Great Planes GPMA1806 User Manual

™

SPECIFICATIONS

Wingspan:

Length:
Weight:

Wing Area:

Wing Loading:

39.5 in [1000mm]

30.5 in [775mm]
25–28 oz [710 – 795 g]

2

174 i n

20.7– 23.2 oz /ft

[11.2 dm2]

2

[63–71 g/dm2]

WARRANTY

Great Planes® Model Manufacturing Co. guarantees this kit to

be free from defects in both material and workmanship at the
date of purchase. This warranty does not cover any component
parts damaged by use or modification. In no case shall Great
Planes’ liability exceed the original cost of the purchased kit.
Further, Great Planes reserves the right to change or modify this
warranty without notice.

In that Great Planes has no control over the final assembly or
material used for final assembly, no liability shall be assumed nor
accepted for any damage resulting from the use by the user of
the final user-assembled product. By the act of using the
user-assembled product, the user accepts all resulting liability.

If the buyer is not prepared to accept the liability associated
with the use of this product, the buyer is advised to return

INSTRUCTION

MANUAL

Motor:

Radio:

this kit immediately in new and unused condition to the
place of purchase.

To make a warranty claim send the defective part or item to
Hobby Services at the address below:

Include a letter stating your name, return shipping address, as
much contact information as possible (daytime telephone
number, fax number, e-mail address), a detailed description of
the problem and a photocopy of the purchase receipt. Upon
receipt of the package the problem will be evaluated as quickly
as possible.

28-45-3600 Ammo

ESC:

50A for brushless motors
5-channel, 3 servos,

programmable mixing

Hobby Services

3002 N. Apollo Dr. Suite 1

Champaign IL 61822 USA

READ THROUGH THIS MANUAL BEFORE STARTING CONSTRUCTION. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT

INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND USE OF THIS MODEL.

Entire Contents © 2013 Hobbico,® Inc. All rights reserved.

Champaign, Illinois

[phone], Ext 5

[e-mail]

GPMA1806 Mnl

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Power System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Radio Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Z-Bend Pliers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Tools and Building Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

LiPo Charger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

KIT INSPECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

KIT CONTENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Test-Mount the Motor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Prepare the Motor and ESC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Hook Up the Elevator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Make the Aileron Pushrods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Hook Up the Ailerons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations and thank you for purchasing the Rifl e 1M
(1-meter). You probably know the “1M’s” little brother and

predecessor, the Rifl e. The Rifl e has been successful beyond
our expectations and we’ve incorporated everything we’ve
learned from it into the 1M. Conveniently, the updates also
make the 1M extraordinarily simple—its basic design and
layout (not to mention complete instruction manual!) make
assembly and installation straight forward without having to
do any scratch-building or fi guring out on your own. Although
the 1M is not made from exotic (and expensive) composites,
its ultra-simplicity will get you into the air easily, quickly
and economically. But don’t forget, it’s still wicked-fast too!

Someday you may aspire to step up to the big leagues and

buy one of those high-end, all-out racers you’ve heard about,
but even then you’ll want to keep your 1M on-hand and fl ight­ready for whenever you’re craving some fast and easy fun!

For the latest technical updates or manual corrections to the
Rifl e 1M visit the Great Planes web site at www.greatplanes.

com. Open the “Airplanes” link, then select the Rifl e 1M

ARF. If there is new technical information or changes to this

model a “tech notice” box will appear in the upper left corner
of the page.

ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICS

If you are not already a member of the AMA, please join! The
AMA is the governing body of model aviation and membership

provides liability insurance coverage, protects modelers’
rights and interests and is required to fl y at most R/C sites.

