The contents of this kit can be assembled to produce a working helicopter, but the model
is by no means a harmless plaything. If assembled incorrectly or handled incompetently
or carelessly it can cause serious injury to persons and damage to property.
You alone are responsible for completing the model correctly and operating it safely. The
kit also includes two further information sheets - SHW 3 and SHW 7 - which include
safety notes and warnings. Please be sure to read them and keep to our recommendations. They are an essential part of these instructions.
GRAUPNER GmbH & Co. KG D-73230 KIRCHHEIM/TECK GERMANY
Modifications, errors and printing errors reserved.ID# 5311410/04
Agusta A119 Koala
Foreword
The AGUSTA A119 "Koala" is a single-turbine helicopter designed for a wide range of tasks. It
is largely based on the familiar twin-engined A109, but is fitted with only one turbine and a
robust skid landing gear instead of the fixed or retractable wheeled undercarriage. The
capacious cabin provides space for up to seven passengers, 1 tonne of freight or - in the rescue
helicopter version - two stretchers. The Pratt & Whitney PT6B-37A turbine generates a take-off
power of 1002 BHP and a continuous output of 872 BHP, giving the "Koala" an exceptional
performance.
This fuselage kit is designed to convert the MICRO STAR 400 mini electric helicopter into a
semi-scale model of the AGUSTA A119 "Koala" helicopter. The original MICRO STAR should
first be test-flown and trimmed out completely. The chassis of the model, complete with tail
boom and boom braces but without canopy and skid landing gear, is then screwed to a light-
wood plywood base plate, to which a semi-scale broad-based skid landing gear is also
attached. The fuselage, consisting of two lightweight vacuum-moulded shells, can then be fitted
round this assembly. The shells are only glued together permanently at the tail end; at the front
they are held together by strips of adhesive tape, so that the chassis can still be removed easily
from the fuselage for maintenance work.
The fuselage is vacuum-moulded from clear smoked-tint plastic, and is designed to be painted
from the outside; the kit includes pre-cut masks for the windows.
The flight battery can be changed through an opening in the bottom of the fuselage, without
having to remove the fuselage shells.
Naturally the flight time which can be achieved per battery charge varies according to the
model’s set-up and the pilot’s flying style; however, since the "Koala" is around 100 g heavier
than the basic MICRO STAR 400, you must expect the flight times to be correspondingly
shorter.
Note: in developing this fuselage kit we considered that minimum possible weight and minimum adverse effect
on the model’s flight performance were more important than ease of building. For this reason you will need a
reasonable level of modelling skill, care and patience in order to complete this model satisfactorily, particularly
regarding the trimming and joining of the thin-walled fuselage shells.
Specification
Length excl. rotor approx.645 mm
Height approx.205 mm
Width excl. rotor approx.140 mm
Main rotor Ø630 mm
Tail rotor Ø140 mm
All-up weight min. approx.595 g
Main rotor reduction ratio13,2:1
Tail rotor reduction ratio4:1
2
Agusta A119 Koala
Warning notes
The contents of this kit can be assembled to produce a working model, but the model
•
•
• •
is by no means a harmless plaything. If assembled incorrectly or handled incompe-
tently or carelessly it can cause serious injury to persons and damage to property.
When the model helicopter’s motor is running, the two rotors are spinning at high
•
•
• •
speed and contain an enormous quantity of rotational energy. Anything and every-
thing that gets into the rotational plane of the rotors is either damaged or destroyed -
and that includes parts of your body. Please take extreme care at all times with this
machine.
If any object obstructs the rotational plane of the revolving rotors, severe damage will
•
•
• •
probably be caused to the rotor blades as well as the object. Broken parts may fly off
and result in enormous imbalance; the whole helicopter then falls into sympathetic
vibration, you lose control and have no way of predicting what the model will do next.
You may also lose control if a problem arises in the radio control system, perhaps as
•
•
• •
a result of outside interference, component failure or flat or faulty batteries, but in any
case the result is the same: the model helicopter’s response is entirely unpredictable.
Without prior warning it may move off in any direction.
Helicopters have many parts which are naturally subject to wear, including gearbox
•
•
• •
components, motor, ball-links etc., and as a result it is absolutely essential to check
and maintain the model regularly. It is standard practice with full-size aircraft to give
the machine a thorough "pre-flight check" before every flight, and this is equally im-
portant with your model helicopter. Constant checking gives you the opportunity to
detect and correct any faults which may develop before they are serious enough to
cause a crash.
The kit also includes two further information sheets - SHW 3 and SHW 7 - which in-
•
•
• •
clude safety notes and warnings. Please be sure to read them and keep to our rec-
ommendations. They are an essential part of these instructions.
This helicopter is designed to be constructed and operated by adults, although young
•
•
• •
people of 16 years or more may do so under the instruction and supervision of com-
petent adults.
The model features sharp points and edges which may cause injury.
•
•
• •
Flying model aircraft is subject to certain legal restrictions, and these must be ob-
•
•
• •
served at all times. For example, it is essential to take out third party insurance, you
must obtain permission to use the flying site, and you may have to obtain a licence to
use your radio control system (regulations vary from country to country).
It is important to transport your model helicopter (e.g. to the flying site) in such a way
•
•
• •
that there is no danger of damaging the machine. Particularly vulnerable areas are the
rotor head linkages and the tail rotor generally.
3
Agusta A119 Koala
Controlling a model helicopter successfully is not easy; you will need persistence and
•
•
• •
determination to learn the skills, and good hand-eye co-ordination is a basic require-
ment.
Before you attempt to fly the model you should study the subject of helicopters in
•
•
• •
depth, so that you have a basic understanding of how the machines work. Read every-
thing you can on the theory of helicopters, and spend as much time as you can
watching other model helicopter pilots flying. Talk to chopper pilots, ask their advice,
and enrol at a specialist model flying school if you need to. Many model shops will
also be prepared to help you.
Please be sure to read right through these instructions before you start work on the
•
•
• •
model. It is important that you clearly understand each individual stage of assembly
and the correct sequence of events before you begin building.
Don’t make modifications to the model’s construction by using parts other than those
•
•
• •
specifically recommended, unless you are certain of the quality and suitability of
these other parts for the task.
We have made every effort to point out to you the dangers inherent in operating this
•
•
• •
model helicopter. Since neither we, the manufacturer, nor the model shop that sold
you the kit have any influence over the way you build and operate your model, we are
obliged to disclaim any liability in connection with it.
Liability exclusion / Compensation
As manufacturers, we at GRAUPNER are not in a position to influence the way you build
and set up the model, nor how you install, operate and maintain the radio control system
components. For this reason we are obliged to deny all liability for loss, damage or costs
which are incurred due to the incompetent or incorrect use and operation of our prod-
ucts, or which are connected with such operation in any way.
Unless otherwise prescribed by binding law, the obligation of the GRAUPNER company
to pay compensation, regardless of the legal argument employed, is limited to the in-
voice value of that quantity of GRAUPNER products which was immediately and directly
involved in the event which caused the damage. This does not apply if GRAUPNER is
found to be subject to unlimited liability according to binding legal regulation on account
of deliberate or gross negligence.
4
Contents
Agusta A119 Koala
Foreword
•
Warnings
•
Accessories, extra items required
•
Building the base plate and landing gear
•
Grundplatte mit Landegestell anfertigen
•
Completing the chassis
•
Preparing the fuselage shells
•
Final trimming of the fuselage shell
•
Horizontal stabilisers
•
Completing and painting the model
•
Centre of Gravity
•
General safety measures
•
Basic helicopter terminology
•
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P.2
P.3
P.6
P.7
P.7
P.10
P.11
P.12
P.13
P.14
P.14
P.15
P.16
List of parts
•
........................................
P.18
The instructions
We have invested considerable effort in producing these instructions, with the aim of ensuring
that your model helicopter will fly reliably and safely. Please take the trouble to follow the
instructions step by step, exactly as described, as this guarantees a successful outcome. This
applies to you whether you are a relative beginner or an experienced expert.
The comprehensive illustrations show how the model is constructed; be sure to read the
•
instructions which accompany the drawings.
All gears, bearings and moving joints must be greased or oiled carefully.
•
You will find the parts list at the end of these instructions.
