If
you had paid a visit to any model flying field as recently as
seven or eight years ago, you would have been very lucky indeed
to have spotted an ARTF model aeroplane. Today, things are very
different and you'll probably find yourself perusing a wide
variety of 'ready built' models in the pit area.
Inside this Guide, you will find a large selection of Almost
Ready To Fly models, which is a reflection of the demand for
such kits in the market-place today. Since most of the hard work
has already been done for you, construction of these models is
generally a pretty simple affair, but care is still needed if
the model is to be 'straight and true' on the occasion of its
first flight. The purpose of this article is to point out a few
important areas to which particular attention should be made if
you wish to attain the best performance from any ARTF model
aircraft kit.
Worth the
wait!
Having
selected your chosen kit from the myriad designs on offer in the
MacGregor Modellers Guide, take a trip to your nearest stockist
and purchase the model. Due to the huge number of ARTF kits
available from MacGregor (and other distributors too), you may
find that your favourite retailer simply does not have
sufficient space to stock all the kits that he or she would
like. So don't be too disappointed if the kit which you selected
is not immediately available. But fear not: we pride ourselves
on swift and efficient service and in most cases we can have the
kit that you want delivered to the shop by the next working day.
For this reason, it may well be worth telephoning the shop
before you leave home or work to check that they have the kit
you want in stock. If not, simply ask them to phone through to
our sales team and, if it is available, we will despatch the
model the very same day.
Check it out
Once
you get the kit home, take a few minutes to carefully unpack all
the main components and give each part a thorough check-over.
Thankfully, major faults are very rare, but as with any
mass-produced item, mistakes do slip through from time to time.
Now's the time to identify any major problems such |
as
a warped wing or a twisted fuselage - not when you have glued it
all together and it's impossible to replace the affected part!
If you are unhappy with any component, return it to the shop. If
they agree with you, then they will telephone MacGregor and we
will despatch a replacement part.
Pull test
If you
are satisfied with the overall appearance of the model, take a
few minutes to check the finer details. One area to pay close
attention to is the control hinges. Check whether they are
pre-installed and, if so, give each control surface a firm pull.
If any hinges show any signs of looseness, please cut away the
complete control surface and re-hinge as necessary. Now is the
time to discover any such problems, not when your model is 300
feet up in the air!
Taped hinges should be stuck firmly to both surfaces. If such a
hinge shows signs of lifting, rub it down firmly. If it
continues to lift, the adhesive may have become contaminated
with dust etc., from inside the box. Any badly affected areas
should be carefully cut away and replaced. Film hinges may also
lift, but in most cases they can simply be ironed back into
position using a heat sealing iron on a suitably low setting.
Check each control surface for free and full movement. Any
binding should be investigated and resolved. In rare
circumstances, you may find that too much glue has been used to
fix the hinges in place. The excess will have settled at the
hinge line and solidified, causing an obstruction. In most
instances it is easily removed and full control is regained.
Many ARTF kits have pre-installed push rods and control runs.
These must also run free and it is easier to check out and
resolve any restrictions before you assemble the model. Recheck
them once you have completed the model, just in case connecting
them to either the servo arm or control horn has caused a small
distortion. The simplest remedy here is often a slight bending
of the wire push rod to realign the linkage. In some cases, you
may even need to enlarge the push-rod exits at the rear of the
fuselage. Proceed with care, preferably using a small file to
gently remove material from the fuselage side. Avoid |
using
a knife as this may set up small splits in the fuselage side
that may get bigger when the model is in use.
All square?
As with
all model aircraft, your ARTF will fly much better if it is
assembled straight and true. The wing should sit squarely to the
fuselage and likewise the tail should be level in relation to
the wings, with the fin at 90 degrees. With the wing bolted or
banded to the fuselage, insert the tailplane and check its
position. If it is out of square by a small amount, then don't
be frightened to gently sand away some material from the high
side of the tailplane mount. Likewise, small wedges of balsa
wood can be glued onto the mount to build up any low points. Of
course, if the tailplane mount is way out of square in relation
to the wing mount, then you will have detected this during your
preliminary inspection and have already acquired a replacement
fuselage!!
The same goes for the fin. Don't just glue it into its slot -
check that it is truly vertical and at 90 degrees to the
tailplane. Use postcards or beer mats, etc., as simple set
squares for this job, cutting them away where they clash with
the fuselage sides. Again, don't be frightened to make good any
faults. Even though it's an ARTF, it's still OK to do a bit of
balsa bashing!
Before you glue the tail in place also check that in planform it
sits square to the fuselage and wings. The easiest way to do
this is to use lengths of thread to measure the distances
between wing and tailplane tips, as shown in the accompanying
diagram below (click the image for a more detailed view}. Before gluing the tail parts in position, check to make
sure that the covering film does not cover up any areas to be
glued. If it does, then mark it carefully and remove using a sharp knife. Be careful not to cut into the underlying wood
structure as this may weaken the airframe.
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