Greg Covey

E-flite introduces the first Platinum Series twin motor sport plane, the [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFL4550]Deuces Wild 25e2 ARF[/link]. This plane showcases the power, level of detail, quality of construction, and sport flying fun of E-flite. Unlike other twin-powered planes on the market, this one is not intimidating—it is easier-to-fly and exhibits gentle flight characteristics.

The lightweight, sturdy airframe is constructed of balsa and plywood and covered with genuine UltraCote®. The bolt-on tail assembly and three-piece, plug-in wing are all removable to allow easy transportation. With the Deuces Wild, you have options. You can use the included fixed landing gear or install the optional Robart retracts with pneumatic up, spring down operation. The model is complete with the strut wires pre-bent for ease of optional landing gear installation.

The wing design utilizes two Selig airfoils to give this aircraft excellent performance at high and low speeds, while also exhibiting gentle stall characteristics. This plane is designed for powered performance with the recommended setup of two Power 25 motors (with two 3-cell LiPo packs) or the high power option of two Power 32 motors (with two 4-cell LiPo packs). This aircraft is lighter, than the same size competitive large twin-powered models on the market. Retract and flap ready options enable the pilot to push the envelope with a sport ARF twin electric to the likes that has never been done before. The Deuces Wild is a sport plane capable of aerobatic maneuvers and is designed to be easier-to-fly than other similar size twin engine models. This model was designed to fly even with the loss of one motor. In the event of a motor loss, this aircraft is still easily flyable, unlike other twin models on the market. Any experienced modeler will appreciate the flight characteristics, aerobatic capabilities and details of the Deuces Wild Platinum Series.

Key Features:[ul][*] Designed with E-flite’s Power 25 brushless outrunner motors ([link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLM4025A]EFLM4025A[/link]) in mind[*] Wing and tail assemble easily for convenient transport and storage[*] Counter-rotating props are available separately, spinners that match the counter-rotating props are included[*] Retract-ready and designed for specific Robart retracts ([link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFL4565]EFL4565[/link]) with pre-bent strut wires for ease of optional landing gear installation[*] Fixed landing gear included[*] The flaps are pre-hinged out of the box[/ul]
Specifications:[ul][*] Wingspan:62 in (1570mm)[*] Overall Length:62.5 in (1580mm)[*] Wing Area:740 sq in (47.7 sq dm)[*] Flying Weight:9.2–10.5 lb (4.2–4.7 kg)[*] Motor Size:Power 25 - Power 32 (2 required)[*] Radio:6+ channels[*] Servos: Six standard-size servos; (7) required with optional retracts[*] Trim Scheme Colors:UltraCote® White, black, and flame red[*] Prop Size:12x8E - 13x6.5E, Spinner Size:2.5 in[*] Hardware Included:Yes[*] Speed Control :60-amp Brushless Switch-mode BEC (2 required)[*] Recommended Battery:3200 3S 11.1V Li-Po with Power 25; 3300 4S 14.4 Li-Po with Power 32[*] Flaps:Yes, prehinged[*] Retracts:Yes, optional[*] Approx. Flying Duration:10 minutes[*] Approx. Assembly Time:6–8 hours[/ul]

Greg Covey

The Deuces Wild 25e2 ARF is part of E-flite’s PLATINUM SERIES. The platinum series delivers superior, enhanced features and meticulous attention to detail. E-flite’s Platinum Series is just one more way that E-flite brings you the most advanced electric flight experience.

The details of this PLATINUM SERIES model include all flight control surfaces pre-installed, pre-bent pushrods ready for installation, and the optional main gear doors. In addition, there is an optional cockpit kit that adds another level of detail complete with dashboard instrumentation, seat and pilot.

Greg Covey

My E-flite Deuces Wild will use the [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/RelatedParts.aspx?ProdID=EFL4550&Category=Completion%20Guides&SubCategory=High%20Power%20Setup]High Power Setup[/link] components below as well as the optional Robart [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFL4565]EFL4565[/link] air retracts.
[ul][*] Two E-flite [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLM4032A]EFLM4032A[/link] Power 32 Brushless Outrunner Motors[*] Two E-flite [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLA1060]EFLA1060[/link] 60-Amp Pro Switch-Mode BEC Brushless ESCs[*] Two ThunderPower [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=THP33004SXV]THP33004SXV[/link] 3300mAh 4-Cell/4S 14.8V 25C eXtreme V2 LiPos[*] One APC [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=APC13065E]APC13065E[/link] 13 x 6.5 e-prop[*] One APC [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=APC13065EP]APC13065EP[/link] 13 x 6.5 pusher e-prop
[/ul]

