RC-38 PHASOAR 035 INSTRUCTION MANUALI. INTRODUCTION

The PHASOAR 035 from Top Flite Models,Inc., utilizes its unique looks and designto deliver electric-powered performance atthe flying field! A l l of the latesttechnology has been employed in designingthis model, starting with the silent, butpowerful, ASTRO FLIGHT Cobalt 035 ElectricMotor. This motor, with a GRAUPNER 7 x 3folding propeller unit and a SR 1000 or"Magnum" 1250 mAh battery pack (6-cell),has rocketed our prototype PHASOARS to 700feet in 55 seconds! This was done up tofive times on a single charge!

Aerodynamically, your PHASOAR has a light,straight-forward and strong airframe.There's no need to disassemble the model toget at the batteries because its single-screw release allows quick access to thebattery pack. This allows you to chargebatteries while still in the pod or removethem for charging while a second pack isbeing used. The full-flying stabilatorallows the model to be quickly anddynamically trimmed for power-on/power-offflight. The PHASOAR"s airfoil allowsflying in wind conditions that would groundmost of the flat-bottom types and, yet,provides a great thermal-hunting glide.The generous rudder area and theappropriate polyhedral of the wing panelsallow quick detection of the core of thesmallest thermals for long unpoweredflights.

Finally, the PHASOAR is perfectly sized to let youtake it most anywhere and enjoy true, high-performance electric flight.IMPORTANT NOTE:

If you are a beginner to the sport of R/C flying,we would urge you to seek and use experiencedassistance in constructing and- flying thisairplane. All model airplane hobbyists shouldremember that:

Flying this or an other radio-controlled modelaircraft is a PRIVILEGE and not a RIGHT and thisprivilege begins with the utmost safetyconsiderations to others and yourself as well. An

R/C model airplane in inexperienced hands has thepotential of doing serious personal or propertydamage. These safety considerations start at thebuilding board by following instructions, seekingcompetent help when you are confused and avoidingshort-cuts. These considerations have to becarried over to the flying field where safety mustcome first. We urge you, if you have not alreadydone so, to:

1. Send for and obtain your Academy of ModelAeronautics (AMA) membership which providesinsurance for your R/C activities'-DO NOTRELY ON HOMEOUNERS INSURANCE.

TOP FLITE MODELS INC.2635 S. WABASH AVENUE • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60616

2. Join an AMA-sanctioned R/C flying club inyour area where you can obtain experiencedguidance and instruction in trimming andlearning how to fly this model.

Many local hobby shops have the required AMA formsor can advise how/where they can be obtained.

WARNING!!!

* Straight-edge, preferably metal, at least 36"long

* 90" triangle* Soldering iron, flux (such as HARRIS' Stay-

Clean) and solder (silver)* Carbide cut-off wheel for wire cutting* Small power jig-saw, such as a Moto-Saw* Razor plane* Tapes, such as masking and cellophane

A radio controlled model is NOT a "toy." Care andcaution must be taken in properly building themodel, as well as in the installation and use ofthe radio control device. It is important tofollow all directions as to the construction ofthis kit as well as installation and use of theengine and radio gear. The advice and assistanceof a well-experienced builder and pilot is highlyrecommended. Don't take chances! Improperbuilding, operation, or flying of this model couldresult in serious property damage and/or in seriousbodily injury to yourself or others.

II. PRE-CONSTRUCTION NOTESThe PHASOAR, like other Top Flite kits, employs theuse of die-cut wood to ease the task ofconstruction, part fit and identification. Die-cutparts may be removed from their sheets by firstlightly sanding the back of each sheet beforecarefully removing each part. Use a light garnetpaper for the sanding and keep a sharp hobby knifewith a #11 blade handy for assistance in removingany parts that might not have been completely cut-through by the dies. Parts which oppose oneanother must be precisely uniform (such a ribs,etc.) and should be carefully "matched" after theirremoval from the part sheets. Matching is theprocess of holding the pieces together with eitherpins or tape, or by spot gluing and lightly sandingthe edges of the parts until they are identical. Asanding block with light garnet paper is mostuseful for this.

Your flat building surface should be at least largeenough to accommodate the wing, yet be able toaccept pins easily. A product such as Celotexfiber board works well. Another good surface is a2' x 4' fiber board ceiling tile.

As with most R/C kits that are constructed fromwood, a selection of tools and accessories greatlyhelp do the job correctly:

Hobby knife with sharp #11 bladesSingle-edge razor bladesT-pinsSanding blocks in assorted sizesSandpaper in various gritsHand-held hobby saw, such as an X-Acto

* Dremel tool or power drill and assorted drillbits

Our PHASOARS were constructed using a variety ofcommon hobby adhesives including 5-minute epoxy andcyanoacrylate (CA). Type of glue used may varyaccording to individual preference. However,during the construction there w i l l be call outs forcertain types of adhesives, and we urge you not tosubstitute since doing so could possibly causestructural problems.

Left to right:

*Good quality 2-part 5-minute epoxy*Good quality, sandable filler*CA accelerator for CA glue*Good quality, slow-set CA glue

Lastly, the sequence in which the PHASOAR isassembled has proven to be the most straight-forward and provides finished components in theorder in which you will need them to progress to

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the next assembly phase. Maintain the buildingorder presented here to avoid mistakes.

Spread the plans out on your work surface, coverthem with a clear plastic material, such as thebacking from a roll of MonoKote or plastic wrap,and commence construction.

III. RADIO SYSTEMSOur prototype PHASOARS have been tested and flownusing two radio types from different manufacturers.

The first of these radio systems is the onedepicted on the plans. The system consists of astandard-sized 6-channel receiver (AIRTRONICS#92262), three micro-servos (AIRTRONICS #94501) anda standard-sized, internally-mounted switch harness(AIRTRONICS #97001). Power is supplied to thissystem by a 4-cell SR 300 mAh battery pack, fittedwith an AIRTRONICS connector. The servos have beenfitted with the 4-arm servo output arms, with threeof these arms cut-off and the remaining arm trimmedas shown on the plans.These three servos drive the rudder, stabilator andthe ON/OFF micro motor switch.

The radio system just described is very acceptablein terms of weight and reliability!

The transmitters we've used in conjunction with theabove system were the AIRTRONICS ChampionshipSeries 6-channel and the AIRTRONICS SR Series 4-channel. Both of these worked well. whateversystem you choose, we suggest that the minimumrequirement is servo-reversing ability.

The second radio system that we've used is made byFUTABA. This radio system has sophisticatedfeatures that work well in the PHASOAR. First,when using this system, your servo count goes fromthree to two. because the receiver also houses a

fully-proportional, motor controller. Secondly,the receiver and servos are powered by the motorbattery pack, thus, eliminating the need for aseparate, on-board battery supply for thesecomponents! This means that there is no need fora micro-switch, the wood mounts, the hardware tomount these parts and no need for the arming switchbecause the FUTABA system has all of thesecomponents built-in. This system is available withFUTABA's #S-133 servo included. The S-133 servohas almost the same dimensions as the AIRTRONICS#501 servo, thus no adjustment to the plans in theservo area is required. Lastly, this systemincludes FUTABA's Attack-4 transmitter which isequipped with servo-reversing.

