Sturdy Birdy II Manual

7/29/2019 Sturdy Birdy II Manual

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INSTRUCTION MANUAL

WARNING! THIS IS NOT A TOY!

Assembly and operation of this aircraft must be done by or unde

the direct supervision of a responsible adult. If not handlecorrectly, this model is capable of inflicting serious bodily harmIt is your responsibility and yours alone to assemble this modecorrectly, properly install all R/C components and to test anoperate it in a safe and responsible manner.

Entir e Con ten ts Copyright 1998 HCAA1010 V 2 0


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Stock # Description QtyLoose in Box

Al UM007P A l u m i n u m Channel 1ARF1F01 Plastic Fuselage Tube 1ARF1P01 Ins truction Book 1ARF1R05 1/64 Plywood Fin

Doubler 1ARF1W02 Plastic Wing Protector 1EM20481 Engine Mount Left 1EM2048R Engine Mount Right 1

FWING02L Molded Foam Wing Left 1FW1NG02R Molded Foam Wing Right 1L-6U Landing Gear 1N Y L O N 8 7 CA Hinge Strip 1P L T B 0 0 9 24 " White Inner Pushrod 2PLTB011 24" Grey Outer Pushrod 2PLTB012 1 1 - 3 / 4 " Inner Pushrod 1PLTB013 1 1 - 3 / 4 " Outer Pushrod 1WIRES 16 Threaded Link Rod 5

ARF1A01 Subpack

Stabilizer & Wing PartsARF1R04 1/4 x 1/2 x 13

Balsa Fin Doubler 1ARF1S01 1/4 Balsa

Stabili/er Front 1ARF1S02 1/4 Balsa Stabili/er 1ARF1S03 1/4 Balsa Elevator 1ARF1W01 1/8 Plywood

Wing Joiner 1

ARF1A02 Subpack

Fin & Rudder PartsARF1R01 1/4 Balsa Fin Front 1

PARTS LISTStock # Description QtyARF1R02 1/4 Balsa Fin 1ARF1R03 1/4 Balsa Rudder 1

ARF1A03 SubpackSmall Wood Parts

ARF1F03 9mm PlywoodFirewall Doubler 1

ARF1F04 1/4 Plywood Firewall 1ARF1F05 1/4 Ply

Landing Gear Supports 2ARF1F06 Pushrod Holder

(3/4 x 1 /2 x 1 ) 1ARF1S04 1/16 Plywood

Stabili /er Doubler 1DOWEL030 1/4 x3 1/2 Dowel 4

ARF2A04 SubpackLong Aileron Parts

ARF2W03 3/8 Tapered TE 2ARF2W04 3/8 Tapered Aileron 2

ARF2A05 SubpackSmall Aileron Parts

ARF2W05 Grooved Center TE 2ARF2W06 TE Support 2ARF2W08 Servo Rails 2NYLON20 Non threaded Swivel 2NYLON21 S w i v e l Clevis 2

WBNT110L Aileron Torque Rod Left 1WBNT110R Aileron Torque Rod Right 1

Stock # Description ARF1MOI Subpack Hardwar

(Contains the Follo

NUTS001 4 40 Blind Nu t NUTS002 4 40 Hex Nu t NUTS010 6 32 Hex Nut NUTS014 8 32 Hex Nut NYLON03 Nylon Control HoNYLON 17 Nylon Clevis

NYLON52 5 1/2 Nylon Tie

SCRW002 2 56 x 5/8 Bolt SCRW010 #4x5/8

Sheet Metal ScrewSCRW024 #2 x 3/8

Sheet Metal ScrewSCRW052 4 40 x 5/8 Bolt SCRW053 8 32 x I /2 Bolt SCRW055 6 32 x 1 1/2

SH Cap Screw SCRW104 4 40 x 1 1/4

Machine Screw WBNT146 Prebent Tailskid WIRES20 1 Threaded Link RWSHR002 #4 Lock Washer WSHR004 #6 Flat Washer

WSHR005 #4 Flat Washer WSHR010 #8 Lock Washer WSHR011 #8 Flat Washer

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Parts List.................................................2Introduction ............................................3Additional Item Description .....................3Additional Item Check List.......................4Tools or Supplies Needed.........................5Fin & Rudder Construction......................5Installing CA Hinges ................................6Stabilizer & Elevator Construction........... 8Wing Assembly ......................................10Covering................................................ 14Installing the Hinges..............................14Attaching the Control Horns.................. 15Fuselage Construction........................... 15Final Assembly ......................................22Balancing..............................................23Getting Ready for Flying ........................23Flying....................................................23

Repairing .................................Back Cover

INTRODUCTIONCongratulations on your purchase of theHOBBICO STURDY BIRDY II. THE FIRSTREAL SUPER TRAINER. You now own theBEST FLYING durable trainer available. By

following these instructions as you assemblethe model, you will have a great flying plane.It will not only teach you how to fly, but willstick by you while you learn, no matter howlong that may take!

The first thing you should do after readingthis paragraph is check the parts in this kitagainst the parts list to make sure everythingis here.

We strongly recommend that you join theAcademy of Model Aeronautics. Being an AMAmember entitles you to liability insurance andputs you in touch with your local flyingclub. It also includes a subscription to MODELAVIATION magazine, which has a monthlylisting of the latest news in model aviation.

