KAVAN Strike DLG - Instruction manual

Introduction

Precautions

This R/C model is not a toy. Use it with care and strictly following the instructions in this manual.

Assemble this model following strictly these instructions. DO NOT modify or alter the model. Failure to do so, the warranty will lapse automatically. Follow the instructions in order to obtain a safe and solid model at the end of the assembly.

Children under the age of 14 must operate the model under the supervision of an adult. Assure that the model is in perfect condition before every flight, taking care that all the equipment works correctly and that the model is undamaged in its structure.

Fly only on days with a light breeze and in a safe place away from any obstacles.

Caption text
Wingspan	1096 mm
Length	880 mm
All-up weight	180 g
Wing section	YA 0801
CG position	65–70 mm
Controls	Rudder, elevator

Recommended RC equipment

Rudder and elevator servo: KAVAN GO-6MG 2×
Receiver battery: 1S LiPo 3.7 V 450–500 mAh

Recommended glues

Unless stated otherwise, use medium cyanoacrylate (CA) glue (#KAV56.9952 KAVAN CA Medium). Wing sheeting is better to be glued using a water-resistant white aliphatic resin, like our KAV56.9960 KAVAN White Glue (alternatively, you can use this sort of glue for most wood-to-wood joints). The highly loaded parts (wing roots, fuselage formers etc.) should be glued together using 30-minute (or slower) epoxy (like KAV56.9967 Epoxy 30min) offering high strength and enough time for the correct positioning.

Tools and Accessories

Very sharp modeller’s knife (e.g. #KAV66.770 with No. 11 blades)
Scissors
Electric drill with drill bits
Wire cutter
Long nose pliers
Screwdrivers
Razor saw
Sandpaper No. 100–120, 180–220, 360–400
Needle files
Soldering iron and solder
Clothing pegs
Modeller’s pins
Epoxy mixing stick and vessel
Masking tape, clear sticky tape
Rubbing alcohol (for cleaning up excessive epoxy)
Paper tissue or soft cloth (for cleaning up excessive epoxy)
Straightedge with scale
Square edge
Thin clear plastic film (for protecting the building plan)
Permanent marker
Modeller’s sealing iron, heat gun (for covering)
Lightweight balsa filler
Hot melt glue gun & hot melt glue

Warning

This RC model you will build and fly is not a toy! Although it may seem light and slow in flight, it is capable of serious bodily harm and property damage. It is your responsibility and yours alone - to build this model correctly, properly install RC equipment and motor, test the model and fly following all safety standards (and common sense), as set down in Safety Codes valid in your country. If you are just starting RC modelling, consult your local hobby shop or an experienced modeller in your local RC club to find a good instructor.

Precautions

You must build the model according to the instructions. Do not alter or modify the model, as doing so may result in an unsafe or unflyable model. Take time to build straight, true and strong. Use proper radio and other equipment that is in first-class condition, properly install all the components and test their correct operation before the first and any further flight. Fly the model only with competent help from a well-experienced modeller if you are not already an experienced RC pilot yourself.

Note: We, as the kit manufacturer, can provide you with a top-quality kit and instructions, but ultimately the quality and flight abilities of your finished model depend on how you build it; therefore we cannot in any way guarantee the performance of your completed model, and no representations are expressed or implied as to the performance or safety of your completed model.

Model assembly

Tail Surfaces

Trial fit the parts of the horizontal stabilizer, elevator, fin and rudder – no glue yet! Sand as necessary to obtain a perfect fit. (Fig. 1 + 2)
Roughen the surface of the 3×0.5 mm R3 carbon spar using No. 120 sandpaper and glue it with medium CA to the trailing edge of the fin R1.
Glue the T3 reinforcement plate into the horizontal stabilizer T1. Once the glue has cured sand it flush with the stabilizer.
Sand the entire surface of the horizontal stabilizer, elevator, fin and rudder with No. 120–150 sandpaper; round the outer edges.
Put the tail surfaces aside for now; they will be finished after the tailplane seat is installed to the tail boom.

