3DHobbyShop.com

Bigfoot 84” Assembly Manual

Thank you for purchasing this 3DHobbyShop ARF RC aircraft. If you have any issues, questions, concerns or problems during assembly, please contact our tech department at:

[email protected]

or 717-814-5316 10am-4pm Eastern Monday – Thursday.

SAFETY in Assembly

During assembly of this aircraft, you will be asked to use sharp knives, hot irons, 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.

SAFETY in Flying

ALWAYS fly your aircraft in a safe area, away from spectators.

ALWAYS fly your aircraft in a safe manner, within your control.

NEVER fly too close to yourself.

ALWAYS wear eye protection while operating your model aircraft.

ALWAYS keep your hands and body clear of propellers.

ALWAYS observe lipoly battery safety procedures.

ALWAYS handle gasoline in a safe manner.

ALWAYS perform a ground test and range check of your radio system before flying.

REQUIRED ITEMS

CA Glue

Canopy Glue

30 Minute Epoxy Glue (NOT 5-minute Epoxy)

Hobby Knife

Phillips Screwdriver

Set Metric Allen Wrenches

Small Pliers

Wire Cutters

Rubbing Alcohol

Paper Towels

Blue Loctite thread-locking adhesive

Dremel-type rotary tool

Small adjustable wrench or wrench set

IMPORTANT NOTE: 3DHS Recommends ONLY High-Torque, Digital, Metal-gear Servos for this aircraft. Suitable part numbers include Hitec HS-7955TG,and HS-7954SH. DO NOT attempt to use nylon-geared servos on this airplane.

THIS AIRCRAFT IS NOT A TOY! IT IS A HIGH PERFORMANCE AEROBATIC AIRCRAFT AND

IMPROPER SETUP AND/OR USE COULD RESULT INJURY OR DEATH.

Assembly Instructions

UNPACK

Unpack your airplane and examine the components. Check for damage of any kind. If you find any damage, contact 3DHobbyShop and report the damage.

COVERING SEAMS

There are many seams in the covering on this aircraft where one color meets another. We recommend using a covering iron or trim sealing tool to go over all of the covering seams on your Bigfoot. This will help to prevent any peeling of the covering. Repeat this periodically.

WRINKLES

Your Bigfoot was packed 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, using an iron and/or 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.

Wrinkles do not affect flight performance.

COVERING MATERIAL

Your Bigfoot is covered with genuine OraCover material. If you need to repair sections, matching covering is sold at most hobby stores under the “UltraCote” brand.

Using a sharp hobby knife, a small-tip soldering iron, or a hot knife, remove the covering material over the door and window openings on the fuselage.

Also remove the covering over the wing spar, wing pin and retainer, and servo wire openings as shown.

Remove the covering over the horizontal stabilizer slot and the rear servo openings as needed. NOTE:

Bigfoot includes two rudder servo mounts, one in the rear on the right side (shown below) and one in the cabin for pull-pull cable arrangement. If you are using an electric power don't cut the covering away from the servo opening on the right side of the fuselage, since you will be mounting your rudder servo in the front. For gas power, mount the rudder servo in the rear.

Test fit the vertical stabilizer into the slot but do not glue it yet. The fit should be snug. If it is too tight, sand the bottom of the vertical stabilizer slightly.

The main axles on the Bigfoot include a cross-drilled hole in the end of the axle for positive retention of the main wheels with a cross-pin.

Bolt the main axles onto the landing gear as shown.

Your kit includes 3" wheels, which are a very lightweight option. If you wish to use them, install them onto the axles along with wheels collars and pins as shown.

For a more scale look, you can use 6"-8" balloon tires, such as the pictured DuBro 6" balloon tires. Be certain to use the cross pins as shown for wheel retention.

Attach the landing gear to the fuselage as shown, being sure to loctite these screws.

Use rubber cement or epoxy to attach the landing gear fairings.

Use tape to hold the fairings in place while the glue sets.

Use rubber cement or epoxy to install the landing gear cover plate on the bottom of the fuselage as shown.

Installing the tail surfaces: Slide the carbon main wing spar tube into position. Without any glue, temporarily install both the horizontal and vertical stabilizer as shown and check for alignment with each other and the wing tube. Make any adjustments needed by sanding or shimming.

Do not remove any covering from the horizontal stabilizer. Instead, once you are satisfied with the alignment of the horizontal stabilizer in all directions, apply thin CA glue as shown. It will wick into the joint and permanently adhere the stab. We recommend this on all of our 30CC aircraft, gas or electric powered. Clean up any excess CA on the covering with debonder.