FUTABA's System #4NBL 133MN 72 designates the radiowhich w i l l provide all of the components justmentioned.For comparison, the airborne weight of the FUTABAsystem is 3.25 ounces. The AIRTRONICS systemdescribed earlier, with the micro-switch, mounts,hardware and arming switch weighs or 5.93 ounces.The difference amounts to 2.68 ounces, or nearly a10% loss of weight for the model which uses theFUTABA system!

There are other systems that would also work in thePHASOAR.Have whichever radio system selected available forsizing and fitting purposes during construction.

IV. MOTOR AND PROPELLER CHOICESThe PHASOAR has been designed and engineered to bepowered by the ASTRO FLIGHT 035 Cobalt motor, usingdirect drive. This motor is relatively small,light-weight (about 130 grams), very powerful for

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its size and quite easy to mount/install. Itswings a 7-3 or 7-4 propeller and accepts a widevariety of battery packs.

There are other motors that will fit into thePHASOAR's nose, e.g.. the KYOSHO LEMANS 360, theMABUCHI RS-380SH, and the ASTRO FLIGHT 020 Cobalt,etc. We must, however, forewarn that these motorsare not going to yield the kind of high-performanceclimb-to-altitude that the PHASOAR has beendesigned for. Decide now which motor you want touse because you w i l l be fitting it to the fuselageduring construction.

The propeller choice always tends to be a functionof experience in flying the model. Therefore,propeller sizes and diameters can and should be"played with" to determine which one works best.Our first recommendation is to seriously considera folding propeller. Since the PHASOAR is. in non-powered flight, a sailplane, it derives a certainamount of efficiency by being quite aerodynamically"clean." while fixed-blade propellers work well,the folding units tested performed better aftercutting power.

V. BATTERIESYour PHASOAR's battery pod has been designed tocarry six (6) AA-sized batteries, or four, possiblyfive (if configured appropriately), "Sub C" typebatteries. The capacities of these two batterytypes can and do vary and it is important for youto know at least some of the differences. It isalso important to know that the current drain, whenusing the ASTRO FLIGHT 035 Cobalt motor. Is higherthan that of a ferrite-type "can motor." Becauseof this, it is appropriate to provide your modelwith the best possible set of batteries, both interms of capacity and certainly in terms of weight.

Why worry about weight? The single heaviest, FIXEDWEIGHT item that your PHASOAR must carry aloft isthe battery pack. This weight directly influencesthe wing loading of the model which dictates howthe model behaves when the power is OFF.

The photograph shows the five (5) battery-packtypes and capacities that we've used to power thePHASOAR.First, on the left in the pod, is the SR 1250 mAh"Magnum" 6-cell pack. Moving from left to right inthe row of five packs, is another SR 1250 "Magnum"pack. The next pack shown is the SR 1000 pack,then the SR 1000 pack in a 5-cell format. Next isthe 4-cell, Sub-C SR 1000 pack, and at the farright is a 5-cell pack made-up from Sanyo 800cells. The weights for these units (all withconnectors) are as follows:

SR 1250 6-cell "Magnum" pack. . 7.43 oz.SR 1000 6-cell pack ...... 7.60 oz.SR 1000 5-cell pack ...... 6.43 oz.SR 1000 4-cell Sub-C pack . . . 6.09 oz.Sanyo 800 (mAh) 5-cell pack . . 6.52.oz.

These numbers are revealing, especially when tiedinto the capacities (potential amount of power) ofeach of the packs and their effects on the model'swing loading. All five of these packs have beenused in testing the PHASOAR and all five haveworked well. The best all-around battery pack hasbeen the SR 1250 (mAh) 6-cell pack, since itprovides the amount of power that the 035 Cobaltthrives on. At the same time, it has an acceptableweight for thermal hunting with the PHASOAR's wingarea (335 sq. inches) and resultant wing loading(with this pack in place) of 11 ounces/sq. ft.using the AIRTRONICS equipment or 10 ounces/sq. ft.when using the FUTABA system.

To get the most out of your PHASOAR, in terms offlying time, consider obtaining three (3) batterypacks. In this way you can be flying almostconstantly because one pack w i l l be in the model,one pack w i l l be cooling and the third w i l l be oncharge. With only a single flight pack you couldconceivably have to wait 35 to 40 minutes betweenflights.. Be sure to follow manufacturer'srecommendations for recharging the batteries.

VI. BATTERY CHARGERSThere are a great many chargers available for re-charging Nickel-Cadmium batteries (Ni-Cads); toomany to test them all. We have had success withthe two we use and, therefore, recommend these toyou knowing that many others may work out just aswell.For fast charging (15 to 20 minutes) the LEISURE#107 AC/DC model works well and can be either usedon your auto's 12-volt battery or plugged into a110 volt wall socket. Great for quick charges atthe flying field.

For slow charging ACE R/C's DUAL-METERED VARI-CHARGER (#34K32) is available in both kit form andpre-assembled. It allows two battery packs to becharged simultaneously. Super when you have thetime at home to top-off the charge in each pack.

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VII. WING CONSTRUCTIONBe sure and protect your plans by covering themwith backing from a roll of MonoKote or a materialsuch as clear food wrapping. Take a minute tostudy the plans and understand them. We suggestbuilding a right and left wing panel, starting withthe inboard sections, we'll start with the leftwing first.1. From the 1/16" x 3" x 30" sheeting

provided, cut, fit and locate over theplans, the bottom leading edge sheet (usea long straight edge to develop the correctwidth and to true-up the edges). From the1/8" x 3/16" spruce spar stock provided,measure and cut the required 15" length forthe bottom spar, set this aside . Now cutand locate over the plans, the 1/4" x 1"length of shaped trailing edge stock. Nextcut and glue the bottom center sectionsheeting in place to the trailing edgestock and the forward bottom wing sheet.Cut, fit and glue in place the six bottom1/16" x 3/16" cap strips from the stockprovided. Using one of the die-cut W-2wing ribs as a location guide, the bottomspruce spar (cut earlier) can now be gluedin place. Lastly, note in the crosssections that the leading edge of thebottom wing sheeting needs to be lifted upand supported in order to match the bottomcontours of the wing ribs, forward of thespar. This is best done with a length oftrailing edge stock.

2. Note the "tick" marks just in front of andjust behind the wing panel drawings. Thesecorrespond to the rib locations. Use astraight edge and a soft lead pencil tomark the rib locations directly on theleading edge and center section sheeting.The first wing rib to be installed is thefirst W-2 rib, inboard from the polyhedralbreak (the inboard end of polyhedral braceW-10 w i l l butt against this rib when it isinstalled). Continuing to work inboard,toward the center, install the next threeU-2 ribs. From their die-cut sheets,remove ply dihedral braces W-8 and W-9 andpolyhedral braces w-10 (balsa). The tworemaining inboard w-2 ribs must now be cutto compensate for the installation of theW-8 and W-9 dihedral braces; use thesebraces as a thickness guide and trim theribs as shown on the plans. Finally, rootrib W-1 must also be trimmed into twopieces to fit in front of and behind thedihedral braces. Once this is done,holding W-8 in place again as a guide, gluea l l of the remaining forward rib ends inplace to the bottom leading edge sheeting;remove W-8 from the structure. Using W-9as a guide, glue all remaining rear ribends in place and remove W-9 from the

structure. The remaining outboard W-2 ribmust be trimmed in a similar manner. Usingthe same procedure as described, trim thisrib into a front and rear piece and glue inplace using W-10 as a spacer; remove W-10from the structure.

