™ INSTRUCTION MANUAL SPECIFICATIONS Wingspan: Length: Weight: Wing Area: Wing Loading: Radio: 59 in [1500mm] 58 in [1475mm] 6.5 – 7.25 lb [2950 – 3290 g] 912 in 2 [58.8 dm 2 ] 16– 18 oz/ft 2 [49– 55 g /dm2 ] 4-channel minimum with 5-6 servos and standard size receiver Engine: .55-.65 [9 -10.5 cc] two-stroke glow engine or .82 [13.5 cc] four-stroke glow engine Electric RimFire™ .80, (50-55-500) Power: Outrunner Brushless WARRANTY Great Planes ® Model Manufacturing Co.
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Academy of Model Aeronautics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Radio Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Glow Engine Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Brushless Motor Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. You must assemble the model according to the instructions. Do not alter or modify the model, as doing so may result in an unsafe or unflyable model. In a few cases the instructions may differ slightly from the photos. In those instances the written instructions should be considered as correct. standard sized servos and an additional standard torque servo if you are installing a glow engine. For maximum 3D performance, we recommend using digital servos with at least 72 oz.-in. [5.2 kg-cm] of torque.
❍ Drill bits: 1/16" [1.6 mm], 5/64" [2 mm], 3/32" [2.4 mm], 1/8" [3.2 mm], 11/64" [4.4 mm ] ❍ Rotary tool with cutting bit ❍ Great Planes Heat Shrink Tubing 3/8x3" (3) (GPMM1060) ❍ Revell Premium Soft Handle Knife w/Blades (5) (RMXR6900) ❍ Top Flite MonoKote sealing iron (TOPR2100) ❍ Top Flite Hot Sock iron cover (TOPR2175) ❍ Panel Line Pen (TOPQ2510) ❍ Hobbico Steel T-Pins 1" (100) (HCAR5100) ❍ Small clamps ❍ Masking tape ❍ Household oil manufacturer’s recommendation.
or missing parts, use the part names exactly as they are written in the Kit Contents list. Building Stand Great Planes Product Support 3002 N Apollo Drive, Suite 1 Ph: (217) 398-8970, ext. 5 Champaign, IL 61822 Fax: (217) 398-7721 E-mail: airsupport@greatplanes.com ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS Replacement parts for the Great Planes U-Can-Do SF are available using the order numbers in the Replacement Parts List that follows.
KIT CONTENTS Kit Contents 1. Cowl 2. Fuselage 3 3. Canopy Hatch 1 9 2 8 11 4. Wing / Ailerons 7 5. Vertical Fin / Rudder 5 6. Horizontal Stabilizer 10 6 12 7. Elevator Halves 8. Fuel Tank 9. Spinner 4 13 13 10. Engine Mount 11. Landing Gear 12. Wheels 13. Side Force Generator PREPARATIONS INSTALL THE AILERON SERVOS, PUSHRODS AND BELLY PAN ❏ 1. If you have not done so already, remove the major parts of the kit from the box and inspect for damage.
perpendicular with the servo case. Cut three arms from each servo arm leaving one arm on each servo that matches the photo. Enlarge the outer hole of each remaining arm with a 5/64" [2mm] drill bit. Attach a 12" [305mm] servo extension to each servo. Secure the connection using tape, heat shrink tubing (not included) or special clips designed for that purpose. Install the rubber grommets and eyelets onto the servo mounting tabs. ❏ 4. Fit the servos into the servo openings and drill 1/16" [1.
the control horns over the hardwood blocks in the ailerons (if you cannot see them, hold the aileron at a shallow angle in good lighting or use a small pin to puncture the covering). When satisfied, use a felt-tip pen to mark the location of the control horn mounting holes onto the aileron. Repeat this step for the other aileron. Servo Horn Pushrod Wire FasLink 1/16" [1.6 mm] ❏ 7. Drill 5/64" [2mm] holes at the marks you made. Thread a #4 x 5/8" [16mm] self-tapping screw into each hole and back it out.
❏ 11. Locate the two nylon wing dowels. Coat the grooved ends with epoxy and fit the dowels into the holes at the leading edge of the wing as far as they will fit into the holes. Wipe away any excess epoxy with denatured alcohol. ❏ 13. Remove the covering between the lines you drew. HOW TO CUT COVERING FROM BALSA Use a soldering iron to cut the covering from the stab. The tip of the soldering iron doesn’t have to be sharp, but a fine tip does work best. Allow the iron to heat fully.
