ACADEMY PRODUCTS: Flying Fish

Radio Control Boat Modeler, Jun 2004 by Trachten, Craig

Fly amoothly across the water!

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO FAST TO HAVE FUN; sometimes you just want to lie back and leisurely cruise around and see the sights. The Academy Products Flying Fish is just that type of boat. It's relatively easy to build, and with just a few hours work, you'll have a sharp-looking boat that's rugged enough to navigate around your local lake or pond. It's also the perfect size to launch in your swimming pool.

KIT CONTENTS

The instructions are in Japanese and English, and the manual contains nicely rendered step-by-step drawings. The kit includes a two-piece, high-quality ABS-plastic hull, a large cabin hatch, scale accessory parts, a display stand, a comprehensive hardware package, decals, an RS540 motor, a speed control, running hardware and linkages. To get on the water, you need to supply the basic modeling tools, a 2-channel radio, a 6-cell Ni-Cd battery and a charger.

ASSEMBLY

Hull assembly. First, assemble the display stand, as it will securely hold the hull as you work on it. Academy thoughtfully provides sponge tape that lines the cradle to prevent scratches and provides a non-slip surface. At this point, I jumped ahead a bit, as I wanted to paint the bottom of my hull so it would be dry and ready for assembly when needed. I used Testors Model Master Insignia Red because I've had very good results with it on other projects.

The bow-rail stanchions are attached to the deck from the underside with screws. I attached the four posts to the deck with the screws and tightened them enough so the posts wouldn't wobble, but were loose enough so I could adjust them. I used alligator clamps to hold the railing to the posts to achieve proper alignment and also applied a dab of cement. After the glue has dried, carefully tighten the screws, and glue on the railing finishing caps. Don't forget to scrape off the chrome plating from the areas to be glued; a hobby knife works well for this.

Next, reinforcing screw plates are attached to the underside of the deck, as is a foam flotation block. I used the included ABS cement and attached the foam block with double-sided tape. Don't forget to roughen up the surfaces to be glued. Attach the deck to the hull; the upper and lower parts use a mating flange that's glued together, and I again used the supplied cement. Be sure to have a handful of clothespins, spring clamps, or your favorite clamping device on hand to securely hold the flanges together. I first roughed up the gluing surfaces, applied the cement and clamped the hull parts together. After the glue had dried, I installed the stuffing box, rudder tube and rudder pushrod guide.

Drive system. I next installed the drive system, and I attached the deck hold-down posts. The two-piece motor mount has "gills" in it to allow air circulation for motor cooling. The battery holder is screwed to the bottom of the hull and holds the battery on its side. I drilled pilot holes through the inner hull and screw plates for the holder. Don't apply too much pressure when you tighten the screws; if a screw plate breaks loose, there's no way to reattach it. Before I clamped the motor into place, I attached the coupler to the motor's shaft and ensured that the setscrew was on the flat of the shaft. I then greased the prop shaft and slid it in the stuffing box. The shaft is held in place by a collar followed by the ball coupler. Before I secured the motor, I aligned it and the shaft and then installed the drive dog, prop and locknut.

Rudder and radio installation. I inserted the rudder through the rudder tube and attached the steering horn, again making sure to engage the setscrew on the flat. The rudder pushrod is in two pieces, and a collar secures them together. The radio tray is screwed to mounts in the hull, and the speed control is screwed to the front of the tray. The tray has two cutouts for standard-size servos that are installed in tandem on the right side of the radio compartment. The only problem I encountered was in setting up the rudder servo and pushrod. The pushrod is in line with the rudder shaft instead of being offset. I got around this by filing a flat on the rudder shaft so the steering arm was at a 45-degree angle to the transom instead of being parallel to it. This allowed enough rudder throw without binding the pushrod. I hooked up the throttle servo to the speed control and attached the receiver to the left side of the hull with double-sided tape. I checked all systems and was satisfied that all worked correctly.

Finishing touches. All that was left to do was to detail the boat and apply the decals-my favorite parts. I attached the chrome fittings to the hull with CA gel. As they say, "A little dab will do ya," and it dries fast. I applied the large decals using the wet method to ease their application; I applied the small decals dry. You must cut the decals from the carrier sheet, and a sharp, number 11 blade is essential here. Replace it at the first signs of dulling.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

All in all, Academy Products' Flying Fish is a good catch. The boat assembles quickly and easily and looks sharp with all the chrome details and decals in place. Other than my little problem with the rudder and pushrod alignment, setting up the boat was trouble-free. I also like the spacious interior; it makes maintenance a snap. Over many running sessions, the Flying Fish has proven to be a reliable performer that handles well.