Since there is bare wood exposed on the vertical stabilizer joint, you may use thin or thick CA or epoxy to permanently install the vertical stab.

Install the control horns onto the rudder and elevator. Note that if you are using pull-pull rudder, you will need to install control horns onto both sides of the rudder. If you are using gas power, you will only need one horn, on the right. Note also that your elevator horn will be on the elevator half on the left side of the fuselage. Use 30-minute epoxy to install these horns. Remove the covering over the slots for the horns, liberally apply epoxy to the slots and the bottom of the horn, press in, and remove excess epoxy with a qtip soaked in rubbing alcohol.

Locate and open the hole in the rear of the fuselage for the lowest rudder hinge, as shown.

Apply a drop of vaseline or oil to the center axle of each hinge point. Be careful not to get it on the ends of the hinge points.

Install the elevator joiner into the slot in the elevators with 30 minute epoxy, and install the hinge points into the horizontal stab and elevators with 30 minute epoxy. Align everything and apply masking tape as shown to hold elevators in alignment while the glue dries.

Install the rudder hinge points with 30 minute epoxy as shown.

Install elevator servo as shown, running extension forward through the fuselage. Install elevator pushrod as shown.

If you are using the tail mounted rudder servo, install rudder servo and pushrod as shown.

IF you are using an electric power system and need to use the pull-pull rudder system, mount the rudder servo as shown.

The pull-pull cables for the rudder are assembled as shown in the following diagram:

Assemble the forward ends of the pull -pull cables first. Crimp the brass crimp sleeves firmly, looping the cable trough as shown.

Install the cables onto the rudder servo as shown.

At the rear of the fuselage, pull the cables taut and crimp the ends as on the front. NOTE: Do not pull the cables too tight. They only need to be snug, so that they do not sag and the rudder does not flop back and forth.

Locate the stabilizer brace wire hardware pack. There are a total of six cables. Four long cables for the top, two shorter for the bottom.

Kiwk-links and a small threaded pushrod with a hole in one end are provided for the ends of the cables.

This allows for small adjustment once all the cables are installed. Each wire is made up with the same technique as the pull-pull rudder. Insert the small pushrods 4-5 turns into the kwik-links. Then install the kwik-links to each hard point. Note: the top of the vertical stabilizer requires two (on each side), all others receive one. Now bolt the had points to the stabilizers in the provided holes. There is a small slit in the covering indicating the hole locations. Use the pictures for reference.

The bottom two hard points attached to the fuselage are installed using wood screws. Best to install the wood screw, then remove and harden the wood with thin CA. Once dry, reinstall.

Now attach the cables using one crimp sleeve to each small pushrod. Do one cable at a time, taking up as much slack as possible. Once all the cables are completed, the pushrods may be threaded into the

kwik-links more to make the cable taunt. Note: as with the rudder pull-pull cables, we just want to take up the slack... not banjo or guitar tight. Once you are satisfied with the cable tension, apply medium CA where the pushrod enters the kwik-link and apply CA kicker. This will keep the pushrods from rotating, but will allow adjustment later if necessary.

Install the tailwheel with wood screws as shown.

Install the tiller bar and springs as shown.

Use the template to mark the firewall, or transfer your engine or motor's mounting dimensions to the firewall.

Drill the firewall and cut for carb clearance if necessary.

If you are using electric power, you may elect to use the electric motor extension box. If you motor's mounting pattern down no match the extension box, you may use standoffs to mount your electric motor directly to the firewall.

Install throttle servo box on appropriate side of fuselage for your engine using 30 minute epoxy.

Mount your engine as shown.

Mount the ignition box as shown.

Mount fuel tank as shown.

Trim cowl for cylinder clearance and cooling. Use tape and paper strips as shown to make the cowl for drilling as shown.

Install wood screws to retain the cowl as show.

Install side door as shown, using thin CA on the hinges as shown.

Apply canopy glue to the side windows as shown.

Install the side windows into the fuselage and side hatch and use masking tape to hold windows in place while the glue dries.

Apply canopy glue to windscreen as shown.

Use tape to hold windscreen in place while the glue dries. When glue is dry, you can outline the windscreen with black trim tape for appearance.

Using 30 minute epoxy, install control horns in the flaps and ailerons as shown.

Remove the covering over the aileron servo opening as shown.

Install servo as shown. Install servo cover, also locate the screw holes for the wing struts and remove the covering over them as shown.

