Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a Manual - Macca's Vintage Aerodrome

Royal Aircraft Factory
SE5a
1917 British Fighter
Assembly Manual
for ARF stand-off scale model
in 1:5 scale.
Historical data and presentation.
Model design and drawing by
Göran Kalderén ©
Rev. 2002-07-20
R.A.F SE5a ARF 1

R.A.F SE5a ARF 2

Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a
This fighter scout was developed by
the Royal Aircraft Factory and was to become
a solid weapons platform and at the same
time an agile fighter scout. It became very
popular with the pilots and was to serve long
after the war ended. The construction is quite
simple with a girder trussed fuselage, a staggered
rakish wing design and a reliable control
system.
The armament was normally a fixed,
half enclosed Vickers machinegun and an adjustable
Lewis machinegun on a Foster wing
mount. The latter enabled the pilot to pull down
the weapon for dejamming and/or point the
machine gun in an upward angle to attack the
belly of the opposing aircraft from below.
Powered by a Hispano Suiza 200 hp
or Wolsley Viper 220 hp engine, it had very
good speed and climbing performance.
After the Armistice a large number of
aircraft were used for "skywriting" with smoke.
The exhaust tubes were lengthened and provision
for injecting kerosene or other oil
mictures in the exhaust was provided to produce
white clearly visible smoke.
Our model is painted as the aircraft in
the Shuttleworth collection at Old Warden
aerodrome, Biggleswade, north of London.
The original aircraft is however relatively
sparsely marked, which leaves plenty of options
to decorate the model representing
other individuals. Plenty of documentation is
available from a number of sources like
Albatros Publishing and Squadron /Signals
Publications #69.
R.A.F SE5a ARF 3

Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a
Wingspan: 7.4 m / 24' 4"
Length: 6.4 m / 20' 11"
Heigth: 2.9 m / 9' 6"
Engine: Hispano-Suiza 200 hp
Wolsley Viper 220 hp
Armament: 1 .303 Vickers Machine Gun
1 .303 Lewis Machine Gun
Max speed: 126 mph at 10,000 feet
116 mph at 15,000 feet
Endurance: 2½ hours
Ceiling: 17,000 feet
R.A.F SE5a ARF 4

The complete airframe before covering
The Model
We have chosen the scale of 1:5 rendering
a model size that is easy to fly, but also
relatively easy to transport. Both the upper and
the lower wing panels can be removed for transport
which gives very limited requirement for
transportation.
Rudder is controlled by pull-pull cables
from the rudder bar and the elevator by push
rod from the control column. The tailskid is fully
functional and stearable for ease of ground handling
(scale). The elevator has hidden controls
and scale transmission via bellcranks to the elevators.
Lower wing ailerons are controlled by
pushrods from one servo in the fuselage and
the upper ailerons are coupled to the lower with
adjustable link rods.
The prototype was equipped with a Saito
.90 4 cycle engine that gives ample power for
this fighter. With this engine the airplane is capable
of some advanced manoeuvers which you
can demand from a WW1 biplane fighter. The
moment arms are short and the rudders sensitive,
so fly if you can, with a dual rate transmitter.
Specifications:
Wingspan: 63.2” (162 cm)
Length: 51.6” (131 cm)
Wing area: 1622 sq" (101.3 dm²)
Weight: 11 Ibs (5000 g)
Wing load: 16 oz/sq' (49 g/dm²)
Engine: .60 2-stroke -.90 4-stroke
Covering and finish
The model is covered with Solartex and
painted with Dutch Boy enamel from the factory.
When you have made changes in the engine
compartment, you will have to cover the open
areas with fuel proof paint.
Color and markings
There are a number of survivors and we
have chosen to use the colour scheme and
markings of the aircraft in the Shuttleworth collection
at Old Warden, Biggleswade, England.
Other schemes can be made on special request.
Ample documentation is available suggesting
other colour schemes and our model is rather
neutral allowing several attractive additions.
Installation of engine
We recommend that you don’t overpower
this model. The engine mounts have been installed
for the recommended size of engine. It
may be necessary to introduce 2° down and 2°
right thrust of the engine. Should you desire to
install a 4-stroke engine you may have to make
an extension in the engine mount for the
carburator.
2. Drill the holes from the tank to the
carburator, pressure tap and the filling cap.
3. Install the engine and connect the
throttle servo.
4. Make cut outs in the dummy manifold
R.A.F SE5a ARF 5

The positions of the rigging wires
The positions of the rigging wires are
marked with heavy lines.
All wires are permanently
attached at
one point
Tailskid, here
uncovered, is
sprung and stearable
Engine radiator
front plus air intake
for carburator gives
good cooling of engine
Elevator is controlled in scale fashion
with linkage in the fuselage
Tailskid is sprung and stearable
R.A.F SE5a ARF 6

to allow sufficient airstream around the engine.
5. Re-install the engine cowl using 3 #2
sheet metal screws. The opening in the front of
the radiator should provide adequate cooling but
in case of insufficient air stream this hole may
have to be be widened and enlarged,
Installation of servos, tank, battery and receiver.
The aileron servo is installed in the lower
part of the servo vertical bulkhead under the rudder
bar in the fuselage. The trottle servo elevator
and the rudder servo are installed in the servo
tray. The tank is positioned below the tray at the
side of these servos. Battery pack and receiver
are positioned in the upper part of the tray. The
switch can be mounted on the servo tray with
extension rod or on the instrument panel.
1. Attach a ball link head to joystickand
rudder bar in the appropriate holes. You may
have to enlarge the holes to take the screw from
the ball link (Dubro #189 set of 2).
2. Install the servos for rudder and elevator
and temporarily connect the servo arrns to
the ball links. Neutral position for the elevator is
in line with the stabilizer. Deflection for elevator
is 20° up and down and for rudder 30° right and
left.
Lacing of
bungee
rubber
for the
wheel
shaft
3. Install and connect the throttle servo
in the fashion you prefer.
4. Install the tank in the available space
at the right side under the receiver and battery
tray next to the rudder and throttle servos.
5. Install the aileron servo in the bulkhead.
The aileron push rods attaches to the servo arm
with adjustable clevices or ball links. Deflection
of the ailerons should be 20° up and down.
6. Install the radio switch on the dash
board.
7. Place the receiver and the battery
pack in the upper part of the tray wrapped in
foam rubber and secure with rubber bands.
R.A.F SE5a ARF 7

