After spending some time talking about it, I decided to buy a full kit to try it out – and this is a kit, not ARF by any means. I took my time building it to document the build – I would guess that it takes about 4 – 5 hours actual building time and at least that waiting for glue to dry.

The instruction manual is 23 pages long – if you’re dyslexic, you’re going to have a problem with this one! I found the manual complete but a good editing job and some more pictures would help. I bought the full kit which includes everything but a receiver, the contents shown below:

Key Specs per Lightflite:

• Wing Span: 23.5 inches; wing area: 340 sq, inches / 2.36 ft²
• Flying Weight: 6½ oz.; Wing Loading: 2.8 oz/ft²; Thrust/weight ratio: 1.85 (2 cell)
• Construction: 0.9 density, 8mm EPP foam sheet and carbon fiber
  
  This is EPP foam – like a mix of foam and rubber

• Battery: Lipo 480 mah 2 cells
• Controls: 3 servos for elevon/rudder

Looking at the wing loading and thrust/weight ratio gives you an idea of what’s in store – performance can range from sedate to all-out crazy.

Motor Specifications:

• Motor: CD ROM style brushless, 1100 kv
• Thrust: 12 oz with 2 cell, 17 ounces with 3 cell Lipo
• Weight: 0.9 ounces (25 grams)
• Diameter: 1.1 inch (28mm); Total Length: 1.7 inch (43mm); Shaft Length: 0.4 inch (10mm); Shaft Diameter: 3mm
• Voltage: 7.2 to 12.6
• Current: 10 amp max

This is a real beauty – very quiet!

Tower Pro SERVO SG50 Specs

• Dimensions: 0.83 x 0.45 x 0.9 inch (21.0 x 11.5 x 23 mm)
• Weight with wire and connecter: 0.23 ounce (6.6 grams)
• Stall Torque at 4.8 volts: 10.2 oz/in (.7 kg/cm)
• Operating Voltage: 3.0 to 6.0 volts
• Operating Speed @ 4.8 volts (no load): 0.10 sec/ 60 degrees
• Connector Wire Length: 5.9 inches (150 mm)

Recommended props for 2 cell Lipo batteries (7.4 volt):

• The GWS EP1060 produces about 12 ounces of thrust at 6.5 amps with a pitch speed of 28 mph
• The APC 9x6E produces about 11 ounces of thrust at 6 amps with a pitch speed of 29 mph
• The APC 10×3.8SF produces about 12 ounces of thrust at 6.5 amps with a pitch speed of 17 mph

Recommended props for 3 cell Lipo batteries (11.1 volt):

• The GWS EP 9050 produces about 18 ounces of thrust at 9 amps with a pitch speed of 34 mph; This prop is a tight fit on the included prop adapter – the hub may need to be filed down a little; APC props fit perfectly.
• The APC 9x6E produces about 17 ounces of thrust at 10 amps with a pitch speed of 36 mph.
• The APC 9×3.8SF produces about 18 ounces of thrust at 9.5 amps with a pitch speed of 25 mph.
• The GWS EP1060 works great and produces about 18 ounces of thrust at 8.5 amps

The Bug comes in a relatively flat cardboard box with scads of little pieces:

EPP Foam parts:

Main Wing, (2 ) left and right elevons, fuselage, rudder, (2) control rod standoffs

Hardware Kit:

1- 34” .098 Carbon rod main spar prop guard
1- 20” .098 Carbon rod rear frame spar
1- 14” .098 Carbon rod front frame spar
1- 14” .050 Carbon rod landing gear bow
1- 9” .050 Carbon rod axle
1- 3 ¾ “ .050 Carbon rod landing gear strut
1- 2 ½” .050 Carbon rod rudder surface control rod brace
3- 9 1/2” .050 Carbon rod servo linkages
3- 5” .050 (2) – Carbon elevon surface control rods (1) – fuselage stiffener
4- sm cable ties (landing gear and receiver/esc)
1- lg cable tie (servo horn, tail skid)
1- large black tubing (main frame)
1- small black tubing (landing gear)
1- clear tubing (landing gear and servo linkages)
1- thin styrene strip (fuselage landing gear brace)
1- thick styrene strip (servo plates)
2- wheel tread rubber bands
1- magic motor mount tube and x-mount motor base
1- .032 music wire (servo linkages)
1- large red heat shrink tube (servo control horns)
1- sm heat shrink (servo linkages)
1- roll “Blenderm” tape (hinging)

The full kit incudes the motor with prop saver, 10 amp ESC with connectors, 3 Tower servos and a 2 cell 480 mah Lipo, 15 – 25C burst. In addition, some acetone comes in handy to remove the UHU glue that comes with the full kit. The only thing I had to buy was some CA, kicker and some JST connectors (20 AWG) for the battery/ESC and charger.

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The carbon fiber frame is the stiffener for the wings. The large front rod has to be held in tension and glued together – I found the easiest way was to use string to hold it together while the glue dries:

Once the glue dries, then glue the frame to the wings (the ailerons have been taped on):

Next add a small cf rod to stiffen the aft body:

The glue the body to the wing:

The motor mounts into a small plastic tube which is glued into the body – you have to cut it to 1 ½” long and then score it so the glue holds better:

Then insert the mount into the front of the body:

Finally, push the motor into the mount, tighten the lock nut and secure the prop with the included rubber “O” ring:

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The control surfaces are actuated by small cf rods – glue one rod to the rudder:

The aileron requires gluing a stand-off onto the aileron:

Note that the kit includes marks which indicate where components are to be mounted:

Glue the standoff and rod per the directions:

The small rods are joined to longer rods that reach the servos using clear tubing and CA with kicker:

You build a long aileron servo arm with a plastic tab and heat shrink:

The aileron servo glued in place – I used some Blenderm tape on the servo’s body, then glued the servo to the wing; this way it you have to change the servo, it can be removed easily:

Finally the rudder servo – note again that all locations are clearly marked:

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The landing gear consists of small diameter cf rods:

Clear tubing is used with CA and kicker for the joints:

You make the wheels out of foam, plastic pads and rubber bands – very clever!

Drill a small hole and mount to the landing gear.

With the servos installed, add the ESC, receiver and battery:

I installed the battery using velcro – it’s the way to balance the model for flight: