Elevator:
The
elevator installation starts with gluing the pre-bent control
wires into the elevator halves using 5-minute epoxy. The two
elevator halves are then CA'ed to the stabilizer via pre-cut
hinge material pieces.
The
elevator control and linkage is designed to provide a clean
look on the outside of the Hawk. The control horns and keepers
installed with minimal effort.
Landing
Gear:
The
landing gear installed easily but I noticed some minor issues.
The kit came with 2mm x 8mm machine screws for the wheel collars
instead of shorter Allen head screws so they stick out a bit.
The flat spots on the gear metal rods where all facing downward
so I just went with it. Typically, I install my wheel collars
with the screw facing aft to minimize any grass snagging and
provide a cleaner look from the front view.
These
minor issues can be easily fixed, if desired, by obtaining some
2mm x 4mm set screws and using a Dremel tool to create a new
flat spot.
Servo
Mounting:
The
elevator and steering servos were installed at the same time
using the same technique with pushrod connectors. The two smaller
elevator half control rods are controlled by a single servo
as is the larger steering control rod. The manual provides exact
details for which servo arm and hole to use.
ESC
and Receiver Mounting:
The
E-flite 60-amp Pro Brushless ESC and Spektrum AR6200 receivers
were installed per the manual without issue. Note that all the
loose wires are wrapped to keep them from flapping in the air
flow. It is important to secure the wires in a way that still
allows the ESC and receivers to be removed from the hook-n-loop
material, if needed.
Not
shown in the photos are the motor/ESC wires that I secured to
the carbon tubes inside the fuselage.
Optional
Pilots:
On
a model this nice, adding pilots should be an option that you
don't leave out. Fortunately, Horizon offers their ParkZone
T-28 Pilot that can be cut down to fit inside the Hawk canopy.
The canopy is held in place using supplied eye ring screws,
a rubber band, and a hook made from cut-off control rod.
I
added some black sticky-back covering to block the holes in
the canopy bottom. My BAe Hawk is starting to look almost complete!
Thrust
Tube:
The
thrust tube is installed through the tail opening and then taped
in place along the DF and at the tail. I also added some Zap-A-Dap-A-Goo
II (or plumbers Goop) to the area around the center body fairing
to keep the air from escaping around the cutout.
Once
the thrust tube is installed, the rear hatch is taped in place
on all four sides.
Accessories:
The
last step of assembly is to glue on the accessories using canopy
glue. I used Pacer Formula 560 which dries fast, clear, and
flexible.
The
wing tip plates mate with a hole in the wing leading edge for
easy alignment. The air intake scoops must be trimmed first
and then positioned by eye. Masking tape holds the accessories
in place while the glue dries.
Batteries
and Balancing:
The
3-cell E-flite 3200mAh pack and 4-cell ThunderPower Pro Power
30C 3300mAh pack are shown in their positions to obtain the
balance recommended in the manual. For less than a 3oz weight
penalty, and some additional cost, you can more than double
your power by using a 4-cell pack. This upgrade should really
make the BAe Hawk perform well.
Since
the E-flite 60-amp Pro Brushless ESC has a fail-safe switch
design, I find it easiest on these smaller models to simply
cut off the switch and get it out of the way. I cut one wire
slightly shorter and then cover the ends with a small piece
of shrink tubing.
I
measured the power level of each pack as follows. The E-flite
60-amp Pro Brushless ESC can handle 75-amps peak so it will
still be within specs on your high-speed passes at full throttle.
-
3-cell pack, 360 watts, 36 amps
-
4-cell pack, 900 watts, 64 amps
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