•
5
Agusta A119 Koala
Accessories
Mechanics and recommended accessories for the AGUSTA A119 Koala
Mechanics:
MICRO STAR 400
Order No. 4441Factory-assembled model including motor
Order No. 4441.RCUAs 4441, plus four servos, speed controller and gyro system
Radio control system: see main Graupner catalogue
We recommend a radio control system equipped with special helicopter options, or a microcomputer radio control system such as the mc-12, mc-14, mc-15, mc-19, mc / mx-22 or mc-24.
Servos:
C 121 micro-servo
Order No. 5106
Gyro system:
PIEZO NT-310 pico gyro system
Order No. 5134
Speed controller:
PICO SC 20
Order No. 7160
or
PICO 25
Order No. 7172
Flight battery:
LiPo 1500
Order No. 7635.3BEC
6
Agusta A119 Koala
Assembly
Preparing the chassis
We assume that you have already test-flown your MICRO STAR 400 and set it up correctly.
This is important, as access to the components for adjustment and maintenance is greatly
restricted when the mechanics are inside the fuselage.
Remove the canopy (no longer required).
•
•
• •
Remove the flight battery.
•
Unscrew the stabiliser panels from the mounting flanges.
•
Locate the self-tapping screws which retain the tail boom braces and unscrew them from the
•
flange on the tail boom. Rotate the flange through 180° on the tail boom, so that the
stabiliser mounting is on the underside, then re-fit the screws to secure the boom braces
again.
Remove the speed controller from the underside of the chassis (it is re-installed later).
•
Unscrew the tail rotor bellcrank and disconnect it from the pushrod.
•
Loosen the clamping screws in the tail rotor housing, and withdraw the tail rotor housing to
•
the rear.
Separate the skid landing gear (no longer required) from the chassis by undoing the four
•
•
• •
retaining screws. The screws are re-used.
Building the base plate and landing gear
The first step is to insert the two lateral stiffeners in both sides of the base plate, and fix them in
place using cyano-acrylate adhesive ("cyano"). This is the procedure: lay the plate down flat and
glue the stiffeners to the rear of the plate only. Allow the glue to set hard, then pack up the rear
end by about 6 mm and glue the stiffeners to the front of the base plate, so that the plate takes
up the same angle as the stiffeners.
Glue the balsa in-fill piece to the underside of the base plate, flush with the rear edge. When the
glue is dry, continue the circular opening in the base plate through the balsa. Round off the
outside edges of the balsa in-fill piece as shown, using abrasive paper.
7
Agusta A119 Koala
Drill two 2 mm Ø holes in each of the carbon fibre skid tubes, taking care to drill at exactly the
same angle: the rear ones should be 22 mm from the end, and the front ones spaced 135 mm
from them. Caution:
Fit the two skid bars into the holes "dry" (no
glue), and tape the skid tubes down on a flat
surface as shown: the tubes should be 108
mm apart, perfectly "square" and parallel to
each other.
do not drill right through the tubes: just drill into them!
Remove the skid bars from the skid tubes
without disturbing the tubes, and slide lengths
of 3 / 2 mm Ø plastic tube onto them; the ends
of the steel bars should project by about 4
mm; roughen the exposed ends using
abrasive paper.
Now fit the skid bars into the (still fixed) skid
tubes, set them parallel to each other and tilted
to the rear slightly, then glue them securely to
the skid tubes using cyano.
Glue a 20 mm long beech dowel in the front
end of each carbon fibre tube, leaving half their
length projecting.
8
Agusta A119 Koala
Measure a point 95 mm from the rear of the original aluminium skid tubes and cut them off at
that point; the remaining curved front ends can now be pushed onto the wooden dowels in the
carbon fibre skid tubes and glued in place. Align the curved ends so that they are parallel to
each other, and check that they form a neat joint with the carbon fibre tubes. Allow the glue to
cure fully.
This completes the landing gear. Glue the assembly to the underside of the base plate as
shown in the picture, taking care to position the plate centrally on the skid bars: tack the parts
together using thin cyano initially, then apply thick cyano to strengthen the joints.
9
Agusta A119 Koala
Completing the chassis
Attach the helicopter chassis (complete with tail boom and boom braces) to the base plate using
the four screws with which the original skid landing gear was secured. Attach the speed
controller to the underside of the base plate so that the ON / OFF switch is easily accessible
when the model is complete.
The upper bodywork stand-off pillars
consist of a 70 mm length of 2 mm Ø
carbon fibre rod. Drill a 2 mm Ø hole
in both chassis side frames as shown
in the photo, and push the rod
through them. Adjust the position of
the rod so that it projects by exactly
the same amount on both sides. Cut
two pieces 21 mm long from the 3 / 2
mm Ø plastic tube, push them onto
the carbon fibre rod as far as they will
go, and secure them with cyano.
10
Agusta A119 Koala
Preparing the fuselage shells
Cut out the vacuum-moulded fuselage shells, working exactly along the marked lines, and sand
the cut edges smooth using fine abrasive paper.
Using a sharp balsa knife, carefully cut out the rectangular turbine air intakes in the upper part
of the fuselage, aft of the main rotor shaft. Seal the openings by gluing small pieces of fly screen
over them on the inside; they serve as additional air openings to cool the motor.
Cut the openings in the underside of the fuselage for the skid bars, working along the marked
lines. In the top of the shells cut out as large an oval opening as possible for the main rotor
shaft. At the tail end cut the hole for the tail rotor pushrod.
Bend the tailskid to shape from the steel wire supplied; the correct shape is shown in the photo.
Glue it in the bottom vertical stabiliser.
Fit the fuselage shells together as accurately as possible and apply pieces of tape over the
joints. Note that the edges of the shells should butt together; they should
overlap.
not
11
Agusta A119 Koala
When you are confident that everything lines up correctly and is held securely in place, the rear
part of the shells can be glued together in the following areas only:
The top of tail boom along the shaft tunnel, then forward and up to just aft of the main rotor
•
shaft;
The whole of the upper vertical stabiliser;
•
The whole tail cone;
•
The whole of the bottom vertical stabiliser.
•
Do not allow the glue to run onto other areas, otherwise it may be impossible to install
the mechanics when you have finished!
Remove the strips of tape when the glue has set hard. Cut narrow strips of scrap plastic and cut
them into short pieces as shown. Glue these small rectangles along the joint line in the front
section of the fuselage, fitting them in groups of three to form locating tongues: in each case
glue two pieces on the inside of one shell, with a third strip between them on the other side (see
photo). Roughen all joints with abrasive paper before applying the glue.
Final trimming of the fuselage shell
Gently spread the fuselage shells on the underside so that the chassis can be installed from underneath. When you do this it is important to ensure that the tail rotor pushrod exits the fuselage
through the appropriate opening. Check that the fuselage shell is a snug fit all round the chassis
when the shells are held together with a few strips of adhesive tape: the openings at the bottom
should be a close fit round the skid bars, but without placing the fuselage under strain. Check
that the main rotor is free to rotate without any danger that the swashplate, pushrods or other
linkage components could foul the fuselage.
12
Agusta A119 Koala
Slide the tail rotor assembly onto the tail boom again, working from the rear underside, and replace it in its original position. Trim the opening in the fuselage shell as required to ensure that
none of the moving parts fouls the bodywork.
Connect the tail rotor bellcrank to the pushrod, then replace the crank in its original position.
Check that the tail rotor works correctly, with no tendency to foul or jam at any point.
Mark the outline of the rectangular opening in the base plate on the fuselage shell, and cut it out
so that the flight battery can be fitted from the underside and slid into the nose of the fuselage. If
you wish, you can just leave this access hatch open; alternatively you can cut a rectangular
hatch cover from scrap flat plastic sheet left over from the fuselage shells. The cover can be attached using a tape hinge, and held closed with another strip of tape.
Horizontal stabilisers
Cut out the cambered bottom shells for the horizontal stabilisers along the marked lines. Cut
pieces of plastic tube to length and glue them in the two shells, 8 mm from the leading edge and
parallel to it. Sand the edges of the open top surface of the stabiliser panels flat by rubbing them
on a sheet of abrasive paper; it does not matter if you sand a little off the top of the plastic tubes
at the same time.
The prepared stabiliser shells can now be glued to the flat stabiliser top sections (scrap plastic).
Allow the glue to set hard, then cut out the stabiliser panels and sand the glued edges smooth
all round. Working from the angled root face of the panels, drill a 2 mm Ø hole into the plastic
tube, and check that the remainder of the 2 mm carbon fibre rod can be slid into the two tubes.