Fuselage

Trial fit the parts of the fuselage– no glue yet! Sand as necessary to obtain a perfect fit. Be sure the tail boom F1 can be inserted easily but tightly into the openings in F10 and F8 formers.
Glue the balsa reinforcement plate F2L to the inner side of the F3L fuselage left side (with the large opening for the F11 hatch); glue the plate F2R to the inner side of the F3R fuselage right side (without the hatch opening). (Fig. 2)
Glue the F14 locking plate to the front of the F11 hatch; the locking plate has to match the position of a notch in the F2L reinforcement plate and the hatch matches the opening in the F3L fuselage side. The pair of F15 magnets will be epoxied into the F11 hatch and F2L plate only after the fuselage is covered – otherwise, the high temperature of your sealing iron might de-magnetize the magnets. (Fig. 4+5)
Epoxy the M4 aluminium captive nut into the F9 fuselage brace. Do not forget bevelling the edges of the fuselage formers and braces where required. (Fig. 6+3)
Epoxy the fuselage formers and braces F10, F9, F8, F6 first into one fuselage side from the rear to the nose and then attach the other side. Put the fuselage straight bottom side onto the building plan protected by a sheet of thin clear plastic film and check the fuselage is true and straight - pin down as necessary until the glue sets.
Epoxy the F4 former in place and bevelled F5 nose balsa block as well as the F17 and F18 cross braces.
Epoxy the tow hook plate F7 in place. (Fig. 7)
Partially cut (ca 0.5–1 mm deep) and crack the fuselage sides along the F10 fuselage former (the cut line is to be soaked with thin CA before the final sanding). Slide the tail boom tube F1 onto the openings in F8 and F10 formers – do not glue yet.
Slide the F21 liteply tail boom fairing ring onto the tail boom F1; tack glue the fuselage sides to the ring (be sure not to glue the tail boom yet). Glue the top and bottom balsa plates F20 and F19 in place. (Fig. 8)
Glue the three piece upper F13a, F13b, F13C and F16 lower 2.5 mm balsa sheeting to the fuselage.
Sand the entire fuselage (with the F11 hatch in place) so the tail end including the F21 ring fits smoothly with the tail boom.