Insurance is the most important advanthe AMA membership. If your mosomeone or something, you are liabledamage it causes.

You can contact the national AcadModel Aeronautics, which has mo2,500 chartered clubs across the cThrough any one of them, instructor

programs and insured newcomer traiavailable.

Contact the AMA at the address or phone number below.

Academy of Model Aeronautic5151 East Memorial DriveMuncie, IN 47302-9252

Tele. (800) 435-9262Fax (765) 741-0057

Web Site:HTTP://WWW.MODELAIRCRAFT.

We also recommend that you join yoflying club. There you will find peopcan help you learn to fly and teach safe ways of handling your aircraft.

ADDITIONAL ITEMSDESCRIPTION

Here is a description of some of the itewill need to assemble your STURDY BIR

GLUES

CA (Cyanoacrylate) glues will be usedthe wood parts together because thstrong and very fast curing. Do not glues for the wing construction becauCA glues will attack and dissolve thwing. They come in different viscositieCA glue can be used when gluing paa good, tight joint. When using th

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assemble the parts first and then add theglue. It will penetrate the joint and cure in acouple of seconds. Thick and medium CAsare applied to the parts before they areassembled since the glue will not cure for20-30 seconds. This longer curing time givesyou more time to get the parts assembledaccurately before the glue cures. The thickerconsistency also helps fill poor fitting joints.

CA accelerator spray can be very handyfor speeding up the curing process of thethick CAs.

Epoxy is a two-part adhesive that has to bemixed before it will cure. We will use epoxyglue for the wing assembly since it takes alittle longer to cure and does not attack thefoam. Epoxies come in several different typeswith many different curing times. You should

buy some epoxy with a 30-minute curingtime for use here.

ENGINE

The STURDY BIRDY II is designed to fly witha standard .20 size 2-stroke engine. The OS.20 FP is a great, inexpensive engine thatprovides plenty of power. This combination isideal for the average beginner. A .25 - .30 size

engine can be used if you would like snappierperformance, especially at higher elevationswhere the air is thinner. We recommend thatyou do not use an engine larger than a .30as the additional weight makes the planemore difficult to fly at low speeds. The enginemount provided with the STURDY BIRDY IIwill fit most .20 - .30 engines.

RADIOThe STURDY BIRDY II requires 4 channels tofly. The radio system you purchase shouldhave standard size servos so they will fit intothe fuselage channel. Mini or micro servos willalso work but they will require somemodifications to fit properly. Large servos willnot work in the STURDY BIRDY II.

FUEL TANK

The STURDY BIRDY III was designeda 6 oz. square tank. A 4 oz. tank wwork but will give you shorter flight tim

COVERING

Although not absolutely necessary, tfeathers" and the wing should b

covered with a "low heat" type icovering. EconoKote^ and Black Baronare both good coverings to use oSTURDY BIRDY II. The covering wonly make your plane look nicer, butalso add strength and make it last long

CHECK LIST OF ADDITIO

ITEMS YOU WILL NEED

D .20 -.30 2-Stroke Engine

D 4 Channel Radio

D 4 Standard Size Servos

D Several 9 X 4 or 9 X 6 Propellers

D 2-1/2" Wheels (2)

D 6 oz. Square Fuel Tank

D Box #64 Rubber Bands

D Thin CA (Cyanoacrylate) Glue lozD Thick CA (Cyanoacrylate) Glue lo

D 30-Minute Epoxy 4oz.

D Roll of Low Heat Iron-On Coverin

D Foam Rubber for Cushioning Rec

D 12" Standard Size Fuel Tubing

D 3/4" Wide Nylon Reinforced Tape

Questions or Problems

Contact us at:Hobby Services

Attn: Service Department1610 Interstate Drive

Champaign, IL 61821-1067(217) 398-8970

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TOOLS & SUPPLIES NEEDED

D Sealing Iron D Razor Saw

D Hobby Knife D Pliers

D Screwdrivers D T-Pins

D Hammer D Wax paper

D Sanding Block or Bar Sander

D Nylon Reinforced Strapping TapeD Hand or Electric Drill

D Drill Bits (3/32", 1/8". 3/16", 5/32", 7/32")

FIN & RUDDERCONSTRUCTION

glue has cured, flip the pieces over anlittle glue to the other side.

D 3. As shown in the above sketch,hinges from the supplied 2" x 9" comhinge material. You will need five hinthe elevator and three for the ruddeaileron gets three hinges.

D 1. The fin is made up of the three piecesshown above. Locate these three pieces andlay them out.

D 4. Lay the rudder in place agaitrailing edge of the fin. Using a hintemplate, mark the hinge locations. Tspaced out so that the outer hingapproximately 1" from the ends of theand the middle hinge is in the center.

D 2. Glue the front part of the fin to the mainpart using thin CA. Assemble the two partsand check to make sure they fit properly. Thenapply a line of CA along the joint. When the

D 5. Draw a line down the middletrailing edge of the fin and also domiddle of the leading edge of the rusheet of wood (or anything) 1/8" thidown next to the piece makes it easthis. Transfer the hinge locating markthe side to the edges as shown above

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Note: Before proceeding to hinge the rudder.read completely through the section onInstalling CA Hinges. Do not use any glueuntil after the tail surfaces are covered.

few times to provide more clearancreally the back edge of the blade ththe work here in widening the slot).

