I just took those nuts out and put in some proper tee nuts. Also got some longer bolts.

Here's some helpful hints you DON'T want to follow:

1) Buy a cheap tx/rx and attempt to bind while 1100 mAH batt hangs out of fuselage.

2) Make sure throttle stick is all the way in the "down" position.

3) Don't check to see if throttle channel has been reversed.

4) Shave the extra inch or so off the props by cutting into the aforementioned battery.

5) Panic and attempt to stop prop with fingers while trying to disconnect the now smoking battery.

6) Throw battery outside and open all windows and doors to ventilate the toxic fumes.

7) Have girlfriend apply stitches to finger while attempting to explain what just happened.

8) Go outside to make sure battery has not caught fire to the trees in backyard.

9) Throw away cheap tx/rx and buy yet another Spektrum AR500.

Apparently although the motor is not capable of propelling the plane in a satifactory way, it is plenty powerful enough to gash your finger, cut through batteries and propel the fuselage across the floor of the living room.

LOL...ha ha ha ........sorry

Originally Posted by Astrodavid

I received my Minimoa just a few days ago, and have been quietly making the various mods as suggested on this extremely helpful forum. (THANKS!!)

Although I have been flying and building RC models for many years, I have been unable to determine how to properly attach the wings so that they are really secure on the fuselage.

It appears that after inserting the V-spar, the wings are slid together and then the red plastic retainer plate is pressed onto the wings. As far as I can see there are then just two nylon bolts that go through the red plate and through the foam wings...but they do NOT attach to anything I can see on the airplane.!! As a result, only the magnetic canopy (sort of) holds the wings on. Is this correct? This seems very weak to me. (perhaps I am missing a part?)

Can someone kindly explain how the wings are correctly secured to the fuselage?

Many many thanks!

Dave - Chilly Kansas City, USA

You should see a slot in the fuse at the wing root area where the bolts are supposed to go through. On the underside of this slot there is a securing plate with 2 nuts for the bolts. Just screw the bolts down through into these nuts.

As you may have read in the tips it is a good idea to replace this plate with one made from ply, and toss out the nylon bolts for brass ones.

Kev

Originally Posted by devemaster

I just took those nuts out and put in some proper tee nuts. Also got some longer bolts.

Here's some helpful hints you DON'T want to follow:

1) Buy a cheap tx/rx and attempt to bind while 1100 mAH batt hangs out of fuselage.

2) Make sure throttle stick is all the way in the "down" position.

3) Don't check to see if throttle channel has been reversed.

4) Shave the extra inch or so off the props by cutting into the aforementioned battery.

5) Panic and attempt to stop prop with fingers while trying to disconnect the now smoking battery.

6) Throw battery outside and open all windows and doors to ventilate the toxic fumes.

7) Have girlfriend apply stitches to finger while attempting to explain what just happened.

8) Go outside to make sure battery has not caught fire to the trees in backyard.

9) Throw away cheap tx/rx and buy yet another Spektrum AR500.

Apparently although the motor is not capable of propelling the plane in a satisfactory way, it is plenty powerful enough to gash your finger, cut through batteries and propel the fuselage across the floor of the living room.

You forgot to add the last comment:

Do not ask me how I know?

Sorry also.

I recall doing similar (motor starting and fighting to pull LiPo out) with the old cheaper TX's but whether it has been luck or the Futaba 9C is better, even when the throttle stick is the wrong way around, the prop has not started when not expected lately.

But the question is where did you find nylon longer bolts or are they metal and where did you get them, if nylon. I got longer 4mm metal bolts but the idea of nylon is they are suppose to pull out in a hard landing (crash) and do less damage compared to the metal ones.

Dont worry about nylon bolt use metal screws , I found some just long enough allen head cap screws
Put one of your 'nylon' scews in a vise and with a pair of pliers see how hard it is to break one...........if its true nylon.......

Originally Posted by SON OF PALEFACE

Dont worry about nylon bolt use metal screws , I found some just long enough allen head cap screws
Put one of your 'nylon' scews in a vise and with a pair of pliers see how hard it is to break one...........if its true nylon.......

Yeah, nylon bolts also get jammed in metal nuts. A real pain to remove.

Kev

Flu mine 2day at Tappanappa slope south coast , goes good ...loops rolls stall turns , slowed right down it wuz hard to tip stall....wont lose speed on landing , so start out futher...and will roll a way on the wheel...

Ian

Roll ? ugly Ill bet

Originally Posted by SON OF PALEFACE

Dont worry about nylon bolt use metal screws , I found some just long enough allen head cap screws
Put one of your 'nylon' scews in a vise and with a pair of pliers see how hard it is to break one...........if its true nylon.......

