Model Tech Magic: A 3D performer not even Houdini could top!

Model Airplane News, Sep 2003 by Royer, Erick

Fun-fly aircraft have become tremendously popular over the past few years. Before that, only a handful of kits could truly be called "fun-fly models." My tastes have always leaned more toward scale aerobatic planes such as the Extra 300 and CAP 232, but after watching world class TOC pilots like Jason Shulman and Chip Hyde, I found myself hungry for 3D aerobatics. I soon realized that it's very difficult to get a 40- to 60-size scale aerobat to perform 3D maneuvers such as the torque roll; the general consensus seemed to be that bigger is better when it came to such feats. Then I discovered the Model Tech Magic.

OUT OF THE BOX

The Magic comes well packaged; I was pleased that all the components were individually bagged and separated by cardboard dividers. Everything arrived in perfect shape, with no wrinkles or bubbles in the covering.

As do most ARFs, the Magic comes with a complete set of hardware. A unique feature of this plane is the use of pull/pull controls on both the elevator and the rudder. Because there were few components in the box, I was sure that I could complete this in short order.

ASSEMBLY

Wing. Assembly begins with the wing, and the manual contains an addendum that thoroughly covers this step. I inserted the plywood wing joiner into one wing half and then trial-fit everything together. The fit was good; no adjustments were required. Using my Great Planes Woodpecker, I made small holes in both sides of the wing joiner and in the root ribs on each wing half, glued the halves together with 30-minute epoxy and held them in place with masking tape.

I installed the ailerons next. Each aileron has CA-type hinges already installed. I used a hobby knife to open the slots in the trailing edge of the wing and then trial-fit the ailerons. The instructions call for a 1.5mm space between the aileron and the wing. Using a T-pin as a spacer, I secured the ailerons to the wing with several drops of thin CA. I sealed the hinge gaps with 1/2-inch clear tape as illustrated in the instructions.

Because the decals on the bottom of the wing would eventually cover the servo openings, I decided to jump ahead and apply the wing decals at this point. This allowed me to simultaneously cut the graphics and the covering from the openings. To make it easier to position the decals, I sprayed a mixture of dish soap and water on the wing and then used paper towels to remove the excess liquid and place the decals.

Next, I located the holes for the aileron servos and removed the covering. Two Hitec HS-425bb servos are perfect for the ailerons. Each wing half contains a string to help pull the servo wires through. Using the self-tapping screws that came with the servos, I secured them to the wing. Be sure to center the servo-output arms before you mark the control-horn positions on the ailerons. I attached the control horns and made two pushrods with a plastic clevis on one end and an L-bend with a keeper on the other. I used a piece of fuel tubing on each clevis and keeper to make sure that they wouldn't come off in flight. Note: the included clevises come in two sizes; the ones for the ailerons have a larger threaded hole than those for the rudder and elevator.

The last step in the wing assembly is the installation of the wing-band reinforcement block. Simply cut away the covering and attach the block with 5-minute epoxy.

Fuselage. The first step in assembling the fuselage is to install the landing gear. The gear is made of bent up wire with welded supports, and it's attached with four nylon straps and self-tapping screws. Attach the wheels by sliding the plastic spacer onto the axle, followed by the wheel secured with a wheel collar. Two nylon straps and self-tapping screws hold the tailskid in place. Make sure that the skid is aligned parallel with the fuselage before you tighten the screws.

The next step is to permanently install the servo tray. I removed the tray from the fuselage and affixed the two rails to the bottom with medium CA. Before the tray can be installed, you must cut the pushrod tubes so they are flush with the former. Use a sharp hobby knife for this. As shown in the picture in the instructions, make marks on both sides of the fuselage for the servo tray. I positioned the tray on the marks, slid it as far forward as I could and used 5-minute epoxy to hold it in place.

Next, I installed the engine mount. The instructions show the engine at a 45-degree angle, but I decided to mount mine inverted. To obtain the correct measurements for the mounting holes, I used thin CA to temporarily tack the rails to the engine. Beginning with the horizontal and vertical centerlines, I transferred the measurement from the mounting holes to the firewall. Next, I drilled the holes and applied blind nuts to the back of the firewall. I used the supplied bolts to mount a Magnum .46XLS engine on the rails.

The page in the instruction manual that covered assembling the fuel tank had been accidentally printed upside down and in a language other than English. Fortunately, however, the pictures included dimensions, so I was able to proceed. I assembled the fuel tank using a vent line and a supply line, and then I installed the tank in the fuselage. I also installed a small balsa brace behind the tank to prevent it from sliding back.