INSTALLING CA HINGESThe hinge material supplied in this kitconsists of a 3-layer lamination of mylar andpolyester. It is specially made for the purposeof hinging model airplane control surfaces.Properly installed, this type of hinge providesthe best combination of strength, durabilityand ease of installation. We trust even our bestshow models to these hinges, but it isessential to install them correctly. Pleaseread the following instructions and followthem carefully to obtain the best results.These instructions may be used to effectively

install any of the various brands of CA hinges.

The most common mistake made by modelerswhen installing this type of hinge is notapplying a sufficient amount of glue to fullysecure the hinge over its entire surface area;or, the hinge slots are very tight, restrictingthe flow of CA to the back of the hinges. Thisresults in hinges that are only "tack glued"approximately 1/8" to 1/4" into the hinge

slots. The following technique has beendeveloped to help ensure thorough andsecure gluing.

A. Cut the hinge slot using a # 11 blade in astandard #1 knife handle. The slots shouldbe about 3/4" deep. The CA hinges providedhave a thickness that fits this type of slotvery well. Cut off the corners of the hinge at a45 degree angle and trial fit the hinge into theslot. If the hinge does not slide in easily, workhe knife blade back and forth in the slot a

CAUTION: Do not drill this holhinging a foam wing, as this hole woutoo much CA to penetrate and cause to the foam.B. Drill a 3/32" hole, 1/2" deep. center of the hinge slot. If you use a MultiPro for this task, it will res

cleaner hole than if you use a slowepower or hand drill. Drilling the hole wsome of the wood fibers into the slot, mdifficult to insert the hinge, so youreinsert the knife blade, working it bforth a few times to clean out the slot.

C. Insert the hinges and install the surface. Verify the left-right positionin

control surface and close up the hinge1/32" or less. It is best to leave a verhinge gap, rather than closing it up thelp prevent the CA from wicking alhinge line. If you have cut your hinge sdeep, the hinges may slide in too far. only a small portion of the hinge in thesurface. To avoid this, you may insert

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pin through the center of each hinge, beforeinstalling. This pin will keep the hingecentered while installing the control surface.Note: When hinging the ailerons, which usetorque rods, use a toothpick to force epoxydown the hole drilled for the torque rod. Inthe case of the rudder, be sure not to let glueget into the bearing tube.

D 6. Trial fit the fin and rudder together usingthe hinges to check for proper alignment.Do Not glue the hinges in place yet! Sand therudder and/or fin so they match each other atthe top.

above. Use a razor saw to cut the excthe leading and trailing edges.

D 9. Check the fit of the fin assemthe aluminum channel. It will most a little loose and we want a nice, tighta strip of the 1/64" plywood doubler

side of the fin. Glue it to the balsa Check the fit again and if it is stilloose, add a plywood doubler to tside. If necessary, you can sand the slightly to help the assembly fit. Acan have the covering material cdown over the doublers if you nadditional thickness.

D 7. Remove the hinges from therudder and bevel the leading edge

with your sanding block as shown inthe sketch. This is to allow theE D G E V I E W

rudder to swing either direction oncethe hinges are glued in place.

D 8. Add the 1/4" x 1/2" balsa doubler toeach side of the fin as shown in the photo

D 10. Position the fin assembly in thewith the trailing edge of the fin even end of the channel. Press it in place. Mlocation of the stabilizer bolt holebottom of the fin and then remove thethe channel.

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D 11. Wrap a piece of masking tape around a7/32" drill bit about 1/2" from the end ofthe bit.

STABILIZER& ELEVACONSTRUCTION

D 12. Drill two holes in the bottom of the finassembly to make a space for the stabilizerbolts. Be careful not to drill any deeper thanthe masking tape or you may drill through theside of the fin.

D 13. Use a sanding block to round the edgesof the fin/rudder assembly as shown above.Give the sides a quick sanding with some finesandpaper to get them ready for the covering.This completes the basic assembly of the finand rudder. The hinges and control horn willbe installed after everything is covered.

D 14. The stabi lizer and elevassembled from these three mainLocate these and let's get started.

D 15. Glue the front of the stabilizeback using thin CA just as you did foin step #2.

D 16. Mark the hinge locations usame technique you used in step #4. Tfive hinges used here. The outer hi

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approximately 1" from the edge. The middlehinge is in the center and the other two hingesare centered between the outer hinges and themiddle hinge. These hinge locations are notcritical, but proper placement makes it easierto find the slots after the parts are covered.Cut the slots for the hinges and test fit thestabilizer and the elevator together to check forproper alignment between the two parts.

D 17. Use some thick CA to glue the 1/16"plywood doubler in place on the stabilizer. Thisside is now the bottom of the stabilizer. Usea ruler to get this piece centered as close aspossible. Use a drafting triangle or carpenter'ssquare to draw a line perpendicular to thestabilizer trailing edge and through the center of

the stabilizer to the point where the leadingedges meet.

D 18. Use a pencil and a rubber band to holdthe stabilizer in place as shown in the photo.

Sight down the bottom of the channel the stabilizer up with the channel (usline you just drew). When you are satisfthe alignment, draw a line down both the channel on the top of the stabilizer.

