Ten years ago I attempted to get into R/C planes. I purchased a PT40 kit and spent a few weekends putting it together. Due to a series of events I was never able to get into the hobby and the plane was destryoed during a move a year later.

I have spent the last month convincing my wife that I really needed a hobby and she finally agreed (begging does work!) I purchased a SuperStar 40, OS Max .46, and a Futuba 6XAS. I have also submitted my application to the AMA and I am talking to the president of a local club (I'm trying to do things right).

Anyway, looking through the directions for the SuperStar, I had a few questions and was wondering if someone could help me out.

1. When I assembled the PT40, it used nylon hinges to connect the control surfaces. The SuperStar has fabric disks for hinges. Would I be better off buying better hinges or are the ones included with the SuperStar okay?

2. After completeing the fuse. of the the PT40, I applied a thin layer of foam (looked like really thin weather stripping) around the fuse where the wing sits to protect the receiver and servos from engine exhaust. The SuperStar doesn't have anything like this. Should I apply the weather stripping or not worry about it?

3. When working on the PT40, I used a fuel resistant paint on the firewall, engine compartment, and inside the fuse. Again, the directions for the SuperStar doesn't mention doing any of this. Should I protect these surfaces in the SuperStar or just leave the wood unprotected?

Thanks!

Well, I'm far from an expert, but I really prefer the solid hinges to the new CA ones. However, there are many many planes flying out there with them and doing fine. So this is your call.

The stripping is a matter of personal preference, I've seen many do this on their planes and also seen many who don't.

The firewall I would definately protect with a good coat of CA, thinned epoxy, or paint. The fuel soaking into the wood would not be a good thing at all.

Hope this helps,
Heath

Welcome back to the hobby. Well let me see if I can answer these for you.

#1. The hinges that came with your plane are fine, they are probably SIG, or some other manufacturers hinge and they are made to be used with thin Ca when you install them, they will be fine. I have been using them for years and if you follow the directions they work great.

#2. I very seldom do this because you can put some on that maybe to thick and then the incidence of the wing can change and effect the way the plane flies. Make sure you have a good slnug fit and it should be fine. If you want to make sure then use some clear cauking and put a thin bead on the saddle, put some wax paper over it and put the wing on with the bolts or rubber bands. Let it dry completely and then remove the wing, wax paper and trim the over flow with a razor. Now by doing it this way the wing will conform to the saddle.

#3. Yes by all means do fuel proof the firewall! I use 30 minute epoxy thinned just a wee bit with alcohol and then I brush it on using an acid flux brush. Let dry over night and it's done.

Hope this has helped.

O7-10 Porker:
"CA" hinges work fine, no need to replace them.
"Wing Seating Tape" is highly recommended, 1/16"or 1/8" thick weather stripping works. Fit the wing without the tape, then the tape assures a tight fit. Keeps the inside much cleaner.
The wood should always be protected. And sooner or later you will have a tank leak, meaning at least the tank compartment should be sealed also. as well as the radio area, becausr the fuel can run back there. Following this to the logical conclusion, the entire airplane, inside and out, needs protection. In actuality, even a split tank seldom gets fuel further than the radio compartment, and most bARF planes don't even have the tank area sealed. If you use thinned epoxy it also adds a lot of strength.

R/C planes? Welcome back.
. Always happy to have more, Jack.

Bill.

1) the hinges are your priority. I have never heard of "disk" hinges, and I am not sure about their reliability. Personally, I would replace them with some CA hinges. Like heath said, some don't like them, but I have used them successfully in all of my models.

2)again...up to you. I have only used it on one model and have never had a fuel/exhaust seepage in all the rest.

3)Definitely fuel proof the firewall. In my first trainer, the instructions also said nothing about fuel proofing, and thankfully, I had an experienced modeler to help me look it over and fuel proof it before it was too late. Epoxy or fuel proof paint will work just fine.

CA Hinges work great, but read this before attaching them:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/reviews.ph...ew&reviewid=55

Two people have Superstars in our club. They fly a little faster than your average trainer and a lot faster than a Kadet LT40 or Kadet Senior. This is with regular plain bearing 40 engines. The OS 46 FX is an excellent engine and was a good purchase. Your Superstar will be very fast with this combo.

This is not a bad thing. The only reason I am mentioning this is to make sure you have a seasoned flyer (preferably your instructor) make the first flights. With that in mind, everything will go great. Have fun and welcome back to the hobby!

Welcome to the forum and welcome to this great hobby.

Nukes
http://www.spadtothebone.com

If you do intend to use ca hinges and have no experience with them, the thread provided by Minnflyer is a must read for you.

This will not completely ensure the hinge will not fail, so, CHECK THE HINGES BEFORE ALL FLIGHTS !!!!
Dont become complacent, do it every time. (wish I had)

Move the surfaces by hand and be certain no hinges are cracked or broken.

Just wanted to say thanks for the advice and not laughing when I use the wrong terminology. And I apologize for the stupid questions, but I would rather ask then make a stupid mistake at the air field.

When I got home from work yesterday I read through the manual again and found one sentence stating to apply 1/16" wing seating tape. I also looked at the firewall and noticed that it is covered with a clear sealant. I assuming this is an Epoxy or similar coating. Inside the fuse is not sealed though and I plan to do that before I begin construction.

I went to the local hobby shop and took one of the hinges with me. The owner said that they were CA hinges. The only problem is the manual says to fill the slot with 30-min epoxy then insert the hinge. From what you guys have said and from what the owner said, I should use thin CA instead of Epoxy, right?

I have a couple of other questions:
The fuel tank is to be placed several inches forward of the CG (the back of the tank will be just over three inches from the CG). My degree isn't in physics (it's in comp. sci.) but I would think the would unbalence the plane when the tank is full (the plan is balenced on an empty tank). Worse, if you move the CG back 1/4" like the manual suggests then fill the tank, you start out nose heavy and land tail heavy. Wouldn't that screw you up?

Also, the firewall has a hole in it the size of a quater. The directions say that the cap on the fuel tank should be placed in the hole meaning the fuel tanks is less than an inch from the engine with nothing between it. Is this a good idea??

Not to worry about the tank. Unless you have an engine with a fuel pump, you want the tank as close as possible to the engine to maintain a consistent fuel flow to the engine, and smooth engine performance.

With regard to the CG, the reason you balance with an empty tank is because a forward CG is more stable than one moved towards the tail. So, if you balance on an empty tank, you'll be stable as the fuel runs low and more stable when you start out full. Now if you were into aerobatics with a high performance plane, you might wish to use a fuel pump and center the tank over the CG to maintain a constant balance and flight characteristics. But on a trainer and all but the most demanding applications, this isn't necessary.

So, install it according to the directions and enjoy.

Good luck,
Heath

FlagRankPig:
Right. Thin CA. I've never used Minnflyer's drilling into the slot, and I've never had one pull out that I installed. But it's not bad insurance.
The design accomodates this CG change.
This avoids having any fuel hoses inside the plane, lowering the probability of a fuel leak inside. When you insert the tank use a generous amount of RTV (Blue Glue, Silicone seal, or whatever brand) around the tank's neck, This adds to the fuselage sealing and becomes the forward mount of the tank.

You'll find first flight,
, Can give a hell of a fright.
But when it flies so pretty,
. You'll then purr like a kitty.

Bill.

PS: Please don't take offense at my mangling your "Screen Name." wr.