INSTALL THE TAIL SECTION Pull the stab from the fuselage and remove the covering 1/16" [1.6mm] inside your lines using the same technique you used on the wing. ❏ 3. Coat the exposed wood with 30-minute epoxy (although messy, a more reliable glue joint can be attained if you also coat the inside edges of the stab pocket). Reinstall the stab and properly position it in the pocket. Wipe away any excess epoxy with denatured alcohol and let the epoxy cure undisturbed.
Coat the inside of the fin slot with epoxy as well as the rudder end of the tail wheel wire and the nylon tab. Fit the vertical fin back into place in the fuselage and the CA hinge and tail wheel tab back into the slots. Wipe away any excess epoxy with denatured alcohol. Apply 6 or 7 drops of thin CA to each side of the rudder hinge. Allow the epoxy to cure undisturbed. ❏ 5. Temporarily install the vertical fin and rudder into the slot in the fuselage.
❏ 9. Locate the mounting blocks under the covering in the elevator halves for the elevator control horns. Position a control horn onto each elevator half over these mounting blocks and mark the locations for the control horn mounting screws. Drill 5/64" [2mm] holes at your marks. Install the control horns using four 2-56 x 5/8" [16mm] machine screws and control horn backplates. ❏ 11. Apply a drop or two of oil onto the tail wheel axle and slide on the tail wheel. Secure it in place with a 1/8" [3.
marks. Be sure to drill the holes as shown in the picture. It is recommended to start with a small drill bit and work your way up in size to 11/64" [4.4mm]. Doing this will improve accuracy in the positioning of the holes and will reduce the amount of tear-out from the backside of the holes. When completed, install 6-32 blind nuts into the holes. Draw them fully into the holes by threading a 6-32 x 5/8" [15.9mm] screw and #6 flat washer into each hole and tightening the screw. ❏ 3.
Press four 6-32 blind nuts into the holes as shown and apply some glue around each nut to prevent them from coming loose. ❏ 4. Glue the two rear pieces together. Assemble the rest ❏ 7. Install the aluminum ‘X’ mount and prop adapter onto of the mount being sure to thoroughly glue all the joints together. We suggest using thin CA on all the outside joints and then running a bead of medium or thick CA along all the inside joints.
make the extension shown you will need to purchase: W.S. Deans® Female Ultra Plug ® w/Pigtail (WSDM3010) and W.S. Deans ® Male Ultra Plug ® (2) (WSDM1302). To make the extension, cut the wires on the pigtail to a length of 3" [76mm] and strip the insulation 3/16" [4.8mm] from the end of the wires. Slide pieces of heat shrink tubing onto the wires and solder the wires onto the male connector. ❏ 10. Connect your battery lead extension to the ESC.
❏ 1. If you are mounting a .55AX or .65AX engine in the angled orientation, drill a hole for the throttle pushrod in the firewall in the location shown using an 11/64" [4.4 mm] drill bit. If you are installing a different engine or an inverted engine, you will need to locate this hole according to the position of the throttle arm on your carburetor. Be sure you are clearing the fuel tank area when drilling the hole. ❏ 14.
❏ 4. Insert the pushrod tube through the hole you drilled in ❏ 6. Drill 11/64" [4.4mm] holes at the angled mounting pattern the firewall and into the notch in the fuel tank support. The pushrod tube should stick out past the firewall approximately 1/4" [6.4mm]. Glue the tube to the firewall and into the notch with CA glue. If you have positioned the pushrod in a location different than what is shown in the picture, you may need to modify the fuel tank support to accommodate the pushrod tube.
❏ 9. Loop the strap through the slots behind the fuel tank support. Fit the fuel tank onto the fuel tank support with the fuel tank neck through the hole in the firewall (be sure that the correct side of the tank is facing up). Draw the strap ends around the tank and confirm that the tank is secure. ❏ 7. The fuel tank can be assembled as a two line system consisting of a vent (pressure) line to the muffler and a carb line.
washers, four #6 flat washers and thread locking compound. The engine mount should be angled down and to the right. Fit your engine between the mount halves and slide them together against the crankcase. Remove the engine and finish tightening the mount screws. ❏ 14. Use four 6-32 x 3/4" [19mm] machine screws, four #6 lock washers and four #6 flat washers to attach the engine to the engine mount. ❏ 12. Attach 6" [152mm] pieces of fuel tubing to each of the three fuel tank lines. ❏ 15.
throttle servo perpendicular to the servo case (be sure to install the servo arm screw). Adjust the carb barrel so that it is close to 50% open and tighten the set screw in the screwlock connector. Test the operation of the throttle using your transmitter and confirm that the carb barrel properly opens and closes. Make any adjustments to the pushrod as necessary. When satisfied, cut off the excess pushrod 1/4" [6.4mm] aft of the screw-lock connector. INSTALL THE RECEIVER, BATTERY, AND SWITCH ❏ 17.