3. Cut. fit and glue the 1/4" sq. leading edgein place.

4. Carefully remove this structure from yourwork surface. Use a sanding block tolightly sand the outboard edges (thepolyhedral break) smooth. Place thestructure back on the plans and block upthe center 2-1/2." Using the sameconstruction as described earlier, theouter wing panel is now built directly overthe plans and directly to the inner panel.Take pains to bevel the trailing edge buttjoint for a good fit. Be sure to installw-10 first before the front and rearsegments of U-2, followed by W-3, W-4, etc.

5. With all of the ribs in place, cut, fit andglue the top spruce spar in place from W-7to the W-2 at the polyhedral break. Fromyour parts bag, locate the bundle of tenvertical grain shear webs. Carefully trimone of these to fit between W-3 and W-2 andagainst the spars and W-10 with the topflush with the top of the spar. Oncesatisfied, glue this web in place.

6. As shown on the plans, the 1/4" sq. leadingedge must now be sanded down to match thetop contours of the ribs. The razor planethen sanding block work great here. Oncesatisfied, cut, fit and glue in place thetop 1/16" leading edge sheeting (note thatthis top sheeting is placed slightlyforward on the top spar thus creating a bitof a "shelf"). Lastly, cut, fit and gluein place all of the top 1/16" x 3/16" capstrips with the exception of the one whichw i l l cover the W-2 ribs at the polyhedralbreak. Remove the left wing panel fromyour work surface. Use your sanding blockto smooth the outboard face of W-7 inpreparation for the wing tip. Inspect thebottom polyhedral joint and lightly sand asneeded.

7. The right wing structure is now built usingthe same procedures just described.

8. Next, the right and left wing halves w i l lbe joined together. Preparation for thisrequires that the two inboard ends of thewing halves be sanded smooth and beveledto create a good, straight fit. Do thisnow. Pin or weight one of the wing halves(let's use the left) flat to your worksurface. Next, make sure the rib curve inthe bottom leading edge sheeting is

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supported with a length of trailing edgeStock. With everything secure, trial-fitthe right wing half in place with itspolyhedral break supported 2-5/8" off ofthe work surface. The resulting butt jointshould be as flush fitting as possible andthe leading and trailing edges of bothinner panels should be straight; take yourtime here and ensure that the fit is thebest you can produce, with all partslining-up correctly. Once satisfied, applya thin, even coat of glue (5-minute epoxy)to the inboard end of the right wing paneland carefully fit it to the pinned downleft panel, again making sure the rightpanel is raised 2-5/8" at the polyhedralbreak. Carefully wipe off any oozingadhesive. Now, fit W-8 dihedral brace inplace, trimming if needed for a good fit.Glue w-8 in place. Cut, fit and glue theleft panel's spruce spar in place. Reardihedral brace w-9 can now be glued inplace.

9. With the left wing still down flat to yourwork surface, locate the vertical grainshear webs (1/16" balsa). Cut, fit andglue these in place between the remainingw-2 ribs. out to the polyhedral break.

10. Remove the joined wing structure from thebench. Pin or weight the right panel inplace to the bench and glue the remainingtop spruce spar in place followed by theremaining vertical grain shear webs.

11. As you did with the wingtip panels,carefully shave and sand the inner panel'sleading edges to conform with the topcontours of the wing ribs. Use yoursanding block to lightly sand any highpoints on the panel's top surfaces. Whendone. the inner panels are ready to sheet.Pin or weight one side or the other inplace on your work surface. Cut, fit andglue the leading edge sheeting in place(again leaving a bit of a "shelf" at therear edge of the top spar). Cut, fit andglue the center section sheeting in placeusing the patterns shown on the plans.Finally, install a l l of the remaining 1/16"x 3/16" cap strips out to and including thepolyhedral break. Repeat this procedureon the opposite wing panel.

12. Locate and remove wing tip parts W-11 fromtheir die-cut sheets. Sand their inneredges lightly to render them flat andstraight. Note the tip reinforcementoption shown on the plans. This additionof a length of 1/8" x 3/16" spar stockreally "beefs-up" an area prone to stressin an accident. Glue the W-11 wing tips inplace as shown on the plans ("End View ofWing tip" left panel). Also as shown

below, cut a few scraps of 1/8" balsa tofill in the leading edge of the wing tipand glue these in place. From theremaining 1/16" balsa sheet provided inyour kit, cut. fit and glue in place thewing tip braces as shown on the plans. Onour prototypes we added these braces topand bottom.

The completed wing structure should be carefullysanded to final shape including the leading edges.

At this point your PHASOAR's wing structure isnearly complete. Later, after the FUSELAGEASSEMBLY, we w i l l insert the forward 3/16" dia. x1-1/2" hold-down dowel, d r i l l the center sectiontrailing edge for the hold-down screw and add thefront and rear balsa wing/fuselage fairings.

VIII. STABILATOR CONSTRUCTIONStudying the plans you'll note that the entire tailgroup (stabilator, fin and rudder) for your PHASOARconsists of flat "plate" structures, which havedie-cut "core" parts and die-cut "cap" parts.These structures are sanded to airfoil shape (shownon plans) after assembly. Although thesestructures are quite straight-forward in design, itremains important that care be taken in cutting andgluing the required parts together.

1. From the small parts bag, locate and removethe single 3" length of 1/16" I.D. aluminumtubing and two of the four 1/16" dia. x 1-1/2" lengths of music wire (M.W.).Carefully measure and cut-off four(4) 5/8"lengths of the aluminum tubing, using asingle-edge razor blade with a rollingmotion on a hard surface. Be sure to savethe remaining 1/2" length of this tubingfor later use.

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2. Locate and carefully remove the 3/32" die-cut core parts S-1 (2 each) and S-2 (2each), and the 1/16" cap parts S-3 (4each). Make sure your stabilator plan iscovered with clear protective material andposition each of the S-1 parts in place -weight or pin. Glue the S-2 parts in placeto each S-1, directly over the plans.Remove the two resultant structures fromthe plan and, holding them together,lightly sand their outer edges to matchexactly.

3. In this step you are going to glue each ofthe S-1/S-2 structures to a S-3 cap part,a bottom left and right. Apply a thincoating of glue to the bottom of each S-1/S-2 structure, keeping it out of theslots, and pin or weight in place over thebottom S-3 cap. Once again, remove the tworesultant structures from your buildingboard, hold them together and light-sandtheir outer edges flush with each other.Re-position these parts back over the plansand securely pin or weight in place.

4. Now test-fit each of the four (4) 5/8"lengths of aluminum tubing in place intothe slots provided in the S-1/S-2 partswith both of the 1/16" x 1-1/2" M.W. rodsin place. This is a good time to trimanything that does not fit well. Refer todrawing. Note that the two M.W. rods aremeant to be parallel with each other whenin place. Using 5-minute epoxy, glue eachtube in place into each slot in each S-1/S-2/S-3 structure, being careful to keep glueout of the tubes - allow to cure.

5. Apply a thin coat of glue to the bottomsof the two remaining S-3 top caps and pinor weight these in place directly over thetops of the S-1/S-2 structures, carefullylining-up the inboard edges. Remove thetwo structures from your building board andremove the two 1/16" dia. x 1-1/2" M.W.rods and pin or weight directly over theplans.

