sahartman21

This thread covers the common steps in getting the Q500 racer ready to fly.

A servo and pushrods are being installed in this series of pictures:

sahartman21

The following pictures show the installation of the servos in the fuselage.

I've had good luck using socket head screws for servo installations. They are much easier to tighten in confined areas.

sahartman21

The landing gear was installed next.

10-24 nylon screws hold the gear in place and should shear off in a rough landing.

sahartman21

Here are pictures showing the installation of the engine:

sahartman21

The installation of a 700 mAH life battery is being shown with these photos:

sahartman21

The engine kill is shown being installed with this group of photos:

sahartman21

The tank is being installed in this group of photos:

sahartman21

It is generally a good idea to pot the fuselage to fit the wing. This gives parts a perfect fit and will greatly reduce wear on the wing surface.

A mix of micro-balloons and finishing epoxy was used to make the seal.

sahartman21

The wing was removed and the excess potting was removed.

sahartman21

I recycled an old set of pushrods. These were made from carbon fiber tubes, 2-56 rod, and ball links.

Short pieces of 2-56 rod were cut to fit. A z-bend was made on each piece of rod. These were test fit and later glued (with rubberized CA) to the proper length.

sahartman21

The receiver was attached with Velcro and the antennae were stuck in place with tape.

sahartman21

Below are pictures of the finished model. It balanced at 2 7/8" back from the leading edge without any nose weight. It came in at 61.45 ounces, which is 1.45 ounces above the minimum weight.