SIG SUKHOI SU-31 ARF, Assembly Manual, Page: 17 / 26

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On our prototype models we made the bottom and back areas of
the canopy base light gray. The instrument panel front deck is
"anti-glare" flat black. Acrylic latex "craft paints" or hardware store
variety spray enamel work well for painting these areas. Before
painting, sand all the surfaces you plan to paint with 220 grit or
finer sandpaper to insure good paint adhesion.
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6) a. Screw the canopy base back in place on the fuselage.
b. Use several pieces of masking tape to secure the canopy
base to the fuselage, and then remove the screws.
c. Set the clear plastic canopy in position on top of the canopy
base. Check all around the edges to see how the clear canopy
matches up to the base. If the clear canopy hangs over the edge
of the base in some spots, trim off the excess clear canopy plastic
with a sharp scissors or modeling knife as needed to achieve a
good match.
d. Once you are satisfied, hold the clear canopy in exact
position and use a felt-tip pen to mark the locations of the six
mounting holes onto the canopy.
e. Remove the canopy and drill clearance holes at the marks
with a 3mm (.018”) or #31 (.020”) drill bit.
f. Mount the canopy base and the clear canopy TOGETHER
onto the fuselage with the six screws. Check the fit and make any
final alterations.
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7) Unbolt the clear canopy and clean it with window cleaner.
Dry it completely with a soft cloth and avoid handling the inside
surface. Set it aside for a moment. Now use 220 grit sandpaper
to lightly scuff the perimeter areas of the canopy base that
actually contact the clear canopy.
Wipe off excess dust with
alcohol. Mix a small amount of epoxy glue and smear a thin layer
of glue on the sanded area. Carefully place the clear canopy back
on the canopy base and put the bolts back in. Use alcohol and a
paper towel to wipe off any excess glue. If necessary, use some
pieces of masking tape hold the clear canopy tight against the
base and fuselage while the glue dries.
b. With the rudder and tailwheel both in neutral position, apply a
small amount of tension to the spring and use the pliers to make a
90
O bend at the tailwheel steering arm hole. Insert the wire into
the steering arm and make another 90 O bend back toward the
center of the spring, forming a loop. Do the same for the other
spring. Do not over stretch the springs when doing this. A little bit
of tension is all you need.
c. Turn on your radio system to check the movement of the
rudder and tailwheel. If there is binding, correct it. The springs
should center the tailwheel to the rudder when it is at neutral.
CANOPY ATTACHMENT
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1) Notice that the molded plastic canopy base has 3 factory
drilled holes along each side for the mounting screws. Set the
canopy base in position on the fuselage. Use a felt-tip pen to mark
the position of each mounting hole on both sides of the fuselage.
Remove the canopy base.
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2) Carefully drill a 3/64" (or #56) dia. pilot hole at each marked
location. Drill completely through the balsa and plywood cockpit
sides.
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3) Mount the canopy base back on the fuselage, using the
M2.6 x 10mm PWA Screws provided to fasten it in place. If there
are any problems with the fit of the canopy base to the fuselage,
fix it at this point before proceeding.
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4) A full-color printed paper SUKHOI instrument panel is
included in this kit. Simply cut it out with a sharp scissors and use
spray cement to glue it in place on the canopy base.
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5) OPTIONAL STEP: 1/4 -scale civilian pilot figure looks best
in the SUKHOI. There are many brands of pilot figures available.
No matter which brand you use, be sure to mount it securely to
the canopy base (you don't want the pilot "bailing out" in flight).
We recommend reinforcing the bottom of the canopy base by
epoxying a piece of scrap 1/32" or thicker plywood underneath the
area where the pilot will be mounted. This stiffens the canopy base
and allows you to fasten the pilot to the base with screws.