Top Flite Models PHASOAR 035 RC-38 User manual

RC-38 PHASOAR 035 INSTRUCTION MANUAL
I. INTRODUCTION
The PHASOAR 035fromTopFliteModels,
Inc., utilizesitsunique looks anddesign
todeliverelectric-powered performance at
the flyingfield!Allofthe latest
technology has beenemployed indesigning
thismodel,startingwiththe silent,but
powerful, ASTRO FLIGHT Cobalt035Electric
Motor. Thismotor, witha GRAUPNER 7x3
foldingpropellerunitanda SR1000or
"Magnum" 1250mAh battery pack (6-cell),
has rocketed our prototype PHASOARSto 700
feet in55seconds!Thiswas doneup to
fivetimes ona singlecharge!
Aerodynamically,your PHASOAR has a light,
straight-forwardandstrong airframe.
There's noneedto disassemble the model to
get at the batteriesbecause itssingle-
screw release allowsquickaccessto the
battery pack. Thisallowsyouto charge
batterieswhilestillinthepodor remove
them for chargingwhilea secondpack is
being used.The full-flyingstabilator
allowsthe model tobequicklyand
dynamicallytrimmed for power-on/power-off
flight.The PHASOAR"sairfoilallows
flyinginwind conditions thatwould ground
mostofthe flat-bottomtypesand, yet,
provides a great thermal-huntingglide.
The generous rudder area andthe
appropriatepolyhedralofthe wingpanels
allowquickdetectionofthe core ofthe
smallestthermalsfor long unpowered
flights.
Finally,the PHASOAR is perfectly sized to let you
take itmostanywhere andenjoytrue, high-
performanceelectric flight.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If youare a beginner to the sportofR/C flying,
wewould urge youto seekanduseexperienced
assistance in constructing and- flyingthis
airplane.Allmodelairplane hobbyists should
rememberthat:
Flyingthisoranother radio-controlled model
aircraftisa PRIVILEGE andnota RIGHTandthis
privilegebegins withthe utmost safety
considerations toothers andyourself aswell. An
R/C modelairplaneininexperienced hands has the
potentialofdoing serious personal or property
damage. These safety considerationsstart at the
buildingboard byfollowinginstructions,seeking
competenthelpwhen youare confused andavoiding
short-cuts. These considerations have to be
carriedover to the flyingfieldwhere safety must
comefirst. We urgeyou, ifyou have notalready
done so,to:
1.Send for and obtainyour Academy ofModel
Aeronautics (AMA) membership whichprovides
insurance for yourR/C activities'-DONOT
RELY ON HOMEOUNERS INSURANCE.
TOP FLITEMODELS INC.
2635S. WABASHAVENUE • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60616

2.Joinan AMA-sanctionedR/Cflyingclubin
yourarea where youcan obtainexperienced
guidance andinstructionintrimmingand
learninghow toflythismodel.
Many localhobby shopshavethe required AMAforms
or can advise how/where they canbeobtained.
WARNING!!!
*Straight-edge, preferably metal, atleast36"
long
*90"triangle
*Solderingiron,flux(suchasHARRIS'Stay-
Clean) andsolder (silver)
*Carbide cut-offwheel for wirecutting
*Smallpowerjig-saw,suchasa Moto-Saw
*Razor plane
*Tapes,suchasmasking andcellophane
Aradio controlled model isNOT a "toy."Care and
cautionmust betaken inproperly buildingthe
model, aswellasintheinstallationanduseof
the radiocontrol device. Itisimportant to
followalldirectionsasto the constructionof
thiskitaswellasinstallationanduseofthe
engine andradiogear. The adviceandassistance
ofa well-experiencedbuilderandpilotishighly
recommended. Don't take chances! Improper
building,operation, or flyingofthismodel could
result inserious property damage and/orin serious
bodily injury to yourself or others.
II.PRE-CONSTRUCTION NOTES
The PHASOAR, likeother TopFlitekits,employsthe
useofdie-cutwoodto easethetask of
construction,part fitandidentification.Die-cut
parts may beremoved from theirsheets byfirst
lightlysanding the back ofeach sheet before
carefullyremovingeach part. Usea lightgarnet
paper for the sanding andkeep a sharphobby knife
witha #11 blade handy for assistance inremoving
anyparts thatmightnot have beencompletely cut-
through bythe dies. Parts whichopposeone
another mustbepreciselyuniform(sucha ribs,
etc.)andshould becarefully"matched" aftertheir
removal from thepart sheets. Matchingisthe
processofholdingthepieces togetherwitheither
pins ortape, orbyspotgluingandlightlysanding
the edges ofthe parts untilthey are identical.A
sanding block withlightgarnet paperismost
useful for this.
Yourflatbuildingsurfaceshouldbe at least large
enough to accommodate the wing,yetbeableto
accept pins easily.A product suchasCelotex
fiberboard works well.Another goodsurfaceis a
2'x 4'fiber board ceilingtile.
As withmostR/Ckits that are constructedfrom
wood,a selectionoftools andaccessoriesgreatly
helpdothe jobcorrectly:
Hobbyknife withsharp #11 blades
Single-edgerazor blades
T-pins
Sanding blocksin assortedsizes
Sandpaperinvarious grits
Hand-heldhobby saw, such asanX-Acto
*Dremeltool orpowerdrillandassorteddrill
bits
Our PHASOARSwere constructed using a varietyof
commonhobby adhesives including5-minuteepoxyand
cyanoacrylate (CA).Type ofglueusedmay vary
according to individualpreference. However,
duringtheconstruction there willbecallouts for
certaintypesofadhesives, andwe urge younotto
substitute since doing socould possibly cause
structural problems.
Lefttoright:
*Goodquality 2-part 5-minute epoxy
*Goodquality,sandable filler
*CAaccelerator for CA glue
*Goodquality, slow-set CAglue
Lastly,the sequence inwhichthe PHASOAR is
assembled has proven to bethe most straight-
forwardandprovides finishedcomponents inthe
orderin whichyouwillneedthem to progressto
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thenext assemblyphase. Maintainthebuilding
order presented hereto avoidmistakes.
Spreadthe plans outonyourwork surface, cover
them witha clear plasticmaterial,suchasthe
backing from a rollofMonoKote or plasticwrap,
andcommenceconstruction.
III.RADIO SYSTEMS
Our prototype PHASOARShave beentested andflown
using two radiotypesfrom differentmanufacturers.
The firstoftheseradio systemsis the one
depicted onthe plans. The system consists ofa
standard-sized 6-channel receiver (AIRTRONICS
#92262),threemicro-servos(AIRTRONICS #94501)and
astandard-sized,internally-mountedswitchharness
(AIRTRONICS #97001). Power is supplied to this
systembya 4-cellSR300mAh battery pack, fitted
withan AIRTRONICS connector. The servoshave been
fittedwiththe 4-armservo output arms, withthree
ofthese arms cut-offandtheremainingarm trimmed
asshownonthe plans.
These three servos drivetherudder, stabilatorand
the ON/OFF micromotor switch.
The radio systemjust described isvery acceptable
in terms ofweightandreliability!
The transmitters we'veusedin conjunction withthe
abovesystemwere theAIRTRONICS Championship
Series 6-channel andtheAIRTRONICS SRSeries 4-
channel. Both ofthese worked well.whatever
systemyouchoose, we suggest thatthe minimum
requirement isservo-reversingability.
The secondradio systemthat we'veusedis madeby
FUTABA. Thisradio systemhas sophisticated
features thatwork wellinthe PHASOAR.First,
when using thissystem,yourservo count goesfrom
three totwo. becausethe receiver also housesa
fully-proportional, motorcontroller. Secondly,
the receiver andservosare powered bythemotor
battery pack, thus, eliminatingtheneedfor a
separate, on-board battery supply for these
components!Thismeansthatthere isnoneedfor
amicro-switch,thewoodmounts, thehardwareto
mountthese parts andnoneedfor the armingswitch
becausetheFUTABAsystemhas allofthese
componentsbuilt-in.Thissystemisavailablewith
FUTABA's#S-133 servo included. The S-133 servo
has almostthe samedimensions asthe AIRTRONICS
#501servo, thus noadjustment to the plans inthe
servo area isrequired. Lastly,thissystem
includes FUTABA'sAttack-4transmitterwhichis
equippedwithservo-reversing.
FUTABA's System #4NBL 133MN 72designates the radio
which will provide all ofthe components just
mentioned.
