Tower Hobbies SPORT Instruction Manual
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
®
Tower
Hobbies®
guarantees
this kit to be
free from defects
in both material and
workmanship at the
WARRANTY
date of purchase. This
warranty does not cover any
component parts damaged by
use or modica tion. In no case shall
Tower Hobbies’ liability exceed the
original cost of the purchased kit. Further,
Tower Hobbies reserves the right to change
or modify this warranty without notice.
In that Tower Hobbies has no control over the nal
assembly or material used for nal assembly, no
liability shall be assumed nor accepted for any damage
or injury resulting from the use by the user of the nal
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 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: (Visit hobbyservices.com for more information.)
Hobby Services • 3002 N. Apollo Dr. Suite 1 • Champaign IL 61822 • USA
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.
WINGSPAN
60.2 in [1529mm]
RADIO
4– 5 channel
4–5 servos
72 –76oz. [2041– 2155 g]
LENGTH
48.7 in [1237mm]
WING AREA
592.8 sq in [38.24 dm2]
WEIGHT
READ THROUGH THIS MANUAL
BEFORE STARTING CONSTRUCTION.
IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS
AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE
ASSEMBLY AND USE OF THIS MODEL.
WING LOADING
17.49 – 18.46 oz /ft2 [53 –56 g/dm2]
POWER
.46 – .55 cu in [7.5 – 9.0cc] 2-stroke glow,
.70 cu in [11.5cc] 4-stroke glow,
Motor: 1.65" [42mm] 925W,
Castle Creations Edge Lite 75 ESC (not included)
ESC: 60A - 4S (not included)
TOWER HOBBIES
Champaign, Illinois
(217) 398-8970 ext. 6
airsupport@hobbico.com
®
®
© 2016 Tow er Ho bb ies.
A subsidiary of Hobbico, Inc.
TOWA2030
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Radio/Servos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Glow Engine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Brushless Electric Motor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
ADHESIVES, HARDWARE &
OTHER ACCESSORIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
KIT INSPECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
PREPARATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ASSEMBLE THE WING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Hook Up the Ailerons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Mount the Landing Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Join the Wing Halves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
ASSEMBLE THE FUSELAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Install the Pushrods and Mount the Nose Gear. . . . . . 8
Mount a Glow Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations and thank you for purchasing the Tower
Hobbies Sport .46/EP ARF. After you’ve mastered the basics
with a high-wing trainer, the “Sport” is a great 1st low-wing
model, or an every day, all-around sport model for experienced
yers too!
For the latest technical updates or manual corrections, nd
the Sport .46/EP ARF on the Tower Hobbies web site at
towerhobbies.com. If there is new technical information or
changes to this model a “tech notice” box will appear on
the page.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED
Radio/Servos
A minimum of 4-channels is required to y the Sport .46/EP
ARF. The Tactic TTX650 is recommended because of its simple,
exible computer programming and multiple model memory:
❍ Tactic TTX650 6-channel programmable radio
(TACJ2650)
❍ Tactic TR625 6-channel receiver (TACJ0625)
❍ Hobbico 2S 6.6V 1300mAh LiFe battery
(HCAM6411)*
❍ On-off receiver switch (TACM2000)*
Servos nowadays are smaller and stronger, so we’ve designed
the servo mounts in the Sport to accommodate mini servos,
but full-size servos may still be used simply by enlarging the
opening in the servo mounts with a hobby knife. Four or 5
channels are required depending on whether you connect
the aileron servos to separate channels and mix them with
programmable mixing in your transmitter, or if you use a
Y-harness to connect the aileron servos to the same channel.
