SAS Terminator

Built & Flown by Ian Cardwell

EPP Slope Soarer

Specifications:-

Wing Span	46"
Length	26"
Weight	35 oz..
Wing Area	3.3 sq.ft.
Wing Loading	10.0 oz./sq.ft.
Section	SD 6060

Building

The Terminator kit comes really carefully packed, with all the components in separate compartments, divided by cardboard strips. Ironic really, when this plane has a really high resistance to damage anyway.

Everything you need to complete the aeroplane (except radio gear) is supplied in the kit. When ordering, you can specify the colour of the control surfaces and the finishing tape for covering the wing.

The first decision you have to make is whether to use 2 servos or 3 (one servo for each aileron). If you have a computer radio, and use the 3 servo layout it is possible to set up Flaps, Spoilers etc. (recommended by the manufacturer but not essential) Cutting the servo wells is probably the trickiest part of the assembly process but the instructions give clear dimensions for the positioning of the servos. One thing which I did not like was that the instructions told you to 'CUT-OFF' the servo mounting lugs. I avoided this drastic action by simply cutting slots in the foam, at the sides of the servo wells to allow the lugs to slide in. This, I think, made the servo more secure anyway. Apparently, the kit may soon be supplied with pre-cut servo wells.

The wings and fuselage are simple to cover with the reinforced tape provided. Clear instructions are provided in the instruction sheet as to the system of laying the tape. i.e.. start at the trailing edge and work forward. BE CAREFUL NOT TO PULL THE TAPE TOO TIGHT as this will induce a warp. It's best to just lay the tape on the wing and 'pat' it down, rather than rub it down as rubbing along the tape can also induce a warp.

After coating the two ends of the panels with the adhesive provided and inserting the carbon rod into the pre-cut holes the wing panels are slid together and are left to dry (I left mine overnight). I had a problem here. After the wing had been left overnight to cure, I 'flexed' it to make sure the joint was good, and guess what - it came apart. The glue was cured around the edges but in the centre, it was still wet. I promptly wiped the original glue off (easily done as it was still wet) and applied a smear of silicone which proved to be much more satisfactory. I'm not saying that this is the right thing to do, but that's how I did it. A strip of reinforced tape is then put around the joint. I think, now is the best time to cover the upper surface of the wing with the coloured tape which, apart from being decorative, also protects the adhesive of the reinforced tape from the ultra violet rays of the Sun. The Torque rods are now fitted to the Ailerons and the Ailerons hinged to the wing using the reinforced tape. Again the instructions are very clear on how to do this.

The double-sided tape which is supplied is fixed along the wing seat of the fuselage and the wings set in place and secured again with reinforced tape which, this time, is cut into strips about 30 mm wide and as long as the width of the roll. Starting at the trailing edge you work forward to the leading edge so that the overlaps point backward. The small piece of EPP which is supplied for the in-fill at the front edge of the wing, can now be carved and sanded to shape and fitted.

The tail feathers, like the ailerons, are corrugated plastic sheet, all cut to shape and bevelled for top hinging. These are fitted to the fuselage in the same manner as the wings, with double sided and reinforced tape. Now, another major decision, the kit is supplied with materials to build the model with either one or two fins. As you can see I opted for the twin fin version but my mate built his with one and I can assure you that it looks just as attractive, but very different. Making and fitting the control linkages is very simple and all horns, push rods etc. are supplied.

I covered the hinging tape with pieces of the red tape and as it is very thin this did not restrict or 'stiffen' the control movements at all. The radio gear is easily installed in the relative compartments already provided. A square AA battery pack slides neatly into the front compartment, followed by the receiver. My Terminator needed 2.8 oz. of ballast in the nose so I removed the battery pack and slid the lead into the front of the battery compartment. When the battery is replaced it holds the ballast neatly in place. Be careful to insulate the battery terminals well.
The balance point is 8 1/4" - 8 1/2" from the trailing edge of the wing. This includes the aileron. This is a bit confusing because previous measurements in the instructions are from the trailing edge - NOT including the aileron.

First Flights

As yet, I've only had one day's soaring with the Terminator but I can't wait to get back to the mountain. The Terminator flies really well. It's smooth but very manoeuvrable. It preforms lovely axial rolls and inverted flight is a sinch.

The day I took it to the mountain, there were about eight EPPs there, two Terminators and the rest were 'Bullets'. The inevitable happened, a 'Combat' session started which lasted for about two hours and I can honestly say, it was one of the most exciting flying sessions I've ever had. It really gets the adrenaline flowing.

When flying combat, the models are all in close proximity, and also you spend a lot of time looking around the sky, watching where the other models are. As a result of this, when you look back at your own, it's easy to 'pick up' the wrong aeroplane which can often result in a crash landing (this happened to two of our gang on the same afternoon). The fact that my Terminator was the only aeroplane with two fins, which made it very distinctive, eliminated this problem.

Conclusion

This is a very well produced model and the quality of all the materials is excellent. I found the building process (although it only took about 5 hours) to be a pleasure and also very interesting as it is really different from traditional building methods.