1. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Various Colors
1.1. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - READ ME FIRST

PLEASE READ ME FIRST

BEFORE PROCEEDING TO ASSEMBLE OR OPERATE THIS PRODUCT

LIABILITY DISCLAIMER & COPYRIGHT NOTICE

LIABILITY DISCLAIMER

The authors and/or suppliers and/or disseminaters of this information and/or product expressly disclaim any warranties or representations, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of fitness, accuracy, timeliness or applicability of the information and/or product provided here. In no event will the authors and/or suppliers and/or disseminaters of this information and/or product have any obligation arising from contract or tort, for loss of revenue or profit, or for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or other damages of any sort arising from this information and/or product. In using this information and/or product, the user accepts all responsibility for and all liability associated with such use.

PROCEEDING WITH THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION AND/OR PRODUCT INDICATES AGREEMENT WITH AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE LIABILITY DISCLAIMER.
 
Please Note the following Caution

CAUTION

A Remote Control (RC) model aircraft is not a toy. It is a flying model that functions much like a full size airplane. If you do not assemble and operate model aircraft properly you can cause injury to yourself and others and damage property. DO NOT FLY a model aircraft unless you are qualified.

You are ultimately responsible for the mechanical, aeronautical and electrical integrity of any model you fly and all of the components that make up the model including but not limited to the airframe itself, control surfaces, hinges, linkages, covering, engine, motor, radio, servos, switches, wiring, battery and parts. Check all components before and after each flight. It is essential that you act with the clear understanding that you are solely responsible for all aspects of the model at all times. DO NOT FLY until it is right.  

 

1.1.1. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - General Information

COPYRIGHT
Copyright Richmond RC Supply Ltd. All rights reserved.
 
Tips for Avoiding Common Problems

We have supplied thousands and thousands and thousands of model aircraft in the past 20 plus years. We're not bragging! We tell you this to give some credibility to our suggested list of tips that follow. In talking to modelers around the world, here is what we have found is the key to... 

AVOIDING 90% of PROBLEMS that can arise:  

  1. READ THE CAUTION ABOVE & READ THE LIABILITY DISCLAIMER.You are responsible for all aspects of any model you fly. You're It!
  2. READ ALL DOCUMENTATION before doing anything else! 
  3. INSPECT CAREFULLY immediately upon arrival!.
  4. RETAIN ALL PACKAGING until the checkout is complete! If you need to return anything you must have all of the original packaging.
  5. READ & LOOK! At everything! Do it once & then do it again.
  6. REMEMBER WHAT "ARF" STANDS FOR. ARF means ALMOST Ready to Fly with an emphasis on ALMOST! Some assembly and modeling skills are required.
  7. ALLOW ENOUGH TIME to enjoy the assembly process! Rushing into a 6 hour job with 3 hours to spare simply will not work. This is a Hobby... take your time.
  8. DRY FIT & TEST ASSEMBLE EVERYTHING before you glue anything!
  9. USE 30 MINUTE EPOXY when joining wings & installing stabilizers and other structural components but only after you have dry fitted and test assembled the components without glue! Once parts are glued together they cannot be unglued and they cannot be returned or replaced without charge.
  10. PLAN AHEAD! BE CAREFUL! If you get into trouble, DON'T PANIC. Review everything again, talk it over with an experienced modeler and if still in difficulty consult our Support Services.
  11. TEST TEST!!! TUG TUG TUG!!! EVERYTHING... BEFORE & AFTER EACH FLIGHT! Your model may have been largely pre-constructed and may have pre-installed control rods, hinges, control surfaces and many other essential components. Hinges may have been pinned after they have been installed. However, you must double check every control surface and component before and after each flight. You and only you are responsible for the integrity of all components and the integrity of the model itself. Check everything before and after each flight. Tug on control surfaces, control rods, mounting bolts, T-nuts, mounting plates... tug on everything!
  12. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN WING BOLTS or other fasteners. You want bolts and nuts snugly tight and if metal you can use a medium grade thread locker such as Pacer Z42 to help them stay tight. Fasteners must be snug and secure. However a model airplane is not a farm tractor or a garbage compactor. You do not need a pipe wrench or an electric drill to tighten up wing bolts or any other fastener. Leave your plumbing and power tools at home.. hand tools only and go easy on the torque... snug and secure... not stripped or torqued until they squeak or break.  Wing bolts can take tremendous torque before breaking... but when you over tighten them or use an electric screw driver on a set of wing bolts, long before the bolts break you can fracture the fuselage, crack the mounting blocks or pull the heads of the bolts through the wing... these problems have a nasty habit of revealing themselves when you least expect the wing to fall off!
  13. DO NOT OVERPOWER ANY MODEL! Stay within the recommended power range for the model. If you overpower the model you run a high risk of structural failure that will lead to loss of control and a subsequent crash that will destroy the model and may cause injury and/or property damage.
  14. ASSUME NOTHING! Remember the old yarn about what happens when you ASS-U-ME something. Check everything repeatedly and frequently and DO NOT FLY any model unless you are satisfied that everything is in good working order.