Academy of Model Aeronautics

5151 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, IN 47302-9252

Tele. [phone]

Fax [phone]

Or via the Internet at: http://www.modelaircraft.org

PREPARE THE MODEL TO FLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Check the C.G.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Set the Control Throws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

FINAL PREPARATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Identify Your Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Propeller Balancing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Prefl ight Ground Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Set a Flight Timer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Spare Propellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Select a Proper Flying Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

FLYING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Motor Safety Precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Hand Launch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Flying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Lateral Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Final Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

IMPORTANT!!! Two of the most important things you can
do to preserve the radio controlled aircraft hobby are to
avoid fl ying near full-scale aircraft and avoid fl ying near or
over groups of people.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Protect Your Model, Yourself & Others…

Follow These Important Safety Precautions

1. Your Rifl e 1M should not be considered a toy, but rather a
sophisticated, working model that functions very much like a
full-size airplane. Because of its performance capabilities, the

1M, if not assembled and operated correctly, could possibly

cause injury to your se lf or spect ator s and damage to prope rty.

2.

You must assemble the model according to the
instructions. Do not alter or modify the model, as doing so
may result in an unsafe or unfl yable model. In a few cases
the instructions may differ slightly from the photos. In those
instances the written instructions should be considered as
correct.

3. You must use an R/C radio system that is in good condition,
a correctly sized motor, and other components as specifi ed
in this instruction manual. All components must be correctly
installed so that the model operates correctly on the ground
and in the air. You must check the operation of the model
and all components before every fl i g h t .

4. While this kit has been fl ight tested to exceed normal use,
if the plane will be used for extremely high stress fl ying, or if
a motor larger than one in the recommended range is used,
the modeler is responsible for taking steps to reinforce
the high stress points and/or substituting hardware more
suitable for the increased stress.

5. WARNING: The fuselage, wing and horizontal stabilizer
included in this kit are made of fi berglass, the fi bers of which
may cause eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation. Never
blow into a part to remove fi berglass dust, as the dust will

2

blow back into your eyes. Always wear safety goggles, a
particle mask and rubber gloves when grinding, drilling and
sanding fi berglass parts. Vacuum the parts and the work
area thoroughly after working with fi berglass parts.

We, as the kit manufacturer, provide you with a top quality,
thoroughly-tested kit and instructions, but ultimately the
quality and fl yability of your fi nished model depends 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.

NOTE: Some technically-minded modelers who wish to
check the wing, stab and motor thrust angles may do so by

visiting the web site at www.greatplanes.com and clicking

on “Technical Data.”

Remember:
to end up with a well-built model that is straight and true.

Take your time and follow the instructions

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED

Power System

Radio Control System

To take full advantage of the dual aileron servos, a 5-channel

programmable radio is required. It will let you operate the
aileron servos separately as ailerons, and together as

“spoilerons” to aid in landing. You could also use a regular,

non-programmable 4-channel radio and link the aileron
servos with a Y-connector, but spoilerons will not be available.

Three micro servos in the 20 oz-in [1.5 kg-cm] torque range

are also required. Futaba digital, metal gear S3156 servos
(FUTM0656) could be considered slightly overkill, at 28 oz-in
[2.0 kg-cm] torque. But their durability has been proven in this
type of plane and will give you peace of mind. Metal gears aren’t
absolutely necessary, however. Futaba S3157 digital servos
(FUTM0657) or S3117 servos (FUTM0417) are also suitable.

Z-Bend Pliers

Two power setups are recommended for the Rifl e 1M; a

speed setup and a sport setup. Simply, the speed setup
will get you approximately 130mph and the sport setup will

get you approximately 100mph. If you’re all about speed,
then you’ve already made your decision! But for those who
may be unsure, the beauty of the sport setup is that the

1M will still have that thrilling “zip,” but will be less powerful

and lighter—making it natural to fl y and land slower and
closer and perform conventional aerobatics such as loops,
rolls and inverted circuits almost the same as a “regular”
plane. Conveniently, the only difference between the two
setups is the propeller and battery, so when you’re ready
to step up all you’ll have to do is mount a new prop, slip in
a different battery and recheck the C.G.! Following are the
recommended power components for each:

SPEED setup SPORT setup

BATTERY

PROPELLER

MOTOR

ESC*

*Note: The Castle Creations Ice Lite 50 features in-

fl ight data logging. To take advantage of Data Logging
and view important information such as current, Watts,
RPM, etc., the Castle Link USB Programming Kit is
also required (CSEM9999).