D 19. Remove the pencil and rubbeWith the stabilizer centered over the lintwo 1/8" holes through the stabilizer uholes in the channel as a guide. The edge of the stabilizer should be slighthe end of the channel.

D 20. Use a sanding block with somsandpaper to round off the leadingtrailing edge and the tips as you did fin and rudder. Also sand the top andsurfaces smooth. This completes thassembly of the stabilizer and elevatcontrol horn and the hinges will be iafter the tail is covered.

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WING ASSEMBLY

INSTALL THE AILERONS

Use the sketch to help you determineside is the top and mark the top side piece. Make another mark 7/16" fr"inboard" end of each piece. Notch eacto make a slot for the torque rod.Note: The threaded portion of each torshould stick out the top of each winthere will be a "right" and a "left" centeredge piece so don't make two exactly ali

Balsa SUB TE 26-1/2" Long

D 1. Locate the two balsa 15/32" x 3/8 x26-1/2" Sub Trailing Edge pieces (Sub TE).Trial fit the Sub TE against the trailing edge ofeach wing half. The Sub TE should be orientedas shown in the sketch with the 90-degreecorners along the bottom of the wing. Epoxythe Sub TE to the trailing edge of each winghalf. Pins or tape can be used to help hold theSub TE in place while the glue cures.

Balsa CENTER TE 3-7/8 " Long

D 2. Locate the two balsa 3/8" x 1-1/4" x3-7/8" tapered center trailing edge pieces.

D 3. Use 150-220 grit sandpaper to rthe outer surface of the torque rod bSlide the bearing toward the threadedthe torque rod and put a small amopetroleum jelly around the ends bearing tube to prevent epoxy from in. Spread some epoxy in the slot andleading edge of the center trailinpieces. Do not apply any epoxy withinthe notch or you may glue the torqInsert the torque rods into the slots wthreaded portions sticking out throunotches. Position the center trailingagainst the wing sub trailing edge. Alcenter trailing edges and pin or tape tplace while the glue cures.

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D 4. Epoxy the two 11/32" x 2" x 1-5/8"Tapered TE Supports to the inboard bottom ofeach center trailing edge as shown in the photo.

D 6. Hold the 3/8" x 1-1/4" x 22-1/4"in place against the sub trailing edge athe torque rods. Mark the location wtorque rods will enter the ailerons. Drihole in each aileron to accept the torqu

D 5. Use a sanding block with 150-gritsandpaper to sand the inner ends of the sub

trailing edge. center trailing edge and thetapered trailing edge to match the angle ofthe foam wing end. Be careful not to changethe angle of the foam wing.

AILERON22-1/2" Long

ARF2W04

D 7. Cut a groove in the leading edgaileron to allow clearance for the torqTrial fit the ailerons in place andnecessary until they fit.

D 8. Draw an accurate centerline aleading edge of the aileron and chinge slots in each aileron. The hinshould be approximately 1-1/2", 10"from the wing tip. Place the aileronthe sub trailing edge and mark thlocations on the wing. Draw a cendown the sub trailing edge and cut tslots to match the ailerons.

D 9. Using a sanding block, sand theedge of each aileron to a "V" shape.

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D 10. Insert the hinges into the slots andtrial fit the ailerons in place on the wing. Donot glue the hinges until after you havecovered the wing. Sand the outboard edge ofthe sub trailing edges and the ailerons tomatch the foam wing tips.

JOIN THE WING PANELS

D 1. Use a sanding block with some fine gritsandpaper (240 - 320 grit) to remove the littlenubs and any mold lines left on the wingfrom the molding process.

D 2. Test fit the 1/8" plywood dihedral joinerin the slots in the wing to make sure it fitsnicely. Mix up about 1/2 oz. of epoxy and

spread it throughout the slot in one wingpanel. With the wing panel upside down,nsert the joiner in place and squeeze out allhe excess epoxy so that the joiner is flush

with the bottom of the wing (which is facingup). Try to use enough epoxy so that the slots completely full and level with the surface ofhe wing.

D 3. Lay some wax paper down on tsurface and mix up one ounce of Spread the epoxy throughout the slotthe root (middle end) of the other winSlide the two wing panels together them up as close as possible. Use T-pins and masking tape to help hold alignment. Flip the wing assembly ove

the bottom of the wings are facing make sure that the joiner is seated prothe slot. Wipe off any excess epoxy bstarts to cure. It is important that thare joined with both panels being acaligned with each other.

D 4. Allow the epoxy from the last fully cure.

Note: The tape used in this step is 3/nylon filament reinforcing tape.

self-adhesive tape with nylon filrunning the length of the tape. It referred to as "nylon filament strappinor "nylon reinforced packaging tape." Yobtain it at any store that sells stationpackaging materials or at most hastores. Be sure to use 3/4" wideNarrower tape will not provide the wi

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proper reinforcement. Make sure the tape isapplied with no wrinkles and that the stripsare straight and parallel from wingtip towingtip. If this tape is not applied, if it isapplied incorrectly or if a different type oftape is applied, we cannot be responsiblefor any wing failure that may occur.

D 5. Place the wing upside down on the edgeof a table so that only 1/2 of the wing (fromone wing tip to the center joint) is resting onthe table. Starting at the wing tip that isresting on the table, lay a strip of nylon-reinforced strapping tape down so that itcrosses over the center joint directly over thewing joiner.