 

1.1.2. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Supplement to the Manual
COPYRIGHT
Copyright Richmond RC Supply Ltd. All rights reserved.
 
1.1.2.1. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Ailerons and Flaps - Locations

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20030321 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Please note that this model has ailerons located outboard on the wings and flaps located inboard on the wings. The ailerons are activated by a servo in the bottom of each wing. The flaps are optional and will require two servos located in the more inboard wing cavities.  

1.1.2.2. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Control Horns

 

Control Horn Installation - How to

Question: How are VMAR control horns installed? 

Answer: VMAR control horns are unique. They work better and are easier to install. They do not look like most of the control horns you have seen before and you may not recognize them for what they are or you may think they are missing. They are in the control horn parts bag &/or wing parts bag  inside the master bag of hardware and consist of a metal bolt, metal nut, beveled white plastic washer, a white plastic T-nut and the white plastic control horn itself that connects to a clevis or rod.

The iillustration below and to the left shows a control horn set before installation. Note 5 parts make up the set. In Light Duty applications the Metal Nut may not be included and only 4 parts will make up the set. The illustration below and to the right shows a control horn set partially installed. Although illustrations in various manuals show the bevelled washer with the bevel pointing away from the surface we find that we get a cleaner strong installation with the bevel pointing inwards.

We recommend wicking thin CA such as Pacer ZAP/CA (Pink) into the exposed wood surrounding the hole in the control surface. This helps further strengthen the wood. This is not a requirement but if you are pushing the power limits or planning on extreme aerobatics or speeds, the extra strength could come in handy. Use two applications of thin CA 1 minute apart, BEFORE installing the control horn.

The illustration below shows horn side view of a control horn set fully installed. The illustration to the left is a lighter duty application without the metal nut. The illustration to the right shows a heavier duty application with the metal nut installed. If the metal nuts have been supplied with the horns, we recommend using them.  

1.1.2.3. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Cowl - Handle Carefully

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20030321 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Please handle the cowl carefully. The cowl has been pre-painted to match the appearance of the full size aircraft that this model has been based upon. The shape of the cowl will be most realistic when fitted over the firewall.
 
1.1.2.4. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Engine & Prop Size - Recommendations

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20030321 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

This model flies well on a .46 size two stroke engine such as the VMAX 46PRO or a .52 size two stroke engine such as the VMAX 52PRO. We suggest using a larger diameter lower pitch prop that you might have used on another model with a similar sized engine. Check your engine manual and select a prop that is at the maximum diameter in the recommended range of props for your engine. We have found that a .46 works well on this model with an 11 x 5 or 12 x 4 prop. The idea here is to locate the thrust out beyond the edge of the fuselage and cowl. A larger diameter prop helps accomplish this.
 
1.1.2.5. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Fuel Tank Installation - Page 9 & 10, Stage 18

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20030321 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Please see Page 4, Stage 5, Figures 5.1 and 5.2

Some servos have a rubber boot strain relief around the wire coming from the servo. Notch the bottom of the servo rails shown in Figures 5.1 and 5.2 to clear the rubber root or wire if required.   
 