13
Agusta A119 Koala
Drill 2 mm Ø holes at the marked points in the tail boom so that the carbon fibre rod can be
fitted through them; the rod acts as the horizontal stabiliser joiner and spar. Fit the stabiliser
panels on the joiner rod, and check that they are horizontal when viewed from the tail. At the
same time ensure that they rest snugly against the fuselage sides.
When you are confident that everything fits correctly, remove the stabiliser panels, remove the
strips of tape holding the fuselage shells together, and remove the chassis from the fuselage
once more.
Completing and painting the model
The fuselage should be painted on the outside using fast-drying spray paint.
Caution:
In order to save weight the fuselage shells are moulded in very thin plastic. This makes
them vulnerable to distortion caused by the softening action of the paint solvent. You
can avoid this happening by applying the paint sparingly, in thin coats.
Before applying the paint, you must mask out the windows using the pre-cut self-adhesive
masks provided in the kit. Rub down the surfaces to be painted using very fine abrasive paper
(600 - 1200 grit) to ensure that the paint adheres well. This is particularly important along the
joint line; if you neglect this, the paint may tend to flake off later when you peel off the adhesive
tape which is used to hold the fuselage shell halves together.
We recommend that you paint the horizontal stabiliser panels separately from the fuselage, and
only attach them to the model when painting is complete. The same applies to the vacuummoulded dummy exhaust pipes.
Cut out the decals from the sheet supplied, and apply them to the model in the arrangement
shown in the kit box illustration. The best way of fitting the black window frames is to cut them
out initially along the outside edges only, and apply them to the model in this state. Then you
can cut carefully along the inside lines and peel off the excess material.
Centre of Gravity
The model’s CG should be as close as possible to the main rotor shaft, but up to 2 cm aft of it
should not present problems. The CG can be corrected by adding lead ballast to the extreme
fuselage nose, but since this adds unwanted weight it should only be done if there is really no
alternative.
14
Agusta A119 Koala
General safety measures
Take out adequate third-party insurance cover.
•
Wherever possible join the local model flying club.
•
At the flying site:
Never fly your model above spectators.
•
Do not fly models close to buildings or vehicles.
•
Avoid flying over agricultural workers in neighbouring fields.
•
Do not fly your model in the vicinity of railway lines, major roads or overhead cables.
•
Pre-flight checks, flying safety:
Before you switch on the transmitter check carefully that no other model flyer is using the
•
same frequency.
Carry out a range check with your RC system.
•
Check that the transmitter and flight batteries are fully charged.
•
Do not let the model fly out of safe visual range.
•
Post-flight checks
Clean the model and check that all screws etc. are still tight.
•
Look for wear and damage to the helicopter, and replace worn parts in good time.
•
Ensure that the electronic components such as battery, receiver, gyro etc. are still securely
•
fixed. Remember that rubber bands deteriorate with age and may fail.
Check the receiver aerial. Conductor fractures inside the insulation are often not visible from
•
the outside.
If the main rotor should touch the ground when spinning, replace the blades. Internal blade
•
damage may not be visible from the outside.
Never carry the model by the tail boom: too firm a grip will easily deform the tail rotor
•
pushrod.
15
Agusta A119 Koala
Some basic terms used in model helicopter flying
The term "rotary wing machine" indicates that the helicopter’s lift is derived from rotating "wings"
which take the form of rotor blades. As a result, a helicopter does not require a minimum forward speed in order to fly, i.e. it can hover.
Cyclic pitch
Cyclic pitch variation is used to steer the machine around the roll and pitch axes. Changing cyclic pitch has the effect of altering blade pitch depending on its position in the circle. The effect
is caused by tilting the swashplate, which then effectively tilts the helicopter in the required direction.
Collective pitch
Collective pitch provides control over vertical movement, i.e. for climb and descent. The pitch of
both rotor blades is altered simultaneously.
Torque compensation
The spinning rotor produces a moment which tends to turn the whole helicopter in the opposite
direction. This effect must be accurately neutralised, and this is the task of the tail rotor. Tail rotor blade pitch is altered to vary torque compensation. The tail rotor is also used to control the
model around the vertical (yaw) axis.
Hovering
This is the state in which the helicopter flies in a fixed position in the air, without moving in any
direction.
