Savage Light F-106 DELTA DART Instructions for use

Savage Light Industries
19041 Singingwood Circle • Trabuco Canyon • CA • 92679
949-589-7120 • [e-mail] • www.SavageLight.com
Copyright © 2008 • All Rights Reserved
F-106 DELTA DART
Construction Guide

Savage Light Industries
F-106 DELTA DART
You should read this construction guide completely and study the plans to become familiar with all of the assembly
steps before you begin construction of the model. There may be some differences between what can be seen in the
photos and what is seen on the plans and in the kit pieces. The plans and parts set contain the most recent
revisions.
You should not remove any of the laser cut parts from their sheets until you are prompted to do so in this guide.
Some of the pieces are small and easily lost while others are delicate and easily broken. When you are ready to
remove a part, do not simply break it free. Instead, use a narrow razor chisel to dice the sprues holding the part.
You may use whatever glue that you are comfortable with to build this model. Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue was used for
most of the construction on the prototypes. Carpenter’s wood glue and CA was used to glue the wing sheeting to the
wing ribs. Medium-set epoxy was used to join the fin to the fuselage and slow-set epoxy was used to join the wings
to the fuselage.
For parts of the construction and/or assembly of the prototype that required alignment over the plans, the plan was
taped to the underside of a large sheet of glass which is then placed on a flat building surface. The wing spars, ribs
and/or assembly jigs were glued directly to the glass. If you want to use another method, make sure that the parts
and/or jigs can be securely attached to the building surface.
While all laser cut parts are labeled with their part number, a large portion have also been etched with alignment
marks and building hints to help you correctly orient the part during construction. An arrow etched onto a part
indicates that the arrow should point to the centerline of the model. The word “front’ etched onto a part means the
“front” should be toward the nose.
There will be differences in density and grain making balsa sheet stiffer or softer. Carefully inspect the wood prior to
construction and separate them according to their intended usage. Use the stiffest wood for the flat portions of the
fuselage and save the softer and more flexible pieces for the round portions. Of the 3/32” fuselage sheeting, select
the lightest and softest piece for the hatch sheeting as these are lightly built and easily warped.
The exception to this is the 1/16” wing sheeting. For the wing, you’ll want to use the stiffer pieces on the section of
the wing ahead of the spars so that the wing sheeting doesn’t “cup” between the wing ribs giving the wing the the so-
called “starved horse” look.
This construction guide shows the fuselage sheeting being applied section by section. If you’d rather plank the
fuselage with strips of wood, feel free to do so. If you do use the sheet method instead of planking, be careful when
sanding so that the rounded lines of the design is preserved. The 3/32” sheeting is thick enough to do this as long as
you’re careful.
This model was designed to use the most 70mm tractor fan units as well as the WM400 pusher fan and brushless
motor and speed controller. You can use NiCad, Nimh, or Lipo batteries for the motor batteries. We recommend the
use of a separate receiver battery pack for maximum safety and reliability. We also recommend the use of metal-
geared servos for the same reason.
While the model was intended for use with Jet Hangar International Mini Retract units, you can substitute any brand
including the Electric Jet Factory mini units or any other mini units. If you substitute the JHI units you might have to
make up new landing gear mounting plates as these were designed specifically for the JHI units.
This kit does not include the landing gear struts or the wire from which they’re made. You’ll need to obtain 1/8” music
wire or whatever size will fit into your retracts and bend them to the proper shape shown on the plans. Do not use
soft foam tires as they will dramatically increase the rolling resistance even to the point of preventing the model from
taking off the ground. Instead, select moderately firm wheels which will minimize the rolling resistance and allow the
model to accelerate quickly.
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