1.1.2.6. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Long Servo Arm - Page 4 & 5, Stage 5 & 6

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20030321 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Please see Page 4 & 5, Stage 5 & 6,
 
Use a long servo arm and mount the servo as close to the servo cover plate as possible to maximize the length of the servo arm protruding from the bottom of the wing. 
 
 
1.1.2.7. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Servo Boot Clearance - Page 4, Stage 5, Figure 5.1 & 5.2

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20030321 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Please see Page 4, Stage 5, Figures 5.1 and 5.2

Some servos have a rubber boot strain relief around the wire coming from the servo. Notch the bottom of the servo rails shown in Figures 5.1 and 5.2 to clear the rubber root or wire if required.   
 
1.1.2.8. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Servo Cover Plates - Aileron & Flaps - Page 4 & 5, Stage 5 & 6

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20030321 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

Please see Page 4, Stage 5, Figures 5.1 and 5.2

Some servos have a rubber boot strain relief around the wire coming from the servo. Notch the bottom of the servo rails shown in Figures 5.1 and 5.2 to clear the rubber root or wire if required.   
 
1.1.2.9. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Trim Pieces - Test before Cleaning

This supplementary information applies to manuals with a copyright date of 20030321 (see back cover). Manuals having later copyright dates may already reflect this supplementary information.

The factory has supplied a number of trim pieces. Many of these pieces such as the chin blocks on either side of the fuselage near the cowl and the spats on the main landing gear legs have been pre-applied and painted with epoxy paint. Always test these painted surfaces for compatibitliy with any fuels, solvents or cleaning solutions. Review and follow our recommendations regarding cleaning your model.
 
1.1.3. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Important Information

COPYRIGHT
Copyright Richmond RC Supply Ltd. All rights reserved.
 
1.1.3.1. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Covering

This model uses POLYCOTE ECS Covering

POLYCOTE ECS - Care & Maintenance - Quick Tips

Question: Do you have any pointers regarding the Care & Maintenance of POLYCOTE ECS?

Answer: Yes we have this Summary of Quick Tips. See www.richmondrc.com ( Enter Site > Support Services > Knowledge Base then Search on "Covering") for an expanded explanation of each Tip.

Polyester offers the best in covering performance and as with any new modern technology, the maintenance methods may be different than those you used with your older covering. This is NOT Monokote or Solarfilm, its different. If you have used ORACOVER or ULTRACOTE you will have some experience with working with POLYESTER as a covering material.

Here is our Summary of Quick Tips related to POLYCOTE ECS covering.

  • Avoid Hot Vehicles
    • Cooking your model in your vehicle for hours on end is generally not a good idea! Temperatures can easily exceed 50C (122 F) under such conditions. You will get sags. Consult our Knowledge Base before attempting to remove sags.  
  • Cleaning After Flying
    • We recommend Fantastic household cleaner and disposable paper towels. Mist, do not flood. Wipe along seams, not across. Do NOT NOT NOT NOT use SIMPLE GREEN, 409 or similar materials for cleaning a model airplane.
  • Cleaning Initially
    • Upon initial inspection if you see a thin streaky film on any of the POLYCOTE ECS, work outdoors and use a paper towel and wipe a slightly wet film of Mineral Spirits over 1/4 of a wing or half a fuselage at a time. Rub gently while still wet. Change towels frequently. Avoid plastics.
  • Cutting
    • Use sharp scissors or an XACTO knife with a sharp #11 blade.
  • Pealing
    • Relatively rare. Fix as soon as possible. Consult our Knowledge Base before attempting to resolve.
  • Protecting the Finish
    • Most Importantly - Follow the cleaning instructions. Use the recommended cleaners and method. Dab away raw fuel. Test small out of the way area and all plastics before applying any glue, solvent, cleaner, paint or other preparation. Patch punctures promptly. Avoid hours and hours sitting in the direct sun.
  • Removing & Using Tape
    • Use low tack tape. When removing tape , peal the tape back on itself parallel to the surface of the covering.
  • Repairing Punctures
    •  Patch promptly. Clean any oil residue from the area of the puncture. Patch should be 1/2" (13mm) bigger on all sides. Round the corners. Seal in place with a heat iron & sock. Tighten area with a Heat Gun.
  • Resealing Seams
    • Act promptly. Clean any oil residue from the area and reseal the seam with thin CA.
  • Tightening Sags
    • Remember SSB... SECURE the perimeter then SHRINK to fit then BOND to the structure. Use an iron with sock to SECURE the perimeter, use a heat gun to SHRINK within the perimeter, use a soft cloth while the covering is warm to BOND the covering to solid substrates.
  • Tools for Working with POLYCOTE ECS
    • Scissors, XACTO with #11 blade, iron, iron sock, regulated heat gun, soft cotton cloth or glove.
1.1.4. Support

