WARNING! THIS IS NOT A TOY Not suitable for children under 36 months. Choking hazard, contains small parts. BEACONS MODEL LIGHTING KITS are intended for adult collectors age fourteen years and over.
Support
We will endeavour to assist you, should you have any queries or encounter any problems during installation. Please contact us via the details given below.
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Returns
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All kits have been tested to make sure they are working at the time of packaging. However, should you find that any of the components are faulty, we will refund or replace the kit upon its return.
Damage caused by mishandling of the kit and any attempts to modify the original kit, for example by shortening the wires by cutting and reconnecting, are not supported by Raven Scale Models and void this returns agreement.
Manufactured by: Raven Scale Models Unit 4, The Craft Centre, Kings Road, Llandovery, United Kingdom SA20 0AW tel: 01550 721099 email: bml@ravenscalemodels.com www.ravenscalemodels.com Instructions and Software Š 2013 Raven Scale Models
RAVEN Scale Models
BEACONS MODEL LIGHTING KIT INSTRUCTIONS Essential guidance on the installation of your kit
Kit contents Introduction Planning Illustrations Installation Support and contact details
Contents
2 x navigation, 2 x strobe, 2 x landing, 1 x beacon LED lights pre-programmed micro-controller unit (micro-chip) cell holder + 4 x 1.5V alkaline AG13/LR44 batteries magnetic reed switch + 1 x neodymium rod magnet fibre optic extension pack instruction leaflet All electronic components are pre-wired. No soldering necessary. Warning: Do not attempt to remove the chip from the holder, or disconnect the wiring loom from the chip holder.
Tools and Materials
The following items may be needed in order to complete installation sharp bladed craft knife or scalpel good quality cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) small piece plastic modelling card, thickness 10 – 15 thou fine drill bits, 0.8mm, 1.2mm, 3mm low-tack tape, eg masking tape, for temporary fixing circular profile needle file, approx 1mm diameter
Introduction
This Beacons Model Lighting Kit is a ready-to-fit, self-contained LED lighting kit, for installation as you build your model aircraft. It is recommended for modellers with some experience of plastic aircraft kits, as installation requires a degree of modification. It is essential that you prepare thoroughly before beginning the build, so read and follow all steps carefully. Make sure that you also read fully the instructions for the model as you may need to change the build order to make fitting the lights easier. Before you begin planning and installation, please familiarise yourself with the lighting kit. Take the wiring loom out and, using Figs. 1 and 2 as a guide, get to know the components and identify each type of light. Check that there is enough space within the model’s fuselage for the lighting kit to be housed – check that the cell and chip holders fit in.
to the wing section and also to test the circuit, using the magnet to switch the cycle externally.
8. If light guide (fibre optic) is to be used, it should now be fixed to the LEDs – see Fig. 4. Avoid forcing the light guide into tight angular turns – the light cannot be transmitted through tight angles, so the light guide must be maintained in gentle curves.
9. Glue the LEDs and/or light guide in place in the exit holes, leaving the light guide a little longer than needed, so that it protrudes slightly from the exit hole, as this will be easier to mask before painting. It may then be cut to length after painting.
10. The wing section and the fuselage section may now be completed and joined, making sure that excess wire is stowed away neatly.
Further hints and tips
To make the magnet easier to handle, you may choose to mount it in a piece of dowelling, or other suitable handle.
For longer battery life, use SR44 batteries rather than the LR44 batteries provided. The battery life will also be considerably longer if the landing lights are not in use. Expected battery life with all lights on, using the LR44 batteries, is two hours at full brightness. After this there is a gradual drop off in brightness as the batteries drain.
The effect of smaller lights may be created by using a finer section of light guide (fibre optic).
If an LED is not required, it may be cut out of the circuit. Do not connect the loose wire ends. The chip will still cycle to switch the absent LED. Simply make a further stroke of the magnet. Handle the wire loom and all components with care. Rough treatment is likely to damage the connections.
We welcome all feedback, suggestions and special requests, to help us develop Beacons Model Lighting Kits into what our customers hope for. Please keep in touch! You’ll find our contact details overleaf.
Installation
Summary: prepare the LED sites on the wings and fuselage, fit the fuselage components into place, then fit the LEDs into the wings. It is important to maintain this order of working.
1. Prepare the exit holes for the LEDs, while the loom is still free, so that you can test the holes for a good fit. Drill or file all exit holes for the LEDs and/or light guide and test fit the LEDs using tape to hold them in place temporarily. If drilling, drill a pilot hole to start with, using a 0.8mm drill bit, and then increase to the desired drill bit – 1.2mm for the 1mm light guide, 3mm for the LED lens. 2. Cut or file any wiring channels needed to allow passage of the wires from the fuselage to the LED site.