Ground effect
This occurs only when the machine is close to the ground, and it falls off as altitude rises. At an
altitude of about 1 - 1½ times the rotor diameter ground effect is completely absent. Normally
the revolving airflow from the main rotor is able to flow away freely, but in ground effect the air
strikes an obstacle (the ground) and forms an "air cushion". In ground effect a helicopter can lift
a greater weight, but its positional stability is reduced, with the result that it tends to "break
away" in an unpredictable direction.
Climb
Any excess power above that required for hovering can be exploited to make the helicopter
climb. Note that a vertical climb requires more energy than an angled climb which includes forward motion. For this reason a model with a given amount of motor power will climb more rapidly at an angle than vertically.
Level flight
A helicopter absorbs least power when flying straight and level at about half-power. If you have
trimmed the machine carefully for a steady hover, it will tend to turn to one side when flown forward. The reason for this phenomenon is that the rotor blade which is moving forward encounters an increased airflow caused by the wind, and this increases its upthrust compared with the
blade which is moving downwind, where the same airflow has to be subtracted. The net result is
a lateral inclination of the helicopter.
Descent
If the helicopter’s rotor speed is relatively low and you place the helicopter in a fast vertical descent, the result can be that insufficient air flows through the rotor. This can cause what is
known as a "turbulent ring stage", when the airflow over the blade airfoil breaks away. The helicopter is then uncontrollable and will usually crash. A high-speed descent is therefore only possible if the helicopter is moving forward, or if the rotor is spinning at high speed. For the same
reason care should be exercised when turning the model helicopter downwind after flying into
wind.
Flapping motion of the rotor blades
As we have already seen, the forward-moving blade produces greater upthrust than the trailing
blade. This effect can be minimised by allowing the leading blade to rise and the trailing blade to
fall. The rotor head is fitted with what is known as a flapping hinge to allow this movement, and
16
Agusta A119 Koala
this prevents the rotor plane tilting excessively in forward flight. In model helicopters a single
hinge shared by both blades has proved an effective solution to the problem.
Auto-rotation
This term refers to a helicopter flying without motor power. The rotational speed of the main rotor can be kept high by setting both blades to negative pitch, and the airflow through the rotor as
it descends then keeps the blades turning. The rotational energy stored in the rotor by this
means can be converted into upthrust when the helicopter is close to the ground, by the pilot
applying positive collective pitch. Of course, this can only be done once, and it has to be done at
the correct moment. Auto-rotation allows a model helicopter to land safely when the motor fails,
just like a full-size machine.
However, auto-rotation places considerable demands on the pilot’s judgement and reflexes; you
can only halt the machine’s descent once, and you must not "flare" too early or too late. Much
practice is required to get it right.
17
List of parts
Agusta A119 Koala
Part
No.
1Fuselage shell, right / leftClear plastic, smoked tint1 each
2Horizontal stabiliser, bottom shell,
right / left
3Horizontal stabiliser, top panel,(scrap
material from parts 1)
4Battery hatch cover
(scrap material from parts 1)
5Dummy exhaust pipesClear plastic, smoked tint2
6Chassis base plateBeech ply, approx. 240 x 60 x 1,51
7Lateral chassis stiffenerBeech ply, approx. 205 x 12 x 1,52
8In-fill pieceBalsa, 60 x 40 x 61
9Skid bar, front / rearPre-formed piano wire1 each
10Skid bar sheathABS tube, 2/3 Ø x 1352
11Skid tubeCFRP tube, 5/3 Ø x 1702
11Skid tube tipsNose of aluminium skid tube, 5/4 Ø2
12Skid joinerBeech dowel, 3 Ø x 202
13Stand-off pillarCFRP rod, 2 Ø x 701
14Horizontal stabiliser joinerCFRP rod, 2 Ø x 1301
15Fly screenPlastic, 50 x 501
16Tailskidpiano wire, 1 Ø x 1001
17Window masksMasking film, pre-cut1
18Full-colour decal sheet1
DescriptionMaterial / dimensions in mmNo. off
Clear plastic, smoked tint1 each
Clear plastic, smoked tint
approx. 55 x 25
Clear plastic, smoked tint
approx. 55 x 40
1 each
1
18
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