Press the tape firmly onto the wing and downinto the fillet (where the bottom of the wing

meets the mounting platform) and then flipthe wing around and continue the strip oftape out to the other wing tip. Apply twomore strips of tape between this strip and thetrailing edge of the wing. The fourth stripshould be added between the first strip andthe leading edge of the wing. The previousphoto shows where the strips should belocated. Try to get this tape stuck downas tightly as possible because it adds a

tremendous amount of strength to the wingwhen properly applied. Make sure you do notchange the washout (twist) or dihedral(V-shape) of the wing when applying the tapestrips. If you are planning on doing someaerobatics or combat with your STURDYBIRDY I I , you should also put three strips oftape on the top surface of the wing.

INSTALL THE WING PROTECT

D 1. Use a sharp hobby knife or a DTool with a tapered cutting bit to trimservo and torque rod cut-outs in theWing Protector. There are scribe linebottom surface of the protector to heyou. Trial fit the aileron servo in pltrim as necessary to make it fit prope

scissors or your hobby knife to toutside edges of the wing protector aremaining scribe lines.

D 2. Place the wing protector on the cthe wing so the torque rods fit throuholes. Draw a line on the wing aroservo cutout. Remove the protector anout a hole in the foam wing to fit youCarve out an extra 1/4" square groove

and behind the servo cut-out for thrails. Drill a 1/2" diameter hole for thwires down through the front edge of tcutout. Be careful not to cut the plywo

joiner when performing these operation

D 3. Glue the 3/16"x l/4"x 1-1/4" BServo Rails in place along the front aedges of the servo cut-out. Put theservo in place and mark on the

protector where the servo mountingshould be. Drill 1/1 6" diameter holemarks you just made and mount thusing the screws provided with your r

D 4. Trial fit the wing protector assemthe wing and enlarge the cutouts in th

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wing if necessary to make the protector lieflat against the wing. When satisfied withthe fit, remove the servo. Use coarsesandpaper to roughen the bottom of the wingprotector so the glue will hold better. Useepoxy to glue the protector in place.

D 5. Trial fit the ailerons for this step. Mountthe aileron servo with the screws provided inthe radio system and assemble the pushrodsas shown in the sketch above. Attach thepushrods to the torque rods by screwing theAileron Clevis Connector onto the threadedportion of the torque rod. Use a pair of needlenose pliers to make the Z-bends and attachthem to the servo horn. Turn on your radio.

plug in your aileron servo and adjust thecentering of the servo horn until it iscentered and the right aileron moves upwhen you move the transmitter stick to theright. Adjust the nylon clevis until eachaileron is in a neutral position when thetransmitter sticks and trims are centered.Also adjust the position of the nylon clevisconnector on the torque rod to achieve 7/16"of up and down movement.

COVERING

D 1. The tail surfaces (fin, rudder, stabilizerand elevator) should be covered with one ofthe iron-on coverings to help protect themfrom becoming fuel soaked and ruined. If you

are also going to cover the wing, whhelp it look nicer longer (and small amount of strength), you canlittle money by buying only one roltemperature covering (EconoKoteBaron Film, etc.) and using it for bwing and the tail surfaces. Otherwise use any type of covering for the tail sbut remember to use a low heat covethe wing. A few stripes or your AMAcan really add to the looks of your SBIRDY II.

D 2. Follow the instructions that comthe covering and cover the tail surthis time. It is a good idea to cover thesurfaces first to get familiar with the c

since these surfaces will normally seen. When covering the wing, covover the tape and plastic wing protecto use as little heat as possible.

ATTACHING THE CONTROL H

D 1. Position the nylon control hornleft side of the rudder about 1" up fbottom with the four holes lined up wleading edge. Use a drop ofThin CAglue the horn in place.

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D 2. Drill two 3/32" holes through therudder using the control horn as a guide.

D 2. The control surfaces will takeabuse in the learning-to-fly process, must securely glue the hinges in placfour to six drops of CA on each sidehinge to secure them. Try to get the sas close together as possible, but wocontrol surfaces back and forth whglue is curing to make sure they workwithout binding. Also, be careful not the two surfaces together.

D 3. Secure the horn to the rudder with two2-56 x 5/8" machine screws. The screwsshould thread into the nylon "nut plate" onthe opposite side of the rudder. Although notnecessary, you may use some wire cutters oran abrasive cutoff wheel to cut the screws offeven with the plate.

D 4. The other control horn should beinstalled on the top surface of the elevatorabout 1" to the right of the centerline. Followthe same procedure for installing thiscontrol horn.

INSTALLING THE HINGES

D 1. After covering the tail surfaces and thewing, the hinges can be installed. Use yourhobby knife to find the slots you cut earlierand make slits in the covering so you canpush the hinges into place and trial fit thepieces together again. (Refer to the CA hingesection on page 6.)

FUSELAGE CONSTRUCT

D 1. Locate the 3/8" plywoodfirewall doubler and roundoff the corners with asanding block. Test fit the

doubler into the front of theplastic fuselage tube asshown above. The firewalldoubler should fit into thefuselage with a snug but nottight fit. The front of thefuselage is cut at a slightangle so the firewall and thusthe engine will point down slightly. Bof this angle the top and bottom edges

firewall doubler are also cut at a slightMake sure you install the firewall douall of its sides match up nicely with thof the fuselage as shown in the sketch.