I'll give it a go in my vice when I find the right nut for the spare "nylon" bolt. I know breaking it will be hard but it is how easy or hard it is to strip the thread.

I always have a worry the nylon ones will pull out when putting pressure on the wings when flying seeing there is only two of them. That is another reason to use metal. I found the 4mm metal hex headed bolts just hanging on the rack at the local hobby shop.

Yea- I'm one of THOSE guys for which the safety feature of most good radios was invented. That is, you have to have throttle off for at least one second before it will work at all.

Just makes sense I guess. Otherwise it's kinda like having a gun that will automatically fire when you put a bullet in it unless you put the trigger back in neutral.

As for bolts, yes, go with brass, they are available at most good hardware stores. I used steel tee nuts, hopefully they won't sheild too much signal from the Tx. We'll see.

Now I just gotta find a decent motor.

Originally Posted by devemaster

Yea- I'm one of THOSE guys for which the safety feature of most good radios was invented. That is, you have to have throttle off for at least one second before it will work at all.

Just makes sense I guess. Otherwise it's kinda like having a gun that will automatically fire when you put a bullet in it unless you put the trigger back in neutral.

As for bolts, yes, go with brass, they are available at most good hardware stores. I used steel tee nuts, hopefully they won't sheild too much signal from the Tx. We'll see.

Now I just gotta find a decent motor.

Yeh I have had a lot of frights with the Corona 36mhz Synthised receivers. They have some sort of fail safe on the motor but I was only to glad to get them to work and did not go further to get the failsafe to work.

I was lucky enought to get the Futaba TX with the 2.4ghz Futaba and Spektrum modules. The only reason I got these is the receivers are very cheap now. The $29 Futaba 2.4ghz receivers are brilliant and I just tried an $8 plus postage Spectrum receiver. It seemed all right from the one flight so far on a small foam plane.

I have read what everyone has done on motor replacements but have put it off as long as I could. Let us know if you come up with something good and easy to put in.

"I have read what everyone has done on motor replacements but have put it off as long as I could. Let us know if you come up with something good and easy to put in. "

Replacing the motor is no big deal you need to drill three new holes

olmod
well its not an aerobatic glider like a Salto , but it is not bad

Ian

Originally Posted by devemaster

I just took those nuts out and put in some proper tee nuts. Also got some longer bolts.

Here's some helpful hints you DON'T want to follow:

1) Buy a cheap tx/rx and attempt to bind while 1100 mAH batt hangs out of fuselage.

2) Make sure throttle stick is all the way in the "down" position.

3) Don't check to see if throttle channel has been reversed.

4) Shave the extra inch or so off the props by cutting into the aforementioned battery.

5) Panic and attempt to stop prop with fingers while trying to disconnect the now smoking battery.

6) Throw battery outside and open all windows and doors to ventilate the toxic fumes.

7) Have girlfriend apply stitches to finger while attempting to explain what just happened.

8) Go outside to make sure battery has not caught fire to the trees in backyard.

9) Throw away cheap tx/rx and buy yet another Spektrum AR500.

Apparently although the motor is not capable of propelling the plane in a satifactory way, it is plenty powerful enough to gash your finger, cut through batteries and propel the fuselage across the floor of the living room.

I love the description of that sequence but I have to remark that most of it could happen with a Spektrum also.

I fly with an "el cheapo" from Flysky ($23.00 for 6Ch Tx and $9.00 for 6Ch Rx).

If you connect the battery with the throttle stick up all it does is beep at you to tell you that you are an idiot.

As an additional safety you can also set switch A as "throttle cut".

Not bad for a $30.00 kit.

Upon reflection I wonder if it is not the $14.00 30A ESC that has all the brains rather than the Tx.

Originally Posted by SON OF PALEFACE

"I have read what everyone has done on motor replacements but have put it off as long as I could. Let us know if you come up with something good and easy to put in. "

Replacing the motor is no big deal you need to drill three new holes

olmod
well its not an aerobatic glider like a Salto , but it is not bad

Ian

The motor replacement is a prob' if you want modest power a 2213 x ~1000kv is what I use ,the big problem is that the overall length from prop face to rear mount is hard to get right , the bell motors are quite short but good quality motors are longer and require the mount to be moved back,which why I used one of my old idea's of mounting the motor in a tube and getting rid of that toy grade motor mount. check my earlier posts for a how too.

just cut a ply disc that will fit behind the plastic mount , break that out...mount the motor to the ply disk and glue it in...once aligned...easy peasy