Wing Construction
1. Even though this is the wing construction
section, the first thing you’ll want to do is build
the vertical fin. Fit together and glue R1, R2,
R3, R4 and R5. Lightly sand the edges, then
glue together the pieces over sandwich wrap to
make the vertical fin. When dry, set it aside.
Now you can begin the wing construction.
Cut from their sheets, two W2 and two W3, two
MG2 and two MG3. Glue MG2 to the inside face
of W2 and MG3 to the inside face of W3 using
the alignment marks on the ribs. Make sure to
make a right set and a left set. (Photo 1)
2. Cut from their sheets four MG1 main landing
gear mounts. Press a 2-56 blind nut into each of
the 1/8” holes and secure them into place with a
little bit of glue. (Photo 2)
Using the templates on the plans, make up
the wing skins. Make sure to make the top
wing skins a little larger to allow for the
camber of the wing. You’ll need to make two
skins, a front and a back, for the top and
bottom of each wing panel.
3. Fit, but do not glue W1B, W2 and W3 together
with WS1, WS1 and MG1. Align these over the
plans and tack glue them down to the pane. Do
not glue these pieces together yet. (Photo 3)
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

4. Align the remaining wing ribs (W4, W5 & w6)
over the plans and tack glue them to the pane.
(Photo 4)
5. Carefully sand the leading edges of the wing
ribs to match the placement and angle of the
leading edge stock. (Photo 5)
6. Measure and draw a line 1/16” from the edge
face of the leading edge stock that will be facing
the wing ribs. (Photo 6)
Photo 4
Photo 5
Photo 6
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

7. Align the leading edge stock to the wing ribs
so the line is even with the tops of the ribs and
tack glue it into place on all the ribs. (Photo 7)
8. Glue together W1B, W2, W3 and WS1, WS2
and MG1. (Photo 8)
9. Align and glue W1F over the plans, then tack
glue it to the pane. Glue W1F to WS1 and the
leading edge stock. (Photo 9)
Photo 7
Photo 8
Photo 9
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

10. Glue the 1/8” spars into the notches in the
wing ribs. (Photo 10)
11. Cut some scrap to fill in the area between the
main landing gear mount (MG1) and the bottom of
the wing ribs. (Photo 11)
12. Glue the front wing skins to the bottom of the
wings. (Photo 12)
Photo 10
Photo 11
Photo 12
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

13. Glue the back wing skin to the wings. Use
some sort of weight to push the wing skins
down onto the ribs. Make sure the trailing edge
is straight. Make any adjustments before the
glue dries. (Photo 13)
14. Once the glue is dry, remove the wings from
the building board and cut the building tabs
from the tops of the wing ribs and sand the top
of the ribs smooth. (Photo 14)
15. Cut from their sheets two SM1, two SM2 and
four SM3. Drill a small hole in each SM3 for
your servo mounting screws. Run the servo
mounting screws in and out of the holes to cut
‘threads’ in the wood. This will make it easier
to mount the servos later.
Glue these together to form the servo mounts.
Make sure to make a right and left set. (Photo
15)
Photo 13
Photo 14
Photo 15
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

16. Glue the servo mounts into the wings. (Photo
16)
17. Align over the plans and glue to the pane the
wing jigs, WJ1F, WJ1B, WJ2 and WJ3. (Photo
17)
18. Place the wings into the jigs and align them
over the plans then tack glue them to the wing
jigs. Glue the 1/8” spar into the notches in the
tops of the wing ribs (Photo 18)
Photo 16
Photo 17
Photo 18
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

19. Cut and glue scrap 1/16” balsa shear webs
with the grain running vertically to the back of
the 1/8” spars and to the wing ribs.. (Photo 19)
20. Glue the top front wing skin to the leading
edge stock, wing ribs and 1/8” spar. (Photo 20)
21. Glue the rear wing skin to the 1/8” spar and
wing ribs. Use masking tape to keep the trailing
edges of the wing skins straight while the glue
dries. (Photo 21)
Photo 19
Photo 20
Photo 21
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

22. Pop the wings free from the pane. Cut and
sand the leading edge stock and wing sheeting
so they are flush with the root and tip ribs.
(Photo 22)
23. Tape the Root Rib Template so it is even
with the wing root rib then trace the leading
edge profile onto the leading edge stock. (Photo
23)
NOTE: The builder cut his leading edge stock
too short and needed to patch it later on.
Don’t make the same mistake.
24. Tape W7 to the tip rib and trace the shape of
the leading edge onto the end of the leading
edge stock. (Photo 24)
Photo 22
Photo 24
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart
Photo 23