Greg Covey

To save cost and weight, you can also use the recommended power system.
[ul][*] Two E-flite [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLM4025A]EFLM4025A[/link] Power 25 Brushless Outrunner Motors[*] Two E-flite [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLA1060]EFLA1060[/link] 60-Amp Pro Switch-Mode BEC Brushless ESCs[*] Two E-flite [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLB32003S]EFLB32003S[/link] 3200mAh 3-Cell 11.1V 20C LiPos[*] One APC [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=APC12080E]APC12080E[/link] 12 x 8 e-prop[*] One APC [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=APC12080EP]APC12080EP[/link] 12 x 8 pusher e-prop
[/ul]

Greg Covey

The parts were well packed and protected in the box. Each section was sealed in a plastic bag to keep it clean. The only issue I saw was that the covering was wrinkled in some areas and needed a touch-up with the heat gun.

The two nacelles and nose cone were painted fiberglass. All the control surfaces were pre-hinged and had the horns installed.

Greg Covey

The fuselage was well built. It was strong yet light and had the T-nuts and control rod tubes pre-installed.

Greg Covey

The canopy comes pre-cut and painted as does the fiberglass nose cone. All the small parts are bagged in appropriate groupings and the 68-page manual is loaded with photos and detailed instructions to ensure a successful assembly.

Greg Covey

In addition to a 6-channel or 7-channel receiver, you'll need 6 standard servos (7 servos if retracts are used) to complete the model. I'm using a Spektrum AR7000 ([link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=SPM6070]SPM6070[/link]) dual receiver and JR Sport [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=JSP20050]JSP20050[/link] ST47 Standard (1.55 oz, 47 oz/in Torque) servos.

Greg Covey

The JR Sport line provides excellent quality radio systems, servos and other electronics at a great price! Here are some JR Sport products that can be used on the E-flite Deuces Wild.[ul][*] JR Sport [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=JSP20050]ST47[/link] (JSP20050) Standard Servos (6 or 7)[*] [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=JSP98020]JSP98020[/link] JR Sport 6" Y-harness (3)[*] [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=JSP98100]JSP98100[/link] JR Sport 3" Servo Extensions (4)[*] [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=JRPA096]JRPA096[/link] JR 9" Servo Extensions (2)[*] [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=JSP98030]JSP98030[/link] JR Sport 12" Servo Extensions (2)
[/ul]

Greg Covey

The assembly begins by mounting the elevator, rudder, and steering servos. If a 72MHz receiver is used, an antenna tube has been pre-installed in the fuselage to route the wire to the rear. My Spektrum AR7000 receivers were mounted perpendicular to each other following the manual's recommendation for placement.

Greg Covey

The tail attachment was the quickest assembly design I have seen to date. You only need a 1/4" nut driver to tighten the lock nuts after first inserting the rudder threaded rods through the horizontal stabilizer and fuselage. The precision of the fit on these three mating sections are a trademark of the Platinum Series designs.

Greg Covey

The elevator and rudder linkage installed without issue. The keepers at both ends were supplied in the kit.

Greg Covey

The aileron servos installed easily and the hatches were pre-marked where the mounting blocks needed to be glued. I did need to trim away some of the hatch opening with a razor knife to allow maximum servo swing without hitting the control rod.

Greg Covey

The flap servo installation makes use of a "Y" pushrod that needs only one servo to control both flaps. The brass pushrod connector, clevis, and retainers are all included. The manual includes detailed photos showing proper positioning of the linkage for full, half, and up flaps.

Greg Covey

The retract gear installation starts with the steerable nose wheel. The covering is cut away about 1/8" from the edges and then ironed down to add a clean finish.

The manual was done before the production Robart retracts were finished so some discrepancies exist in the instructions. I needed to use a 5/32" drill bit and drill the opening of the retract mechanism along with some light motor oil to allow the nose gear main rod to turn easily in the retract.

Before threading the steel cables into the pre-installed tubes, you need to attach the gear main rod, steering arm, and collar to the retract mechanism. Everything fit well and all the parts were included. I first created some flat spots on the metal rod using my Dremel tool and then used Locktite on the set screws for a secure hold. The retract mechanism is held in the fuselage with four 3x8mm self-tapping screws.

johnm15141

Oh man! Now you tell me! I trimmed it back on the mains to the edge only to discover there was a second layer of balsa below that...

Well, my bad, now I'm trying to figure out how to pretty it up. I kept the scraps, maybe I'll try and fit small pieces in there and iron them in.

I am also pondering making it all black with an outline around the wheel well, bare balsa just will not answer.

Greg Covey

The nose wheel is transferred from the stock fixed gear that comes with the kit. The steering servo arm is fitted with brass pushrod connectors and the cables are crimped in place. The goal here is to keep the tension snug but not tight so that the nose gear will lock down properly.