For comparison,the airborne weight ofthe FUTABA
systemis3.25ounces.The AIRTRONICS system
described earlier,withthe micro-switch,mounts,
hardware andarmingswitchweighsor5.93ounces.
The difference amounts to 2.68ounces,ornearly a
10%loss ofweightforthe modelwhich usesthe
FUTABA system!
There areothersystems that wouldalsowork inthe
PHASOAR.
Have whicheverradio systemselected availablefor
sizing andfittingpurposesduring construction.
IV.MOTORAND PROPELLERCHOICES
The PHASOARhas beendesigned andengineered to be
powered bytheASTRO FLIGHT 035Cobaltmotor, using
directdrive.Thismotor isrelativelysmall,
light-weight(about130grams),very powerful for
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its sizeandquite easytomount/install. It
swings a 7-3or7-4propeller andacceptsa wide
variety ofbattery packs.
There are other motorsthat willfitinto the
PHASOAR'snose,e.g..the KYOSHO LEMANS360,the
MABUCHIRS-380SH, andtheASTROFLIGHT020Cobalt,
etc.We must, however, forewarn thatthese motors
arenot goingto yieldthe kind ofhigh-performance
climb-to-altitudethatthe PHASOARhas been
designed for. Decidenow whichmotor youwant to
use because you will be fitting it to the fuselage
during construction.
The propellerchoicealways tendsto bea function
ofexperience inflyingthemodel. Therefore,
propellersizes anddiameters can andshould be
"played with"to determinewhichoneworks best.
Ourfirstrecommendation isto seriouslyconsider
afoldingpropeller.Since the PHASOARis. innon-
powered flight,a sailplane,itderivesa certain
amountofefficiencybybeing quiteaerodynamically
"clean."whilefixed-bladepropellerswork well,
the foldingunitstestedperformed better after
cuttingpower.
V.BATTERIES
YourPHASOAR's battery podhas beendesigned to
carry six(6)AA-sizedbatteries,or four, possibly
five(if configured appropriately), "SubC"type
batteries.The capacitiesofthese two battery
typescan anddovary anditis importantfor you
to know at least someofthedifferences. It is
also importantto know thatthecurrent drain,when
using theASTRO FLIGHT 035Cobaltmotor. Ishigher
than thatofa ferrite-type"can motor." Because
ofthis,itisappropriateto provideyour model
withthe bestpossible setofbatteries,both in
terms ofcapacityandcertainlyinterms ofweight.
Whyworryaboutweight? The single heaviest, FIXED
WEIGHTitemthat yourPHASOAR mustcarry aloftis
the battery pack. Thisweightdirectlyinfluences
the wingloadingofthemodel whichdictates how
the modelbehaves when the powerisOFF.
The photograph showsthe five(5)battery-pack
typesandcapacities that we've usedtopowerthe
PHASOAR.
First, onthe left in the pod,is the SR1250mAh
"Magnum" 6-cellpack. Movingfrom leftto rightin
the rowoffivepacks, isanother SR1250"Magnum"
pack.The next pack shown isthe SR 1000pack,
then the SR1000pack ina 5-cellformat. Nextis
the 4-cell,Sub-C SR1000pack, andat the far
rightis a 5-cellpackmade-up from Sanyo 800
cells. The weightsfor these units(allwith
connectors)are asfollows:
SR12506-cell"Magnum"pack. . 7.43oz.
SR 1000 6-cell pack ...... 7.60 oz.
SR 1000 5-cell pack ...... 6.43 oz.
SR 10004-cellSub-C pack . . . 6.09oz.
Sanyo 800 (mAh) 5-cell pack . . 6.52.oz.
Thesenumbersarerevealing, especially when tied
intothe capacities(potential amount ofpower) of
eachofthe packs andtheireffects onthemodel's
wingloading. Allfiveofthese packs havebeen
usedintestingthePHASOARandallfivehave
worked well.The bestall-aroundbatterypack has
beenthe SR1250(mAh)6-cellpack, since it
provides the amountofpower thatthe035Cobalt
thriveson.Atthe sametime,ithas anacceptable
weightfor thermalhuntingwiththe PHASOAR's wing
area (335sq.inches) andresultantwingloading
(with thispack inplace) of11ounces/sq.ft.
using theAIRTRONICS equipment or 10ounces/sq.ft.
when usingtheFUTABA system.
Toget the mostoutofyourPHASOAR, in termsof
flyingtime,consider obtainingthree(3)battery
packs.In thisway youcan beflyingalmost
constantlybecause onepack willbeinthemodel,
onepack willbecoolingandthe thirdwillbeon
charge. Withonly a singleflightpack youcould
conceivably have to wait35to 40minutesbetween
flights.. Be sureto followmanufacturer's
recommendationsfor recharging thebatteries.
VI.BATTERY CHARGERS
There are a great many chargersavailableforre-
chargingNickel-Cadmiumbatteries(Ni-Cads); too
many to test them all.We have had success with
the two we useand, therefore, recommendthese to
youknowing that manyothers maywork outjustas
well.
Forfast charging (15to20minutes) the LEISURE
#107AC/DC model works wellandcan beeitherused
onyourauto's 12-voltbattery orplugged intoa
110 voltwallsocket. Great forquickcharges at
the flyingfield.
For slow chargingACER/C's DUAL-METEREDVARI-
CHARGER(#34K32)isavailableinboth kitform and
pre-assembled. Itallowstwo batterypacks to be
charged simultaneously.Super when you have the
time at hometo top-off the charge ineachpack.
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VII.WING CONSTRUCTION
Be sureandprotect yourplans bycovering them
withbackingfrom a rollofMonoKote or a material
suchasclearfoodwrapping. Take a minuteto
studythe plans andunderstandthem. We suggest
buildinga rightandleftwingpanel, startingwith
the inboard sections, we'llstart withthe left
wing first.
1.From the 1/16"x 3"x 30"sheeting
provided, cut, fitandlocate over the
plans, the bottom leadingedge sheet (use
along straightedge to develop the correct
widthandto true-up the edges).From the
1/8"x 3/16"spruce sparstock provided,
measure andcut the required 15" length for
the bottom spar, setthisaside . Now cut
andlocate over the plans, the 1/4"x 1"
length ofshaped trailingedge stock.Next
cut andgluethe bottom center section
sheetinginplaceto thetrailingedge
stock andthe forward bottom wingsheet.
Cut, fitandglueinplacethesixbottom
1/16"x 3/16"cap stripsfrom thestock
provided. Usingoneof thedie-cutW-2
wingribsasa locationguide,the bottom
spruce spar (cutearlier)can now beglued
inplace. Lastly,note inthecross
sections thatthe leadingedge ofthe
bottom wingsheeting needsto beliftedup
andsupported inorder to match thebottom
contours ofthewingribs, forward ofthe
spar.Thisisbestdonewitha length of
trailingedgestock.
2.Note the "tick" marks justinfront ofand
just behind thewingpanel drawings.These
correspond to theriblocations. Use a
straightedge anda softlead pencilto
mark theriblocationsdirectlyonthe
leadingedge andcenter sectionsheeting.
Thefirstwingribto beinstalledisthe
firstW-2rib,inboard from the polyhedral
break (the inboard endofpolyhedralbrace
W-10willbutt againstthisribwhen itis
installed).Continuingto work inboard,
toward thecenter, installthe next three
U-2ribs.From theirdie-cutsheets,
remove plydihedralbraces W-8andW-9 and
polyhedralbraces w-10(balsa).The two
remaininginboard w-2ribsmust now becut
to compensate for the installationofthe
W-8 andW-9 dihedralbraces; usethese
braces asa thickness guideandtrimthe
ribsasshownonthe plans. Finally,root
ribW-1mustalso betrimmed intotwo
pieces to fitinfront ofandbehind the
dihedralbraces. Once thisisdone,
holdingW-8 inplaceagainasa guide,glue
alloftheremainingforward ribendsin
placeto thebottom leadingedge sheeting;
remove W-8from thestructure. UsingW-9
as a guide,glueallremainingrear rib
ends inplace andremove W-9 from the
structure.The remaining outboardW-2 rib
mustbetrimmed ina similarmanner. Using
the sameprocedure asdescribed, trimthis
ribinto a front andrear piece andgluein
place using W-10asa spacer;removeW-10
fromthe structure.
3.Cut.fitandglue the 1/4"sq.leading edge
in place.