FIREWAL

DOUBLE

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D 2. The 3/8" plywood firewall doubler isnow glued to the 1/4" plywood firewall front.Use either Thick CA or epoxy and make surethat the front of the firewall doubler iscentered on the back of the firewall. Wipeaway all excess glue that squeezes out.

Tick marks for a l ignm ent

Determine where the mount shoinstalled on the firewall. Use the temthe left column to make it easy to lomounting holes. Photocopy or cut template and tape it in place on the fPoke a T-pin though the tempaccurately mark the bolt locationsfirewall. Drill a 1/8" diameter hole at pin holes and install the mount usibolts, #4 flat washers and 4-40 blinThe length of the bolts will be determthe thickness of the firewall. A 1/4" will usually require 7/8" long bolts. tighten the bolts all the way yet.

D 3. Cut or break the "spreader bar" off eachmount half. Carefully trim any extra plastic offeach mount half left by the spreader bar. The

surfaces where the spreader bars were attachedneed to be very smooth to allow the mounthalves to fit together. Also trim the flashing offany other rough edges. Snap the two mounthalves together as shown in the sketch.

Slide the mount halves apart until themounting lugs will sit flat on the Adjust the mount until the firewall ce(or offset line) is centered between thmarks on the mount. Tighten the 4-4to hold the mount halves in pDetermine how far forward the enginebe positioned on the beams and marto drill the mounting holes. Remoengine and drill a 3/32" hole at eacPut a drop of oil in each hole and inengine using the #4 x 5/8" screws prIf you prefer to use 4-40 machine scre

included) to install your engine, justholes you drilled with a 4-40 tap.

With the engine installed on the mounthe location for the throttle pushrod alines. Remove the engine and mount3/16" hole in the firewall for the throtwo 7/32" holes for the fuel and vent l

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end of the channel. Square battery pnicely but most flat packs will also ftape them flat onto the channel. The should protrude approximately 1/8" pend of the channel to keep the fuel tanrubbing against the end of the channel.

D 4. Use a small piece of coarse sandpaperto scuff up the inner floor of the aluminumchannel in the area around the front 11/64"bolt hole.

D 5. Insert one of the 8-32 x 1/2" machinescrews into the hole so that it sticks out thebottom of the channel and glue it in placewith plenty of thick C A or epoxy. This screw

will be covered by the battery pack,prohibiting a screwdriver from being used tokeep it from turning. Glue it securely, but becareful not to get any glue on the threads.

D 6. Use some nylon reinforced strapping tapeto securely hold the battery pack on the front

D 7. The servos are "press fit" inaluminum channel and then held in planylon strapping tape. Standard size should fit very nicely and smaller servosheld in place by using a piece of wood to

space between the servo sides and the cLarge servos will not work in the ST

BIRDY II. The servos should be placedforward in the channel as possible annext to each other, but do not overlap thmounting lugs. The front two servos shmounted with their servo output towards the back of the plane and thservo should have its output shaft towafront of the plane. The servo wires sho

routed out to the side of the servo wgoing under any servos. Wrap two lanylon strapping tape all the way arounservo and the aluminum channel to hoplace. Hook up the entire radio systeturn it on (see the instructions includeyour radio). Adjust the transmitter trthey are in the middle of their slots.

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Remove the screws that hold the servo hornsin place and adjust the horns so that they areperpendicular to the servo. This will be theirneutral position. It is a good idea to use singlearm servo horns rather than the round hornsmost servos come with. The sketch shows howto cut a horn for use here. Reinstall the screwsthat hold the horns in place.

D 9. Press the fin/rudder into the cwith the back edge of the fin even wback edge of the channel as shthe photo.

D 8. Attach the stabilizer/elevator to theback of the channel using two 4-40 x 5/8"machine screws, two #4 flat washers, two4-40 lock washers and two 4-40 nuts.

D 10. Assemble the two pushr

screwing a 1" threaded rod into oneeach inner pushrod and then screnylon clevis onto each threaded rod. Tshould thread into both the pushrod clevis at least 13 turns.

The sketch shows how the pieces areinstalled. The prebent tail skid is held inplace by the rear screw.

D 11. Attach the two long pushrodstwo rear servos as shown in the phot

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the outer pushrod tubes over the innerpushrod until they are about 1/2" from theservo end of the inner pushrod.

D 12. Press the balsa pushrod holder into

the channel about 6" in front of the fin andsecure the pushrods to it with the nylon tiewrap. It is a good idea to seal the balsapushrod holder with a light coat of epoxy thatwill also help hold it in place.

Note: The rudder pushrod goes to the left sideof the fin. The elevator pushrod goes to theright side (as viewed from the back).

D D 13. Cut 2" off the threaded end of two ofthe 12" long link rods. Use a pair of long nosepliers to bend the "Z" in the unthreaded endof the 2" pieces.

D 14. Install the link rods in the 2nfrom the outer end of each control hornthe control surfaces and the servo hotheir neutral positions, cut the inner pso the link rod will thread into thepushrod approximately 2/3 of theInstall the link rods into the inner pu

and adjust so that the control surfacesneutral positions.

