V-Tail Flamingo Included in Kit * Pre- cut balsa parts * Ballast weights * Diagram sheet * Sandpaper sheet Additional Items You May Need * Wood Glue * Epoxy Glue * Sanding block * Hobby knife Overview: The Flamingo is a classic, sleek V-tail design with double dihedral wings. The wings are made from balsa, and the body parts are made from Paulownia wood (similar to balsa but stronger). It features a very straight forward construction with minimal parts. Skill Level: This model is suitable for intermediate to advanced builders. Although the design itself is very simple, there are no pre-cut guides and supports for wings or tailplane. This requires some skill to sand, prop and glue the parts together. Also, there is no angle of incidence built in to the wing and tail mounts. So your building skills and airframe knowledge will be applied to adjusting the tailplane angle to give the optimal flight path.
Build Procedure Firstly it s a good idea to tape down a sheet of cling wrap over your work surface. This will stop the parts from becoming glued to the surface. It s easier to peel off cling wrap from any wooden parts. Note: although the kit is supplied with CA glue, we recommend using other glues which are suitable for balsa wood if available. Glue one of the side pieces onto the main body spar. Add the ballast nuts into the nose cavity. Note: This kit may be supplied with either nuts or ballast lead shot. Glue on the other side piece. make sure that the side with the canopy marking is facing out as this side also has a small marker line behind the canopy to show where the leading edge of the wing goes. Cut the wing tips completely off the main wing with a hobby knife.
Sand the edges of the wing tips as well as the tailplane pieces at a slight angle so they fit together flush. Refer to the diagram below to set the height of the wing tips and glue them in place. You will need to support them with something till they are completely dry. Wing tip is 30mm above the surface Do the same with the tailplane surfaces. Tail-plane tips are 30mm above the surface If you intend to sand down the body and wing pieces then now would be a good time to do it. Sand down the leading and trailing edge of the wings at a shallow angle leaving an edge which is about 0.5mm thick, and then round them off to form a slight airfoil shape. Don t sand the top of the body section in the areas where the wings and tailplane will attach. When the previous step has fully dried, sand the centre joins of the wings at a very slight angle and glue together, once again supporting the wing tips while the whole wing dries. The wing tips should be 48mm above the surface.
Attach the wings to the main body. You will need to use some bluetack or putty to hold the main body frame and also support the wings with something while they dry. Make sure the wings are the same height on either side. There are marks on the body to show where the wings attach. Leading edge of the wing lines up with this mark. Epoxy would be a good choice of glue to use here. Do not glue on the tailplane yet. Once the wings are dry you may want to add some more glue along the joint under the wings for additional strength. This also applies to the joins in the wings and tail section. You may wish to cut a piece of cardboard this shape to use as a balance to check the COG. Tape the cardboard shape to the edge of a work bench and use it to balance the glider. Attach the tailplane with masking tape for the moment for checking the balance point. The ideal balance point should be 40 mm from the leading edge of the wing at the root. You may need to remove the tail, trim the tail shaft shorter and re-attach the tail with masking tape till you get the balance right. 40mm
Balanced! But don t glue on the tailplane yet. The kit doesn t include any pre- set angle of attack between the wings and the rear part of the tail shaft. You will need to sand down the front of the tailplane seat to give this angle. Use a sanding block and aim to drop the front down about 2mm. Tape the tailplane in place securely with masking tape and test glide till you have the plane all set up and balanced correctly with the desired angle of attack between the tailplane and wings. Set up a jig to hold the plane and tailplane in place and glue on the tailplane. See a test flight video on YouTube (LINK) Copyright MicronWings 2015: All rights reserved. This manual is for personal use only. No unauthorized copying or digital distributing permitted without permission from MicronWings.