Neptune Seaplane25 ARF Instruction Manual Specifications Wingspan: 1270mm (50in) Length: 1155mm (45.5in) Wing Area: 34.8 sq dm (539.4 sq in) Weight: 1950g (4.30lbs) Product Highlights Removable hatch on the fuselage for easy battery access. Includes high quality hardware. Classic Neptune trim scheme.
Dear Customer, Congratulations on your purchase of Neptune Seaplane 25 ARF 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 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 thermoactivated plastic and WILL deform with the application of heat. Do not apply heat to the canopy. If you need to clean your airplane, we recommend using a damp towel. The paint used on the canopy and cowl is not safe for all cleaners. In particular, DO NOT use alcohol on these parts, it will remove the paint. 3
RECOMMENDED RADIO EQUIPMENT Product SKU Quantity Radio 4 channel FLY-RC-1310 1 Servo Emax ES3104 Metal Gear Mini Servo EMX-SV-2472 4 Y-Harness Universal Servo Y-Harness 12-Inch (Futaba"J" and JR Compatible) AMS-AC-0869 1 Extension Universal Servo Extension 12-Inch (Futaba"J" and JR Compatible) AMS-AC-0560 1 RECOMMENDED POWER SETUP Light Power Setup Product SKU Motor Gforce G15 (35-42) 1100KV SAT-MT-1741 ESC Hobbywing Flyfun 60A ESC HWG-SC-0241 Battery GForce Elite Series 40C 2200mAh 3S 11.1V FLM-LP-1804 Prop 12 x 6E EMX-MP-1769 High Power Setup Product SKU Motor Gforce G25 (35-48) 850KV SAT-MT-1882 ESC Hobbywing Flyfun 60A ESC HWG-SC-0241 Battery GForce Elite Series 40C 2200mAh 4S 14.8V FLM-LP-1810 Prop 13 x 6.5E EMX-MP-1765 OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES: Product SKU Quantity GT Power C6 6S LiPO Charger GTP-CH-1427 1 Quickie Thin CA VHB-AC-2097 1 Quickie Medium CA VHB-AC-2098 1 Foam Field Stand VHB-AC-1997 1 GT Power 130A Watt Meter GTP-AC-0591 1 T Discharge Connector Female AMS-AC-1914 1 T Discharge Connector Male AMS-AC-1913 1 LiPO Battery Charging Bag VHB-LP-0330 1 Tarot Socket Head Drivers Set FYM-AC-2100 1 4
Main Parts and Accessories: 5
Part Lists: Fuselage x 1 Wing panel x 2 Aileron x 2 Horizontal stabilizer x 1 Elevator x 1 Fin x 1 Rudder x 1 Cowling x 1 M3*12mm (0.5-inch) round head self-tapping screw x 6 for mounting cowling Motor mount x 1 M3*12mm (0.5-inch) screw x 1 for mounting motor mount M3*20mm (0.8-inch) screw x 4 for mounting motor M3 washer x 4 for mounting motor M3 nut x 4 for mounting motor Battery hatch x 1 M3*12mm (0.5-inch) screw x 2 for mounting battery hatch Tie cable 300mm (11.8-inch) x 2 for binding battery Rear hatch x 1 M3*12mm (0.5-inch) screw x 4 for mounting battery hatch Tail skid x 1 Wing joiner x 1 M3*40mm (1.6-inch) wing bolt x 2 for mounting wing M3 washer x 2 Wing bolt plate x 1 Float x 2 Aileron pushrod wire Φ1.8x145mm (5.7-inch) x 2 Rudder pushrod wire Φ1.8x655mm (25.8-inch) x 1 Elevator pushrod wire Φ1.8x750mm (29.5-inch) x 1 Elevator pushrod wire Φ1.8x50mm (2.0-inch) x 1 Pushrod connector x 5 Control horn x 4 Back plate x 4 Clevis x 4 M2*16mm (0.6-inch) screw x 4 for mounting rudder and elevator control horn M2*20mm (0.8-inch) screw x 4 for mounting aileron control horn M2*10mm (0.4-inch) clevis bolt x 4 Hinge x 20 6
Section1: Install the ailerons and floats Step1. Drill a 3/32-inch hole into the center of each hinge slot in the aileron and wing panel. Trim the covering away from each hinge slot to ensure that the hinges will be properly glued in place. Step3. Apply some thin CA to glue the aileron to the wing panel. Make sure to glue both the top and bottom. Once the CA has cured, gently pull on the aileron to make sure the hinges are secure. If not, apply more CA to loose hinges. Step2. Insert four hinges into the wing panel, and drop some thin CA into the hole in the hinge slot to glue the hinge to the wing panel. Make sure to glue both the top and bottom. Step4. Use the epoxy to glue the float to the wing. Make sure the float is aligning with the leading edge of the wing. Step5. Repeat step1 to step4 for the remaining aileron and float. Step2. Attach the aileron to the wing panel through the hinges, and use a hobby knife to set a small gap between the wing and aileron. Also check the aileron can move freely without rubbing at the wing foot. 7