See page 18 for discussion and more data about
these two setups including Watts, current, fl ight time,
propellers options, etc.

3S 2200mAh 30C

LiPo (GPMP0861)

APC 4.5x4.1
(APCQ4840)

28–45– 3600 Ammo Brushless

Inrunner (GPMG5220)

Castle Creations Ice Lite 50

(CSEM6900)

2S 2200mAh 30C
LiPo (FPWP6197)

APC 5.25x6.25

(APCQ4096)

In addition to the list of tools and building supplies listed below,
we wanted to specifi cally note that Z-bend pliers (HCAR2000)
will be required to make the aileron pushrods. A length of
straight wire is included, but the wires must be cut to length
and Z-bends made on both ends. Don’t skimp on this important
tool which is a “must-have” for your hobby work bench anyway.

Tools and Building Supplies

Other than ordinary hobby tools, the following items were
used to assemble the Rifl e 1M as illustrated in this manual:

❍ Zap Goo (for gluing in servos) (PAAR3200)
❍ Electrical solder, soldering iron
❍ Great Planes 3/16" heat shrink tubing (GPMM1056)
❍ Du-Bro 1/8" [3mm] double-sided foam mounting tape

(DUBQ3551)

❍ Deans® Ultra Plug® Male connector (WSDM1302)
❍ 30-Minute Epoxy (GPMR6043)
❍ (2) 6" [150mm] servo extensions for aileron servos to

receiver (FUTM4506 for Futaba)

❍ Spare propellers (See page 19 for more about

propellers)

OPTIONAL: M3 x 5 button-head motor mounting screws (to

upgrade the M3 x 5 Phillips screws included with the Ammo
motor) (HPIC3250). If button-head screws are used, a
quality, 2.0mm Allen hex driver such as a Duratrax Ultimate
Hex Driver (DTXR0289) is also recommended.

3

LiPo Charger

A balancing LiPo battery charger is required. Both the Triton
EQ (GPMM3155) and Triton 2 EQ (GPMM3156) are perfect

for the size of batteries used in the Rifl e 1M. At 50 watts

AC the EQ can charge a 3S 2200mAh battery at nearly 2C

taking a little less than 30 minutes. At 100 watts AC the 2 EQ
can charge batteries even faster. Both chargers also require
a banana plug-to-Deans charge lead (GPMM3418).

KIT INSPECTION

Before starting to build, take an inventory of this kit to make
sure it is complete, and inspect the parts to make sure they
are of acceptable quality. If any parts are missing or are
not of acceptable quality, or if you need assistance with
assembly, contact Product Support. When reporting
defective or missing parts, use the part names exactly as
they are written in the Kit Contents list.

Great Planes Product Support

3002 N Apollo Drive, Suite 1 Ph: [phone], ext. 5
Champaign, IL 61822 Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS

Replacement parts for the Great Planes Rifl e 1M are available

using the order numbers in the Replacement Parts List
that follows. The fastest, most economical service can be
provided by your hobby dealer or mail-order company.

To locate a hobby dealer, visit the Great Planes web site

at www.greatplanes.com. Choose “Where to Buy” at the

bottom of the menu on the left side of the page. Follow the
instructions provided on the page to locate a U.S., Canadian
or International dealer.

Parts may also be ordered directly from Hobby Services by
calling [phone], or via facsimile at [phone],
but full retail prices and shipping and handling charges will
apply. Illinois and Nevada residents will also be charged
sales tax. If ordering via fax, include a Visa or MasterCard
number and expiration date for payment.