4.Carefully removethisstructure fromyour
work surface. Use a sanding blockto
lightlysandthe outboard edges(the
polyhedral break) smooth. Placethe
structure back onthe plans andblockup
the center 2-1/2."Usingthesame
construction asdescribed earlier,the
outer wingpanel isnowbuiltdirectlyover
the plans anddirectlyto the inner panel.
Take pains to bevel the trailingedge butt
joint for a goodfit.Be sure to install
w-10firstbeforethe front andrear
segmentsofU-2,followed byW-3,W-4,etc.
5.Withallofthe ribs inplace, cut, fitand
gluethe top spruce spar inplace from W-7
tothe W-2 at the polyhedralbreak. From
yourparts bag, locate the bundle often
verticalgrainshear webs.Carefullytrim
oneofthese to fitbetween W-3andW-2and
againstthe spars andW-10withthe top
flushwiththe top ofthespar.Once
satisfied,gluethisweb inplace.
6.As shownonthe plans, the 1/4"sq.leading
edge must nowbesandeddown to matchthe
top contours oftheribs. The razor plane
then sanding blockwork greathere. Once
satisfied,cut, fitandglueinplacethe
top 1/16"leadingedge sheeting(notethat
thistop sheetingisplaced slightly
forward onthe top sparthus creatinga bit
ofa "shelf"). Lastly,cut, fitandglue
inplaceallofthetop 1/16"x 3/16"cap
stripswiththe exception oftheonewhich
willcover the W-2ribsat the polyhedral
break. Remove theleftwingpanel from
yourwork surface. Use your sanding block
to smooththe outboard face ofW-7in
preparationfor the wingtip.Inspect the
bottom polyhedral joint andlightlysandas
needed.
7.The rightwing structure is nowbuiltusing
the sameproceduresjustdescribed.
8.Next,therightandleftwinghalveswill
bejoined together. Preparationfor this
requires that the two inboard endsofthe
winghalvesbesandedsmooth andbeveled
to createa good,straightfit.Dothis
now.Pinorweightoneofthe winghalves
(let's usetheleft)flatto yourwork
surface. Next,make sure theribcurve in
the bottom leadingedge sheetingis
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supported witha lengthof trailingedge
Stock.Witheverythingsecure, trial-fit
the rightwinghalfinplacewithits
polyhedral break supported2-5/8"off of
the work surface. The resultingbutt joint
should beasflush fittingaspossible and
the leadingandtrailingedgesofboth
innerpanels should bestraight;take your
time here andensure thatthe fitis the
bestyoucan produce,withallparts
lining-upcorrectly.Oncesatisfied,apply
athin,even coat ofglue(5-minute epoxy)
totheinboard endoftherightwingpanel
andcarefullyfititto the pinned down
leftpanel, againmakingsure theright
panel israised 2-5/8"at thepolyhedral
break. Carefullywipe off anyoozing
adhesive. Now, fitW-8 dihedralbrace in
place, trimmingifneededfor a goodfit.
Gluew-8 inplace.Cut, fitandgluethe
left panel's spruce spar inplace. Rear
dihedralbrace w-9 can nowbeglued in
place.
9.Withthe left wingstilldown flattoyour
work surface,locate the verticalgrain
shear webs(1/16"balsa). Cut, fitand
glue these in placebetween the remaining
w-2 ribs. outto the polyhedralbreak.
10.Removethe joinedwingstructure fromthe
bench.Pinorweightthe rightpanel in
place tothe bench andgluethe remaining
topspruce spar inplacefollowedbythe
remainingverticalgrainshear webs.
11. As youdid withthe wingtippanels,
carefullyshave andsandtheinner panel's
leading edges to conform withthe top
contours ofthewingribs. Use your
sanding block to lightlysandanyhigh
points onthe panel's top surfaces. When
done.the inner panels are ready to sheet.
Pinorweightoneside or the other in
place onyourwork surface. Cut, fitand
gluethe leadingedge sheeting inplace
(again leavinga bitofa "shelf" at the
rearedge ofthe top spar).Cut, fitand
gluethe center section sheetinginplace
using thepatterns shown ontheplans.
Finally,installalloftheremaining1/16"
x3/16"cap stripsoutto andincludingthe
polyhedralbreak. Repeat thisprocedure
onthe opposite wingpanel.
12.Locate andremovewing tipparts W-11from
theirdie-cutsheets. Sandtheirinner
edgeslightlyto render them flatand
straight.Note the tipreinforcement
option shown onthe plans. Thisaddition
ofa lengthof1/8"x 3/16"spar stock
really "beefs-up" anarea prone to stress
in anaccident. GluetheW-11wingtipsin
place asshown ontheplans("EndViewof
Wingtip"leftpanel). Alsoasshown
below,cuta fewscrapsof1/8"balsa to
fillinthe leading edgeofthe wingtip
andgluethese inplace. From the
remaining 1/16"balsa sheet provided in
yourkit,cut.fitandglueinplacethe
wing tipbraces asshown onthe plans. On
ourprototypes we addedthesebracestop
andbottom.
The completed wingstructure should becarefully
sandedto finalshapeincludingtheleadingedges.
At this pointyourPHASOAR's wing structure is
nearly complete. Later, after the FUSELAGE
ASSEMBLY,we willinsert the forward 3/16"dia.x
1-1/2" hold-downdowel,drillthecenter section
trailingedgefor the hold-downscrew andaddthe
frontandrearbalsa wing/fuselage fairings.
VIII.STABILATOR CONSTRUCTION
Studying the plans you'llnote thattheentiretail
group (stabilator,finandrudder) for your PHASOAR
consists offlat"plate" structures, whichhave
die-cut"core"parts anddie-cut"cap"parts.
These structures are sandedto airfoilshape (shown
onplans) afterassembly. Althoughthese
structures are quitestraight-forwardindesign, it
remains important thatcare betaken incuttingand
gluingthe requiredparts together.
1.From thesmallparts bag, locate andremove
the single3"lengthof1/16"I.D. aluminum
tubing andtwo ofthefour 1/16"dia. x 1-
1/2"lengthsofmusic wire(M.W.).
Carefullymeasure andcut-offfour(4)5/8"
lengths ofthe aluminumtubing,using a
single-edgerazorbladewitha rolling
motion ona hard surface. Be sure to save
the remaining1/2"lengthofthistubing
forlater use.
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2.Locate andcarefully removethe 3/32"die-
cut core parts S-1(2each) andS-2 (2
each),andthe 1/16"cap parts S-3 (4
each).Makesure yourstabilatorplanis
covered withclearprotectivematerialand
positioneach ofthe S-1parts inplace -
weightorpin. GluetheS-2 parts inplace
toeach S-1,directlyover the plans.
Remove the two resultant structures from
the planand,holdingthem together,
lightlysandtheirouteredgestomatch
exactly.
3.Inthisstep you aregoingto glueeach of
the S-1/S-2structures to a S-3 cap part,
abottom leftandright.Applya thin
coatingofglueto the bottom ofeach S-
1/S-2 structure, keeping itout ofthe
slots,andpinor weightinplaceover the
bottom S-3 cap. Onceagain,remove thetwo
resultant structures from yourbuilding
board, holdthem together andlight-sand
theirouter edgesflushwitheach other.
Re-positionthese parts back over theplans
andsecurely pinorweightinplace.
4.Now test-fiteachofthe four(4)5/8"
lengths ofaluminum tubing in place into
the slots provided inthe S-1/S-2parts
withboth ofthe 1/16"x 1-1/2" M.W. rods
inplace. Thisisa goodtimeto trim
anythingthatdoes not fitwell.Referto
drawing.Notethatthe two M.W. rodsare
meant to beparallelwitheach other when
inplace. Using5-minuteepoxy, glueeach
tube inplaceintoeach slotineach S-1/S-
2/S-3 structure, being carefulto keep glue
out of thetubes - allowto cure.
5.Apply a thincoat of gluetothe bottoms
ofthe two remainingS-3 top capsandpin
orweightthese inplace directlyover the
topsofthe S-1/S-2 structures, carefully
lining-upthe inboard edges.Remove the
two structures from yourbuildingboard and
removethe two 1/16"dia.x 1-1/2" M.W.
rodsandpinorweight directlyover the
plans.
