1 Model Aero Sportster Indroduction We are excited to introduce the Model Aero Sportster! Inspired by classic designs of the past, the Sportster is a relaxing slow flyer, equally at home indoors or outside on calm days. It s simple construction and inexpensive electronics result in a fast building plane that is a joy to fly. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have. Scott DeTray Email: info@modelaero.com www.modelaero.com Phone: 419-966-2230
Specifications 2 Wingspan: 36 Length: 29 AUW: 6-8 oz. Wing area: 278 Sq. in. Wing loading: 3.63 oz/sq ft Motor: 2204 ESC: 10 amp Battery: 450 (recommended for indoor) to 850 3S Lipo Prop: APC 6 x 4 Servos: 6 gram (2) Flight controls: Rudder, elevator, throttle Additional Items Required Glue: Epoxy, thick foam safe CA, Foam Tac, 3M 45 spray adhesive Hinge tape Power system: Motor, ESC, servos (2), prop, battery, radio Miscellaneous modeling tools It is recommended that you read through the construction guide completely and study all the pictures carefully before you begin building. Note that some photos may be slightly different than your kit. Additionally, some construction photos may show decals already on the plane. You may find it easier to apply some of the decals such as the wing, fuselage, and tail during assembly, rather than after the plane is built.
Construction 3 Glue the four 3 mm dihedral brace covers onto the wing panels, top and bottom. Be sure not to flatten the wing during this step. You need to maintain the airfoil shape. Sand this edge perpendicular to the work table Next, prop each wingtip up 2 and sand the root edge perpendicular to the table. This will provide a more flush fit when the wing halves are joined.
4 Glue the 3 wood dihedral braces into one of the wing panels. It s best to use a slow setting glue for this step such as epoxy of Foam Tac. Next join the other wing panel. Note: There should be 4 of dihedral in the wing. When one wing panel is flat on the table, the opposite wingtip should be 4 off the table.
5 Laminate the 3 fuselage pieces together, making sure to keep the fuselage straight. Use the front end, the servo cutouts, and the elevator slots as alignments guides when gluing the pieces. We have been using 3M 45 adhesive for this and it works quite well. Of course other adhesives can be used. Photo above shows the completed fuselage.
6 Glue the 6 CF strip onto the 2 elevator halves, making sure they line up with the stab. The rear edge of the stab should be beveled 30-45 degrees with a sharp Exacto knife and straight edge, then the elevator assembly is hinged with a piece of Scotch tape on top. After the stab/elevator is positioned in the fuselage, bevel and hinge the rudder. This photo shows the stab/elevator in place and the wing glued onto the fuselage. Be sure the wing and stab are properly aligned and that the wing and stab are square with the fuselage.
7 The push rod assemblies consist of the 13 carbon rods with wire at each end. Use the shrink tube to secure the wire to the carbon. We use Z bends on the wire pieces to attach to the servo horn and control surface horn. Note the plywood push rod guide inserted into the slot in the fuselage. Note the motor mount (painted black) has a small amount of right thrust. We recommend 2 degrees of right thrust. At left are the 5 pieces that make up each landing gear. Glue the outer pieces on each side of the piece with the wheel cutout. Note we have painted the wood wheel black. Insert the plastic axle through the wheel pants and wheel, securing the axle to the outer wheel pants with epoxy. Then attach each landing gear to the wing using the tabs and slots.
These photos show the location of the battery, receiver, and ESC. You can position the components differently, but just remember that the battery location will be important in achieving the correct CG. Note that the pilot decals have been applied and the pilot glued into the cockpit. 8
Assembly is complete! Use the photos above and below for reference when applying the decals. Decal application instruction are below. 9
10
Decal Application 11 Decal application procedure is the same for all kits. Follow instructions below. Before applying the decals, clean the foam of sanding dust. An effective way to do this is with a tack rag or packing tape. Laying the tape down and peeling it off removes all the dust from the foam, allowing the decal to stick better. Trim each decal as shown in photo, leaving 1/16 to 1/8 of the backer paper around the decal. Then, peel the decal/backer from the sheet & place the decal in the desired location and press down thoroughly. Very carefully peel the backer paper off the decal, making sure the decal stays on the plane. If the decal lifts off the plane, just press it back down and try another corner. Tweezers work very well for grabbing the backer paper. Additionally, a bit of Windex or water applied to the backer paper will soften it and ease it's release. Just be sure not to get any moisture under the decal itself.
Setup and Flying 12 The Sportster is designed for indoor or outdoor flying in little to no wind. Control throws: High rates: Elevator ¾ up and down Rudder 1 left and right Low rates: 70% of high rates Center of gravity: 2 back from wing leading edge The Sportster is a very docile and forgiving flyer. A gentle toss with 1/3 power is all that s required to get her flying. The under cambered wing makes slow flight a breeze, and you ll be surprised how far she will glide on final approach. Also, this would make a fine trainer for up and coming pilots. I certainly hope you enjoy this plane as much as I have! Scott DeTray Model Aero 419-966-2230 www.modelaero.com Email: info@modelaero.com
Please consider our other designs for your flying pleasure! Polaris, Mini Polaris, Micro Polaris, and Polaris XL Aqua Cat and Aqua Jet EDF
Polaris EX
Polaris Ultra ARF
Drifter Surface Vehicle AeroCat and MiniCat www.modelaero.com