Mail parts orders Hobby Services
and payments by 3002 N Apollo Drive, Suite 1
personal check to: Champaign IL 61822

Be certain to specify the order number exactly as listed in
the Replacement Parts List. Payment by credit card or
personal check only; no C.O.D.

If additional assistance is required for any reason contact
Product Support by e-mail at productsupport@greatplanes.
com, or by telephone at [phone].

REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST

Order No. Description

GPMA3400
GPMA3401
GPMA3402
GPMA3403
GPMA3404
GPMA3405

Wing Set
Fuselage Set
Horizontal Stabilizer Set
Aileron Hatch Covers
Spinner
Decal Set

KIT CONTENTS

Kit Contents

1.

Fuselage

2.

Wing

3.

Horizontal Stabilizer

4.

1

3

2

4

5

6

7

8

9

11

10

Spinner Assembly

5.

Balance Stand

6.

Elevator Pushrod

7.

Battery Spatula

8.

Velcro

9.

Motor Drill Guide

10.

Control Horns

11.

Screws

4

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

ESC

Bullet

Battery

Motor

wires

19mm dia.

16mm dia.

45°

Plywood motor mount template

(for Ammo and other motors with

standard 16mm/19mm spacing)

Rotate 45° for

Neu motors

Test-Mount the Motor

connectors

1. Determine how to orient the mounting holes in your

❏

motor so the wires will be positioned as preferred—usually
it’s best to have the wires coming out the top positioning the

ESC over the battery.

NOTE: If contemplating switching to a different motor in the
future, don’t be too concerned about the possibility of new
motor mounting screw holes that may overlap or interfere with
the old holes. Most of the mounting patterns are standard.
We’ve mounted both Ammo motors and other motors to a
couple of different Rifl es, and although four more holes were
required, this didn’t present any problems.

3. Using the plywood template as a guide, drill #40 – #37

❏

(.098" – .104" [2.5mm – 2.6mm]) pilot holes through the
motor mount. Note: The motor mount is made from carbon
fi ber which can be diffi cult to drill, so although the fuselage
is held horizontally in the image, it will be easier to drill the
holes if holding the fuselage vertically resting on its tail.

2. If using the recommended Ammo motor (or any other

❏

motor with the same, standard “16mm/19mm” screw hole
spacing), position the included plywood motor mount
template on the motor mount in the fuselage to get the
mounting holes oriented as described in the previous step.

4. If using a motor that uses 2.5mm mounting screws

❏

skip this step. If using an Ammo motor (or any other motor
that uses 3mm mounting screws), remove the template and
enlarge the pilot holes with a #32 – #30 (.116" – .128") or

1/8" [3.2mm] drill.

5

Enlarge as
necessary

PROPELLER MOUNTING

The collet shaft included with your Rifl e spinner is designed
to work with the small O.D. propeller spacer ring that comes
with all APC speed 400 propellers.

A. To prep the prop, press the spacer all the way into

❏

the propeller hub. Then use a #11 blade to carefully trim
any fl ashing from around the inside of the spacer.

5. The front bearing on some motors protrudes slightly

❏

from the front of the motor. If this is the case for your motor,
use a Dremel with a tile cutter bit and/or a small drum sander
to enlarge the hole as necessary. Proceed slowly and with
care to keep the hole centered and so as not to over enlarge
the hole—this may require test-fi tting the motor as you
proceed. CAUTION: Wear protective gloves, a long-sleeve
shirt and breathing and eye protection whenever working

with carbon fi ber.

B. Firmly press the propeller onto the collet shaft.

❏

❏

screws—if using the recommended Ammo motor you may
use the M3 x 5 screws included with the motor, but some
prefer button-head Allen screws instead (such as the screws
shown in the photo—HPIC3250).

6. Test-mount the motor with your motor mounting

C. An 8mm wrench is a must for your tool box. A Traxxas

❏

8mm fl at wrench is pictured here (TRAR5478).

