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 by Bob Aberle |
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Tools Required: Since the manufacturer has done most of the building, only a handful of simple tools are required. A standard X-Acto model-builder's knife with a #11 blade is a must. A pair of needle-nose and diagonal-cutting pliers are helpful. A small Phillips-head screwdriver is required to remove and swap servo output arms. The instructions call for an electric drill with bits 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, and 3/16 inch in diameter. A straightedge is recommended. A few grades of relatively fine sandpaper (such as 200 and 400 grit) will help round some edges. A small amount of clear silicone adhesive helps secure the motor to the fuselage. With some ARF kits you end up buying accessory parts such as control horns, clevises, control rods, hinges, wheels, and the like. In some cases these items are included, but they may not be the type and quality you expect. In the case of the Pogo, everything necessary for final assembly was supplied and I used it—with a few exceptions. I will mention those as we go along. Instructions: I was happy with the instruction manual that AeroCraft supplied. It was well organized and easy to follow. The diagrams inserted throughout the text are certainly adequate. As I mentioned, there are no photos. I followed the recommended assembly procedure exactly. During the assembly I did find a few tricks that I will pass on to you. However, you will not experience any problems if you follow the AeroCraft instructions faithfully. Assembly Process: I won't take you through this step by step because I will only be repeating what is already in the instructions, but I will mention the things I did in a slightly different fashion. I epoxied (use five-minute epoxy cement) the assembled balsa wing pylon into the groove that was precut into the balsa portion of the forward fuselage structure. Two dowels are used to mount the two RC servos to the fuselage structure. A rubber band goes around the bottom of each servo to hold it tight against the dowels. After doing that, both servos still moved considerably. I removed each servo, applied CyA to seal the balsa surface, then applied a piece of Scotch-brand 1/2-inch-wide Mounting Tape (this is essentially a double-stick tape) to the area where the servos attach. I pressed the servo cases against the tape then added the rubber bands (one per servo), which makes a nice, firm mount. The wing panels must be joined on either side of the wing pylon, like a sandwich. Surprisingly, the wing is permanently cemented to the pylon; once in place, it cannot be removed. If you have a small vehicle, transportation to the flying field might prove to be a problem. On the plus side, everything will stay positively aligned once in place. The recommendation was to use a carpenter's-type (white glue) cement because it dries slowly and will give you enough time to get everything set up properly. I chose a slightly different procedure. I coated half of each 3/32-inch-diameter wing-joiner wire with five-minute epoxy cement and inserted the wires halfway into the two holes in the carbon wing spars (on just one panel to start). These wires are prebent to the correct dihedral angle (the "V" angle) of the wing panels. I made sure both wires were aligned so that the upward bend of the "V" was toward the top of the wing. I let the cement on these two wires cure for approximately 15 minutes. I passed the wires that were protruding from the first wing panel through the holes that I drilled at the top of the balsa wing pylon. I pressed the panel up against the pylon, then I installed the opposite wing panel onto the wires protruding from the pylon. I pressed the wing panel up against the pylon. This was a trial run. I checked to make sure that everything was aligned, then I removed both wing panels. I used five-minute epoxy because of its strength, but keep in mind that you must work fast once you mix the cement. As soon as the equal parts of the epoxy are mixed, apply a coating of cement to the inside of the wing panel that has the protruding wires. Slide the panel up until the end rib of that panel is pressing against the pylon. Quickly apply more epoxy to the inside of the second wing panel and to the protruding wires. Insert the panel on these wires and press it until it is flush against the pylon. Hold onto this assembly for a couple of minutes, until the cement cures. I found this to be an easy alternative and considerably stronger than if I had used the carpenter's glue. When you get to the horizontal stabilizer, first you mount it to two plywood support pieces. After doing that, you remove or slide the stabilizer off of the carbon fuselage boom. At this point the hinge material is installed in knife slots that you cut into the surfaces; you do this for the elevator and rudder. Keep enough of a separation between the surfaces so that they can flex properly. A drop of CyA at each hinge will help anchor them in place. When the CyA cures, you are advised to pull on the elevator and rudder to make sure that the hinges are positively anchored in place.
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