6. Cut, fit and glue the 1/4" x 3/8" balsatrailing edges and tips in place - pin orweight securely. From the 1/4" balsa stockprovided in your kit, cut, fit and glue thetwo required tip corner gussets in place.Again using the 1/4" balsa stock, cut, fitand glue the leading edges in place.

7. Using the 3/32" x 1/4" balsa stock providedin your kit, cut, fit and glue the diagonalgeodetic "ribs" in place, using the plansas a guide. Take care here to create thebest joints that you can. Using the trimlines shown on the right stab side, trimthe right stab tip as shown. Remove thestabilator structures from your buildingboard. Holding the right stab half overthe left. trim the left stab half tip tomatch the right, while s t i l l holding thestructures together, sand the rear, inboardtrailing edge "notches" per plan.

8. The stabilator halves should now becomplete and matched. Further, when joinedtogether with the 1/16" M.W. rods, theyshould be flat in relationship with oneanother. The last step is to sand thesehalves to airfoil shape as shown on theplan.

Note holes through geodetic ribs and root sectionof stabs and a similar hole through bottom ofrudder and through top of TC-1's on fin. These are"breather" holes for covering purposes. They allowhot air to escape the structure, allowing MonoKoteto fully shrink.

IX. RUDDER CONSTRUCTION

1. Locate and carefully remove the tworequired R-1 die-cut rudder cores fromtheir sheets. Do the same for the tworequired 1/32" RC-1 rudder cap parts.Start construction by gluing the two R-1parts together, taking care to match theirouter edges w i th each other. Pin or weightthe R-1/R-1 structure in place over theplans.

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2. Cut, fit and glue the rudder's 3/16" sq.balsa leading, top and trailing edge inplace. Glue one of the RC-1's in placedirectly over the R-1/R-1 structure,matching each edge. Locate and remove twoof the die-cut 1/32" x 3/16" x 8-1/2" finand rudder cap strips from their sheet. Asshown on the plans, the cross-hatched areasat the leading edge and top of the rudderare "capped" with this capstrip stock - dothis now. Remove the structure from theplans and lightly sand the "capped" sidesmooth. Place the structure back on yourwork surface, opposite side up, and gluethe remaining RC-1 and capstrip stock inplace. Again, lightly sand this side ofthe rudder smooth. Re-position the rudderassembly in place over the plans - pin orweight.

3. Using the 1/4" sq. balsa stock provided,cut, fit and glue the two bottom, leadingand trailing edge corner gussets in place.Using the 3/32" x 1/4" balsa provided, cut,fit and glue the diagonal geodetic "ribs"in place, using the plans as a guide.

Again take care to create the best jointsthat you can.

4. Remove the rudder structure from your worksurface and use a sanding block to smootheach of the four outer edges and the leftand right surface of each side. with theexception of the addition of the 1/32" plyrudder control horn and the 45-degree bevelfor hinging, the rudder is now complete andcan be sanded to the shape shown on theplans. Set the structure aside for laterfitting to the fin.

X. FUSELAGE/FIN CONSTRUCTIONNote that the fuselage and fin, with the stabilatordrive, are constructed as a single unit.

1. Remove the two fuselage sides from theirdie-cut sheet. Tape, pin or clamp themtogether and use a sanding block to lightlysand their edges, thus matching themexactly. Remembering that a left and rightside is required, glue F-2 on the fuselagesides as shown below on the assembly ofnose and forward fuselage drawing.

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2. Glue 1/4" triangular corner blocks, leavingspace for F-3 at forward edge of fuselage.Using F-3 and F-4 for spacing, cut and glue1/32" vertical-grain nose doublers.

3. Add 1/8" longerons and uprights persections E-E, F-F, and G-G.

4. D r i l l LEFT fuse side for rudder controltube exit as shown, glue tube in place toinside of left side all the way to F-5(about every 1") - set aside.

5. Build basic fin frame directly over plansusing 3/16" x 3/16" outside frame stock.Remove from plans; lightly sand flat.

Glue block in place to RIGHT T-1, justbelow cutout. Insert cable into tube anduse a heat gun to bend tubing and cable tofit within right fuse side. Once bend hasbeen made, glue tube to right fuse side upto F-5 location about every inch.

Install antenna tube(sections E-E and F-F).

to right side

6. Glue RIGHT fin sheet part T-1 accuratelyin place, as shown on fin drawing. Gluerear 3/16" Sq. pivot block in place. GlueRIGHT side 1/32" x 3/16" fin frame capstock in place; lightly sand flat. Gluefin in place to RIGHT fuselage side, overplans.

7. Solder drive fitting to cable end. Use3/16" x 3/16" block to hold cable tube.

8. Notch F-5 to accept rudder, elevator, andantenna tubes. Notch F-4 to accept rudderand elevator tubes.

9. Mark rear pivot hole location onto LEFT T-1 side. Use a punch (nail, etc.) to openthis hole enough so that later sandingwon't remove it. Glue LEFT T-1 sheet inplace. Use the 1/32" x 3/16" stock to capthe left side of the fin. Lightly sandflat.

10. Lay the LEFT fuselage side over the RIGHTfuselage side/fin assembly. Check fit.Sides should match. Glue LEFT fuse sideto RIGHT fuse side from 1" forward of thefin, back to the end of the fuselage -weight or pin and allow to dry.

11. Spread fuse sides and glue F-5 in place -keep square (5-minute epoxy allows a bitmore positioning time. Glue F-4 in place;keep square.

12. Glue rear 1/8" ply screw plate in placeagainst F-5 fuse sides and against bottomsof F-2.

13. Epoxy F-3 in place.14. Trial-fit motor, with the ASTRO FLIGHT

Cobalt 035, rotate motor as far as it w i l lgo to the right (this minimizes the heightof the brush housings). Note that thebottom brush housing w i l l contact the

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bottom left triangular stock. Mark with apencil where this occurs and use a DREMELto relieve this area. Once the motor is inplace, d r i l l two 1/8" diameter holes in F-3 for mounting with two 4-40 x 1/2" screws.Remove motor and screws - set aside.

Note: For a MABUCHI 380 motor, nospecial rotating is required, but metricmounting screws are needed (not supplied).

15. Using 1/16" balsa sheet stock, glue bottomsheeting in place (cross-grain) from rearof F-4 back to end of fuse sides.

16. Glue 1/8" pod screw plate in place between1/8" fuse longerons and against rear of F-5.

17. Tack glue die-cut P-4 ply pod base tobottom of fuse sheeting with front edgesecurely against F-4. Glue forward podformer P-2 carefully to P-4 (Keep glue offof F-4 and be sure to center P-2). Gluetriangular 1/4" stock to bottoms of P-1 podsides - be sure you make a LEFT and RIGHTpod side!

18. As shown on the plans the pod is held inplace at the front with two 5/8" lengthsof 1/16" music wire. The two requiredholes for their locating/mounting pins mustnow be drilled through P-2 and F-4. Drill1/16" holes. Insert the two 1/16" x 1-1/2"music wire pins in place and glue securelyto the P-4 pod base and P-2 former.

19. Now glue the P-1 pod sides in place to P-2/P-4 making sure the P-1's match thefuselage sides. Make certain to keep glueoff of fuse sides. See drawing below.

20. Glue 1/8" x 3/8" spruce/ply to bottom ofP-4 and butt up to P-3.

21. Fit and glue P-6 and pod tail blocks inplace. Drill cooling air outlet holes andsand bottom of pod to accept P-5.

22. Now drill and tap pod screw plate with an8-32 tap. Glue P-5 in place. Locate the

1/2"x 2" x 12" length of balsa. Using asanding block, bevel-sand one end of theblock to fit against the forward face ofF-4, holding it in place at the top of thefuselage.