Greg Covey

For hobbyists not familiar with air-powered retracts, the brief instructions included in the Robart retract kit can leave you bewildered. A Robart [link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ROB164G]164G[/link] 100psi pump with gauge is needed to fill the small air tank. Optionally, you can also purchase the Robart 164C Air Pump Mounting Clips if you want to attach the pump to your field box. These items are available through Horizon Hobby or your local hobby shop.

The small air tank supplied with the optional Deuces Wild Retract Kit (Robart 186) gets filled to 100psi before each flight and can safely operated the retracts about three times.

Greg Covey

Installing the gear mains was similar to the nose gear. After first cutting away the covering, the retracts are installed with a 10" piece of air line. The wheels are borrowed from the stock gear mains and drilled out to fit the 3/16" Robart mains. I used Dubro (#141) 3/16" Dura-Collars to hold the wheels onto the Robart mains. I also painted the rims of the wheel well opening white to give it a cleaner look.

At this time, I decided to test the air retracts by simply connecting the pump to one of the lines through a T-fitting. In this manner, a single pump would activate the retract while holding your finger over the third opening in the T-fitting. When you remove your finger, the retract would spring back out and lock into position. This simple test showed that the retracts worked fine and the wheels fit properly into the wells.

Greg Covey

A 3" piece of air line is attached to the air fill fitting before installing the fitting into the fuselage. Likewise, the air tank also has a 3" piece of air line attached before installing it into the custom fuselage opening. You can use either silicone adhesive or servo tape to hold the air tank in place.

The manual has a well detailed procedure for connecting the air lines, T-fittings, quick disconnects, and installing the retract servo linkage. A live transmitter and receiver are used to properly set the travel of the pushrod that controls the plunger on the air actuator valve.

Greg Covey

The aileron and ESC servo extensions were made from JR Sport (JSP98020) 6" Y-harness and two (JSP98030) 12" servo extensions. Two sets were made and then run through the center piece wing section using the pre-installed strings. I ran one cable at a time so I tied an additional string to the center ends so that it could be pulled back for the other cable.

Since the center opening was getting rather busy, I decided to label all the cable ends.

Greg Covey

Installing the optional Power 32 motor upgrade provides strong aerobatic performance. However, it does require some additional patience and parts. Since the x-mount is too large to fit through the nacelle opening when it is mounted to the Power 32 motor, you need to install it inside the nacelle. Further, spacers provided with the kit are not the correct size. They are about 8mm thick but really need to be about half that thickness ( 1/8" ). Since I didn't have the correct spacers on hand, I used 1/4-20 nuts to provide a gap close to the desired 5/64" (2mm) gap between the spinner backplate and the front of the nacelle. Locktite was used on all the screws in the motor installation to keep them from vibrating loose.

The spinner backplate must be drilled out to 3/8" to properly accept the collet adapter. Be sure to mount the standard rotation APC 13x6.5 e-prop on the left nacelle and the pusher prop on the right nacelle.

Greg Covey

The power pods were glued in place with epoxy on the leading edge of the wing for strength. The aft sections were glued with canopy glue to keep them against the wing. In the Fall season, I typically build in my back family room so I can watch football and work on R/C projects at the same time. It's the best of both worlds!

The E-flite 60-amp Pro Brushless ESCs and 4-cell ThunderPower V2 packs were held in place with hook and loop material. I typically use industrial strength Velcro and add CA on the ends of the Velcro material for extra holding strength.

The wing ends are supported with aluminum bars and held with a 4-40 hex head screw. Note that a second guide bar near the trailing edge keeps the end in perfect alignment with the wing center.

It was time to install the completed wing assembly onto the fuselage.

Greg Covey

After sanding the inside rim, the canopy was glued in place using Bond 527 Multi-purpose cement. My pilot is the Buddy 1:6 Scale Pilot Head ([link=http://www.hobby-lobby.com/pilots.htm]SIR160[/link]) from Hobby Lobby.

Greg Covey

I tested the CG as described in the manual and found no issues with my Power 32 setup using 4-cell ThunderPower packs so I glued the nose piece in place with epoxy. I marked the desired CG with a black line on the bottom wing about 4" back from the leading edge. The CG is measured with the plane inverted, the nose piece taped in place, and the gear retracted.

I was a bit surprised that the Robart gear mains were not a good fit when I tested the pants. I needed to first cut 1/4" off of the end to make the wheels retract deeper into the wells. I also sanded a flat spot on the outside of the gear mains so that the pants fit a bit tighter before being glued with silicone adhesive. Both drilling and sanding operations were done with a Dremel tool. I used PFM ([link=http://www.hobby-lobby.com/adhesive.htm]HLIMP001[/link]) adhesive sealant from Hobby Lobby because it is very thick and won't run. Once the glue has dried overnight, the pants are further secured with cable ties.