6.Cut, fitandgluethe 1/4"x 3/8"balsa
trailingedgesandtipsinplace- pinor
weightsecurely. From the 1/4"balsa stock
provided in yourkit,cut, fitandgluethe
two required tipcorner gussetsinplace.
Againusing the1/4"balsa stock, cut, fit
andgluethe leading edgesinplace.
7.Using the 3/32"x 1/4"balsastockprovided
in yourkit,cut, fitandgluethe diagonal
geodetic "ribs" inplace, using the plans
asa guide. Take care here to create the
bestjoints thatyoucan.Using the trim
lines shown onthe rightstab side, trim
the rightstab tipasshown. Remove the
stabilatorstructures from your building
board.Holdingthe rightstab halfover
the left. trimthe leftstab halftipto
match the right,whilestillholdingthe
structures together, sandtherear, inboard
trailingedge "notches" perplan.
8.The stabilatorhalves should nowbe
complete andmatched.Further,when joined
together withthe 1/16"M.W.rods,they
should beflatin relationshipwithone
another. The last step istosandthese
halvesto airfoilshape asshown onthe
plan.
Note holes through geodetic ribsandrootsection
ofstabs anda similarholethroughbottom of
rudderandthroughtop ofTC-1'sonfin.These are
"breather" holesfor coveringpurposes.They allow
hot airto escape the structure, allowingMonoKote
tofullyshrink.
IX.RUDDERCONSTRUCTION
1.Locateandcarefullyremovethe two
required R-1die-cutruddercoresfrom
their sheets. Do the same for the two
required 1/32" RC-1ruddercap parts.
StartconstructionbygluingthetwoR-1
partstogether,takingcaretomatchtheir
outeredges witheachother.Pinor weight
the R-1/R-1 structure in place over the
plans.
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2.Cut,fitandglue the rudder's3/16"sq.
balsa leading,top andtrailingedge in
place. Glueoneofthe RC-1'sinplace
directlyover the R-1/R-1structure,
matchingeach edge.Locate andremove two
ofthe die-cut1/32"x 3/16"x 8-1/2"fin
andruddercap stripsfrom theirsheet. As
shownonthe plans, thecross-hatched areas
at the leadingedge andtop oftherudder
are"capped"withthiscapstripstock - do
thisnow.Remove the structure from the
plans andlightlysandthe "capped"side
smooth.Placethe structure back onyour
work surface, opposite side up,andglue
the remainingRC-1andcapstripstock in
place. Again,lightlysandthissideof
the rudder smooth. Re-positionthe rudder
assembly inplace over theplans - pinor
weight.
3.Using the 1/4"sq.balsa stock provided,
cut, fitandgluethetwo bottom, leading
andtrailingedge corner gussets inplace.
Using the3/32"x 1/4"balsa provided, cut,
fitandgluethediagonalgeodetic "ribs"
in place, using the plans asa guide.
Againtakecare to createthebest joints
thatyou can.
4.Remove the rudderstructure from yourwork
surface andusea sanding blockto smooth
eachofthe four outer edgesandthe left
andrightsurface ofeach side. withthe
exception oftheadditionofthe1/32"ply
ruddercontrol horn andthe 45-degree bevel
forhinging,the rudder isnowcomplete and
canbesandedto the shapeshownonthe
plans. Setthe structure aside forlater
fittingto the fin.
X.FUSELAGE/FINCONSTRUCTION
Note thatthefuselage andfin,withthe stabilator
drive,areconstructed asa singleunit.
1.Removethe twofuselage sides fromtheir
die-cutsheet.Tape, pinor clampthem
together andusea sanding blockto lightly
sandtheiredges, thus matchingthem
exactly. Remembering that a leftandright
side isrequired, glueF-2onthe fuselage
sides asshown below ontheassembly of
noseandforward fuselage drawing.
8

2.Glue1/4"triangularcorner blocks, leaving
space forF-3at forward edge offuselage.
UsingF-3andF-4for spacing, cut andglue
1/32"vertical-grainnose doublers.
3.Add1/8"longeronsanduprights per
sectionsE-E, F-F,andG-G.
4.DrillLEFTfuseside for rudder control
tube exitasshown, gluetube inplace to
inside ofleftside allthe way to F-5
(aboutevery 1")- setaside.
5.Buildbasic finframedirectlyoverplans
using 3/16"x 3/16"outside frame stock.
Remove fromplans; lightlysandflat.
Glue blockin place toRIGHTT-1,just
below cutout. Insert cableintotubeand
usea heat gun tobendtubingandcableto
fitwithinrightfuseside. Oncebendhas
beenmade,glue tubeto rightfuseside up
to F-5locationaboutevery inch.
Installantennatube
(sectionsE-EandF-F).
torightside
6.Glue RIGHTfinsheetpart T-1 accurately
inplace,asshown onfindrawing.Glue
rear 3/16"Sq.pivotblock inplace. Glue
RIGHTside 1/32"x 3/16"finframe cap
stockin place; lightlysandflat.Glue
fininplace toRIGHTfuselage side,over
plans.
7.Solder drive fittingtocable end.Use
3/16"x 3/16"block to hold cable tube.
8.Notch F-5 toacceptrudder,elevator, and
antenna tubes.Notch F-4 toacceptrudder
andelevatortubes.
9.Mark rearpivot hole location ontoLEFTT-
1side. Usea punch(nail, etc.)toopen
thisholeenough sothatlatersanding
won'tremoveit.GlueLEFTT-1sheet in
place. Usethe 1/32"x 3/16"stock to cap
the left side ofthe fin. Lightlysand
flat.
10.Laythe LEFT fuselage side overthe RIGHT
fuselage side/fin assembly. Check fit.
Sides should match.GlueLEFTfuse side
toRIGHTfuse side from 1"forward ofthe
fin,backto the endofthe fuselage -
weightorpin andallowtodry.
11. Spreadfusesides andglue F-5 in place -
keep square (5-minute epoxyallowsa bit
more positioningtime.GlueF-4inplace;
keepsquare.
12.Gluerear 1/8"plyscrew plateinplace
against F-5fusesides andagainst bottoms
ofF-2.
13.EpoxyF-3 in place.
14.Trial-fitmotor, withthe ASTROFLIGHT
Cobalt 035,rotate motor asfar asitwill
goto theright(this minimizesthe height
ofthe brushhousings).Note that the
bottombrushhousing willcontact the
9

bottomleft triangularstock.Mark witha
pencilwhere thisoccurs andusea DREMEL
torelievethisarea. Once the motor isin
place, drilltwo 1/8"diameterholesinF-
3for mounting withtwo 4-40x 1/2"screws.
Removemotor andscrews - setaside.
Note: For a MABUCHI 380motor, no
special rotatingisrequired, but metric
mounting screwsareneeded(notsupplied).
15.Using 1/16"balsa sheetstock, glue bottom
sheeting inplace(cross-grain) from rear
ofF-4 backtoendoffusesides.
16.Glue 1/8"podscrew plateinplace between
1/8"fuselongerons andagainstrear ofF-
5.
17.Tack gluedie-cutP-4 ply podbaseto
bottom offusesheeting withfront edge
securely againstF-4. Glueforward pod
former P-2carefullyto P-4 (Keepglueoff
ofF-4andbesure to center P-2).Glue
triangular1/4"stock to bottoms ofP-1 pod
sides - besureyoumakea LEFTandRIGHT
podside!
18.As shownonthe plans the podis held in
place at the front withtwo 5/8"lengths
of1/16"music wire.The two required
holes fortheirlocating/mounting pins must
nowbedrilledthrough P-2 andF-4. Drill
1/16"holes. Insert thetwo 1/16"x 1-1/2"
music wirepins inplaceandgluesecurely
to the P-4 podbaseandP-2 former.
19.Now glue the P-1 podsides inplace toP-
2/P-4makingsure the P-1'smatch the
fuselage sides. Makecertainto keepglue
offoffusesides.Seedrawingbelow.
20.Glue1/8"x 3/8"spruce/ply tobottomof
P-4andbutt upto P-3.
21.Fitandglue P-6andpodtailblocksin
place. Drillcooling airoutlet holes and
sandbottomofpodto acceptP-5.
22.Now drillandtap podscrewplate withan
8-32tap.GlueP-5 in place. Locate the
1/2"x2"x 12"lengthofbalsa.Using a
sanding block, bevel-sand oneendofthe
block to fitagainst the forward face of
F-4, holdingitinplace at the topofthe
fuselage.