23. The forward end of the radio hatch is nowcut at the angle shown on the plans. Oncethe bevel cut has been made, use thesanding block to lightly clean up each endof the cut. Set aside the hatch part fora moment. On the remaining length of blockmeasure forward from the bevel cut and cutthis piece off. This then becomes theforward "lip" for the radio hatch. Usetape to hold the radio hatch in place tothe top of the fuselage, against F-4.Apply a small amount of glue to the bottomof the forward block and glue it in placeto the top of the fuselage and nose block,matching the bevel on the front of theradio hatch block, thus insuring a nice fitbetween these two blocks. Untape andremove the radio hatch block. Locate andremove the ply hatch "lip" from its die-cutsheet. F-4 can now be glued to theforward, bottom surface of the hatch blockwith 3/16" of its forward end protruding,thus providing a fit beneath the forwardblock just installed and preventingshifting from side-to-side. Install thetwo 1/8" square hatch locators. Repeatprocedure for the bottom nose block. Thebottom block, not being removable, can nowbe glued in place.

24. The next step is to assemble the noseblock. Glue the plywood spinner ring tothe 1/4"x 1-3/4" x 2" balsa nose block,carefully centering it. After the blockhas dried, remove center section by cuttingalong center of spinner ring with a #11blade. Sand the front of the fuselage persection B-B to accept the nose blockassembly. Align the nose block with themotor shaft and cement to F-3. The cool-air intake hole can be drilled at this time(see photo below).

10

25. Now trial-fit your wing to the fuselage.Make sure the wing is centered and that theleading edge is up against F-4. Holdingthese two structures together, observe thefit between the bottom of the wing and thewing saddle area. It may be necessary toslightly bevel the tops of the fuselagesides and F-1 doublers to get a snug fit;do this now. Once satisfied with thewing/fuselage fit, you're ready to make thehold-down system. Again place the wing onthe fuselage and use weights to hold itfirmly in position. Make sure that thewing is squarely in position on thefuselage by taking wingtip-to-tailpostmeasurements as shown in the figure below("X" should equal "X").

Locate the 3/16" dia. dowel from the partsbag. A 3/16" dia. hole must now be drilledthrough F-4 (see mark) and into the wing'scenter w-1 ribs, to a depth of 1-7/8,"measured from the front face of F-4. Markthis depth on your d r i l l bit with a stripof tape. Once the hole is drilled, removethe wing from the fuselage and t r i a l - f i tthe 3/16" dia. dowel in place. Usesandpaper to slightly round the front edgeof the dowel. Now glue the dowel in placein the wing (clean off any oozing glue).Once dry, again fit the wing to thefuselage and use weights to hold it inplace. The rear nylon screw hold-downsystem is now made. Start by drilling ahole, with a #29 d r i l l bit, through thewing's trailing edge and through the 1/8"ply wing screw plate at a slightly forwardangle (see plans). Remove the wing fromthe fuselage. Enlarge the hole in thewing's trailing edge to allow the 8-32nylon screw to slip through to the head.Now using either an 8-32 tap or an 8-32screw (metal), tap the threads into thehole made in the ply wingscrew plate. Once

the threads have been cut, give them a verythin coat of instant CA glue and again runthe tap through them. This toughens thethreads in the plywood. Re-fit the wing tothe fuselage and screw it in place to againcheck the fit. Note that about 7/8" of thelength of the nylon screw (1-1/2" supplied)can be trimmed off.

26. Remember that 1/2" length of 1/16" I.D.aluminum tubing that you saved back whenbuilding the stabilator? Locate it now.with a 3/32" d r i l l bit, finish the holethrough the fin (the stab pivot hole). Cuta 1/4" length of aluminum tubing, cleaneach end with a #11 blade and carefullyinsert it into the stab pivot hole justcleared out; do not glue. Attach thestabilator halves to the fin; just press inplace for now. what we're going to checkfor now is alignment, we want to view theairplane head-on at a bit of a distance.Place it on a table, facing you, and back-off a few paces, sighting directly at thefront. Is the wing sitting properly on thefuselage? Is the stabilator tilted inrelationship to the wing/fuselage or doesit line-up right? If everything else seemsto line-up, we can proceed to finishsheeting the top, rear of the fuselage. Ifit doesn't, we need to know which way totwist the fin to make everything line-upproperly because once the top, rearsheeting is installed, it "locks" thefuselage firmly in place thus making anysuch corrections extremely difficult, ifnot impossible.

27. If the alignment appears to be OK, removethe stabilator halves, leave the wing inplace, and carefully cut and glue the 1/16"balsa sheet (applied cross-grain, as shown)top, rear decking in place back to theleading edge of the fin. However, if somealignment is needed by having to pull thetop of the fin left or right, now is thetime to do it, before applying the top,rear sheeting. This is how it's done. Setthe assembled airplane on a large, flattable. Height the top of the wing centersection to hold it firmly in place. Again,sighting directly at the front of themodel, determine which way the fin has tobe tilted. Pull off a long length ofmasking tape and stick it to the top of thefin. Pull against the tape until the finis in the right position and stick theother end to the table, thus preventing thefin from shifting. With it now properlyaligned, cut, fit and glue the top, rearsheeting in place as earlier described.Let the sheeting dry before removing themasking tape from the fin and you'll findthat the fin is now properly aligned.Remove the wing and stabilator halves from

11

the fuselage. Use your sanding block tonow sand the top, rear sheeting and theforward radio hatch and nose block pieceflush with the fuselage sides. You canalso now sand the top forward hatch andnose-block contours to shape as shown inthe plans, no need to round corners yet.

28. From your parts bag, locate the 1/4" shapedfin/fuselage fairing. Use your sandingblock to adjust the angles if needed andglue in place. As shown, this is nowtrimmed to fair the fin leading edge intothe top, rear of the fuselage.

29. Finally, push the 1/4" length of aluminumtubing that's in the rear pivot hole abouthalfway out, apply just a bit of adhesiveto its outer surface (5-minute epoxy orslow-cure CA) and push it back in place inthe fin.

30. with the exception of contouring and finalsanding, your fuselage should be complete.

XI. FINAL ASSEMBLYIt's often been said that the difference between agood model and a great one is sandpaper and thewillingness and ability to use it. This point inconstruction can literally make or break theperformance and the look of your model. Since thePHASOAR is an obvious candidate for use ofMonoKote, keep in mind that the surface preparationof the wood w i l l dictate the finished, covered lookof your model. Referenced use of "filler" in thefollowing text. refers to products such asMicroFill, Model Magic Filler, or somethingsimilar. These products dry quickly, are verylight, and MonoKote goes over them nicely.

Let's start with the fuselage, since the othercomponents should, by now, be sanded and aboutready to use.