25. Mark the leading edge stock to indicate the
centerline of the root rib leading edge. (Photo
25)
26. Mark the leading edge stock to indicate the
centerline of the tip rib. (Photo 26)
27. Remove the Root Rib Template and W7 from
the wings and set them aside. Draw a line
between the two marks to denote the centerline
of the leading edge. (Photo 27)
Photo 25
Photo 26
Photo 27
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

28. Use a razor plane to shape the top half of
the leading edge to match the lines you just
drew. (Photo 28 & 29)
29. Stick down some masking tape on the
underside of the wings so one edge is even
with the glue joint between the leading edge
stock and the wing sheeting to protect the wing
sheeting while you shape the underside of the
leading edge stock. (Photo 30)
Photo 29
Photo 30
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart
Photo 28

30. Using a razor plane, sandpaper and a rotary
tool, shape the leading edge stock to match
the lines you just drew. (Photo 31)
31. Sand the leading edge stock and wing
sheeting to their final shape. Use the Root Rib
Template and W7 as sanding guides so you
don’t sand off too much wood. (Photo 32 & 33)
Photo 31
Photo 32
Photo 33
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

32. Sand the wing sheeting so it is even with the
trailing edges of the wing ribs. (Photo 34)
33. Glue the 1/8” x 1/2” balsa trailing edge stock
to the wings. Once the glue is dry shape the
trailing edge stock to match the upper and
lower surfaces of the wings. (Photo 35)
34. Draw a line on the tip rib that is even with the
trailing edge of the forward elevon spar. Tape
some plastic sandwich wrap so the forward
edge is even with this line. (Photo 36)
Note: The sandwich wrap will act as a parting
layer keep the tip rib from sticking to W7 when
you are ready to cut the elevons free from the
wings.
Photo 34
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Photo 35
Photo 36

35. Glue W7 to the tip ribs. Glue W8 to W7.
(Photo 37)
36. Once the glue is dry, remove the tape and the
sandwich wrap from the wings. Use a razor
plane and sandpaper, shape the top of the
wing tip to match the leading edge profile.
(Photo 38)
NOTE: To obtain the correct profile, shape
from the leading edge to the trailing edge. If
you shape the wing tip from the trailing edge to
the leading edge the trailing edge ‘curl’ will be
the wrong shape.
37. Use a rotary tool to rough shape the
underside of the wing tip working from the
leading edge to the trailing edge. (Photo 39)
Photo 37
Photo 38
Photo 39
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

38. Once you’ve obtained the correct rough
shape, use progressively finer grades of
sandpaper to refine the wing tips. You should
end up with something like this. (Photo 40, 41
& 42)
Photo 40
Photo 41
Photo 42
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

39. Measure and mark the front and back of the
area on the top of the wings to be removed for
the elevon spars. (Photo 43)
40. Do the same for the bottom of the wings.
(Photo 44)
41. Using a hobby knife, metal ruler and razor
saw, cut the elevons free from the wings.
(Photo 45)
Photo 43
Photo 44
Photo 45
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

42. Cut the elevon control horn doubler from soft
balsa scrap and shape it so it fits into the
elevons on the inboard side of W3 and glue it
into place. Make sure it’s flush with the leading
edge of the elevon sheeting. Cut and glue the
1/2” x 1/4” balsa elevon spars to the wings and
elevons. (Photo 46)
43. Use a razor plane and sandpaper to shape
the elevon spars so they’re flush with the tops
and bottoms of the wings. (Photo 47)
44. Cut the elevon servo pockets out of the
bottom of the wings. If you’re using retracts,
cut the retract pockets out of the bottom of the
wings, too. (Photo 48)
Photo 46
Photo 47
Photo 48
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart

45. Cut four 1/2” lengths of 1/2” balsa triangle
stock. (Photo 49)
46. Glue each one of these triangle stock pieces
to the bottom of the servo mounts, SM3.
Shape these so they’re flush with the outlines
of SM3 (Photo 50)
47. Mount the elevon servos. Make sure to open
a path for the servo wire through W1B and W2.
(Photo 51)
Photo 49
Photo 50
Photo 51
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Savage Light Industries F-106 Delta Dart