Install the Fuel Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Assemble the EP Motor Mount Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Mount the Brushless Motor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Cut the Cowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Mount the Cowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Install the Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
PREPARE THE MODEL FOR FLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Set the Control Throws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Check the C.G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Balance the Model Laterally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
PREFLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Engine/Motor Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Battery Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Range Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Radio Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
FLYING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
❍ Tactic TSX25 mini digital high-speed 2 ball bearing
servo (TACM0225)
❍ Tactic TSX20 mini high-speed 2 ball bearing servo
(TACM0220)
OR
❍ Tactic TSX35 standard sport servo (TACM0235)
❍ (2) 12" [300mm] universal servo extensions
(TACM2130)
If mixing the aileron servos electronically with programmable
mixing in the transmitter:
❍ (2) 6" [150mm] universal servo extensions
(TACM2092)
If connecting the servos with a Y-harness:
❍ Futaba dual servo extension (FUTM4130)
*If powering your Sport .46/EP with a brushless electric motor
the BEC in the ESC may be used to power your receiver and
servos, so no receiver battery or on/off receiver switch will
be required. If using servos or an ESC different than those
recommended in the instruction manual, be certain the servos
do not overload the BEC or voltage regulator.
Glow Engine
The Sport is suited for a .45 - .55 2-stroke or .70 4-stroke. The
O.S. Max .46AXII (OSMG0548) is illustrated in this manual.
Other Accessories for a Glow Engine
❍ 1/4" [6.4mm] R/C foam rubber (HCAQ1000)
❍ Great Planes Dead Center Hole Locator (GPMR8130)
❍ 4-40 (DUBR0505) or 3mm (DUBR0560) tap and drill
set (see step 6, page 10)
❍ Suitable propeller for your engine
2
Brushless Electric Motor
The electric setup for the Sport is straightforward: a Great
Planes Electri y RimFire .32 on a 13 x 8 E prop with a minimum
60A ESC powered by a 4S battery in the 3300mAh – 4000 mAh
range. A Castle Creations Edge Lite 75 was selected and is
illustrated in the instruction manual because it is compact,
easily programmable and features data logging.
❍ 42-50-800 RimFire .32 (GPMG4700)
❍ APC 13 x 8 thin E prop (APCQ3080)
❍ Castle Creations Edge Lite 75 (CSEM1200)
❍ FPWP2234 FlightPower 4S 3300mAh 25C
❍ FPWP2404 FlightPower 4S 4000mAh 25C
❍ 3/16" heat shrink tubing (GPMM1056)
❍ T-style Star connector (HCAM4001)
If your servos draw more current than the BEC in your ESC
is rated for, one option is to use a voltage regulator with a
higher Amp rating that draws power from the 4S LiPo motor
battery. The Castle Creations 10A BEC is suitable (CSEM0005).
Another option is to use a receiver battery.
LiPo Battery Charger
To charge a 4S 4000mAh LiPo at 1C, a charger capable of
at least 70 Watts is required (4S x 4.2V/cell = 16.8V x 4A =
67 Watts). The Triton EQ2 (GPMM3156) is more than enough
charger with 100W output AC and 120W output DC.
ADHESIVES, HARDWARE AND
OTHER ACCESSORIES
Other than common hobby tools here is a list of the rest of
the items required:
❍ 30-minute epoxy (GPMR6043)
❍ Epoxy brushes (GPMR8060)
❍ Mixing cups (GPMR8056)
❍ Mixing sticks (GPMR8055)
❍ Threadlocker thread locking cement (GPMR6060)
❍ Thin CA (GPMR6001)
❍ Medium CA (GPMR6007)
❍ CA applicator tips (HCAR3780)
❍ CA accelerator (GPMR6035)
A covering iron with a cover sock may be required for tightening
and re-bonding covering to the model that may have loosened
between the time the plane was manufactured and the time
the model was removed from the box. The 21st Century iron
is preferred because of its long cord, contoured shoe and
precisely adjustable temperature range:
❍ Coverite 21
❍ Coverite 21st Century Cover Sock (COVR2702)
st
Century Sealing Iron (COVR2700)
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.