1. Note the lower left corner of Cross SectionF-F on the plans. This demonstrates aboutthe correct amount of radius that can andshould be sanded into the fuselage bottom.As this sanding radius moves aft, towardthe fin post, and the fuselage diminishesin width, the result w i l l be a pleasantlooking oval shape. Next, sand the radiohatch and nose sections. Use a roughergrit of paper at first, followed by thefiner #220 to do the job nicely. The lastsection to tackle is the top, rear of thefuselage - back and including the finfairing and fin leading edge. Take everyeffort needed to sand this structure to thepoint that it looks and feels like onepiece. You w i l l note that where the T-1fin sides meet the fuselage sides, there isa disparity in wood thickness resulting ina kind of "tip." On our prototypes we

handled this by sticking a length ofmasking tape lengthwise about 3/16" abovethis joint, on T-1. Then we carefullysanded down the fuselage side(s) to asclose to T-1 as possible (the masking tapewas there to protect T-1 in case we got tooclose). Then with the tape s t i l l in place.we used filler to "fair-in" this joint,feathering the material carefully. Whenthe filler was dry, the tape was removedand we used very light sandpaper to finishfeathering the joint.

2. Use your sanding block to sand the trailingedge of the fin flat and straight.

3. The last step in preparing the fuselage forcovering is to sand the fin/ruddercombination together, as a single unit.Start by using masking tape to accuratelyposition the rudder to the fin. Now useyour sanding block to accurately match theside view shape of the rudder to thefin/fuselage. Once that's done, remove oneof the pieces of tape from one side onlyand lay the structure down on a flatsurface - taped side down. Use yoursanding block to now sand the rudder'scross-section shape into the fin/fuselage,but only about halfway. Add another pieceof tape to the now sanded side, flip thestructure over, remove the tape and repeatthe sanding operation. After a couple ofpasses on each side, you should be aboutwhere you want to be; a fin with a trueleading edge and a rudder with a truetrailing edge and everything in betweenaccurately matched. The leading edge ofthe rudder can now be beveled as shown onthe plans, thus facilitating left and rightmovement when hinged with MonoKote.Once this is done, locate and remove the1/32" ply rudder horn from its die-cut

12

sheet. Once again tape the rudder to thefin, right side only. Use a sharp #11blade to now cut a 1/32" wide slot in therudder's leading edge, at the bottom, on aplane corresponding to the rudder tube'sexit point on the fuselage. Once the slotis made to your satisfaction, t r i a l - f i t thehorn in place and trim as needed to get aproper fit. Do not glue the horn in placeuntil after the model is covered.

4. Assemble the wing to the fuselage and cinchit down with the wing screw. In this stepwe want to rough-cut and fit the forwardand rear wing/fuselage fairings to thewing's center section. The remaininglength of radio hatch block balsa w i l l beused for this. First either carve or usea Dremel tool to route out the bottommating surface of each of these blocks; cutand fit. Bevel the rear block to match thefuselage (viewed from the side) and thenuse your #11 blade to carve out a space forF-12 when the block is held in place.Also, the head of the screw w i l l indent thebottom of this block and therefore give youthe location to drill a 1/4" dia. hole toallow the screw head to seat against F-12.Once you're satisfied with how the twoblocks fit onto the wing and to thefuselage, concentrate on the top view. Theforward should be sanded to a sort of half-round shape, carrying through the shape ofthe hatch block. The rear block gentlycurves in to the center line of the wing toa point about 1-1/2" from the trailingedge. Glue the blocks in place to the topof the wing while the wing is s t i l lattached to the fuselage. Protect the wingsheeting around the edges of these blockswith masking tape; sand to a final shape.Use filler to fillet the blocks to thewing. Lightly sand, and you're finished.Remove the wing from the fuselage.

5. Use a sharp razor blade to remove thefinished radio hatch block. With thebattery/servo compartment now open, installyour servo mounting rails. Note on theplans that we've used the remainder of the1/8" x 3/16" spruce spar stock for these.You may wish to use ply. Install theserails in the approximate positions shown onthe plans, with the servo's output armslined-up with the rudder and elevator tubeends protruding through F-4. with servosin place, cut the 1/4" x 3/8" x 4" sprucemicro switch mount to fit as illustratedon the drawing. D r i l l and attach the two1/4" x 1/4" x 3/8" maple blocks to themount with #2 x 3/8 wood screws. Nextdrill two holes in the mount for the microswitch, and mount with two 2-56 x 1/2"screws and nuts. Set the assembly inposition as shown on the drawing. When

proper contact is made with switch andservo arm, glue in place. Once satisfied,servos can be removed.

6. Before covering take a few minutes to"ventilate" the various structures; wing,fin (above T-1's), stab halves and therudder. Ventilating these componentsallows the heated air (formed whencovering) to escape the various sealedcompartments (between rib bays, etc.)rather than expanding and "ballooning" thecovering.

7. For the wing, use a 3/32" dia. drill bit,hand-held, to d r i l l one hole through eachrib, in the center, just behind the sparlocation. Do this from W-7, at the tip.all the way through the inner-most W-2 rib,beneath the center section sheeting. Usingthe same bit, d r i l l a hole through thebottom sheeting, just behind the spars oneach side of the W-1's.

8. Use a 1/16" dia. d r i l l bit, again hand-held, to now do the same thing to the fin(and also through the 3/16" sq. bracebetween the tops of the T-1's), rudder andstab halves. On the rudder, d r i l l a smallexit hole on the very bottom, behind thehorn location. On the stab halves, drillthe exit holes through the rear diagonal3/16" sq. piece.

9. Final-check entire airplane for any flawsor problems. If you find any, fix themnow.

10. Since the stabilator halves slip in placeusing two 1/16" dia. steel pins, there isa need to be able to retain them. This canbe done a couple of ways. The first is tosimply allow the pins to rust by leavingthem outdoors for a night or two. Thismakes them press-fit into the stab halftubes. Another way is to use a low-tackadhesive (3-M #77 Spray Cement) to coat thewires, thus making them a bit "sticky." Inany event, don't permanently glue these inplace since eventually the need w i l l arisefor disassembling the stabilator halvesfrom the fin.

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XII. MOTOR/SWITCHES/BATTERYWIRING

CAUTION

FAILURE TO READ, UNDERSTAND, AND THEN FOLLOW THESEINSTRUCTIONS CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS PERSONAL AND/ORPROPERTY DAMAGE TO YOU OR OTHERS!WHEN OPERATING THE MOTOR:

* ALWAYS wear eye protection!

* KEEP safely away from others!

* ALWAYS make sure the propeller is securelyattached to the motor drive shaft!

* REMEMBER to always use the arming switchcorrectly!

* WARNING:Children should never be allowedto operate this equipment withoutadult supervision!

CAUTION: POTENTIAL BATTERY HAZARD!The Ni-Cad battery packs used to power the PHASOARstore a great deal of electrical energy. Always beextremely careful to avoid shorting out thesebatteries. This can lead to a fire, cause burns toyou and others and/or, at the very least, ruin thebattery pack.

CAUTION: PROPELLER HAZARD!

The suggested motor/battery/propeller components inthese instructions result in an extremely powerfulsystem. The arming switch system should beproperly notated to provide ON/OFF information.When switched ON, the motor, instantly reachesmaximum RPM's and the spinning propeller becomes ahazard to you and others, treat this system withrespect! It is very important that you understandall of these precautions and take steps to preventaccidental switching-on of the system. Alwaysunplug and remove the motor battery pack whenstoring the model or working on it. Always storethe model away from small children or anyone elseunfamiliar with its correct and safe operation.

REMEMBER: Install and connect the motor batterypack ONLY when the arming switch is in the OFFposition and the micro switch is inactive.

IN ANY OTHER SITUATION, always disconnect andremove the battery pack, especially when working onthe model and transporting or storing it.

