Skymaster ARF F-5 Instructions Manual  (update 22 Feb 2005)

You will need a container for small parts, a 3 mm hex wrench, a 2.5 mm hex wrench, Phillips screwdriver. First remove the 6 screws from the front of the back fuselage take care not to misplace these screws, as there are no extras in the kit. There are 4 X 4 mm screws and 2 X 3 mm screws.

Remove the servo tray from the nose section. Install the front fuel tank in the front of the fuselage before attaching the nose section. The fuel and vent lines should be attached at this time. 

Carefully fit the nose section to the rear fuselage by slipping it in from the top down. Fuselage. Repeat for the 4 X 4 mm screws. Take one of the large 4 mm screws and washers and thread it into the nose bulkhead that is against the rear Do not tighten them yet;  it is much easier to fit all 4 mm screws when they are all loose.

  While the 4 mm screws are loose, hold the nose against the rear fuselage and fit the smaller 3 mm side screws. Tighten the 4 mm screws in a diagonal pattern.

It is not critical that you follow the exact pattern, you just need to insure that even pressure is used to tighten the screws, do not over tighten. A small handle hex ball wrench should allow for more than enough torque.

  Now tighten the side bolts using enough torque to just dent the wood washer.

  Leave the servo tray out for now, as it makes it easier to work on the nose gear and the radio installation.

Take out the 4 screws and Bottom Cover  and install the Rudder Fin

Attaching the Rudder to the fuselage. You will need a 3/32" hex wrench the Vertical Stabilizers, a box or stand for the fuselage. A long needle nose pliers or hemostat may come in handy First remove the top hatch. Turn the fuselage up side down and lay it on a padded stand or box so that the vertical stabilizers will clear the table or stand you are using.

Unscrew the 5-40 attachment bolts from the bottom of the stabilizers. Thread the Rudder servo wire through fuselage hole.

Plug in the stabilizers to the fuselage. The left and a right side are different, you can tell which is which by the servo access doors that should face inside.

setup the two screws for the rudder fin
When you place the rudder fin in the fuselage, please make sure you use thread lock or a spring washer to set the screw in tightly.  Also, make sure you check the screw regularly to ensure that the rudder does not come loose.  Please keep in mind, if the rudder is even slightly loose, it could cause flutter and serious damage on the plane.  

Remove the top hatch. Turn the fuselage upside down and lay it on a padded stand or box so that you can easily access the rear Elevator access panels.

Take one of the Elevator and remove the control horn that is on the Elevator  shaft. There should be a  plastic washer on the shaft of the Elevator one thick place them in a safe place. Do the same for the other Elevator.

connect the push-pull rods for elevator servos control

Take the control horns and carefully thread in a 4-40 set screw make sure not to force it in, just screw it in a turn or two, it will be tightened later. Take an Elevator and place a thin washer on the Elevator shaft. Slide the Elevator shaft into the Elevator bushing on the side of the fuselage push it in all the way and make sure it rotates freely.

Slide the  Elevator out till the shaft just protrudes into the fuselage interior. Using your hemostats or long nose pliers put the thick washer on the shaft first then the control horn with the horn against the outside the edge of the fuselage.

install the servos for the Elevator

A little trick is to put a small spot of grease on the washer to make it stick to the control horn first then slide it on. Push the horn all the way on to the  Elevator shaft then tighten the 5-40 screws in the control horn so that it just starts to grab onto the  Elevator shaft. Use your direct servo control cable from your transmitter to your radio system to center the  Elevator servo.

Take the trailing edge of the Elevator and line it up with the points of the ends of the fuselage. In an earlier step we just tightened the horn enough so that it just started to grab, now you should be able to twist the Elevator into alignment it will slip while the Elevator servo holds the horn in alignment. If it is too loose to hold or too tight to slip adjust the 5-40 screws in the horn. When you are satisfied with the alignment, take a non-ball end 3/32” Hex wrench and use to tighten the 5-40 screws down. It might be easier to tape the Elevator for alignment, and make sure the Direct Servo Control is on.

First tighten one screw then the other; you must go back and forth between the 2 screws till both are tight. You must make this tight so that the Elevator cannot slip in flight; this is where a T wrench should be used if you have one.

After you are satisfied that the horn is tight disconnect the control rod and turn the Elevator so that you expose the 4-40 set screw. Tighten this using a .050 hex wrench this will prevent any slip of the Elevator and its horn. Repeat for the other Elevator. Place a try wrap mount in the rear fuselage area to tie down the Elevator and rudder wire and keep them out of the tail pipe area.

install main gear with setup air pipes for air breaks for the main gear

setup the front servo and make two piano wires control to the nose gear

Glue the 6 Hinges for Ailerons with Flaps

install the two servos for the Flaps

We suggest use of the Futaba # 9204. (#9151) or JR # 8425 (#8511 or 8611) servos for Both Flaps

all Servo mounts must add glued Balsa for Strong more

Note:  Please make sure the servo is secured to the mount.  The servo mount base should have enough surface area to hold it.  If you only glue the servo mount directly to the wing surface without additional support may cause the whole thing to rip off in extreme conditions.  This will cause serious damage to your plane such as fluttering.
 We suggest you use a thin plywood or layer of fiberglass to increase the base surface space before you glue the servo mount.. 

Glue the servos mounts for the Aileron servos and cut the hole then glue for Control Horns 

install the aileron servos, connect both push-pull rods for Aileron servos control 
  We suggest use of the JR # 3301servos for the ailerons

install the Rudder servo, connect both push-pull rods for Rudder servo control 
  We suggest use of the JR # 3301servo for the Rudder

If you use the Jet Cat Engine you must add glued two (2) engine wood mounts 

make sure the engine is on the center line and adjust the engine position fore and aft as necessary

The tail flange has two brackets. Mark and drill holes in the brackets so they line-up with the holes in the right / left bulkheads holes.

make the holes to fasten the dual wall tail pipe

install main gear with setup air pipes for air breaks for the main gear

the C/G 110mm measured from the leading edge, The most forward point of the wing (without Fuel and Gear Down)

set-up elevator function for up / down movement for each to between 45 mm ~ 55 mm

set-up ailerons function for up / down movement for each to between 20 mm ~ 25 mm

set-up Flaps function for down movement 20mm for Talk off

set-up Flaps function for down movement 30 mm  and approx 5-10 mm of up elevator with down flap for Landing

the Rudder travel 30-40mm both ways (45-50 mm for good knife edge)

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