23.The forward endofthe radio hatch is now
cutat the angleshown onthe plans. Once
the bevel cut has beenmade, usethe
sanding block to lightlyclean upeach end
ofthe cut. Setaside the hatch part for
amoment.Ontheremaininglengthofblock
measureforward from the bevel cut andcut
thispieceoff. Thisthen becomesthe
forward "lip"for the radiohatch.Use
tapeto holdthe radiohatchinplace to
the top ofthe fuselage, againstF-4.
Apply a smallamount ofglueto thebottom
oftheforward block andglueitinplace
tothe top ofthe fuselage andnoseblock,
matchingthe bevel onthe front ofthe
radio hatchblock, thus insuringa nicefit
between these two blocks. Untape and
removethe radio hatchblock.Locate and
removethe plyhatch"lip"from itsdie-cut
sheet.F-4 can nowbegluedto the
forward, bottom surface ofthe hatchblock
with3/16"ofitsforward endprotruding,
thus providinga fitbeneath theforward
block justinstalledandpreventing
shiftingfrom side-to-side.Installthe
two1/8"square hatch locators. Repeat
procedurefor the bottom noseblock. The
bottom block, notbeing removable, cannow
beglued inplace.
24.The nextstepis toassemblethe nose
block. Glue the plywood spinner ringto
the 1/4"x1-3/4"x 2"balsa noseblock,
carefullycenteringit.Afterthe block
has dried,remove center section bycutting
alongcenter ofspinner ringwitha #11
blade. Sandthefront ofthe fuselageper
section B-Bto accept the noseblock
assembly.Alignthe noseblock withthe
motor shaft andcement to F-3. The cool-
airintake holecanbedrilledat thistime
(seephotobelow).
10

25.Now trial-fityourwingto the fuselage.
Make sure the wingiscentered andthatthe
leadingedge isup againstF-4. Holding
these two structures together,observe the
fitbetween the bottom ofthewingandthe
wingsaddle area. Itmay benecessary to
slightlybevel the topsofthe fuselage
sides andF-1doublers to get a snugfit;
dothisnow.Oncesatisfiedwiththe
wing/fuselagefit,you're readyto make the
hold-downsystem. Againplace the wingon
the fuselage anduseweightsto holdit
firmlyinposition.Makesure thatthe
wing is squarely inposition onthe
fuselage bytakingwingtip-to-tailpost
measurements asshown inthefigurebelow
("X"should equal "X").
Locate the 3/16"dia.dowel from theparts
bag.A 3/16"dia.holemust nowbedrilled
through F-4 (seemark)andintothe wing's
center w-1ribs,to a depth of1-7/8,"
measured from thefront face ofF-4. Mark
thisdepth onyour drillbitwitha strip
oftape. Once theholeisdrilled,remove
the wingfrom the fuselage andtrial-fit
the 3/16"dia. dowel inplace. Use
sandpaper to slightlyroundthefront edge
ofthe dowel. Now gluethedowel inplace
inthe wing(cleanoff anyoozing glue).
Oncedry, againfitthe wingtothe
fuselage anduseweightsto hold itin
place. Therear nylon screw hold-down
systemisnowmade. Start bydrillinga
hole, witha #29drillbit,throughthe
wing'strailingedge andthroughthe1/8"
plywingscrew plateat a slightlyforward
angle(seeplans). Remove thewingfrom
the fuselage. Enlargetheholeinthe
wing's trailingedge to allowthe8-32
nylon screw to slipthroughto the head.
Now using eitheran8-32tap oran8-32
screw(metal),tap the threads intothe
holemade inthe plywingscrew plate. Once
the threadshave beencut, give them a very
thincoat ofinstant CA glueandagainrun
the tap throughthem. Thistoughens the
threads inthe plywood. Re-fitthe wingto
the fuselage andscrew itinplaceto again
check thefit.Note thatabout 7/8"ofthe
length ofthenylon screw (1-1/2" supplied)
canbe trimmed off.
26.Remember that1/2"lengthof1/16"I.D.
aluminum tubing thatyousavedback when
buildingthestabilator?Locate itnow.
witha 3/32"drillbit,finishthe hole
through the fin(the stab pivothole). Cut
a1/4"lengthofaluminumtubing,clean
eachendwitha #11 blade andcarefully
insert itinto the stab pivotholejust
cleared out;donotglue. Attachthe
stabilatorhalvesto the fin;just pressin
placefor now.what we're going to check
for nowisalignment,we want to viewthe
airplanehead-on at a bitofa distance.
Placeitona table,facingyou,andback-
off a few paces, sightingdirectlyat the
front. Is the wingsittingproperlyonthe
fuselage? Is thestabilatortiltedin
relationshipto thewing/fuselageor does
itline-upright?Ifeverythingelse seems
to line-up,we can proceed to finish
sheeting thetop, rear ofthefuselage. If
itdoesn't, we needto know whichway to
twistthe finto make everythingline-up
properly becauseoncethe top,rear
sheeting isinstalled,it"locks" the
fuselagefirmlyinplacethus makingany
suchcorrections extremely difficult,if
notimpossible.
27.If the alignment appearstobeOK,remove
the stabilatorhalves,leave the wingin
place,andcarefullycut andgluethe1/16"
balsa sheet (applied cross-grain,asshown)
top, reardeckinginplaceback to the
leadingedge of the fin.However, ifsome
alignmentisneededbyhavingto pullthe
top ofthe finleftor right,nowisthe
timeto doit,before applyingthetop,
rear sheeting.Thisishow it'sdone.Set
the assembled airplaneona large, flat
table. Heightthe top ofthe wingcenter
section to holditfirmlyinplace. Again,
sightingdirectlyat the front ofthe
model, determine whichway the finhas to
betilted.Pulloff a long length of
masking tape andstickitto the top ofthe
fin.Pullagainstthe tape untilthefin
isintherightpositionandstickthe
other endto the table,thus preventingthe
finfrom shifting.Withitnowproperly
aligned,cut, fitandgluethe top, rear
sheeting inplace asearlierdescribed.
Let the sheetingdry before removing the
masking tape from the finandyou'llfind
that the finis nowproperly aligned.
Removethewing andstabilator halvesfrom
11

thefuselage.Use your sandingblockto
now sandthe top, rear sheeting andthe
forward radiohatchandnoseblock piece
flushwiththe fuselage sides.You can
also nowsandthe top forward hatchand
nose-block contours to shape asshown in
theplans, noneedto roundcorners yet.
28.From yourparts bag,locate the 1/4"shaped
fin/fuselage fairing.Useyoursanding
block to adjust the angles ifneededand
glue inplace. As shown, thisis now
trimmed to fairthe finleading edgeinto
thetop,rearofthe fuselage.
29.Finally,pushthe 1/4"length ofaluminum
tubing that's inthe rearpivot holeabout
halfwayout, apply justa bitofadhesive
to itsouter surface (5-minute epoxyor
slow-cure CA) andpushitback inplacein
the fin.
30.withthe exception ofcontouring andfinal
sanding, your fuselage should becomplete.
XI.FINAL ASSEMBLY
It'soften beensaid that the difference betweena
goodmodel anda great oneis sandpaperandthe
willingnessandabilityto useit.Thispoint in
construction can literallymake orbreak the
performance andthe look ofyourmodel. Since the
PHASOAR is an obvious candidatefor useof
MonoKote, keep inmind thatthe surface preparation
ofthe woodwilldictatethe finished,covered look
ofyour model. Referenced useof"filler"inthe
followingtext. refers to products suchas
MicroFill,Model MagicFiller,or something
similar.These products dry quickly,are very
light,andMonoKote goesoverthem nicely.
Let's start withthe fuselage, since the other
components should, bynow,besandedandabout
readytouse.
1.Note the lower left corner ofCrossSection
F-Fonthe plans. Thisdemonstrates about
the correct amount ofradius thatcan and
should besandedintothefuselage bottom.