receptable fits well in front of the switch. Note: If you are using a LiFe receiver pack then the charge jack receptable should be used for monitoring pack voltage, or charging in conjunction with the balancing lead. Do not attempt to charge a LiFe battery through this jack without also conencting to the balance lead! The balancing connector will remain accessible through the canopy hatch.
tape pieces exactly where the cowl mounting screw holes will be drilled. The holes should be located in the center of the thickness of the firewall. Use a ruler to draw straight lines exactly 4" [102mm] long aft of your cowl screw hole marks. ❏ 2. If you installed a glow engine, locate the plywood dummy engine parts and glue them together as shown. This dummy engine is provided as an aid to mount the cowl accurately without the engine in place. ❏ 3.
❏ 6. Remove the cowl and dummy engine (if applicable) from the fuselage. Use a rotary tool to cutout any openings in the cowl necessary for your power system installation. Reinstall the engine if you removed it from the firewall. Thread a #2 x 1/2" [13mm] screw into each cowl mounting hole in the fuselage and back it out. Apply a drop of thin CA glue to each hole and allow the glue to harden. Enlarge the holes in the cowl to 3/32" [2.4mm].
Optional Side Force Generators Side force generators are included as an optional addition. The side force generators are designed to reduce wing walking in high-alpha maneuvers and reduce the amount of rudder input needed for knife-edge flight. The side force generators are easily installed and removed at your flying site. We recommend flying the model both with and without them to get a comparison of their benefits to your flying style and skill. ❏ 2.
4-CHANNEL RADIO SET UP (STANDARD MODE 2) RUDDER MOVES RIGHT FULL THROTTLE These are the recommended control surface throws: RIGHT AILERON MOVES UP LEFT AILERON MOVES DOWN ELEVATOR MOVES DOWN ❏ 3. Make certain that the control surfaces and the throttle respond in the correct direction as shown in the diagram. If any of the controls respond in the wrong direction, use the servo reversing in the transmitter to reverse the servos connected to those controls.
Preferred Proper Pushrod Hookup; Avoiding Flutter, Maximizing Servo Output Torque Pushrod Hookup SERVO ARM OFFSET “Closest in” on servo arm Here is an optimum pushrod setup—the pushrod is “close in” on the servo arm and “far out” on the control horn.
❏ 3. Measure and set the low rate elevator throws and the be added to the nose to balance. If the nose drops, the model is “nose heavy” and the battery pack and/or receiver must be shifted aft or weight must be added to the tail to balance. If possible, relocate the battery pack and receiver to minimize or eliminate any additional ballast required. If additional weight is required, nose weight may be easily added by using a “spinner weight” (GPMQ4645 for the 1 oz. [28g] weight, or GPMQ4646 for the 2 oz.
model, using hand signals to show you what is happening. If the control surfaces do not respond correctly, do not fly! Find and correct the problem first. Look for loose servo connections or broken wires, corroded wires on old servo connectors, poor solder joints in your battery pack or a defective cell, or a damaged receiver crystal from a previous crash.
❏ 3. Extend your receiver antenna (if applicable). ❏ 4. Balance your model laterally as explained 2) I will not fly my model aircraft higher than approximately 400 feet within 3 miles of an airport without notifying the airport operator. I will give right-of-way and avoid flying in the proximity of full-scale aircraft. Where necessary, an observer shall be utilized to supervise flying to avoid having models fly in the proximity of full-scale aircraft. in the instructions. ❏ 5.
various maneuvers and making mental notes (or having your assistant write them down) of what trim or C.G. changes may be required to fine tune the model so it flies the way you like. Mind your fuel level, but use this first flight to become familiar with your model before landing. CAUTION (THIS APPLIES TO ALL R/C AIRPLANES): If, while flying, you notice an alarming or unusual sound such as a low-pitched “buzz,” this may indicate control surface flutter.
Higher RPM engines such as a .46 two-stoke require a low pitch propeller and lower RPM motors such as a 1.60 will require a higher pitch propeller. If you feel that the effectiveness of the tail surfaces is not enough, try a smaller propeller with a higher pitch. Inverted Flat Spins This is the same as the up-right flat spin except most planes like to spin in the opposite direction, for example: right rudder and down elevator.
rudder and elevator to keep the nose pointing straight up. Be patient as this maneuver will take a while to learn. Pinwheel Torque Roll This is the same as the vertical hover but without the use of right aileron to keep the model from rolling. If needed, you can use a little left aileron to speed the roll up. As the model rotates around, the controls will appear to be reversed to you but only the orientation of the model has changed.
