21
PARTS REQUIRED
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{1} Molded Clear Canopy
CANOPY
CANOPY PREPARATION
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1) Using a sharp knife or Lexan Canopy Scis-
sors, trim out the canopy along the molded scribe
lines around the front and back of the canopy. Care-
fully trim the entire length of the canopy sides just
below the molded recesses of the canopy frame. See
photo # 32 below.
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2) Test fit the canopy to the fuselage. The
canopy should be centered over the top of the fuse-
lage and the front edge should be about 1” behind the
back edge of the cowling. See photo # 33 below.
Photo # 32
Photo # 33
MOUNTING THE CANOPY
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6) Glue the canopy in place using RC256
Canopy Glue. Run a bead of the glue along the entire
perimeter of the canopy, then set the canopy it place.
Use pieces of masking tape to hold the canopy in place
until the glue fully cures.
You can tell the front of the canopy from the
back because the front angle is steeper and the
back has more of a radius.
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3) When satisfied with the fit, remove the
canopy and use 220 grit sandpaper to carefully sand
the edges of the canopy smooth and straight.
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4) Wash the canopy with a soft cloth using warm
water and liquid soap. Dry off the canopy and then
allow it to air dry for about 15 minutes.
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5) Using 3M Fineline masking tape, mask off
the window panels so that only the canopy frame is
exposed. Paint the canopy using Topflite Lusterkote
Olive Drab spray paint, following the manufacturer's
recommendations. Allow the paint to dry then re-
move the masking tape.
FINAL ASSEMBLY
INSTALLING THE RECEIVER AND BATTERY
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1) Plug the servo leads and the switch lead into
the receiver. Plug the battery pack lead into the
switch also. You may want to use an extension lead
plugged into the receiver to make connecting the
aileron Y-harness easier when you install the wing.
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2) Wrap the receiver and battery pack in foam
rubber to protect them from vibration. Position both
of these items behind the servos, cradled in the foam
part of the fuselage. Use extra foam pieces and scrap
wood, glued between the fuselage sides, to hold them
in position. Run the extension forward, under the ser-
vos, to keep it out of the way of the pushrods.
When balancing the airplane you may need to
move the battery or receiver forward or aft to
achieve proper balance. In our test airplane, using a
Magnum XL .40ARNV two stroke engine, the bat-
tery and receiver were mounted as per step # 2.
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3) Using a 1/16” drill bit, drill a hole through the
side of the fuselage, near the receiver, for the antenna
to exit. Route the antenna out of the fuselage and se-
cure it to the vertical stabilizer using a rubber band and
a modified servo arm. See figure # 20 below.
Figure # 20
Cut
Servo
Arm
Antenna
Modified
Servo Arm
Rubber
Band
To Vertical
Fin
Canopy Shown Painted for Clarity
Summary of Contents for AK-18
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