Giantscaleplanes.com: Super decathlon

Model Airplane News, Jun 2001 by Yarrish, Gerry

FINAL ASSEMBLY

To complete the model, I covered it with red, white and black 21st Century fabric from Coverite. I started on the bottom of the fuselage and applied the white fabric in three pieces up to the second stringer from the bottom. I then applied the red to the sides and to the top to finish the covering job. The black pinstripes and the white starbursts are also made of 21st Century fabric and were cut to shape and ironed on top of the covering material. I also used 21st Century matching paint on the wingtips, wheel pants and the engine cowl. To install the smoke-colored windows and windshield, I used Pacer Technology Zap-a-dapa-goo adhesive. The side windows are vacuum-- formed and fit nicely into the window cutouts in the sides of the cabin.

To hold the wheel pants in position, I drilled a small hole in the landing gear next to the axle fitting. I then glued plywood plates to the inside of the wheel pants and installed blind nuts in them. The blind nuts line up with the hole in the landing gear, and I use a 4-40 screw and a few rubber washers to hold the pants in proper alignment with the gear. The rubber washers (you could also use large grommets) provide a little "give" and help prevent damage if the pants bump into something.

The fuel tank and receiver battery pack are just behind the firewall, and the throttle linkage is routed to the side of the firewall. The throttle servo is at the bottom of the cabin door opening for easy access. The kit comes with a built-to-fit cabin door and a window frame, both intended for hinging. I used a Nelson Hobby Specialties model piano hinge for the window and offset hinge-point hinges for the cabin door. In hindsight, the window didn't need to be hinged; it can be glued into place, as there is plenty of room for the installation of the wing-attachment bolts through the cabin door. I used a pair of Hobby Lobby latch pins to secure the door for flight.

The Giantscaleplanes.com Super Decathlon is a big, impressive model that's very easy to assemble and fly. If you are looking for a way to break the yellow Piper Cub habit, the Super Decathlon is an attractive alternative.

21st Century fabric; distributed by Great Planes Model Distributors Co., P.O. Box 9021, Champaign, IL 61826-9021; (800) 682-8948; fax (217) 3980008; www.greatplanes.com.

B.H. Hanson, 7380 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. 124-176, Las Vegas, NV 89123; (702) 436-4422; fax (702) 436-4416, www.bhhanson.com; bhhanson@brigadoon.com.

Brison Aircraft, 12075 Denton Dr., Ste. 11, Dallas, TX 75234; (972) 241-9152; fax (972) 241-5065. Cirrus Ventures, 115 Hunter Ave., Fanwood, NJ 07023-1030; (908) 322-7221.

Coverite; distributed by Great Planes Model Distributors Co., P.O. Box 9021, Champaign, IL 61826-9021; (800) 682-8948; fax (217) 398-0008; www.greatplanes.com.

Dynathrust Props, Box 91, Georgetown, TN 37336; (615) 476-2330.

GiantScalePlanes.com; distributed by Hobbies and Hells Intl., 201 S. 3rd St., Coopersburg, PA 18036; (610) 282-4811; fax (610) 282-4816; HHI@Fast.net.