As thissanding radiusmovesaft,toward
the finpost, andthe fuselage diminishes
in width,the resultwillbea pleasant
looking ovalshape.Next,sandthe radio
hatchandnosesections. Use a rougher
gritofpaperat first,followedbythe
finer#220to dothe jobnicely.The last
section to tackleisthe top, rear ofthe
fuselage - back andincludingthefin
fairingandfinleadingedge.Take every
effort neededto sandthisstructureto the
point that itlooks andfeels likeone
piece. You willnote thatwhere theT-1
finsides meet thefuselage sides, there is
adisparityinwoodthickness resultingin
akind of"tip." Onourprototypes we
handledthis by stickingalengthof
masking tapelengthwise about3/16"above
thisjoint,onT-1.Then we carefully
sandeddown the fuselage side(s)to as
close to T-1aspossible (the maskingtape
wasthere to protect T-1incase we got too
close).Then withthe tape stillinplace.
weusedfillerto "fair-in"thisjoint,
featheringthe materialcarefully.When
the fillerwasdry, the tapewas removed
andweusedvery lightsandpaperto finish
feathering the joint.
2.Use yoursanding blocktosandthe trailing
edgeofthefinflatandstraight.
3.Thelaststep inpreparingthefuselagefor
covering is to sandthe fin/rudder
combination together, asa singleunit.
Start byusingmasking tape to accurately
positionthe rudder to the fin.Now use
yoursanding blockto accuratelymatch the
side viewshape ofthe rudder to the
fin/fuselage. Oncethat'sdone,remove one
ofthe pieces oftape from oneside only
andlay the structure downona flat
surface - tapedsidedown.Useyour
sanding block to now sandthe rudder's
cross-section shape intothe fin/fuselage,
butonly abouthalfway.Add another piece
oftape to thenow sandedside, flipthe
structure over, remove thetape andrepeat
the sanding operation. Aftera couple of
passesoneach side, youshould beabout
where youwant to be;a finwitha true
leadingedge anda rudder witha true
trailingedge andeverythinginbetween
accurately matched. The leadingedge of
the rudder can nowbebeveled asshown on
the plans, thus facilitatingleftandright
movement when hingedwithMonoKote.
Oncethisisdone,locate andremovethe
1/32"ply rudderhorn fromits die-cut
12

sheet.Onceagaintapethe rudderto the
fin,rightside only. Use a sharp #11
blade to nowcut a 1/32"wideslotinthe
rudder'sleadingedge, at the bottom, ona
plane corresponding to the rudder tube's
exitpoint onthe fuselage. Once the slot
is made toyoursatisfaction,trial-fitthe
horn inplaceandtrimasneededto get a
properfit.Donotgluethe horn inplace
untilafter the modelis covered.
4.Assemblethe wing tothefuselage andcinch
itdown withthe wingscrew. In thisstep
wewant to rough-cutandfittheforward
andrear wing/fuselagefairingsto the
wing's center section. The remaining
length ofradio hatchblockbalsa willbe
usedfor this.Firsteithercarve or use
aDremeltool to route out thebottom
matingsurface ofeach ofthese blocks; cut
andfit.Bevel therear blockto matchthe
fuselage (viewed from theside) andthen
useyour #11 bladeto carve outa spacefor
F-12when theblock isheldinplace.
Also,the head ofthe screw willindent the
bottom ofthisblock andtherefore giveyou
the locationto drilla 1/4"dia.holeto
allowthescrew head to seat againstF-12.
Onceyou're satisfiedwithhow the two
blocks fitonto the wingandto the
fuselage, concentrate onthe top view.The
forward should besandedto a sort ofhalf-
roundshape, carryingthroughtheshape of
the hatchblock.Therear blockgently
curves into the center lineofthewingto
apoint about1-1/2" from the trailing
edge.Gluethe blocks inplaceto the top
ofthewingwhilethe wingisstill
attached to thefuselage. Protect thewing
sheeting around theedges ofthese blocks
withmasking tape;sandto a finalshape.
Usefillerto fillettheblocks to the
wing. Lightlysand,andyou're finished.
Removethe wing fromthe fuselage.
5.Usea sharp razorblade to removethe
finishedradio hatchblock. Withthe
battery/servo compartment nowopen,install
your servo mountingrails.Noteonthe
plans thatwe've usedtheremainderofthe
1/8"x 3/16"spruce spar stock for these.
You may wishto useply. Installthese
railsinthe approximatepositionsshown on
the plans, withthe servo's output arms
lined-upwiththerudder andelevatortube
endsprotrudingthroughF-4. withservos
inplace, cut the1/4"x 3/8"x 4"spruce
microswitchmount to fitasillustrated
onthe drawing.Drillandattachthetwo
1/4"x 1/4"x 3/8"mapleblocks to the
mountwith#2x 3/8woodscrews. Next
drilltwoholes inthe mount for the micro
switch, andmount withtwo 2-56x 1/2"
screwsandnuts. Setthe assembly in
position asshownonthe drawing.When
proper contactismade withswitchand
servo arm, glueinplace. Once satisfied,
servoscan beremoved.
6.Beforecoveringtakea few minutesto
"ventilate" the variousstructures; wing,
fin(aboveT-1's), stab halves andthe
rudder.Ventilatingthese components
allowsthe heated air(formedwhen
covering) to escapethe various sealed
compartments (betweenribbays, etc.)
rather than expanding and"ballooning" the
covering.
7.For the wing,usea 3/32"dia.drillbit,
hand-held,to drilloneholethrougheach
rib,inthe center, justbehind the spar
location.Do thisfrom W-7, at the tip.
allthe way through the inner-mostW-2rib,
beneath the center sectionsheeting.Using
the samebit,drilla holethroughthe
bottom sheeting, justbehind the sparson
eachsideofthe W-1's.
8.Usea 1/16"dia. drillbit,againhand-
held, to nowdothe samethingto the fin
(andalsothroughthe 3/16"sq.brace
between thetops ofthe T-1's), rudderand
stab halves.Onthe rudder, drilla small
exitholeonthe very bottom, behind the
horn location. Onthe stab halves,drill
the exitholes through the reardiagonal
3/16"sq.piece.
9.Final-checkentire airplane foranyflaws
orproblems. If youfind any,fixthem
now.
10.Since the stabilatorhalves slipin place
using two 1/16"dia.steel pins, thereis
aneedto beableto retainthem. Thiscan
bedonea couple ofways.The firstisto
simplyallowthe pinsto rust byleaving
them outdoors for a nightortwo.This
makes them press-fitinto the stab half
tubes.Another way istousea low-tack
adhesive (3-M#77Spray Cement) tocoatthe
wires,thus makingthem a bit"sticky." In
anyevent, don't permanently gluethese in
placesince eventuallytheneedwillarise
fordisassemblingthe stabilator halves
fromthe fin.
13

XII.MOTOR/SWITCHES/BATTERY
WIRING
CAUTION
FAILURETO READ,UNDERSTAND,ANDTHENFOLLOWTHESE
INSTRUCTIONSCANRESULTINSERIOUS PERSONALAND/OR
PROPERTYDAMAGETO YOU OR OTHERS!
WHENOPERATINGTHEMOTOR:
*ALWAYSweareye protection!
*KEEP safelyawayfromothers!
*ALWAYS makesurethe propeller is securely
attached tothe motor drive shaft!
*REMEMBERtoalways usethe arming switch
correctly!
*WARNING:Childrenshould neverbeallowed
to operate thisequipment without
adultsupervision!
CAUTION: POTENTIAL BATTERY HAZARD!
The Ni-Cadbattery packs usedto power thePHASOAR
store a great deal ofelectricalenergy. Alwaysbe
extremelycarefulto avoidshortingoutthese
batteries.Thiscan lead to a fire,cause burns to
youandothers and/or,at thevery least, ruinthe
battery pack.
CAUTION: PROPELLER HAZARD!
The suggestedmotor/battery/propeller componentsin
these instructionsresultinanextremelypowerful
system.The armingswitchsystem should be
properly notated toprovide ON/OFF information.
When switchedON,the motor, instantlyreaches
maximumRPM'sandthespinningpropellerbecomes a
hazard to youandothers, treatthissystem with
respect! Itisvery importantthatyouunderstand
allofthese precautionsandtakesteps to prevent
accidentalswitching-onofthesystem. Always
unplugandremove themotor battery pack when
storingthemodel orworkingonit.Alwaysstore
themodel away from smallchildrenoranyoneelse
unfamiliarwithitscorrect andsafe operation.
REMEMBER:Installandconnectthe motorbattery
pack ONLYwhen thearmingswitchisin the OFF
position andthe microswitchis inactive.
INANYOTHER SITUATION,always disconnect and
remove the battery pack, especiallywhen workingon
the modelandtransporting orstoringit.
