thickness of the covering
material and easy removal of the hatch in use.

19. After sanding front of fuselage to shape
remove hatch and centrally mark position of
3mm hatch retaining dowel.
20. Drill hole in hatch for retaining dowel and
transfer position of dowel hole onto ply hatch
locating plate (use blunt end of glass headed
pin).
21. Drill Hatch dowel locating hole in fuselage. If
hole is slightly misaligned correct using spruce
wedges.
22. Mark position of hole for Hatch Latch on rear of
F2. Tape Hatch in place and drill 1.5mm hole
thro’ F2 into Hatch.
23. Prepare Hatch Latch for fitting.
24. Fit ply Latch plate support.
25. Epoxy Latch assembly in place. Grease latch
to avoid latch sticking.
26. Fit and hold wing in position and drill holes for
wing retaining dowel brass tubes (use drill
described on plan).
27. Epoxy 6swg Brass wing dowel retaining tubes
in place (photo shows Pzazz See plan!).
28. Mark and drill hole in wing for M5 Wing Bolt. Fit
ply reinforcing wing Bolt plate.
29. Assemble wing bolt plate as per plan.
30. Using the wing, align the wing retaining nut
plate, assemble and fit said plate. Use foam
rubber to assist holding wing bolt plate in
position.
31. Bolt wing in position and fit front and rear wing
fairings.
32. Fit Rudder & Elevator servos as shown on
plan.
33. Mount On/Off switch using switch plate
provided. Bend 1.5mm switch operating wire to
shape and dry fit. Remove before covering.
34. Draw two straight lines at a 120 degree angle
on scrap paper, cover in polythene. Dry fit two
halves of tailplane checking for good contact
when together. Place PVA glue along TP join
and pin tailplane to ‘plan’, hinge line down
taking care to ensure TP is square to building
board. Fit triangular TP joiner.
35. Place fuselage on flat surface and dry fit
Tailplane. Pin in place and check distance of
each TP back corner is the from the work
surface and to a centre point on F2.
36. Adjust Tailplane seat as necessary and when
satisfied glues in position using PVA.
37. Cut fuselage top to length. Angle at front is 45
degrees.
38. Bolt wing in position and fit front and rear wing
fairings.
39. Shape Tailplane and Ruddervators.
40. Cut Mylar Hinges to size (12mm x 25mm). Trim
corners to stop the digging in and roughen gluing
surface with Wet & Dry.
41. Hinge Ruddervators but do not glue until model is
covered.
Building the Wings
1. To protect the plan cover in either thin polythene
or cling film.
2. Join front & back 1.5mm sheeting. Use metal
straight edge to trim for a good joint. The
sheeting has been Laser cut but may require
further trimming due moisture changes in the
wood. Sellotape them together along the joint.
Hinge joint back and insert PVA glue. Place on
flat surface and wipe away excess glue. Run
Sellotape along top of joint. Weight down until
glue set. Repeat for other three pieces.
3. Accurately align bottom sheet on plan. Note rear
of sheet overhangs rear spar by 1.5mm.
4. Accurately mark position of mainspar on bottom
sheet and using a straight edge glue and pin
mainspar in place.
5. Elevate underside of sheeting at front and rear
with scrap to conform with airfoil profile
6. Omitting W1 glue wing ribs in position.
7. Check assembly of servo mounts and the servo
is a snug fit in the mount. Adjust as necessary.
8. Glue together Wing Servo Mount Assembly using
PVA and before glue sets fit mount into servo
bay between W4&5. Consult plan as they are
handed i.e. there is a left and right hand! Push
sides of servo mounts against W4&5 to make
good gluing contact.
9. Using guide lines on plan glue ribs in place. For
the servo bay ribs use servo mount for alignment.
10. Glue 6mm sq. strip onto front of Mainspar 1mm
from the top. Ensure that it is a snug fit between
ribs.
11. Build second Wing.
12. Trim and align root end of each wing panel.
Sweepback on trailing edge of wing is 38mm
(1.5ins). Glue panels together.
13. Glue 0.8mm ply floor panels in place.
14. Fit Spruce rear spar reinforcing strip. Ribs W1
ribs and 12mm sub-ribs W1A
15. Trim and fit 1.5mm top sheeting taking care to
ensure that it is making contact with both the
wing ribs and the mainspar. Use masking tape
across ribs to support sheet whilst glue sets.