6

13mm-14mm

7. Test-mount the propeller and spinner to the motor. It is

6-1/2" – 7"

[165mm-175mm]

❏

likely that the motor shaft will have to be shortened to set the
spinner close enough to the fuselage—it is desirable to have
the shaft as long as possible to give the collet shaft as much
material as possible to “grab” onto, yet still have the desired
spacing between the fuselage and spinner. The proper
spacing is such that the spinner is as close to the fuselage
as possible without touching—a gap just wide enough to see
light through. Typically, a maximum of 13mm—14mm and a
minimum of about 10mm—11mm of motor shaft will work. In
the case of the Ammo motor used here, approximately 2mm

will have to be cut.

9. Use a metal fi le or sandpaper to deburr the end of the

❏

shaft. Remount the motor and test-fi t the spinner to see if the
gap is right. Make adjustments if necessary.

Prepare the Motor and ESC

1. As shown in the illustration at step 1 on page 5, the

❏

ESC fi ts best inside the fuselage resting over the battery
ahead of the wing. Usually, this requires cutting the three
motor wires from the ESC just about as short as practically
possible—the distance available between the front of
the motor and the back of the ESC is about 6-1/2" to 7"
[165mm - 175mm]. Determine the length of wires needed
from your ESC (taking into account the length of the bullet
connectors), and then cut the wires to length.

8. Remove the motor from the fuselage and cut the

❏

shaft—a Dremel with a reinforced cutoff wheel works best.
Wear safety glasses and protect the motor from metal dust
while cutting.

2. If using the recommended Ammo motor, solder the

❏

female bullets that came with the motor onto the motor wires
on the ESC. You can make a handy soldering jig by drilling

7

holes in a wood block for anchoring spare male bullets to

hold the female bullets while you solder. (You may also

solder the motor wires directly to the ESC if this is your

preference, but don’t forget to slide on the heat shrink tubing
fi rst and check the motor direction.)

3. Slide pieces of heat-shrink tubing over the battery

❏

wires on the other end of the ESC. Then solder your battery

connector to the wires—ElectriFly and ThunderPower

batteries use Deans Ultra Plug connectors, so a Deans Ultra
Plug male was used on the ESC in this manual.

8. Before mounting the motor, apply the rougher, “hook”

❏

side of the included Velcro strip to the bottom of the fuselage
in the approximate location shown. Apply just a couple of
drops of thin CA around the edges of the Velcro to securely
hold it in place.

9.

Mount the motor with the mounting screws lightly “wetted”

❏

with non-permanent threadlocker, but do not mount the prop
and spinner until later after the radio has been set up.

Hook Up the Elevator

4. Slip pieces of 3/16" [5mm] heat shrink tubing over the

❏

bullet connectors. Then use a heat gun to shrink the tubing.
Also shrink the tubing over the wires on the battery connector.

5. If you haven’t yet done so, set up a program in your

❏

radio dedicated to this model. Be certain the fl ight trims

and sub trims are zeroed. In most cases you’ll also have to

reverse the direction of the throttle channel.

6. Temporarily connect the motor to the ESC and hook

❏

up the receiver and a battery so you can run the motor with

the transmitter. Make sure the motor is turning in the correct

direction. If not, disconnect the ESC from the motor and re

connect it with the wires in a different order so the motor will

be turning the correct direction.

1. Use steel wool or fi ne sandpaper to polish the elevator

❏

pushrod and remove any contaminants or oxidation. Remove
any burrs on the end of the wire with a metal fi le or sandpaper.

7. IMPORTANT!: Slip three more pieces of 3/16" [5mm]

❏

shrink tubing over each bullet connection and shrink with a

heat gun to make sure the connections will remain secure.

2. Test-fi t the pushrod into the elevator horn to make sure

❏

it fi ts—it should fi t with no free play. If necessary, enlarge the
hole with a #56 (.046") [1.18mm] drill.

8