Install the flap servo as shown.

Remove the covering over the flap servo arm slot as shown.

To achieve full flap deflection, you will need to trim the slot as shown.

Assemble aileron and flap pushrods as shown.

Install flap servo arm and pushrods as shown.

Once the flap servos are operational, check the current draw at full flap deflection. It is important to be precise in setting the servo endpoints. If you let the servo travel too far, the current draw will increase dramatically. The goal is achieve 70-75 degrees of flap deflection at a very low current draw

.

Bigfoot includes locations on the leading edge of the wing for lights. You can install an LED light system in these locations if desired. The kit includes form-fitting lenses for the leading edge of the wing. Start by trimming the lens material to length.

Install the lenses with canopy glue and trim tape as shown.

Install the wings onto the wing spar tube and fuselage and attach with the nylon wing bolts. Assemble the wing struts as shown with bolts and locknuts.

Attach wing struts in-between fuselage and wing as shown with a bolt and washer.

Take your time installing the wing struts the first time. The ends will need to be bent slightly for the mounting bolts to align with the installed blind nuts. Take care not to accidentally push the blind nuts into the fuselage or wing.

Install receiver into fuselage, we mount it under the fuselage top hatch for easy access. Install receiver battery on fuel tank tray as needed for CG adjustment. If additional weight is needed for CG location, we recommend the use of modeling clay inside the motor box.

Install a 18-21" diameter propeller as appropriate for your power system.

Control Setup

Control throws – High Rate

Ailerons – 30 degrees

Elevator – 30 degrees

Rudder – Maximum throw available without interference

* High rate exponential typically 55-75%

Control throws - Low Rate

Ailerons – 15 degrees

Elevator – 15 degrees

Rudder – 18 degrees

* Low rate exponential typically 35-50%

Flap throws – three position: 0 degrees, 45 degrees and 75-80 degrees

Center or Gravity

We recommend a CG of 3.5 inches, measured back from the leading edge of the wing at the wing root

(where the wing meets the fuselage). This provides a fairly nose-heavy CG so the pilot may maiden and trim the aircraft. Once accustom to the aircraft, the pilot may want to adjust the CG to their liking.

Flying the Bigfoot

Bigfoot is different! If you have been flying our 3D planes for a while, you are used to the feel of them and you have developed reactions for flying them. Before you fly the Bigfoot, realize that it is a different animal.

On one of our 3D planes, for example, you can simply power out of a spin. The Bigfoot spins like a fullscale plane, and so you need to neutralize the controls and give it a little extra time to recover, just like a full scale aircraft or most RC scale aircraft.

The Bigfoot has an extremely wide speed range, from fast to extremely slow (about 3 mph), but you need to have the flaps extended at least 45 degrees to fly slowly and the aircraft will fly much slower with the flaps at 80 degrees than at 45. For this reason, we recommend approaching the Bigfoot in this manner:

Set the flaps up on a 3 position switch at first, with the positions as 0 degrees (full up or no flaps), 40 degrees (half flaps), and 80-85 degrees (full flaps).

Fly your first flight with no flaps and keep the speed up. Fly it like you would any sport plane. Once you have done this, gain a lot of altitude on the next flight and extend the flaps 40 degrees. You will see the nose pitch up. Take note of how much down elevator pressure it requires for level flight. Retract flaps.

Land as before. Program in this same amount of elevator as your elevator-to-flaps compensation on your transmitter, so that you automatically have this amount of down elevator added when you drop flaps.

Fly again, gain altitude, and drop flaps 45 degrees and establish slow level flight. Drop flaps to 80 degrees. Full flaps are only for very slow flight. At full flaps, you will use throttle for your climb control, and you will not need to touch the elevator very much, just occasionally to keep the nose level. It is a different flight skill to fly this plane with full flaps, but once you master it, you will be able to fly extremely slowly at low altitude, turn very tightly, take off and land in little or no distance.

Practice using the flaps switch so that you become comfortable selecting UP, Half, and Full very easily without having to look at the transmitter. Once you do this, you can use the flaps for radical maneuvers.

For instance, to perform a radical short distance bushplane takeoff, you drop FULL flaps, add full throttle so that Bigfoot leaps off of the ground, and once you have cleared the ground you select half flaps and fly away. If you can’t operate the flaps switch easily, you can’t fly this maneuver cleanly.

We hope you enjoy your Bigfoot and please watch for new aircraft offerings from 3DHobbyShop.com