Extreme Flight RC 88" Yak-54 Build Log Page 5

Extreme Flight RC 88" Yak-54 Build Log Page 5

Above, Extreme Flight Yaks Lined Up in Que at the 2007 EFRC Huckfest
Check Out Chris Hinson's Website at www.extremeflightrc.com

We're now up to 5 pages on the build log. Read up on what's been going on in the skunk works.

To add a bit more realism and scale to the Yak, I decided to add a pilot figure and an instrument panel with a textured “flight deck”. This added about $100 to the project; something I hadn’t really planned on doing originally. With the decision made, I ordered the appropriately sized “Mr. Pilot Head” and panel from Chris Hinson at Extreme Flight. As you can see from the photo, the stock canopy is pretty sparse and it’s essentially up to the builder to come up with the design and installation method.

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The instrument panel also requires some basic assembly as it relates to the panel itself. The framework is pre-assembled and covered with silver-gray Monokote. Trimming the clear plastic overlay the panel sticks to is pretty quick and easy. You have to peel the adhesive backing from the instrument cluster and then carefully align it against the clear instrument “bubble”. A bit more trimming of this assembly is required to get it to fit into the light ply framework. Assembly time is 10 minutes or so.

Flight Deck

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Forward flight deck

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Rear flight deck on which the pilot and instrument panel are mounted.

The “flight deck” was fabricated from 2 pieces of balsa, 1/8” thick. Since the total width required varied from 8” to 10”, I glued a 6” and 4” piece together and trimmed to fit; one for the forward deck and other the main deck that would be used to attach the pilot and panel. These are both tapered shapes to follow the taper of the canopy. The decking is secured with RC-56 canopy glue. I chose a multi-color textured paint I found at Lowes. This stuff is pretty neat. It comes in a spray and flies onto the surface in gray-black-white, leaving a stone-like texture. It dries in about 3-4 hours depending on temperature.

Fitting the Pilot and Instrument Panel on the Rear Deck

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The pilot and instrument panel are trial fit to see how they will look

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A view of what the pilot "sees"

These photos show that positioning of the two pieces on the deck so I can plan how I will ultimately place them and attach to the decking. The instrument panel attaches with small screws through the bottom of the decking and are secured with CA. It is attached to the decking before it is installed inside the canopy. The pilot head will be attached to the decking with 1/8” toggle screws. I suppose I could have glued him on, but I did not want to deal with it coming off, then having to reattach later.

Finished Assembly

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This is the result of a couple nights of working in the shop. Overall, it looks pretty nice. I don’t see many of the EFRC Yaks with a pilot and panel, so I consider this to be a bit unique.

Rick Tressler - Columbus, Ohio

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