Section2: Install the ailerons servo & linkages Step4. Connect the aileron servo pushrod Φ1.8x145mm (5.7-inch) to control horn using clevis and M2x10mm (0.4-inch) clevis bolt. Step1. Use a hobby knife to remove the covering for inboard servo in the bottom of the wing. Step5. With the pushrod wire aligned 90 degrees to hinge line and the holes in the control horn aligned with the hinge line, use two M2x20mm (0.8-inch) screws and back plate to install the control horn to the aileron. Step2. Electronically center the servo, and install the servo arm with pushrod connector to the servo. Step6. With control surface centered, tighten the grub screw to secure the pushrod to pushrod connector. Step3. Install the servo onto the wing using two selftapping screws provided with servo. Use three M2*8mm (0.3in) self-tapping screws to install the servo cover to the wing. Trim the cover as shown. Step7. Repeat step2 to step6 for the remaining servo. (Note: you need use the glue to seal the gap.) 8
Section3: Install fin and rudder Step1. Position the fin on the fuselage, and use a felt-tipped pen to trace the outline of the fin. Step4. Use thin CA to secure the rudder to the fin. Position the tail skid on the fuselage, and use a felt-tipped pen to trace the outline of the fin. Step2. Use a hobby knife to remove the coverings along the line drawn in the previous step. Apply some epoxy to the bare wood on the fuselage and the fin to secure the fin to the fuselage. Step5. Use a hobby knife to remove the coverings along the line drawn in the previous step. Apply some epoxy to the bare wood on the fuselage and the tail skid to secure the tail skid to the fuselage. Step3. Use thin CA to glue two hinges to the rudder. 9
Section4: Install horizontal stabilizer and elevator Step1. Attach the elevator to horizontal stabilizer in the same procedure as installing the aileron in section1. Section5: Install elevator and rudder servo & linkages Step1. Connect the Elevator pushrod wire Φ1.8x750mm (29.5-inch) to control horn through clevis and M2*10mm (0.4-inch) clevis bolt. Slide the pushrod wire through the fuselage as shown. Step2. Use epoxy to glue the horizontal stabilizer and elevator assembly to the fuselage. (Note: the stabilizer should be parallel with work surface and centered in the fuselage.) Step2. Use four M3*12mm (0.5-inch) screws to install the rear hatch to the fuselage. Step3. Use a hobby knife to remover the coverings for the rear hatch. (for sliding the pushrod wire through the fuselage in following steps) Step3. With pushrod wire aligned 90 degrees to the hinge line and the holes in the control horn aligned with the hinge line, use two M2*16mm (0.6-inch) screws and back plate to install the control horn to the elevator. 10
Step4. In the same procedure install the control horn onto the rudder. Section6: Install elevator servo and linkage (optional) We offer another installing method for elevator servo. Step1. Use a hobby knife to remove the coverings for inboard servo. Step5. Install the servo arm with pushrod connector to the servo, and install two servos into the fuselage. (Electronically center the servo before mounting). Step2. Install the servo onto the horizontal stabilizer. Step6. With control surface centered, tighten the grub screws. Step3. Connect pushrod wire Φ1.8x50mm (2.0- inch) to control horn. With pushrod wire aligned 90 degrees to the hinge line and the holes in the control horn aligned with the hinge line, use two M2*16mm (0.6-inch) screws and back plate to install the control horn to the elevator. 11
Step4. With control surface centered, tighten the grub screw. Section7: Install motor and prop Step1. Prepare a extension cable for connecting the battery and ESC. Step2. As shown thread a 12-inch servo extension and battery-to-esc cable though the motor mount as shown. 12
Step3. Remove the coverings for motor mount. Step6. Use four M3*20mm (0.8-inch) screws, four M3 washer and four M3 nut to install the motor to the motor mount. Step4. Insert the motor mount into the fuselage. Step7. Position the cowling in the motor mount. Step5. Use one M3*12mm (0.5-inch) socket head self-tapping screw to secure the motor mount to the fuselage. 13
Step8. Drill the mounting holes. Section8: Install wing Step1. Use wing joiner and epoxy to join two wing panels together. Step9. Use six M3*12mm (0.5-inch) self-tapping screws to secure the cowling to the motor mount. Step2. Install the wing by aligning the dowels from the wing into the holes in the fuselage. Step10. Install the prop and spinner. Step3. Secure the wing using two wing bolts and one bolt plate. Step11. You can use two M3*12mm (0.5-inch) screws to install the battery hatch to the fuselage. 14
Section9: Set up CG and control throws Measure the CG from the leading edge of wing panel. Adjust the battery pack; the CG should be at 25-30% MAC (Mean Airfoil Chord). The CG is 79mm (3.1-inch) from the leading edge of the wing. Set up the control throws: 15
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