Guidance Notes For Jet Ranger Fuselage For ECO 8

Photo by Luxor

Lets assume that you're starting with a tried and tested ECO 8 and are wanting to retro-fit the Jet Ranger fuselage. If you're fitting this fuselage on a new ECO 8, I would strongly advise you to build the helicopter as standard and get the initial trimming and set-up done prior to fitting the Jet Ranger mods. It's a lot easier and safer.

Before you do anything you need to measure up the screw holes of the boom mounts and where they are on frame. Make sure you note the exact measurements on a sheet of paper.

The first thing to do is remove the original skids by removing the 4 screws which hold them to the side frames. (don't loose the screws, you'll need them later).

Next loosen the boom and slide it forward, lift the belt off the drive pulley and remove the boom assembly.

Refer to the sketch middle left of the German Instruction. Locate the main mechanism so that the two holes which held the rear skid bracket lines up with the rear locator on the new fuselage. Measure 42mm from the back of the main spindle to the front of the fuselage. As shown on the German Instructions.

Using the existing hole on each side of the main frames secure the mechanism to the new fuselage using 2 of the screws saved earlier when removing the skids. Next, when satisfied that the fuselage is actually in the right place, drill 2 x 2mm holes in the side frames in-line with the front locator on the fuselage. (Be careful not to drill through the fuselage as well). Secure the main frames to the new fuselage at the front using the remaining 2 screws.

The skid supports are screwed to the obvious pads of the fuselage.

You can use a hemistat to put rear skid screws in place.

Next comes the most awkward part of the installation, re-fitting the boom assembly.

Slide the boom in from the rear of the fuselage tail tube, making any modification to the rear of the tube to allow the tail rotor pitch mechanism to operate without interference. Once in position, re-fit the tail rotor drive belt and tension as required. Make sure at this point that the rotor direction is correct and the belt is free to turn. i.e. not twisted wrongly. The fuselage now prevents you from tightening the boom clamp screws, so drill 2 small holes in the fuselage, in line with the appropriate screws and tighten as required. To locate these holes you need to match screw distance on body ...

mark the screw holes on the outside of the body...

and tighten the screw though the body

Glue the 2 horizontal stabilizers one to each side of the fuselage about 1/3rd the way down the tail tube from the rear. Mount the vertical stabilizer using the same method as the original, but remember, if you fit it the scale way, the short end is to the bottom and you loose the protection for the tail rotor blade.

The last operation of fitting the new fuselage is to fit the nose section. The bottom sketch of the German Instructions shows 2 arrows at the top pointing downwards. The left-hand one points to the split line at the top rear of the front section. I would recommend that a 2cm wide piece is cut out here to allow the front to be slid easily past the rotor head components, without straining the molding too much. The right-hand arrow and the arrow at the bottom show the position of the "Klettband" which is actually "Velcro". I'm working on a better way, but it does work and the cockpit section doesn't fall off.

Ok, that's it, just decorate it, either with the decals included or in whatever manner suits you. Just remember that weight counts and every extra gram will reduce the performance.

I hope these guidelines have helped. As previously mentioned, you use them entirely at your own risk, but they should help you to resolve the German Instructions by explaining the sketches a bit more clearly. If you have any problems you can always e-mail me at bejay_uk_2000@yahoo.com, this is NOT an official help line, just an ECO 8 builder sharing information.

The images of the military Jet Ranger are by Radd. He came up with the system to screw the skid supports in place.