DIY Network

RC Hobbies on a Budget: Basic Park-Flyer From "Radio Control Hobbies" episode RCH-207

The GWS Tiger Moth is an excellent park-flyer RC airplane and an outstanding value -- especially for beginners -- at around $55.

In this segment, Chris Chianelli demonstrates some of the steps in readying the GWS Tiger Moth for flight.

Materials:

Hobby knife
5-minute epoxy
Stirring sticks for mixing
Mixing plate
Denatured alcohol
Warm water and dish soap
Paper towels

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Important: This demonstration provides some of the basic information for assembly and operation of this particular model or kit. There are variations in assembly for each particular model. Read and carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions that come with yours, whether it is this particular model or another. Additional information about assembly as well as running, troubleshooting and fine-tuning the model can be found in the manufacturer's instructions.

• The GWS Tiger Moth is an excellent park-flyer RC airplane and an outstanding value, especially for beginners, at around $55. It is simple to build and comes in a kit with everything you need to fly it except for a radio. (Park-flyer radio transmitters can be purchased separately for around $80.)

• Important: Park flyer are typically built largely from foam material. When working with foam, you cannot use CA (cyanoacrylate) glue or hot glue. These will damage the foam. Instead, you'll need to use epoxy glue.

• The tools and materials you'll need include epoxy glue, denature alcohol (for cleanup), hobby knife, stirring sticks and plastic coffee-stirrers (figure A) for applying epoxy to tight areas. The decals for the plane come with the kit. For applying the decals you'll also need a bowl of water containing a few drops of dish soap (figure B).

  Figure A

  Figure B

  
  

  	Figure C
  	Figure D
  	Figure E
  	Figure F
  	Figure G
  	Figure H

  Gluing and Applying Decals

• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for assembly. The assembly and gluing procedures for this flyer are very simple. Chris demonstrates a sample of the gluing procedure by gluing the wing struts.

• Apply equal amounts of the two epoxy parts (adhesive and hardener) onto a mixing plate, and stir the parts together thoroughly with a stirring stick (figure C). We used 5-minute epoxy, which sets up fairly quickly. Keep the time limitations in mind as you work.

• Use a plastic coffee-stirrer to apply a very small amount of the mixed epoxy glue to the cuts made in the foam wing section as shown (figures D and E). The placement of the cuts matches up with the tabs on the bottom of the interplane strut.

• Press the tabs into the cuts, and hold the strut in place for a few minutes (figure F) as the epoxy hardens.

• Use a small instrument like a pin or jeweler's screwdriver to apply a bead of epoxy along the line where the inter-plane strut meets the wing (figure G). Only a small amount of epoxy is needed.

• The Tiger Moth kit comes with decals included for the wing and fuselage. For applying the decals, mix warm water with 5 or 6 drops of dish soap. Rub a small amount onto the surface of the airplane where the decal will be applied. This aids in getting the decal in the exact spot (figure H).
  

  	Figure I
  	Figure J
  	Figure K

Flying Tip: For flying park flyers, it's not advised to fly them when the wind speed is more than 5 mph. Choose a relatively wind-free day for the best flying.

GWS Tiger Moth specs

• Wingspan: 31 inches
  
• Weight: 8 ounces
  
• Material: Foam
  
• Speed: +7 MPH
  
• Street Price: about $55

Chris Chianelli's Mailbag

Q: Sharon K, a DIY viewer from Buffalo, NY writes: Chris, my son's birthday is coming up and I'd love to get him a park flyer? But will he be able to use the radio in larger planes as he progresses? What do you suggest?

A: Most park-flyer radios have three channels, and you'll need four channels to fly more advanced planes. If you get a radio like the Airtronics VG 400 (figure K) -- a relatively inexpensive RC radio transmitter -- it can be used for flying park flyers as well as the more advanced planes. As long as you have a radio transmitter with four channels -- to control motor, aileron, elevator and rudder -- you can fly beginner level flyers, and use the same radio transmitter to move on to bigger, more sophisticated planes.