Tower Hobbies Product Support
3002 N. Apollo Drive, Suite 1 Ph: (217) 398-8970, ext. 6
Champaign, IL 61822 Fax: (217) 398-7721
E-mail: airsupport@hobbico.com
REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST
Order No. Description
TOWA4070
TOWA4071
TOWA4072
TOWA4073
TOWA4074
TOWA4075
TOWA4076
TOWA4077
TOWA4078
TOWA4079
TOWA4080
Wing Set
Fuselage
Tail Surface Set
Cowl
Hatch/Canopy
Landing Gear Set
EP Motor Mount Parts Set
10-24 x 2 Nylon Wing Bolts ( 2 pcs. )
2" Spinner
Fuel Tank 260cc
Decals
A Robart Super Stand II (ROBP1402) is also indispensable
for working on your Sport.
3
CONTENTS
16
1. Cowl
2. Canopy Hatch
3. Fuselage
4. Wing
5. Horizontal Stabilizer
6. Vertical Stabilizer
2
1
4
11
12
7. Fuel Tank
8. Landing Gear Wires
9. 75mm Main Wheels
10. 65mm Nose Wheel
11. Wing Joiner
12. 2” Spinner
3
6
5
4
13
14
15
17
13. Metal Hardware
14. Nylon Hardware
7
8
9
18
10
20
19
19. Pilot Mount Plate
20. Balsa Stick
15. L& R Engine Mount
16. Pushrods
17. EP Motor Mount Box
18. Hatch Cover
PREPARATION
NOTE: The covering on your Sport requires less heat than
you may be used to if you’re already familiar with iron-on
coverings – too much heat causes seams and edges to
pull and draw away from each other causing wavy, uneven
edges or exposed balsa. Follow the instructions below
to tighten the covering on your model.
1. Use a covering iron with a cover sock to tighten any loose
❏
covering and thoroughly bond it to the wood structure. The
optimum temperature measured on the surface of a covering
iron with a protective cover sock is about 280ºF [140ºC] which
requires a dial setting of about 300ºF [150º C] or “medium”
heat on most covering irons. Wherever the covering is over
wood (especially on the sheet balsa tail surfaces) press down
on the iron to thoroughly bond the covering to the balsa
underneath. If the covering blisters up over balsa and cannot
be pressed back down, the iron may be too hot or you are
leaving it in one location for too long—try reducing the heat
or moving the iron a little faster.
2. Give a generous tug on all control surfaces to check the
❏
hinges. Add thin CA where necessary to any loose hinges.
Residual CA or CA “fog” is removable with a paper towel
square dampened with CA debonder.
4
3. If powering your Sport with a glow engine, apply a lm
Cut out
1/16" [1.5 mm]
Servo Arm
90º Connector
❏
of epoxy or CA to edges of the covering around the nose
and rewall to seal from fuel and exhaust residue. It would
also be a good idea to use an epoxy brush to fuelproof the
back of the rewall and the fuel tank area as well.
ASSEMBLE THE WING
Do the left wing rst…
2. If necessary, enlarge the servo cutout to t your servo.
❏
3. Use the string to pull the aileron servo wire through the
❏
wing and t the servo into the servo openings.
Hook Up the Ailerons
1. Attach a 12" [300mm] servo extension to each aileron
❏
servo. Use 1/2" [13mm] heat shrink tubing, tape or a dab of
glue to secure the connections.
4. Drill 1/16" [1.6mm] holes for the servo mounting screws
❏
in the wing and in the aileron for the control horn screws (use
care not to drill through the top of the aileron).
5. Enlarge the holes in the servo arm with a #50 [.070"]
❏
drill. Mount the servo and horn, make the pushrod and
hook up the aileron using the hardware shown for servo
arms for pushrods.
Refer to this image while mounting the aileron servos
and hooking up the ailerons.
6. After mounting the aileron horns, remove the screws,
❏
harden the holes with a few drops of thin CA, allow to harden,
and then reinstall the screws.
7. Install the aileron servo and linkage in the right wing
❏
the same way.
5
Mount the Landing Gear
Landing gear
angled back.
3. Use two at landing gear straps as a guide to drill 3/32"
❏
[2.4mm] holes into the landing gear block in the left wing.
