51in Aerobatic Series Sukhoi SU-26M Almost-Ready-to-Fly Instruction Manual Specifications Wingspan: 51.2 in (1300mm) Length: 51.2 in (1300mm) Wing Area: 581 sq in (37.5sq dm) Flying Weight: 3.5 lb (1600g)
Dear Customer, http://www.valuehobby.com/ Congratulations on your purchase of Sukhoi SU-26M from Value Hobby. We thank you for your generous support, and hope you enjoy your new airplane. At Value Hobby, we hope to offer competitive prices, good performance, and products that you can setup and use with ease. That s why we extensively researched and tested this airplane, and suggested all the products necessary for you to setup properly. We understand that you have many choices when purchasing, and we are grateful you choose to buy from us. As vendors, one of the most gratifying things for us is to hear from our customers. We would welcome any suggestion to help us improve. Please make us aware of any errors and imperfections in the airplane or the instructions, or about the setup that we suggested. We hope you ll find our setup suggestions to be helpful, and enjoy flying your new airplane. Please feel free to contact us at (630) 948-0947 or email us at support@valuehobby.com Disclaimer By purchasing and/or building this model, user assumes ALL liability and risk involved with this product. This model should be built and flown by an experienced pilot and only flown at AMA sanctioned sites. Value Hobby guarantees this model to be free of defects in materials and workmanship at the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover any parts damaged by use or modifications. In no way shall Value Hobby s liability exceed the original cost of the purchased model. Further, Value Hobby reserves the right to modify this warranty without notice. Value Hobby has no control over the final stages of assembly or the material used for the final assembly. No liability shall be assumed nor materials used for the final user-assembled product. By the act of using the final product the user accepts all resulting liability. Value Hobby, as a R/C product vendor, provides a top quality airplane and instructions to complete the model. The quality and flight characteristics of the finished model depend greatly on how it is built; we cannot guarantee the performance for the completed model and representations are expressed or implied as to the performance of the completed model. 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. Safety in Assembly During assembly of this aircraft, you will be asked to use sharp knives and hobby adhesives. Please follow all safety procedures recommended by the manufacturers of the products you use, and always follow these important guidelines: ALWAYS protect your eyes when working with adhesives, knives, or tools, especially power tools. Safety glasses are the best way to protect your eyes. ALWAYS protect your body, especially your hands and fingers when using adhesives, knives, or tools, especially power tools. Do not cut toward exposed skin with hobby knives. Do not place hobby knives on tables or benches where they can roll off or be knocked off. ALWAYS have a first-aid kit handy when working with adhesives, knives, or tools, especially power tools. ALWAYS keep hobby equipment and supplies out of the reach of children. 2
Safety in Flying http://www.valuehobby.com/ This is NOT a toy! It is a very high-performance RC airplane capable of high speeds and extreme maneuvers. It should only be operated by a competent pilot in a safe area with proper supervision. ONLY fly your aircraft in a safe, open area, away from spectators and vehicles and where it is legal to fly. NEVER fly over an unsafe area, such as a road or street. NEVER fly too close to yourself or spectators. NEVER run your motor inside a house or building with the propeller attached Remove the prop for safety. Required Items CA Glue Thin and Thick Epoxy glue Hobby Knife Small Phillips Screwdriver Set Metric Allen Wrenches Scissors Small Pliers Wire Cutters Masking tape Optional Heat gun Before Starting Assembly Examination Unpack your airplane and examine the components. Check for damage of any kind. If you see any damage, please contact Value Hobby immediately. Covering Your airplane was packed in plastic at the factory without any wrinkles in the covering. You may notice some wrinkles now; more likely, you will notice a few in a day or two or the first time you take the plane out to the flying