FUSES
In thefollowinginstructionsthere is a straight-
forward wiringdiagramwhichalso includes a
notationconcerningthelocationof a 15 to20amp
fuse.A fusedelectricalsystemoffers somereal
safety toitsoveralloperation. Should the motor
stall,asin the case ofthepropellerbeing
stoppeddue to strikingan object, thebattery pack
willsurge itscurrent output andblowthe fuse,
thus preventing motor and/orbattery packdamageor
burnout.
HIRING
Theseinstructions concernthe required wiringwhen
using the ASTRO FLIGHT 035Cobalt motor. The
componentsofthissystem(asshownbelow)are:
*10-1/2" ofRed (positive, +)hi-flcx,hi-
strand countwire(we'veusedboth R06ART
andSRwire withgoodresults).
*12-1/2"ofBlack (negative,-)wire.
*Micro switch (Subminiature SPDT Lever
Switch)madebyARCHER andsold through
RADIO SHACK stores - Catalog No.275-016.
*Armingswitch (Subminiature SPSTToggle
Switch)made byARCHER anda RADIOSHACK
item- CatalogNo. 275-612.
*1 Package ofSERMOS R/C CONNECTORS
(contains fourconnectors,2 redand2
black).
*Soldering Iron orGun(about42watts).
*Flux andsolder.
*Small15-20ampfusewithsolderable
holder.
14

1.The ASTRO FLIGHT035cobalt motor comes
already pre-wiredwitha Tamiya-type
connector andanRFchoke soldered in
place. Start byun-solderingtheblack
wirefrom itspostconnector, leavingthe
RFchoke joint stillin place.
Referringto the diagramabove, cut a 4-
1/2"Lengthofhi-flexwireandusea razor
to remove about1/4"ofthesheathingfrom
oneend.Bend thesolder tab straightout
from the postonthemotor. Now solder the
wireto the tab withthe lengthofthe wire
pointed forward, towards the front ofthe
motor.Bendthe solder tab back down
again. Cut thiswireinhalf,remove the
sheathingfrom each endandsolder the
fuse/holder inplace. The remainingend
ofthislengthofwireisnowsoldered, in
place to thecenter solder tab onthemicro
switch,withthe wireinplacestraight
down, inrelationshipto theswitch.
2.The remaining length ofblack (-)wire
(should be8")isnowprepared byfirst
removing 1/4"ofthesheathingfrom each
end.Now solder theSERMOSconnector clip
tooneendandinsertandsnap theblack
connectorinplace.The otherendofthe
wireisnow soldered inplace(wire
pointingstraightdown from the switch)to
the far left solder tab ofthe micro
switch. Thiscompletes the negative side
wiring.
3.Now un-solder the remainingredwireonthe
motor's solder tab, againleavingtheRF
choke connectioninplace.Cut a 5"length
ofredhi-flexwireandremove 1/4"ofthe
sheathingfrom each end.Solder oneendof
thiswireto themotor's solder tab with
the lengthofthewirepointingforward
toward thefront ofthemotor. Bendthe
tab back down. Solder theremainingendof
thiswireto the"ON" soldertab ofthe
armingswitch.The remaininglengthofred
wire(should be5-1/2") isnow prepared by
againremoving 1/4"ofsheathingfrom each
end.Solder oneendintotheSERMOS
connector clipandinsert andsnapthe
connector (in thiscase red)inplace. The
remainingendofthe redwireis now
soldered inplaceto the"OFF" solder tab
ofthearmingswitch.Cleanandinspect
eachsolder joint, making suretheyare
each secure.Applyinga smallamount of
siliconadhesive to each ofthese joints
further avoids anyshorting.
4.The wiringsystemandswitcharray should
nowbetested. Assuming thatyourbattery
packhas beenequippedwithSERMOS
connectors, connectthe pack to their
appropriate leads. Holdthe motor firmly
in yourhand (WITHOUT A PROP INPLACE)and
"blip" the microswitchwiththearming
switch inthe ON position. Ifnothing
happens(highlyunlikely),yourbattery
packis eithertotallydead (discharged) or
youhave a cold solder jointsomewhere.
Now isthetimeto againcheck allofthese
connections to ensure proper operation
everytime, ondemand.
XIII.COVERING
In every aspectoftheseinstructions thus far,
we'vestressedthe importance ofpaying attention
toweight.Atthispointinthe construction of
yourPHASOAR,youshould have an amazinglylight
model. In keepingwiththisattentionto weight,
itisextremelyimportantthatyoucover your
PHASOAR withMonoKote. MonoKote willprovide your
PHASOAR withcomparativelylittleweightgain,an
incredibly brilliantfinishandmostimportantly--
airframe strength!
Realistically,one6'rollofMonoKote, properly
cut-upandappliedwoulddo thejob, providingyou
would settlefor a mono-chromaticcolor scheme.
However, youmay consider a multi-coloredscheme
that isat oncevisiblein the airandlooks great
in the pitarea, too!Now isthe timeto choose
yourfavoriteMonoKote color combination.
MonoKote is easiesttoapply andworkwithwhenyou
have the appropriate tools at handtodothe job.
15

Shownin the photoaboveis a collectionofTop
Flitetools, the Hot Sockironshoe cover (a
"must"for a great finish),MonoKote
Cleaner/Polish, a selection ofMonoKote, razor
blades (single edge),a hobbyknifewitha #11
blade anda metalstraight-edge(min. 36"long).
Thebest practiceisto cover each ofthe
aircraft'scomponentsseparately. In the caseof
the PHASOAR,thismeans the wing,the fuselage, the
batterypod,thestabilatorhalvesand therudder.
Aftercovering,carefullyclear-outany of the
required holes, slots, etc., thatmay have been
covered up, i.e., rudder horn slot. stabilator
driveovals,pivotholes, antenna tubeexit, and
ruddercable driveexit,etc.
OnourprototypePHASOAR"s weuseda smallbrush
andsomeflatblackpaint(aircraftdopeisfine
here) to painttheinsideofthe airentry holein
the noseandthe holeintherear ofthebattery
pod.Thisisnotnecessary,butlooks quitenice.
The ruddercannowbehinged tothe finusing the
method shown onthe plans. Thishingesystem
provides an extremely efficientrudderactionin
flightbyvirtueofthe fact thatitis gapless.
Properly done, these hingesare allbutinvisible
andlend greatlyto the overall"one-piece" look of
the finishedmodel. Donot installtherudder horn
inplaceyet. Thiswillbedone inthe RADIO
INSTALLATIONsection oftheseinstructions.
Withyourcovering jobnowcomplete, make itreally
shine bygivingita glisteningcleaningjobwith
afewshots ofMonoKote CleanerPolish!About all
that's leftto do isto addyour AMAnumbers.
REMEMBERthatthese have to be1" ortallerand
must appear onthe RIGHTwingpanel,we have used
both Super MonoKote andMonoKote TrimSheets for
thisjobto make iteasyandgood-looking.
From your parts bag, locate the 1-1/2" long, 0.038
I.D.brass tubing.Thismaterialwillbecut upto
provide solder connections between the drivecables
andthe softwirepaperclipconnectors.
Drilla 1/32"dia. holethrough the rudderhorn to
acceptthe paper clipdrivewire.Cut off about
1/4"ofthe brass tubingconnector materialand
clean outeach ofitwithyour#11 blade to accept
the cableandpaperclipends.Cut offthe
required lengthofpaperclipwire(seeplans) to
make theconnection to therudder horn andbendone
endintoa "Z"bend.Slipthebrass connector
halfwayonto thedrivecableendandthe paper clip
wireintothe other endofthisconnector. Sweat
solder thethree pieces together,using a minimum
ofsolder. Slipthe opposite endofthisdrive
cable intothe ruddertube andfeeditslength
through the fuselage andintotheservo compartment
-don't cut off the excesscable yet. Attachthe
rudder horn to the "Z"bendandcarefullyglue the
horn intothe slot previously provided.
The connections made at the servo endsofthe
stabilatorandrudder drivecables are doneinthe
samemanner asdescribed above. However, thepaper
clipconnectors are to bebentwitha "V"bendas
shown, thus providingsomecentering adjustments
forflighttrim.
Installthereceivernext. To get theantenna
through thefuselage andout the holepreviously
drilledfor thispurpose, "fish"a lengthofheavy
thread throughthe antenna exitholeandintothe
receiverarea. Then usea bitofCA glueto attach
the endoftheantenna to theendofthethread and
pullthethread back outofthe antennahole. along
withthe antenna.