FUSESIn the following instructions there is a straight-forward wiring diagram which also includes anotation concerning the location of a 15 to 20 amp

fuse. A fused electrical system offers some realsafety to its overall operation. Should the motorstall, as in the case of the propeller beingstopped due to striking an object, the battery packw i l l surge its current output and blow the fuse,thus preventing motor and/or battery pack damage orburn out.

HIRINGThese instructions concern the required wiring whenusing the ASTRO FLIGHT 035 Cobalt motor. Thecomponents of this system (as shown below) are:

* 10-1/2" of Red (positive, +) hi-flcx, hi-strand count wire (we've used both R06ARTand SR wire with good results).

* 12-1/2" of Black (negative, -) wire.* Micro switch (Subminiature SPDT Lever

Switch) made by ARCHER and sold throughRADIO SHACK stores - Catalog No. 275-016.

* Arming switch (Subminiature SPST ToggleSwitch) made by ARCHER and a RADIO SHACKitem - Catalog No. 275-612.

* 1 Package of SERMOS R/C CONNECTORS(contains four connectors, 2 red and 2black).

* Soldering Iron or Gun (about 42 watts).

* Flux and solder.

* Small 15-20 amp fuse with solderableholder.

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1. The ASTRO FLIGHT 035 cobalt motor comesalready pre-wired with a Tamiya-typeconnector and an RF choke soldered inplace. Start by un-soldering the blackwire from its post connector, leaving theRF choke joint still in place.

Referring to the diagram above, cut a 4-1/2" Length of hi-flex wire and use a razorto remove about 1/4" of the sheathing fromone end. Bend the solder tab straight outfrom the post on the motor. Now solder thewire to the tab with the length of the wirepointed forward, towards the front of themotor. Bend the solder tab back downagain. Cut this wire in half, remove thesheathing from each end and solder thefuse/holder in place. The remaining endof this length of wire is now soldered, inplace to the center solder tab on the microswitch, with the wire in place straightdown, in relationship to the switch.

2. The remaining length of black (-) wire(should be 8") is now prepared by firstremoving 1/4" of the sheathing from eachend. Now solder the SERMOS connector clipto one end and insert and snap the blackconnector in place. The other end of thewire is now soldered in place (wirepointing straight down from the switch) tothe far left solder tab of the microswitch. This completes the negative sidewiring.

3. Now un-solder the remaining red wire on themotor's solder tab, again leaving the RFchoke connection in place. Cut a 5" lengthof red h i - f l e x wire and remove 1/4" of thesheathing from each end. Solder one end ofthis wire to the motor's solder tab withthe length of the wire pointing forwardtoward the front of the motor. Bend thetab back down. Solder the remaining end ofthis wire to the "ON" solder tab of thearming switch. The remaining length of redwire (should be 5-1/2") is now prepared byagain removing 1/4" of sheathing from eachend. Solder one end into the SERMOSconnector clip and insert and snap theconnector (in this case red) in place. Theremaining end of the red wire is nowsoldered in place to the "OFF" solder tabof the arming switch. Clean and inspect

each solder joint, making sure they areeach secure. Applying a small amount ofsilicon adhesive to each of these jointsfurther avoids any shorting.

4. The wiring system and switch array shouldnow be tested. Assuming that your batterypack has been equipped with SERMOSconnectors, connect the pack to theirappropriate leads. Hold the motor firmlyin your hand (WITHOUT A PROP IN PLACE) and"blip" the micro switch with the armingswitch in the ON position. If nothinghappens (highly unlikely), your batterypack is either totally dead (discharged) oryou have a cold solder joint somewhere.Now is the time to again check all of theseconnections to ensure proper operationevery time, on demand.

XIII. COVERINGIn every aspect of these instructions thus far,we've stressed the importance of paying attentionto weight. At this point in the construction ofyour PHASOAR, you should have an amazingly lightmodel. In keeping with this attention to weight,it is extremely important that you cover yourPHASOAR with MonoKote. MonoKote w i l l provide yourPHASOAR with comparatively l i t t l e weight gain, anincredibly brilliant finish and most importantly--airframe strength!Realistically, one 6' roll of MonoKote, properlycut-up and applied would do the job, providing youwould settle for a mono-chromatic color scheme.However, you may consider a multi-colored schemethat is at once visible in the air and looks greatin the pit area, too! Now is the time to chooseyour favorite MonoKote color combination.

MonoKote is easiest to apply and work with when youhave the appropriate tools at hand to do the job.

15

Shown in the photo above is a collection of TopFlite tools, the Hot Sock iron shoe cover (a"must" for a great finish), MonoKoteCleaner/Polish, a selection of MonoKote, razorblades (single edge), a hobby knife with a #11blade and a metal straight-edge (min. 36" long).

The best practice is to cover each of theaircraft's components separately. In the case ofthe PHASOAR, this means the wing, the fuselage, thebattery pod, the stabilator halves and the rudder.

After covering, carefully clear-out any of therequired holes, slots, etc., that may have beencovered up, i.e., rudder horn slot. stabilatordrive ovals, pivot holes, antenna tube exit, andrudder cable drive exit, etc.

On our prototype PHASOAR"s we used a small brushand some flat black paint (aircraft dope is finehere) to paint the inside of the air entry hole inthe nose and the hole in the rear of the batterypod. This is not necessary, but looks quite nice.The rudder can now be hinged to the fin using themethod shown on the plans. This hinge systemprovides an extremely efficient rudder action inflight by virtue of the fact that it is gapless.Properly done, these hinges are all but invisibleand lend greatly to the overall "one-piece" look ofthe finished model. Do not install the rudder hornin place yet. This w i l l be done in the RADIOINSTALLATION section of these instructions.

With your covering job now complete, make it reallyshine by giving it a glistening cleaning job witha few shots of MonoKote Cleaner Polish! About allthat's left to do is to add your AMA numbers.REMEMBER that these have to be 1" or taller andmust appear on the RIGHT wing panel, we have usedboth Super MonoKote and MonoKote Trim Sheets forthis job to make it easy and good-looking.

From your parts bag, locate the 1-1/2" long, 0.038I.D. brass tubing. This material w i l l be cut up toprovide solder connections between the drive cablesand the soft wire paper clip connectors.D r i l l a 1/32" dia. hole through the rudder horn toaccept the paper clip drive wire. Cut off about1/4" of the brass tubing connector material andclean out each of it with your #11 blade to acceptthe cable and paper clip ends. Cut off therequired length of paper clip wire (see plans) tomake the connection to the rudder horn and bend oneend into a "Z" bend. Slip the brass connectorhalfway onto the drive cable end and the paper clipwire into the other end of this connector. Sweatsolder the three pieces together, using a minimumof solder. Slip the opposite end of this drivecable into the rudder tube and feed its lengththrough the fuselage and into the servo compartment- don't cut off the excess cable yet. Attach therudder horn to the "Z" bend and carefully glue thehorn into the slot previously provided.The connections made at the servo ends of thestabilator and rudder drive cables are done in thesame manner as described above. However, the paperclip connectors are to be bent with a "V" bend asshown, thus providing some centering adjustmentsfor flight trim.

Install the receiver next. To get the antennathrough the fuselage and out the hole previouslydrilled for this purpose, "fish" a length of heavythread through the antenna exit hole and into thereceiver area. Then use a bit of CA glue to attachthe end of the antenna to the end of the thread andpull the thread back out of the antenna hole. alongwith the antenna.