On Line, eMail, Fax, Phone, Mail

We offer the Best in Support Services.
We back up our products and our customers with the best support services available. From our industry leading Knowledge Base to information about your Shipment, we've got you covered!
 
To access our Support Services please:
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1.1.4.1. Contact Us

For Sales and other Inquiries  

Support - Contact Us - Reach our Sales Department by eMail, Fax, Phone or Mail

Technical Inquiries:

Please review the information provided in our Knowledge Base. After checking our Knowledge Base, if you need further assistance please use our Submit A Question service to get a response within 2 Business Days.

 

Sales Inquiries: 

Please note that our Sales Department personnel are trained and dedicated to:

  • Helping you with non-technical pre-purchase questions,
  • Helping you place your order,
  • Pointing out any sales, combos or specials that you may wish to consider,
  • Inputting your order to our computer system so that it ships out as accurately and quickly as possible... usually the same day,  
  • Resolving any invoicing problems, and
  • Helping to sort out any missing shipment or shipment damage issues.
Their depth of technical knowledge is about on par with what is shown in our printed sales literature. In most cases, they are working from the same printed advertisements or content from our web site that you are. Asking sales personnel to confirm the size, color and availability of a product is well within their capabilities. However, asking detailed questions about technical issues is not.

 

Buy our Products: 
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    • Please support your local retailer.    
  • On Line 24x7x365... if your favorite Retailer does not have what you are looking for, please visit one of our On-Line Stores. 
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    • www.supplystore.com
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For All Other Inquiries... please consult the following resources:

  • After reviewing our On Line resources, if you require additional assistance please contact us by eMail, fax, phone or mail as follows:

    • Ask a Question
    • eMail 
    • Fax
      • 604-940-1063
    • Phone
      • 604-940-1066
    • Mail
      • Richmond RC Supply Ltd, #114 - 7350 72nd Street, Delta, BC, V4G-1H9
        • Mail & printed correspondence only.                
        • We are not able to accomodate personal site visits or drop-offs/pick-ups at this location.
        • Please note that all inbound Shipments require pre-Authorization in advance.
        • Unauthorized inbound shipments will be refused.        

 
1.1.5. Keep Up to Date

Check Frequently for Updates

Support - Stay Current - Check Frequently for Updated &/or Additional Information
This information is subject to change without notice. When viewing this information in a printed form the printing date will be visible in the lower right corner. Check frequently for updates &/or Additional Information.at www.richmondrc.com, > Enter the Site, > Support Services, follow the links to our Knowledge Base. Review the Table of Contents and search for the name and/or part number of this product.
 
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1.2. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Assembly & Operations Manual in PDF format
1.3. VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Pictures, Graphics & Artwork
1.3.1. Logo VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS
1.3.1.1. Logo (CMYK_TIF) VMA-D260X Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS
1.3.2. Pictures VMA-D260D Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Military
1.3.2.1. Pictures (CMYK_TIF) VMA-D260D Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Military
1.3.3. Pictures VMA-D260Z Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Civilian
1.3.3.1. Pictures (CMYK_TIF) VMA-D260D Dornier DO27 45-61 ARF ECS - Civilian