Vectors
Setting Up Vectors
Fit the vector into the foam former by sanding the inner ring.
Prepare a 3mm plywood ring to support the vector screws, or use 4 individual pieces.
Use the m3 bolts provided with your vector to connect the L shape angles, and the self tapping screws to connect the vector to the plywood. No alignment is necessary.
Roughen the surface of both the foam and plywood and glue using hysol.
Fitting the vector in the tail cone
Lay the fuselage on a flat surface. Connect the tailcones and mark the center lines of the cones using a laser.
Using a disk, cut a line, Approximately 1 ½ inch deep on the bottom and inner sides centerlines of the tail cone to accommodate the vector's horns. This initial cut is simply to allow the vector to be placed at the end of the cone. After gluing, expand the cut to allow full deflection.
Sand the outer side of the foam former so the vector protrudes about ¾ inch beyond the tail cone (to allow the desired deflection).
Roughen the inner skin of the tail cone at the former, and hysol the foam former. Make sure to put glue on the 3mm plywood that holds the vector inside the cone.
To check for accuracy, measure the distance to the former on all 4 sides.
Engine and Thrust tube
Position the turbine with m3 bolts and pronged tee nuts towards the front of the mounts.
*tip: Since there’s no access to drill a straight hole in the turbine mount, It’s easier to place the nuts to a piece of 3mm plywood, drill oversized holes at the mount and glue the wood underneath the mount. Then, use a hex driver with a ball end to drive the bolt.
Connect the tailcone, insert the thrust tube into the vector. Pull back the thrust tube about ⅛-¼ inch to allow heat expansion.
Measure 20-25mm from the back end of the turbine and cut the front end of the thrust tube.
Connect the carbon bell to the thrust tube with rivets or bolts with lock nuts. Make sure the turbine is perfectly aligned in the center of the thrust tube.
Reinforce the tail cone
The tail cone’s keys should be reinforced if a vector is attached to it. Roughen the surface, and add a layer of fiberglass/carbon.
Vector servos/pushrods
The pushrod should connect to the vector with a 3m metal ball link. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NS9WWCM)
Cut a 3mm collar of a 4mm brass tube to serve as a spacer between the ball link and the vector. An m3 bolt with a lock nut (missing in my picture) holds it together.
NOTE: the ball link’s insert must be towards the bolt head, and not towards the vector’s horn. Just in case it gets loose.
Use the lightest 20KG+/cm servos for yaw and pitch, and a 33mm servo arm. A low profile servo is ideal as the pitch servo.
Locate the yaw servo about 5cm behind the motor mount, in the inner side of the fuselage. Locate the pitch servo on the outer side, right above the front elevator servo. Use 3mm plywood to create housing for the servo.
Use 5mm od, 3mm id carbon tube (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KWFR1PF) as pushrods, and hysol an m3 threaded rod into the ends of the carbon tube.