ENGINE SELECTION:
The Rascal 110 can be powered by a wide range of engine sizes
and types - 2-stroke, 4-stroke (both single and twin cylinder types),
and even smaller gasoline engines. Keep in mind that the airplane
has been designed to be relatively light, producing a good flying
model with a very favorable wing loading. In addition, the design
is fairly aerodynamically clean for a high-wing model. These two
factors result in very good performance when using engines in the
suggested range. Over-powering this model is totally unnecessary
and not recommended.
What are the considerations for choosing a particular type of
engine to use in this model? If you are most comfortable with glow
engines, then a 2 or 4-stroke type may be best for you. Just
remember that these engines, especially the larger engines used
to fly a model of this size, tend to use a lot of fuel in their
operation. Glow engines also produce a lot of exhaust residue that
must be cleaned off after each flying session. If these are not
problems for you, then glow engines, in the recommended sizes,
can certainly be used with good results.
Although, we have not tried it, another interesting engine type to
consider would be twin-cylinder 4-strokes in 1.60 to 1.82 sizes. In
the installation of a twin cylinder engine, the only real issue would
likely be how to install the fiberglass cowl over the two cylinder
heads. In the case of a twin cylinder engine, probably the best way
to deal with the cowl would be to neatly "split" it, from front to rear,
along the centerline of the engine, creating top and bottom cowl
halves. The two halves could then be joined along the seam with
small bolts.
Neatly done, this would create fairly easy engine
access and a very realistic look.
Smaller gas engines in the range of 1.3 to 1.6 cubic inches are
also good potential powerplants for the Rascal 110. For example,
the gas engine depicted in this manual is the new F.P.E. 1.3 motor,
with electronic ignition. This engine flies the airplane very nicely,
swinging a 16 x 8 prop at about 7400 rpms. With the supplied
450cc (15.2 oz.) fuel tank, flight times are around 23 minutes and
can be even longer with throttle management! Of course, side
benefits from using gas engines are things like greatly reduced
fuel costs, much less field support equipment needed, great
reliability, and the almost total lack of clean up required. At the end
of the day, clean up usually consists of wiping off a few bug strikes
and fingerprints.
COVERING MATERIAL:
Your Rascal 110 ARF has been professionally covered with SIG
AeroKote
™
. This material is well known for its ease of application,
light weight and consistency of color. If you live in a drier climate,
you may notice that some wrinkles might develop after removing
the covered parts from their plastic bags. This is perfectly normal
in low humidity climates. Your model was built and covered in a
part of the world with relatively high humidity and therefore, the
wood was likely carrying a fair amount of moisture. When exposed
to relatively drier air, the wood typically loses this moisture,
dimensionally "shrinking" in the process. In turn, this may cause
some wrinkles. However, these wrinkles are easy to remove by
just using a hobby type heat iron.
We suggest covering the iron's shoe with a thin cotton cloth, such
as an old T-shirt, to prevent scratching the film. The iron should be
set to 220
O
F - 250
O
F (104
O
C - 121
O
C). Use the heated iron to
lightly shrink the material - do not press on it. Then, lightly iron the
material back down to the wood. You can also use a hobby-type
heat gun to re-shrink the covering but you must be careful around
seams or color joints.
Re-heating seams may cause them to
"creep", making them unsightly. This is especially true with the
Rascal 110 inset trim scheme. Also, be careful with the heat gun
when working around the windshield and side windows - heat will
distort this clear plastic material.
We also suggest that you take a few moments to go over all the
seams with your iron, making sure they are all sealed and well
adhered. This is especially important when you power your model
with a glow engine. Exhaust residue will contaminate a seam that
is not sealed, making it almost impossible to re-seal effectively.
Your Rascal 110 ARF is covered with SIG AeroKote
™
#SIGSTL100 White
and
#SIGSTL010 Transparent Red or #SIGSTL050 Transparent Blue
REQUIRED TOOLS:
For proper assembly, we suggest you have the following tools and
materials available:
2