The battery pack should now be installed, as shownon the plans, and held in place with double-backedtape. The ON/OFF switch can also be held in withdouble-backed tape. With everything in place, turnthe system ON and test for correct movement andcentering. Adjust as needed.

The "CG" (Center of Gravity) shown on the plans isexactly where we've flown our prototypes. Balanceyour model at this point. Interestingly, ourprototypes did not require any lead at all toarrive at the CG shown.

XV. FLYINGTHE FLYING SITE

XIV. RADIO INSTALLATION

Before installing your servos, make sure that theyrun in the right directions. If you have servoreversing capability, this is a simple task.Install the servos in the fuselage on the railsprovided earlier.

Where there is no established local flying site, alarge, grassy field can be an ideal area. Thisfield should be free of trees, poles, largeobstructions and. especially, high-tensionelectrical lines. Always fly far removed fromhouses, populated areas or busy streets. An areaapproximately two to four times the size of a

16

regulation football field should provide you withplenty of room, especially when attempting yourfirst few landings!

As we mentioned in the introduction, there issimply no substitute for an experienced R/C pilotto check-out, trim and test-fly your model! Thisalmost always is a guarantee of success. Remember,if you have no experience you NEED an instructor!

PRIOR TO POWERED FLIGHT

First, test-glide your model at least a couple oftimes.With the "throttle" stick and also the armingswitch in their OFF positions, turn the transmitterON. Now turn the model's airborne radio ON. Testthe controls with the transmitter, once again, tobe absolutely sure the controls are moving in theproper direction!

Stand facing into the wind, if any (it's best ifthere is none), hold the model high above your headin a LEVEL position, with the transmitter in yourother hand. Trot or run forward to build up"flight speed." When it feels right, briskly throwthe model directly forward (level) at an imaginarypoint about 100' in front of you. In other words.DO NOT pitch the model into the air in a nose upcondition! The model should glide smartly towardthat imaginary point without any tendency to veerleft or right. If it is turning, correct withSMALL amounts of transmitter input to the oppositeside of the turn. If the model wants to pitch up,correct quickly with SMALL amounts of DOWN elevatorinput and if the model pitches down, correctquickly with SMALL amounts of UP elevator input.Just prior to touch-down, a SMALL amount of UPelevator input can be used to "flare-out" to asmooth landing. Continue this process until youcan consistently achieve the required flat, smoothglide. Take your time here to get comfortable withthis phase of your model's regime becauseultimately the glide w i l l constitute the bulk ofits flying time.

POWERED FLIGHT

This is it! The pay-off for the work done thusfar! Just as you did before in the test-glidingphase, activate the required switches in thisorder:1. Transmitter switch ON with throttle stick

down in the OFF position.2. Make sure arming switch is OFF.3. Turn airborne radio system ON.4. NOW turn arming switch ON.

Again, test the FLIGHT CONTROLS of your model withtransmitter input to each. Holding the model awayfrom you (and others) move the throttle stick upbriefly to test the motor and then turn it off.

Just as you did in the test-gliding phase, hold themodel high over your head, level or nose slightlydown, pointing to that imaginary point 100' aheadof you and directly into the wind. With thetransmitter in your other hand, move the throttlestick up to the ON position and trot or runforward. When it feels right, smoothly throw themodel forward, wings level, toward that imaginarypoint. Immediately take the transmitter in bothhands for control.

Typically, the PHASOAR w i l l quickly get into "step"and start an aggressive climb that w i l l only needmomentary SMALL inputs of DOWN elevator to control.Keep the model climbing out, into the wind and awayfrom you until it is about 400' away. At thispoint, the model w i l l be quite high and you canstart a slow 180 degree turn back toward you, stillallowing the model to climb out. Before it getsback to you, do another 180 degree turn. Repeatthis process until comfortable altitude is reached(with our prototypes, uncomfortable altitude...toohigh...was reached in less than 55 seconds). Movethe throttle stick to the down or OFF position andlet the model transition into glide mode. Thisfirst flight is for experience purposes only andnot dedicated thermal hunting so don't be concernedabout looking for l i f t right now. unless you'retotally comfortable doing so.

With the PHASOAR now in un-powered glide,familiarize yourself with each of the controls.REMEMBER: This design is a powered sailplane, nota pattern ship. Save the aerobatics for adifferent design! Check for stall characteristics,both upwind and downwind, by simply establishing aheading and slowly pulling back on the elevatorstick. What should happen is nothing more excitingthan a nose-high attitude, followed by a nose-downpitch with almost immediate recovery. If the modelwants to fall off briskly to one side or the other(a "tip stall"), you are going to want to impart alittle "washout" to each outboard wing panel whenyou get home. Do this by twisting the wingtip toraise the trailing edge slightly (1/16 to 1/8"),and then reshrink the MonoKote to maintain the newposition.As your model gets down to 100-200' of altitude,turn it into the wind and move the throttle stickup to the ON position and power your way back up tocomfortable altitude and again shut down the motor.

LANDINGLand the PHASOAR by letting it glide smoothlyforward (very little, if any, elevator inputs) ina pre-determined and large rectangular patternwhich terminates with the model pointing directlyinto the wind, passing safely in front of you at analtitude of 8' to 10.' At this point, the model isheading away from you with the bulk of the fieldahead of it. Keep the wings level and slightly"flare" the model (apply a touch of UP elevator)

17

just before touchdown. Wind conditions canprofoundly influence flying and landingcharacteristics. It is strongly suggested that youdo not fly this model in any wind above 5 mph untilyou are totally comfortable in controlling it! ThePHASOAR has performed well in very stiff breezesBUT only in the hands of very experienced andcompetent R/C pilots. DO NOT EXCEED YOUREXPERIENCE AND/OR LIMITATIONS!

Take it easy and have fun!

XVI. KIT SPECIFICATIONS

The final specs on our prototypes turned out asfollows:

Wingspan . . . . . . . . 56 1/4"Wing Area. . . . . . . . 335 sq. in.Weight . . . . . . . . . 24 to 27 oz.Aspect Ratio . . . . . . 9.9 : 1Overall Length . . . . . 32"

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BILL OF MATERIALSTOP FLITE MODELS

PHASOAR 035Kit Part

No.

RC-38- 12345678

59

ComputerNo.

390005

312019312010312020312021710114312023312024511063312030

Qty/Description Kit

WoodD/CD/CD/CD/CD/CD/CD/CBalsa SheetsBalsa Sheet

Bundle #1 of 2BalsaBalsaBalsaBalsaPlywoodBalsaBalsa

o f 2

Fuse sidesWing ribsFuse/Wing/PodFin/RudderFuse/Pod/WingStab CapsFuse (F-2)Wing/FuseFuse Nose

1

221112151

390006 Wood Bundle #2 of 2Contains assorted balsa and spruce,braided cable and plastic tubes.All are rolled inside the plan sheet,

RC-38-2122232425

710115710116312022312028312029380004

Separate Wood partsD/C PlywoodD/C PlywoodShaped BalsaShaped BalsaShaped BalsaPoly Bag #1 of 1

Fuse FormerMotor MountPod BlocksFuse NoseHatch/Bottom Fuse

Miscellaneous small wood parts.Also, screws, nuts, tubing, and wire

RC-38-20RC-38-41

150026150027

Plan sheetRC-38 Instruction Manual

19