field. These wrinkles are the result of wood shrinkage and/or expansion. Balsa wood changes size and shape slightly as it is exposed to varying humidity in the air. This is a natural property of balsa wood. As your airplane adjusts to the weather in your part of the world, wrinkles may appear and disappear. Wrinkles may be removed with the gentle application of heat to the covering material on your airplane. The best tool to use is a hobby heat gun. Apply the heat gently: the covering material will shrink as you apply the heat, and this will remove the wrinkles. BE CAREFUL! Too much heat applied too quickly can damage the covering, either by causing it to pull away from the wood at seams and corners or even by melting it. The covering will shrink at low temperature with patient application of heat. Wrinkles in the covering DO NOT affect flight performance. Remove the canopy before attempting to use heat on your covering! The canopy is made of thermo-activated plastic and WILL deform with the application of heat. Do not apply heat to the canopy. 3
Recommended Setup Configuration Model Qty Radio 4 channel 1 Motor Size GForce G15 Brushless Outrunner Motor (2820 KV800-1100) 1 Speed Control 60A PRO Brushless ESC with UBEC 1 Recommended Battery(LiPO) GForce Elite Series 35C 2200mAh 3S11.1V or 4S14.8V LiPO 1 Prop Size APC 14X7 1 servos Mini for the rudder and + 3 micro for other control surfaces 4 Y-Harness Extension Universal Servo Y-Harness (300mm)12-Inch (Futaba "J" and JR Compatible) Universal Servo Extension (600mm) 24-Inch (Futaba "J" and JR Compatible) Charger GT POWER X-CHARGER C6 6S LiPO Charger 1 1 2 Parts of the Airplane 4
Section 1: Aileron installation Step 1. Locate the hinges from the hardware pack. Test fit the four aileron hinges on the aileron. Verify the correct position and alignment of the aileron with the wing panel. Step 2. Glue each of the four hinges in the aileron with some drops of thin CA. 5
Step 3. Carefully glue each of the four hinges into the wing panel with thin CA. Step 4. Move the aileron up and down several times to work the hinges and check for proper movement. Step 5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for the remaining wing panel. 6
Section 2: Aileron servo & control horn installation http://www.valuehobby.com/ Step 1. Locate the following hardware. (Servos and Y-Harness need to be purchased separately). Step 2. Remove the covering over the aileron servo opening as shown. Step 3. Remove the covering over the slot for the control horn on the aileron as shown. 7
Step 4. Install the servo onto the wing panel. Glue the fiberglass horn onto the aileron with medium CA. Step 5. Install the carbon fiber pushrod and make the final adjustment as shown in the picture. Step 6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 for the other wing panel. 8
Section 3: Rudder installation Step 1. Remove the covering over the section of the vertical fin that joins the fuselage, on both sides with a sharp hobby knife as shown. Step 2. Test fit the vertical fin in the fuselage. Check for proper alignment and then glue it with medium CA. Step 3. Insert three hinges in their appropriate slots on the rudder. Verify the alignment and glue them with some drops of thin CA. 9
Step 4. Locate the rudder and carefully glue the hinges with some drops of thin CA. 10
Section 4: Elevator installation Step 1. Test fit the horizontal stabilizer in the fuselage. It should be centered between the left and right side. Using the wing tube as a guide, measure the distance from the tube to the stabilizer as shown. Make sure this distance is also the same on the left and right sides. Step 2. Trace the outline where the horizontal stabilizer joins the fuselage using a marker. Step 3. Using the outline from the last step, remove the covering over the horizontal stabilizer that goes into the fuselage. 11
Step 4. Carefully slide the elevator into the fuselage opening. http://www.valuehobby.com/ Step 5. Carefully insert the stabilizer into fuselage opening. 12
Step 6. Insert in the elevator into the opening and verify the position and alignment of the elevator with the stabilizer. Then carefully glue the hinges in the elevator with a few drops of thin CA. You will glue the hinges to the stabilizer in the next step. Step 7. Flex the elevators 45 degrees up and down, make sure the elevator can move freely. Then glue the hinges with thin CA. 13