16. Using a David Plane / 180 grade Wet& Dry
sanding block trim leading & trailing edge
sheeting until level with the wing ribs. When
satisfied place Sellotape along edge of sheeting
top & bottom to minimise glue overspill. Tip: Do
not try to align Sellotape with edge of sheet but
let it overlap and trim with a sharp scalpel.
17. Carefully plane / sand both rear spar and leading
edge to shape. Tip: when using David Plane set
blade at slight angle so that the cut is thinner on

one side of the plane. It helps control thickness
of cut.
18. Glue 0.8mm ply end ribs to balsa tips. Again
there is a Left & Right! Roughly shape and glue
tip in place taking care to align tip end rib with
wing end rib.
19. Sand wing tips to shape.
20. Fit centre section trailing edge.
21. Shape Ailerons and cut to length. At this stage
do not make allowance for 0.8mm ply ends.
22. Tape ailerons in position using Wing Tip as a
reference. Check for twist.
23. Mark TE position on centre section trailing
edge. Lightly draw a line across TE.
24. Shape centre section TE to shape using
Aileron as a reference. When complete add
0.8mm end plates and mark position of aileron
control horn.
25. Cut slot for aileron control horn. Needs to snug
fit. Superglue in position AFTER covering.
26. Fit 0.8mm ply Wing Bolt washer. Give wing a
final sand using 320 grade Wet & Dry.
27. Draw a line on underside of Ailerons to indicate
extent of shaping required for down going
Aileron relief. Shape ailerons and cot to length
allowing for 0.8mm ply end plates.
28. Cut slot in Aileron for fibreglass control horn.
Do NOT glue in position until Aileron is
covered.
29. Fit centre wing fairing complete with ply end
plates.
Covering & Finishing
1. The originals were covered in Profilm/Oracover
heat shrink film and this has proved more than
adequate. Should you wish to cover in a
different material please take into account any
potential weight penalty that it may incur and
puncture / tear resistance / repairability.
2. Give the complete model a final sanding with 320
grade Wet & dry. DO NOT use a sanding block
on wing sheeting. It thins the sheeting on top of
the rib and seriously weakens the wing.
3. Before covering vacuum the model to remove
embedded dust to avoid ‘pimpling’ when
covering.
4. Please follow the instruction for the covering
material being used. Normal procedure is to tack
the material at one end. Tack the other end and
then proceed to gently stretch and tack along its
length before sealing all along the edges and
shrinking with a Heat Gun.
5. Superglue Aileron PCB control horns in position.
6. Fit aileron servo output arms in centre position.
7. Hinge Ailerons using UV resistant clear adhesive
tape and fit aileron servos.
8. Centre Aileron servos using transmitter sub trim
and adjust Aileron pushrods. When satisfied tape
servo covers in place.
9. Fit controls, hinge rudder, carry out final
adjustment to elevator neutral and balance the
model including the wings (laterally).
10. Set the control movement as per the plan i.e.
Elevator +/- 10mm. Rudder +/- 15mm. Aileron
Up 16mm Down 13mm. Up Elevator Flap Down
3mm. Down Elevator Flap Up 4mm. Landing
Flap1 Up 6mm Landing Flap2 Up12mm. Balance
point 105mm +/- 5mm from Leading Edge.
Exponential is recommended for both Aileron and
Elevator controls. Typically 30%. Landing flap will
require up elevator to compensate for nose down
attitude when deployed.
11. If using 2.4Ghz R/C equipment it is often
recommended that you re-bind / pair the receiver
to update failsafe settings. Please consult your
equipment manual.
Flying
When satisfied the model set-up and ready to go
choose a suitable site and day to test fly it i.e. wind
not too strong or too light. If you are inexperienced on
this type of model as a minimum get an experienced
helper to launch the model. If set up correctly very
little trimming should be required. The Cariba is
capable of almost any manoeuvre that a non–
powered model can perform including in the right
conditions sustained inverted flight, inside and out
side loops with rolls in the middle. The only real
limitation is your flying ability and imagination! There
are a number of articles on flying slope soarers on
our website www.phoenixmp.com.They include basic
aerobatics, a discussion on landing techniques and
ore detailed information on model preparation.m
Happy landings,
Stan