3. Prepare your access panel for battery changing –- either using an intrinsic point of access (such as bomb bay or side doors) or by cutting a panel. If you need to cut a removable panel to allow access to the cells, this should now be done using a sharp bladed craft knife, working gradually along the line, going slightly deeper with each stroke of the blade until the panel can be freed. See Fig. 3 4. Position the cell holder at the planned point within the fuselage, by the access panel. The cell holder must be left free to allow batteries to be changed. Do not glue it into position.
5. Position the reed switch at the planned point within the fuselage. Glue it securely into position using good quality super glue. Tape may be used to keep it in place until the glue has set completely. Ensure that you mark or make note of the position of the reed switch on the outside of the fuselage. 6. The chip holder is better left unsecured as it allows excess wire to be tucked away more easily at the end of the build. Insert it into the remaining fuselage void.
7. Tape together the fuselage sections to make sure that the wires for the wings have an appropriate point of exit to pass through
Insert two button cells into the cell holder, checking the polarity indicator within the cell holder, and take the circuit through the lighting cycle by stroking the magnet over the switch. The sequence is: Start at ‘all off’ + red and green navigation lights (NAV) on + red flashing beacon (BEA) on + white flashing strobes (STR) on + white landing lights (LAN) on sequence reverses through these stages to ‘all off’ circuit enters sleep mode – 2 switch strokes to reactivate
Planning
1. Inspect your model kit and choose where to install each of the lights. There is a vast resource of video footage and photographs on sites such as www.youtube.com and www.airliners.net In some models, the wing tip LEDs can be taken all the way to the end of the wing. The optic extension pack provides improved ease of access and better scale effects for your model, as it requires a much smaller channel through which to reach the wing tips. See Fig. 4.
2. Now decide where you’re going to channel the wires: plan the route and check for any parts of the aircraft body that you might have to file or notch out to accommodate the wires. You may find it helpful to tape the wires in place temporarily to test your proposed configuration.
3. Look for an appropriate point on the model where you can create a removable/replaceable panel to gain access to the batteries – bomb bay and side doors offer good options.
Alternatively you may need to cut out a panel section. See Fig. 3. If possible, house the cells near the front to help balance the plane – but only if there’s a suitable access hatch.
4. Choose a point at which to mount the reed switch in an accessible part of the fuselage, to allow proximity when switching.
Fig. 1: Pin map
CELL – black 1
8 black – GROUND
LANDING – yellow 2
7 green – NAVIGATION
STROBE – white 3
6 red – BEACON
unused 4
5 blue – SWITCH
LED exit point
yell ow yellow
LAN
re d
BEA
blac k
e blu
red ck bla
w yello yellow
LAN
g gr reen ee n
w hi te
te hi w
NAV
STR
ck
bl ue
h itc sw
bl a
n ee gr reen g it e e wh hit w
If you need to cut out a panel for access to the cells, use a very sharp craft knife, scoring gradually around the cutting line, going slightly deeper on each pass. Keep working around until the panel can be removed.
Plasticard
Opening NAV
Fig. 2: Representative kit layout
chip
Fuselage
Fig. 3: Removable/replaceable panel
Cut two strips of 10-15 thou plastic modelling card to mount inside the fuselage to either side of the opening, to prevent the panel from pushing inside. Approximately 4mm should protrude across the opening on each side, depending upon the space available in the opening. Cut the strips to allow about the same width to glue onto the inside of the fuselage.
STR
Panel
Cut a strip to glue onto the back of the panel, to hold the panel in place when it is replaced. Allow at least 8mm protrusion on each end. Take care to bend the ends without folding too tightly, so that it springs back up and gives purchase.
Plasticard
Fig. 4: Using the optic extension pack LED
Black tube
Light guide
cell
Removable/ replaceable panel
The optic extension pack is intended to provide sufficient light guide (fibre optic) to make four optic extensions of around 60mm each. For optimum light transmission, we recommend the use of a sharp craft knife blade or scalpel to cut the light guide to your required length. Cut a piece of the black tubing, approximately 10mm in length. Apply a small amount of super glue around the edge of the LED lens and push the tube onto the lens. Cut the light guide to length, then apply a small amount of glue to the outside edge of the light guide, close to, but not on the end. Insert the light guide into the tube and hold briefly to allow the glue to set.