Aero Subaru

Model Airplane News, Jun 2004 by Reid, Robert

VMAR

High on class, low on cost

The Japanese Fuji FA200 Aero Subaru, a product of Fuji Heavy Industries, is a little known general-aviation aircraft in the U.S. It's comparable to the venerable Piper Cherokee. Designed in 1964, the first prototype flew in August 1965. Now, VMAR brings us this sharp-looking civil aircraft in a nearly scale rendition. I have seen many VMAR products on the flightline but have never had the opportunity to build one-until now. You don't usually see such high-quality planes unless you scratch-build them, so I was anxious to get started on this beauty.

WHAT YOU GET

The VMAR Aero Subaru offers many unique features; the most obvious is the Polycote Enhanced Covering System (Polycote ECS). Unlike other multicolored models that have the trim colors applied over the base color and exposed to the elements, the Polycote ECS graphics are inside the covering and are totally fuel-proof. Other features include a painted fiberglass cowl that has the cutouts for the engine head, needle valve, etc., already done at the factory-quite a timesaver and one I really appreciated! The plane is of all-wood construction, and the engine mount, pushrods, hinges and pilot figure are all factory installed. You also get a complete hardware package, wheels, a spinner, gear struts, a fuel tank and a Pitts-style muffler that fits most popular engines in the recommended range. The 16-page manual is nicely done with detailed color photos of each step. VMAR sure gives you a lot for your buck!

CONSTRUCTION

* Wing. Assembly starts with the wing; a wing joiner and two ¼-inch dowels join the wing panels together. Dry-fit them to the panels first, and then secure the dowels with CA. The manufacturer recommends that you use 30-minute epoxy to join the panels; this allows the epoxy to penetrate the wood for a stronger bond. I used low-tack masking tape to hold the panels together until the epoxy had cured and then applied the supplied tape around the joint to cover it.

The ailerons are already hinged and pinned, and I gave them a strong tug to ensure that they were, in fact, secure. On the underside of the wing are four openings-two for the aileron servos and two for the optional flap servos. When you remove the servo hatches, you'll see that VMAR has thoughtfully attached the hardwood servo mounts to their undersides. Because the openings for the flap servos are ready to use, I opted to install them. The flaps come as part of the ailerons and require that you cut them free; I used a razor saw to do this. Holes for the control horns are already drilled in the ailerons and flaps, and setting up the pushrods was a snap. I jumped ahead in the instructions and installed the main landing gear; no surprises here.

* Tail feathers. The fuselage has two factory-cut slots at the rear for the stabilizers. I installed the horizontal stabilizer first and made sure it was straight and level. I epoxied it into place after I had removed the covering from its center section. When the epoxy had cured, I installed the vertical fin, again making sure that it was straight. Like the ailerons, the rudder and elevator are already hinged and pinned, so you don't have to worry about this.

* Engine installation. There's not much to do here, thanks to the Power Module concept that VMAR uses. It consists of a firewall that's attached to the front of the fuselage on preinstalled studs. The firewall already has the engine mount and nose-gear bearing attached to it. On the back side of the firewall, glue two ¼-inch dowels into predrilled holes and then secure the tank to them with rubber bands. I'm surprised that VMAR didn't plumb the tank.

The engine mount has retaining straps to hold the engine, so you don't have to drill any holes. Just slip the engine under the straps and tighten them down. A Pitts-style muffler is included, and it is suitable for a .46 to .52 2-stroke engine. I used a VMAX .46 2-stroke engine, and the muffler fit it perfectly. After I had installed the engine, muffler, fuel tank and nose-gear assembly, I slipped the Power Module onto the studs and secured it with the supplied nuts and washers. I used some thread-lock on the studs to prevent the nuts from vibrating loose.

The painted cowl is already decorated and ready for installation. Simply slide the cowl over the engine, line it up, and attach it with the included screws.

* Radio installation. This starts with the pushrods. I first attached the rudder and elevator control horns and secured the pushrods to them. I removed the universal servo tray from the fuselage, mounted the servos as indicated and reinstalled the tray. The pushrods are already installed, and connecting them took just a few minutes. I then connected the throttle and nose-gear steering pushrods and adjusted them as necessary. Make sure that all fasteners are tight; the last thing you need is to have a pushrod come loose during flight!

* Final setup. We're getting close now! The airframe is complete; setting the control throws and balancing the model are the last details before you head out to the field. The CG for the Aero Subaru is at 3 1/8 to 3 3/8 inches back from the leading edge; VMAR recommends the forward setting for the initial flights. By shifting the battery pack around, I was able to balance the model at the recommended CG without adding any weight. Do not forget this important step! I set up the control throws as recommended in the manual: elevator ½ inch up and down, rudder 1 inch right and left, and ailerons 3/8 inch up and down. The instructions are very detailed and leave little to chance.