D 15. Wrap the receiver in at least 1/4foam rubber to protect it from vibratiolandings, etc. and use two rubber bahold the foam rubber in place. Discthe rudder and elevator pushrods froservos and slide the pushrods undrubber bands on the top of the rec

Position the receiver behind the servreattach the clevises to the servo hornswitch can be servo taped to the fubehind the receiver so it can be reachethe back of the fuselage.

The receiver antenna should exit oback of the fuselage without encounany other wires if possible. Use arubber band to hold the antenna on ainserted in the top of the fin.

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D 16. Assemble the throttle (short) pushrodby screwing the remaining nylon clevis and1" long threaded rod into one end of the shortinner pushrod and snapping this assemblyonto the throttle servo horn.

D 18. Slide the two 1/4" plywood gear supports into the fuselage, one side of the aluminum channel. The the supports should be even with the the aluminum channel.

D 17. Attach the plastic fuselage tube to thechannel by sliding it over the channelassembly and pushing the front 8-32 screwthrough the middle hole in the bottom of thetube. Put the aluminum landing gear in place

on the 8-32 screw and secure the wholeassembly with a #8 lock washer and an 8-32hex nut. Insert the remaining 8-32 screw inthe rear hole from the bottom and secure itwith a # 8 lock washer and an 8-32 hex nutin the channel. It is a good idea to use somemedium strength thread locking cement onthese bolts.

D 19. Tack glue or hold these in placenext step.

D 20. Drill a 1/8" diameter hole support using the attached landing geguide. Remove the supports from the

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and enlarge the holes to 5/32". Insert a 4-40blind nut in each hole and use a hammer toseat the blind nut in place. Replace thesupports into the fuselage with the blind nutfacing up and use the 4-40 x 5/8" machinescrews to hold everything together.

D 21. Assemble your fuel tank according tothe manufacturer's instructions. Connect thefuel tank to the engine by routing the fueltubing through the two holes in the middle ofthe engine mount and attaching the pickupline to the carburetor and the vent line to thepressure tap on the muffler. Make the fuellines long enough so that there is a 1" gapbetween the fuel tank and the back of thefirewall. Also make sure that the fuel linesare not kinked.

D 22. Slide the whole engine assembly intoplace in the front of the fuselage with thehrottle pushrod extending through the hole inhe firewall. Cut the outer pushrod so it starts

about 1/2" from the 1" threaded rod and

extends about 1/4" past the front firewall. Remove the engine assembly frfuselage and glue the outer pushrod in p

D 23. Reinstall the engine assembly ifuselage. Push two 1/4" x 3-1/2" doweplace in the four holes at the front fuselage. The dowels should be a nicefit. If they are too tight you can enlar

holes slightly with your hobby knife. are too loose you can use a drop of ghold them in place. Do not use veryglue on the front dowels since you wito remove the dowels to get the fuel taof the fuselage. Secure the engine asto the fuselage with four #62 or #64 bands as shown in the next photo.Note: There are eight #2 x 3/8" sheetscrews provided if you would rather

the firewall in place instead of usinrubber bands to hold it on. Tests have that the rubber bands work extremeland help eliminate damage to the froduring crashes.

D 24. Cut the inner pushrod to length aand install the remaining 1" threaded lito hook up the throttle control. Make sucan achieve both full throttle and idle wbinding of any kind. It is also nice if yshut the engine off at low throttle andown throttle trim. Bend the link necessary to make this possible. Theengine / fuel tank assembly can be remoany time by simply removing the

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bands, the throttle clevis from the servo hornand the two front dowels. This makesadjustments and checking of the fuel systemquick and easy.

D 25. Each wheel axle is made up using a6-32 x 1-1/2" machine screw, two 6-32 hexnuts and two #6 washers. The sketch above

shows how these parts are assembled. It is avery good idea to use some medium strengththread locking cement between the screw andthe hex nuts. Also make sure that the wheelcan turn freely.

D 26. Slide the two 1/4" x 3-1/2" wingdowels into their holes in the fuselage.Secure with a few drops of CA.

B. The rudder moves to the right wleft transmitter stick is movedright (looking at the plane from th

C. The throttle is closed almost all twhen the left transmitter stick is(back) and is open completely wstick is up (forward).

ELEVATOR MOVES UP

RIGHT AILERON MOVES UP

LEFT AILERON MOVES DOW

RUDDER MOVES RIGHT

CARBURETOR WIDE OPEN

4-CHANNEL RADIO SETUP(STANDARD MODE 2)

FINAL ASSEMBLY

D 1. With the fin positioned correctly, applya few drops of thin CA around the base tohold it in place. This type of gluing methodwill keep the fin/ rudder in place unless theplane is crashed pretty hard, in which casethe fin will come out of the channel, usuallywithout breaking.

D 2. Turn the radio system on and adjust allof the trims on the transmitter so that theyare in the middle of their slots.

D 3. Check the following:A. The elevator moves up when the right

transmitter stick is moved down (back).

D 4. Check to make sure that the tail surfaces are in a neutral (straight) pand the servo arms are perpendicularaluminum channel when the transmitteis at neutral. Also check the control thrthe tail surface. You should be able tothe rudder 3/4" both directions aelevator should move 1/2" both dire

This should give you a plane that isresponsive but not too radical.

D 5. Install the second nylon tiearound the aluminum channel anpushrods right in front of the tail suThis will help keep the control sufrom fluttering.