Assembly of the SE5a
All parts have been assembled at the factory
and only disassembled for transportation.
Rudder and wires are factory adjusted
but may need some tensioning adjustment after
a while. For the elevator a push rod is connected
to the control column. For assembky it is necessary
to attach the pushrod clevices in the rear
of the fuselage to the elevator bellcranks. The
service access hatch has to be removed on both
sides after which the clevices can be attached.
The aileron pushrods are connected to one or
two servos in the bottom of the fuselage. Use
ball links or clevices for this connection as they
have to be removed for lower wing removal.
Assembly of the tail unit
1. Fit the fin to the fuselage with 2 nylon
screws and the screw on top of the fuselage.
2 . Fit the stabilizer halves with elevators
to the fuselage and secure with stabilizer support
wires. Attach the elevator pushrods and
close the two hatches and secure with screws.
3. Attach the rudder with the hinge pins
and connect the rudder wires to the rudder horns.
4. Secure the fin and stabilizer with the
support wires.
5. Check the throw of rudder (30° right
and left) and elevator (20° up and down). Rudder
is actuated by the rudder bar and the elevator
by the joystick.
Assembly of wing panels
1. Push the lower wing halves into the
holes in the fuselage.
2. Push the upper wing halves into the
holes in the wing center cabane. Attach the landing
wires in place. Check the dihedral. Attach
the flying wires in place. See the photos for details.
3. Install the interplane struts. Note that
the approx. 1/8” shorter struts fit in the front positions.
Connect the strut cross bracing by clipping
the kwick links in place.
4. Install the aileron interplane connecting
rods.
5. In the fuselage, connect the aileron
push rods to the servo and check the throw of
the ailerons (20° up and down). For ease in control
you may adjust the servo arms to give differential
throw in which case the up deflection
should be 30°.
6 Mount the upper machine gun support
on the top wing and install the Lewis
machinegun.
Landing gear
Push the landing gear supports in the
holes in the fuselage. Secure with the landing
gear cross bracing and tighten.
Install the wheels on the shaft and secure
with the stoppers. Lace rubber bands in
the fashion shown in the sketch.
This is a very efficient shock absorber.
Balancing
The C/G (center of gravity) or balancing point
should be no further back than approx. 13,5 cm
(5½”) measured from the center of the leading
edge on the upper wing. Make adjustments by
adding wheight if necessary. If you desire a more
groovy and stable flight performance you may
move the C/G as much as 1" (2.5cm) forward.
Flying
Let the engine swing a 14"x6" propeller if possible.
This gives better thrust outside the big radiator
front and reduces sound to a more realistic
level.
Flying characteristic is that of a biplane from
the WW-I period and it will fly happily on 3/4
throttle. Ground handling on a hard surface demands
a gentle hand but on grass surface, the
tailskid provides enough directional stability. During
the initial take off run first keep full up elevator
to keep the tail down. As the speed builds up,
let go gradually of the up elevator and the tail
comes up. You have to compensate for the
torque with right rudder but as the speed builds
up the rudder is returned to neutral. This model
should fly of the ground and not be pulled. Unlike
many other planes from this period this type has
a lifting profile stabilizer that in theory should offset
the climbing tendency of the high lift wing
profile. Once airborn the aircraft is limited aerobatic
like all biplanes from WW 1. Remember
that all turns are made using rudder and elevator
and compensated with aileron!
The landing approach can be rather steep
as per prototype but the flare out needs almost
full up elevator. Once on the ground keep the tail
down to maintain directional stability. In case you
have to make a dead stick landing, keep the nose
down and the speed up. The wires produce a lot
of drag! It is always better to do a good landing
in a bad place than vice versa...
Happy landingsl
R.A.F SE5a ARF 8

R.A.F SE5a ARF 9

What is in the box:
The ARF kit contains the parts shown in the picture.
All the parts are covered and painted. All the rigging
wires are supplied in the correct lengths and need
only to be clipped to their positions.
9
9
14
12
5
11
11
1
6
7
2
10
6
7
8
1. Fuselage with wing cabane, detachable landing gear.
2. Scale wheels
3. Wing mounted Lewis machinegun
4. Fuselage mounted Vickers machinegun
5. Scale propeller
6. Fin / rudder
7. Stearable tail skid.
8. Stabilizer / elevator
9. Upper wing panels
10. Lower wing panels
11. Interplane struts
12. Aileron connecting rods
13. Wires, turnbuckles and hardware
14. Assembly manual
K&W
Model
Airplanes Inc.
R.A.F SE5a ARF 10
P.O.Box 1229, Cebu City Centrl. Postoffice
Cebu City 6000, Philippines
Visiting address:
3343 Gun-Ob, Kinalumsan,
Lapu-Lapu City 6015, PHILIPPINES
Phone +63 32-340 0772, Cellular +63 917-3200 985
Telefax +63 32-340 7131, E-mail: kwmairpl@gsilink.com
Website http://www.kwmairpl.com.ph