SIG MFG. Nitro Rascal

Model Airplane News, Feb 2005 by Robinson, Martin

"The Nitro Rascal does fly inverted! And it can also gain altitude in that attitude."

Good things come in small packages!

SIG MFG. HAS AT LAST BROUGHT ITS POPULAR RASCAL ARF kits to the ½A crowd with the release of its Nitro Rascal ARF. It's perfect for novice pilots and anyone who wants to add a small Rascal to his fleet. Gone are the days when little engines screamed wide open until the gas ran out; Norvel has changed all that. The Nitro Rascal is a perfect match for the new powerplants and can be flown at relatively small fields. With its steerable tailwheel, it's also right at home with its larger companions taxiing down the runway at larger flying fields.

THE KIT

Sig always provides the highest-quality kits. Everything is securely packaged, and every step has been taken to help expedite assembly. The Rascal features all-wood construction and comes expertly covered with Oracover. A well-written instruction manual and a very generous hardware package supply most of the necessary components.

The photos in the comprehensive manual were so detailed that I think I could have assembled the model using the pictures alone. There's even a section on selecting radio equipment and engines. You need only basic hobby tools. The manual also includes great building tips.

* Fuselage The fuselage is made of balsa and light plywood, and the two-tone transparent blue covering is very well done. I like that the covering allows you to see the structure underneath it-especially the aft fuselage. I used three Hitec HS-55 sub-microservos that fit neatly in the factory-installed servo tray. The guide tubes for the three pushrods come installed and line up nicely with the servos. The landing gear slides into a plywood channel, and you simply epoxy it into place. Add the lightweight wheels and wheel pants later. The fuel tank fits perfectly in the nose, and because its front protrudes through the firewall, connecting the fuel lines is an easy task. I installed a Norvel .061 RC engine and then attached the prop and the spinner. Following the instructions, I used 1/8-inch-i.d. fuel tubing to run the exhaust out through the bottom of the plane. To give the exhaust a nice finish, add a short piece of aluminum tube to the end of the tubing.

The horizontal stabilizer fit perfectly and lined up well with the wing. I used 5-minute epoxy to glue it and the vertical fin into place. The tail group comes already slotted for CA hinges. Simply insert the hinges, center them between the two surfaces and wick CA between the hinges and the slots. I finished the fuselage by installing the steerable tailwheel.

* Wing The model's construction involves a lot of detail work-especially the wing. The wing consists of three major components: two outer sections and a center section. The ribs are all cap-stripped. A plane of this size and quality would have taken a long time to build from scratch. The dihedral brace comes built into the center section, and that makes assembling the wing easy. The two outer sections are simply epoxied to the center section, and after the glue has dried, self-adhesive covering strips conceal the seams. That's it; the wing is finished!

* Radio gear and final assembly All that's left to do now is to connect the servos to the control horns and the throttle. The manual recommends that you remove the throttle stop screw from the carburetor so you'll be able to kill the engine with "throttle cut." Although Sig recommends a 250mAh receiver pack, I chose to install a Hitec 750mAh 1½-AA NiMH receiver pack; wrapped in foam, it fit properly in the nose. I also wrapped the Hitec 555 receiver in foam and secured it with a couple of balsa strips glued just behind the access door in the fuselage belly. The Rascal balances perfectly with the recommended radio equipment.

I followed Norvel's recommended engine break-in method; I ran the engine very rich through three tanks of fuel, which took about half an hour. When the engine has been broken in, lean it out a bit, and you shouldn't have any problem getting 10 minutes of flight per tank. I was amazed by how easily this engine started and how well it ran. The very effective muffler gives it a nice tone. The exhaust extension helps to divert the oily exhaust from the fuselage and looks very cool. I couldn't wait to get to the flying field.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I am very happy with the quality, construction and completeness of the Nitro Rascal ARF. It is a great addition to the Sig lineup, and I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I do.

IN THE AIR

I used Wildcat 25-percent-nitro fuel for break-in, and I made sure that the engine head never got too hot to touch. I double-checked that the model balanced at the specified CG, and with a fully charged airborne battery pack, I was ready to head to the field for the Rascal's maiden flight.

CONTROL THROWS

Elevator: ± 7/8 in. (high); ± 3/8 (low);

expo: -70% (high rates)

Rudder: ±1 in. (high); ±½ (low);

expo: -70% (high rates)

GENERAL FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS

* Stability: the plane is stable enough to take off from the ground or to be handlaunched. The Nitro Rascal levels out nicely after exiting turns.