The battery pack should nowbeinstalled,asshown
onthe plans, andheldinplacewithdouble-backed
tape.The ON/OFFswitchcan also beheldinwith
double-backed tape.Witheverythinginplace, turn
the system ON andtest for correct movement and
centering. Adjust asneeded.
The "CG" (Center ofGravity)shown onthe plans is
exactlywherewe've flownour prototypes. Balance
your model at thispoint.Interestingly,our
prototypes didnot require anylead at allto
arriveat the CGshown.
XV. FLYING
THE FLYINGSITE
XIV. RADIO INSTALLATION
Before installing your servos, make sure thatthey
runin therightdirections.If you have servo
reversingcapability,thisis a simpletask.
Install the servos in the fuselage on the rails
provided earlier.
Where there isnoestablishedlocalflyingsite, a
large, grassy fieldcan bean idealarea. This
fieldshould befreeoftrees, poles, large
obstructions and.especially,high-tension
electricallines.Alwaysflyfar removedfrom
houses,populated areas orbusystreets. An area
approximately two tofourtimes the size ofa
16

regulation football fieldshould provide youwith
plenty ofroom,especiallywhen attemptingyour
firstfewlandings!
As we mentioned inthe introduction, there is
simplynosubstitutefor an experienced R/C pilot
tocheck-out, trimandtest-flyyour model! This
almostalwaysisa guarantee ofsuccess.Remember,
ifyouhave noexperienceyouNEED aninstructor!
PRIOR TO POWERED FLIGHT
First,test-glideyour model at least a couple of
times.
Withthe "throttle"stickandalsothearming
switchintheirOFFpositions,turnthetransmitter
ON.Now turn the model's airborneradioON. Test
the controls withthe transmitter,onceagain, to
be absolutelysurethe controls are moving in the
properdirection!
Standfacing into the wind, ifany(it's bestif
there isnone),holdthe model highabove yourhead
ina LEVELposition,withthe transmitterinyour
other hand.Trot orrunforward to buildup
"flightspeed."When itfeels right,brisklythrow
the model directlyforward (level)at an imaginary
point about 100'infront ofyou.In other words.
DONOTpitchthemodel intothe airina noseup
condition!Themodel should glidesmartlytoward
thatimaginarypointwithoutanytendency to veer
leftor right.Ifitisturning,correct with
SMALLamounts oftransmitterinput to the opposite
side oftheturn. Ifthemodel wants to pitchup,
correct quicklywithSMALLamounts ofDOWN elevator
input andifthe model pitchesdown, correct
quicklywithSMALLamounts ofUP elevatorinput.
Just priorto touch-down,a SMALLamount ofUP
elevator input can beusedto"flare-out"toa
smoothlanding. Continue thisprocess untilyou
can consistently achievetherequired flat,smooth
glide.Take your timehere to get comfortablewith
thisphase ofyourmodel's regime because
ultimatelythe glidewillconstitute the bulk of
itsflyingtime.
POWERED FLIGHT
Thisis it!The pay-off forthe work donethus
far!Just asyoudidbefore in the test-gliding
phase,activatethe required switches in this
order:
1.Transmitter switchON withthrottlestick
down inthe OFFposition.
2.Make sure armingswitchisOFF.
3.Turn airborneradiosystem ON.
4.NOW turn armingswitch ON.
Again,test the FLIGHTCONTROLSofyourmodel with
transmitterinput to each. Holdingthemodel away
from you(andothers) move thethrottlestickup
brieflyto test the motor andthen turn itoff.
Justasyoudid in the test-gliding phase,hold the
model highover yourhead, levelor noseslightly
down,pointingto that imaginarypoint 100'ahead
ofyouanddirectlyintothe wind. Withthe
transmitterinyourother hand, movethe throttle
stickup to theON positionandtrot orrun
forward. When itfeelsright,smoothly throw the
modelforward, wingslevel,toward thatimaginary
point. Immediately take the transmitter inboth
handsforcontrol.
Typically,the PHASOAR willquickly getinto "step"
and start anaggressive climb that will only need
momentary SMALLinputs ofDOWN elevatorto control.
Keepthe modelclimbingout, intothewind andaway
fromyouuntilitis about 400'away. Atthis
point, the model willbequitehighandyoucan
start a slow 180degree turn back toward you,still
allowingthe model to climbout. Before itgets
backto you,do another 180degree turn. Repeat
thisprocess untilcomfortablealtitudeisreached
(with our prototypes, uncomfortable altitude...too
high...was reached inless than 55seconds).Move
the throttlestickto thedown or OFFpositionand
let themodel transitionintoglidemode.This
firstflightisfor experience purposes only and
notdedicated thermalhuntingsodon't beconcerned
about looking for lift right now. unless you're
totallycomfortabledoingso.
Withthe PHASOAR nowin un-powered glide,
familiarizeyourself witheach ofthecontrols.
REMEMBER:Thisdesign isa powered sailplane,not
apattern ship. Savethe aerobatics for a
differentdesign! Check for stallcharacteristics,
both upwind anddownwind,bysimplyestablishinga
heading andslowlypullingback onthe elevator
stick.Whatshould happen isnothingmore exciting
than a nose-highattitude,followedbya nose-down
pitchwithalmost immediaterecovery. Ifthemodel
wants to falloff brisklyto oneside ortheother
(a "tipstall"),youare goingto want to imparta
little"washout" to each outboard wingpanel when
youget home.Do thisbytwistingthe wingtipto
raise the trailing edge slightly (1/16 to 1/8"),
andthen reshrinkthe MonoKote to maintainthenew
position.
As your model gets down to 100-200'ofaltitude,
turn itintothewindandmove the throttlestick
up to theON positionandpower your way back up to
comfortable altitudeandagainshut down the motor.
LANDING
Landthe PHASOAR bylettingitglidesmoothly
forward (verylittle,ifany,elevatorinputs) in
apre-determinedandlargerectangularpattern
whichterminateswiththe model pointingdirectly
into thewind,passing safelyinfront ofyouat an
altitudeof8'to 10.'Atthispoint,themodel is
headingaway from youwiththebulkofthefield
ahead ofit.Keep thewingslevelandslightly
"flare" the model (apply a touch ofUPelevator)
17

just beforetouchdown. Windconditionscan
profoundly influence flyingandlanding
characteristics.Itisstrongly suggested thatyou
donotflythismodel inanywindabove 5 mph until
youare totallycomfortableincontrollingit!The
PHASOAR has performed wellinvery stiffbreezes
BUT only inthe hands ofvery experienced and
competent R/C pilots.DONOT EXCEEDYOUR
EXPERIENCEAND/OR LIMITATIONS!
Takeiteasy and havefun!
XVI. KIT SPECIFICATIONS
Thefinalspecs onourprototypes turned outas
follows:
Wingspan ........ 56 1/4"
Wing Area. ....... 335 sq. in.
Weight ......... 24 to27 oz.
Aspect Ratio ...... 9.9 : 1
OverallLength .....32"
18

BILL OF MATERIALS
TOPFLITEMODELS
PHASOAR 035
KitPart
No.
RC-38- 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
59
Computer
No.
390005
312019
312010
312020
312021
710114
312023
312024
511063
312030
Qty/
DescriptionKit
Wood
D/C
D/C
D/C
D/C
D/C
D/C
D/C
BalsaSheets
Balsa Sheet
Bundle #1 of 2
Balsa
Balsa
Balsa
Balsa
Plywood
Balsa
Balsa
of 2
Fuse sides
Wing ribs
Fuse/Wing/Pod
Fin/Rudder
Fuse/Pod/Wing
Stab Caps
Fuse (F-2)
Wing/Fuse
Fuse Nose
1
2
2
1
1
1
2
1
5
1
390006
WoodBundle #2of2
Contains assortedbalsa andspruce,
braided cable andplastic tubes.
All arerolledinsidetheplan sheet,
RC-38-21
22
23
24
25
710115
710116
312022
312028
312029
380004
Separate Woodparts
D/CPlywood
D/CPlywood
Shaped Balsa
Shaped Balsa
Shaped Balsa
PolyBag#1of1
FuseFormer
Motor Mount
PodBlocks
FuseNose
Hatch/BottomFuse
Miscellaneous small woodparts.
Also,screws,nuts,tubing, andwire
RC-38-20
RC-38-41
150026
150027Plansheet
RC-38 InstructionManual
19