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BALANCING

With the wing rubber banded to the fuselage,the fuel tank empty and everything else in itsplace, lift the model by placing one finger-tipon the bottom of each wing at theapproximate location of each end of the wingoiner which is 3" back from the leading edge.

The STURDY BIRDY I I should hang justslightly nose down or level. If the plane hangswith the nose pointing up, then you will needo add some weight to the nose of the plane.

There are several ways you can add thisweight, including stuffing lead weight aroundhe fuel tank or using one of the heavy prop

nuts available. Under no circumstancesshould you try to fly the plane if it does notbalance correctly!

GETTING READY TO FLY

D Use at least four rubber bands to hold theengine/firewall in place and use eight #64rubber bands to hold the wing in place.

D We recommend that you use a nylonpropeller for your first flights since it will notbreak as easily as wood. Sand the edges of theprop before you use it. The edges of nylon propsare very sharp and should be dulled before use.If a prop is damaged in any way it should bediscarded and a new prop used in its place.

D Be sure to conduct a range test on yourradio system before every flying session. Thenstruction manual that came with youradio should explain how to properly do this.

D If you are using a new engine in yourplane, break it in on the ground according tohe manufacturer's instructions before

attempting to fly the plane.

DNever try to start the engine by flipping itover with your finger. Always use either anelectric starter or a "Chicken Stick."

D Always adjust the needle valve engine from the back of the plane. Neveover a rotating prop! Treat these enginethe utmost respect, they are not toys!

D After each flight, check the proengine bolts, control surfaces, clinkages, hinges and rubber banddamage or looseness and correnecessary. An once of prevention herkeep you happily flying longer.

FLYINGThe STURDY BIRDY II is a very stableairplane with a unique self-recovery sdesigned into it. This makes it one easiest flying planes available. Howevehighly recommended that you cons

experienced pilot to help trim out theand help you with your first flights. Thimportant thing to remember when leto fly is that you need to be able to rethe control inputs as if you were sittthe plane. If you don't, it will seem lirudder is working backwards when theis flying towards you. It may also slittle strange that you pull the stick (back) in order to make the plane go u

this is how it works in real planes. good idea to keep facing the same dirthat the model is flying.

The STURDY BIRDY II should belaunched into the wind for your first fHave a helper hold the plane firmly bthe landing gear with the wings levelyou check the controls. Advance the tto full throttle. Your helper should the

a few running steps and let the plane fof his hand with a slight push (being cto keep the wings level). A strong thrownecessary. Be prepared to make any adjustments to keep the plane climslightly and flying straight. Your cinputs should be very gentle until thehas climbed high enough to be out of d

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of hitting any ground based objects(especially the ground). Once you havereached a safe altitude, trim the plane forstraight and level flight with the enginerunn in g about half th ro tt le . If you getdisoriented or the plane does not seem to bedoing what you think it should, just releasethe control sticks and the plane will right

itself. If you see that the plane is heading fordanger which you can not prevent, reducethe throttle to idle and pull the elevator stickback (up elevator) to reduce the impactspeed. When the plane banks into a turn, itis normal for the nose to drop down so beprepared to put in a little up elevator to keepit flying level.

Once you are familiar with how the STURDY

BIRDY II handles under power, pull thethrottle back to near idle and slow the planedown. Be sure to do this at a safe altitude! Feedin up elevator to try to keep the plane flying atthe same altitude. If the plane stalls (falls off toone side abruptly) just release the controlsticks, advance the throttle to at least 1/2 andgently pull in some up elevator. Try todetermine the slowest speed the plane will fly atand remember that you need to stay above thatspeed when landing and taking off to avoid a

stall. If you find the plane getting too high andit is hard to determine what it is doing, reducethe throttle to idle and be patient. The STURDYBIRDY II will lose altitude fairly quickly andyou can resume control.

When preparing to land it is a good idea tomake several practice passes from a safealtitude and gradually get lower until you feelcomfortable with your approach. Then on one

of your next passes, just decrease thethrottle and the plane will land by itself.Landing is really not very tricky if you justconcentrate on guiding the plane with therudder where you want it to go and let itsettle to the ground. Of course it helps to fly

fi ld h i bi h d ' h

The STURDY BIRDY II also handlenicely on the ground despite the factis a tail dragger without a steerabwheel. When taxiing in grass, holdelevator until the plane is moving pretto help keep it from nosing over. To stmodel when it is moving slow, throwrudder and use bursts of throttle to mo

plane around.

REPAIRING

The STURDY BIRDY II is very touthere may be crashes hard enough toparts of the plane. The fuselage shoube repaired. It is inexpensive and ver

and quick to replace. Due to the naplastic, it is very hard to properly mcracked or broken. It should be replasafety reasons.

The foam wing will really take a beatisurvive. Small dents and dings cremoved by patching or reheatincovering material. A broken wing quickly repaired with epoxy, but che

nylon tape and replace it if needed.wings get bent you can straighten thbending them the opposite directioadding a couple more strips of strtape. It is important that the wings arin their original configuration wimolded-in washout (wing twist). Thithe STURDY BIRDY II its exceprecovery characteristics.

The tail surfaces can be repaired wiglues, or new surfaces can be cut frobalsa available from your local hobby s

If dirt gets into the carburetor or onto theit should be cleaned off before it has a chget inside the engine and cause damage.

Sturdy Birdy II Manual

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