4. Enlarge the holes in the two landing gear straps with
❏
a 1/8" [3.2mm] drill.
1. Use a metal le to grind a at spot in the back of one
❏
of the main landing gear wires. Note: The landing gear wires
angle back toward the wing trailing edge.
5. Mount the main landing gear to the rail in the wing with
❏
two straps and four M3 x 10 screws. Trim the slots as needed
so the wires t ush.
6. Mount the other landing gear and wheel to the other
❏
wing the same way.
Join the Wing Halves
2. Mount a 3" [75mm] main wheel to the landing gear
❏
wire with two wheel collars and two M3 x 5 Phillips screws
and threadlocker.
1. Test- t both wing halves together with the nylon alignment
❏
pin and the hardwood wing joiner. Make any adjustments for
a good t.
6
2. Stack two or three paper towels over each other and
❏
cut them into small squares. Have the paper towel squares
and denatured alcohol ready for epoxy clean up while joining
the wing in the next few steps.
4. Use plenty of masking tape to tightly clamp the wing
❏
halves together and use a small clamp to clamp the front
of the wing together at the leading edge tab. Use the paper
towel squares dampened with denatured alcohol to wipe
away excess epoxy as you proceed. Allow the epoxy to fully
harden before removing the clamps and tape.
5. Residual tape adhesive may be cleaned with naptha
❏
(lighter uid). Areas of the covering that may have lifted
from removing the tape should be retightened with your
covering iron.
3. Mix approximately 1-1/2 to 2 oz. of 30-minute epoxy.
❏
Working quickly, pour some epoxy into the spar cavities in
both wings and distribute with a wire or small dowel. Coat
one end of the joiner and insert it into one of the wing halves.
Coat the protruding end of the joiner and both ends of both
wing halves. Insert the nylon alignment pin and join the wing
half, removing excess epoxy as it squeezes out.
ASSEMBLE THE FUSELAGE
1. If you haven’t yet done so, use a covering iron with a
❏
cover sock to tighten the covering over the fuselage and
horizontal and vertical stabilizer.
7
2. If powering your Sport with a brushless motor, cut the
❏
covering from the air exit vents in the bottom of the fuselage.
For a better nish, cut the covering about 1/32" [1mm] inside
the edges of each opening and use a trim iron with a rounded
tip to seal the covering neatly down around the edges.
3. Mount the wing to the fuselage with two 10-24 x 2"
❏
[50mm] nylon wing bolts (for convenience, you may shorten
the wing bolts by cutting off up to 5/8" [15mm]).
4. Test t the horizontal and vertical stabilizers (stab and
❏
n) into the fuselage.
6. Remove the stab and n and prepare for gluing into
❏
the fuselage. Typically, the n and stab are glued into the
fuselage together. An alternate method is to glue in the stab
rst, clamping the n fairing to the top of the stab with 1/4"
[6mm] balsa (not included) for a perfectly tight glue joint. If
done this way, be certain to temporarily position the n to
center the stab laterally. After the epoxy has hardened glue
in the n.
If gluing in the stab and n together, apply 30-minute epoxy to
all joining areas, t them into position and wipe away excess
epoxy before it hardens. If any weight was required to level
the stab don’t forget to reposition the weight and doublecheck the alignment before the epoxy hardens.
7. After the epoxy gluing the stab and n to the fuselage
❏
has hardened remove the wing.
Install the Pushrods and
Mount the Nose Gear
1. Cut two of the long wire pushrods including the threaded
❏
end to a length of 27" [685mm].
5. View the model from behind and check the alignment
❏
of the stab to the wing. If necessary, adjust the slot in the
fuselage to get the stab horizontally aligned with the wing—
in most cases, all that will be required is a small amount of
weight on the high side of the stab. If necessary, the stab
saddle can be sanded slightly to get the stab to align.
2. Prepare the two pushrods as shown with control horns,
❏
clevises and silicone tube retainers.
8
Loading...