Step 8. Slide the carbon fiber wing tube into the fuselage, and carefully check the alignment of the stabilizer with the fuselage. Step 9. Once satisfied with the alignment, glue the stabilizer onto the fuselage with thin CA. 14
Section 5: Rudder servo & control horn installation http://www.valuehobby.com/ Step 1. Locate the items below from the hardware pack. The servo and extension are not included and need to be purchased on your own. Step 2. Remove the covering over the rudder servo opening as shown below. Step 3. Install the servo into the fuselage. Glue the fiberglass horn into the rudder with medium CA. 15
Step 4. Install the carbon fiber pushrod, and make the final adjustment as show in the picture. 16
Section 6: Elevator servo & control horn installation http://www.valuehobby.com/ Step 1. Locate the items below from the hardware pack. The servo and extension are not included and need to be purchased on your own. Step 2. Remove the covering over the elevator servo opening as shown below. Step 3. Install the servo into the fuselage. Glue the fiberglass horn onto the elevator with medium CA. 17
Step 4. Install the carbon pushrod, and make the final adjustment as shown in the picture. 18
Section 7: Tail wheel installation Step 1. Locate the tail wheel assembly from the hardware pack. Step 2. Cut a 30mm slot on the rudder; Drill a hole in the rudder for tail wheel wire. This hole position must be precise so the tail wheel wire can be installed. Step 3. Secure the tail wheel. Carefully apply in the rudder-slot a few drops of medium CA, as shown in the picture. 19
Section 8: Landing gear & wheels installation Step 1. Locate the parts of the main landing gear from the hardware pack. Step 2. Install the main wheels on the wheel pants as shown below. 20
Step 3. Install the landing gear legs into the fuselage with the provided 3mm screws as shown below. 21
Section 9: Electric motor installation Step 1. We recommend Gforce G15 (2820) motor for this airplane (not included). Step 2. Drill 4 hole in the Firewall using a 3mm drill bit. Install your brushless motor onto the firewall using the 4 black 3mm allen-head screws included in your kit. Make sure the motor spins freely. Depending on the size of the shaft collar on your motor, you may need to remove a small amount of wood from the firewall for free rotation. 22
Section 10: ESC installation Step 1. Install the ESC as shown below. 23
Section 11: Cowl installation Step 1. To mount the cowl, first locate the 4 small plywood rectangles on the inside of the fuselage sides at the front of the fuselage. The cowl-mounting screws are screwed into these plywood pieces. In order to know where these plywood rectangles are after we install the cowl, tape small pieces of paper over the plywood rectangles as shown. Step 2. Install the cowl and align carefully so that the spinner matches the cowl as desired. Be sure canopy hatch is in place for this step. 24
Step 3. Use a hobby knife to make small holes through the paper strips into the cowling. This locates the cowl screws accurately so that they will screw into the plywood. Use the 4 small remaining wood screws to mount the cowl. Step 4. Fix carefully the prop and spinner as shown below. Section 12: Wings installation Step 1. Install the Wings as shown below. 25
Section 13: Setting CG and Control Throws For the first flights, the recommended Center of Gravity location is 110mm behind the leading edge of the wing against the fuselage. 105mm is good for pattern flying. 115mm is good for 3D flying. Use the battery pack, moving it forward or backward, to achieve the correct balance. Control throws Low / Precision Rates (in degrees and inches) and Corresponding Exponential Aileron 20 up / 20 down Expo: 40% Elevator 20 up / 20 down Expo: 25% Rudder 30 left / 30 right Expo: 30% High / 3D Rates (in degrees and inches) and Corresponding Exponential Aileron 45 up / 45 down Expo: 80% Elevator 60 up / 60 down Expo: 80% Rudder 50 left / 50 right Expo: 60% Note: that Futaba and Hitec radios require NEGATIVE exponential, while JR and Spektrum use POSITIVE exponential. Range test your radio step1. Before fly, be sure to range check your radio as manufacturer s instruction manual of you radio-system recommand. step2. Double-check all controls (aileron, elevator, rudder and throttle) move in the correct direction. step3. Be sure that your LiPO battery is fully charged. 26
Finally... Enjoy Your 51in SU-26M! have a nice flight! 27