Wing

The wing is to be built directly on the building plan protected by a sheet of thin clear plastic film. The wing ribs and riblets are supplied with jig tabs on the bottom side to allow building the wing with under cambered profile on a flat surface; at the same time producing the washout (the wing trailing edge is higher by 3 mm at the tips than at the root) necessary for a stable flight of the model. DO NOT CUT the mounting jigs; they will be removed only after the entire wing has been built. There is also the rib spacing jig to set the leading edge ends of rib and riblet mounting jigs correctly. (Fig. 12)
Epoxy together the wing central ribs W5 and W6; insert 3 mm beech dowels into the holes in order to obtain the correct match. Note: Make a left and right pair of assemblies. (Fig. 9)
Glue the plywood reinforcement plate W39 (for the W64 DLG pin) into the wing tip W35 and then the wing tip to the trailing edge W30 on a flat working surface; glue the W36 and W37 reinforcement plates in place creating a notch for the plywood wing tip spar W38. (Fig. 10 + 11)
Thread all the wing ribs and riblets W3 to W32 onto the main spar carbon tube W60; use a round file to trim the openings in the ribs to set the ribs at the required angle. Thread the auxiliary carbon rod spar W61 through the respective holes in W3 to W12 ribs. (Fig. 12)
Put the main spar with ribs onto the building plan and insert the ends of ribs into the corresponding notches in the trailing edge W44 (W45 for the right wing half). Insert the front ends of the rib jig tabs into the corresponding notches of the rib spacing jig. Align all the parts to the correct position over the building plan; pin down where necessary and then glue the ribs W4 to W31 to the W60 main spar tube, W61 auxiliary spar and the trailing edge. Epoxy the wing tip spar W38 into the main spar tube and to the wing tip into the notch between the W36 and W37 reinforcement plates. Glue the wing tip to the W32 rib and finally the W32 rib to the main spar and trailing edge. Glue the balsa gusset W33 between the W32 rib and the W31 riblet.
Glue the root rib W3 using the root rib dihedral jig in place. (Fig. 13)
Trim the notches for the leading edge W46 (3 mm beech dowel) in the ribs and riblets as necessary. Glue the leading edge (starting from the wing tip and then rib by rib towards the wing root). (Fig. 14)
Insert the W47 rear spar and the W48 aileron leading edge into the corresponding notches in ribs W4 to W32. Align them both flush with the upper edge of the ribs but do not glue yet.
Glue the W51 aileron servo frame together with the W52 upper cover plate between the W12 and W14 ribs from above (the opening in the frame fits KAVAN GO-06MG servos; you might have to trim it if other servos are used). Glue the aileron W62 root and W63 tip ribs in place - to the W48 aileron leading edge and W44(45) trailing edge ONLY. Glue the W50 aileron horn block between the W12 and W14 ribs; flush with the upper edge of the ribs and the W48 aileron leading edge. (Fig. 15+16)
Glue the W34 reinforcement plate between the W30 and W32 ribs, glue the W40 and W41 reinforcements to the wing tip, and glue the two W49 gussets in place. (Fig. 17)
Epoxy the plywood wing joiner bay plates W43 into the W3, W4 and W5/W6 ribs - be sure the bay will accommodate the W42 wing joiner nicely. (Fig. 20)
Thoroughly check the entire wing, you are almost there; the wing sports the required 3 mm washout at the tip due to the rib mounting tabs now. Once satisfied, apply cyano to all joints. Note: The W47 rear spar and the W48 aileron leading edge are supposed to be glued to the ribs ONLY, not to each other!
Now you can carefully cut the rib jig tabs using a sharp modeller’s knife.
Soak the W51 aileron servo frame and W52 plate with thin cyano or thinned epoxy from the inside. Glue the W53 bottom aileron servo cover between the W12 and W14 ribs. (Fig. 18)
Sand the bottom side of all ribs and riblets to shape with No. 120 sandpaper.
Glue the bottom wing centre 1.5 mm balsa sheeting W57 (with a rectangular opening for the aileron servo cable) and W58 in place; glue the plywood reinforcement plate W54 on the top of W58 along the area of the wing fixing bolt. (Fig. 19+20)
Thread a thick sewing thread through rectangular openings for the aileron servo cable in the W4 to W12 ribs and W57 bottom sheeting and secure it with pieces of sticky tape - it will help you to navigate the aileron servo cable through later.
Glue the top wing centre 1.5 mm balsa sheeting W56 and W55 in place. Sand the wing root flush with the W3 rib - the slanted position set with the root rib dihedral jig ensures the correct wing dihedral. (Fig. 21)
Use a fine razor saw and modeller’s knife blade to cut through the ribs and trailing edge in order to separate the aileron from the wing. Bevel the aileron leading edge by 30° following the Det. A-A; finally, sand the entire aileron smooth using No. 180 sandpaper. (Fig. 23+24)
Assemble the other wing half in the same way.
Sand both two wing halves with No. 120 sandpaper. Trial fit - no glue yet - the wing halves and the W42 wing joiner; insert the riblets W1 and W2 between the root ribs. Once satisfied with the fit, epoxy the W42 wing joiner, and W1 and W2 riblets to one wing half aligned to match the wing root rib. (Fig. 25)
Put the wing half with the wing joiner glued in on your workbench (protected by a sheet of plastic film) so the alignment pin of the W1 riblet protrudes over the edge of the table; then epoxy the other wing panel. Be sure the trailing edges of both wing panels match perfectly. Double-check the correct wing halves alignment and let the epoxy set. (Fig. 26)
Epoxy the wing bolt plate W59 to the top of the wing centre; once the glue has cured drill a 4.2 mm hole for the wing bolt through the W59. (Fig. 26)
Now it is the time to decide which tip of the wing the discus launch pin is to be glued into - the left tip for a right-handed pilot, the right tip for a left-handed pilot. Laminate a strip of the fibreglass cloth around the hole for the discus launch pin on top and bottom of the wing tip. You can use a special low-viscosity laminating/finishing epoxy or you can use regular epoxy glue thinned slightly by an epoxy paint/dope thinner. Once the resin has cured, sand the entire wing smooth with No. 180 sandpaper.