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Last Updated: January 10, 2008 - 09:28:40 PM |
01 - The F-20 as it arrived from Warbirds-RC. It is very well packed.
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02 - The HET-RC ARF Minifan 480 sized F-20 Tigershark out of the box
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03 - The major components of the model. It is very similar to the HET-RC FA-18 in construction and covering
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04 - Model comes complete with pre-strung red cord wire pullers
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05 - The Elevator area shows bolt mounts for easy alignment
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06 - The fan area with blind nuts pre installed for fan mounts
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07 - The other end of the red cord wire pullers. These ports are used for Aileron servo leads, ESC power wires and Receiver antenna
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08 - A view of the ducting from the tail end
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09 - Aileron Servo bays are already cut under the covering
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10 - Wing cord is 13/16" thick, which makes is a good candidate for Retracts
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11 - Time to build...Start by trimming away the covering from the Wing Spar and Aileron Servo holes
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12 - Holes cleared of covering
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13 - The wing spar is inserted with the angled edge facing downward in the fuselage. It is keyed inside so you can't get it wrong
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14 - Wing is temporarily installed
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15 - A ruler is rigged to measure wing position
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16 - Build up a piece of masking tape with about 4-5 layers. This will be used as an anchor for the wing root position
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17 - Rear of wing is positioned 1MM from the bottom of the fuselage. The "built up" masking tape is then placed on the side of the fuselage to keep the wing from shifting up (left)
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18 - Wing is supposed to be 1mm up from the fuselage at the rear (left), then flush against the bottom where it's chord dips (left of thumb) and then it curves upward to a center of 10mm at leading edge
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19 - A marker is used to draw spar position
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20 - Wing position drawn
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21 - Covering is cut away so the wing can be mounted to the fuselage
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22 - Covering is then removed
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23 - Aileron servo wire hole is opened up a bit
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24 - Marker lines are removed with Denatured Alcohol
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25 - Marker lines removed
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26 - Monokote Iron is used to seal the edges of the removed covering area
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27 - Epoxy is applied to the fuselage and wing spar hole
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28 - Wing has epoxy applied and spar is coated with epoxy. Note that due to the much wider wing chord, holes were not drilled in the wing
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29 - Wing is installed on the fuselage
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30 - Rear of wing is pinned to keep the position at 1mm from the bottom and hold it up against the masking tape jig. Also note the wing is flush to the bottom of the fuselage near the center. It was left like this until the epoxy cured.
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31 - Other side of the wing, shown with rear butted against the masking tape jig. Note that the wing has a slight dihedral, so it is ok if it seems to lean slightly
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32 - Excess Epoxy was removed with Denatured Alcohol before it set
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33 - Once the wing set, extra epoxy was used to fill any small gaps. The excess was removed with a paper towel dampened in alcohol
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34 - Other wing is positioned and shown being marked. The procedure is repeated for the second wing
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35 - Covering is removed
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36 - Aileron hole has been opened and iron is sealing the edges of the covering to the fuselage side
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37 - Epoxy is applied to the wing, spar and fuselage side, then it is installed
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38 - Note that once again it is pinned in the rear to keep it at 1mm, then the center is flush with the bottom of the fuselage
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39 - Vertical Stab spar was not shaped correctly, so it was trimmed to taper at the forward section. TIP: you can re-use old pieces of covering removed from wing chord to re-cover shaped areas
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40 - Forward stake re-shaped to a more scale like appearance
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41 - Rear of Fuselage was marked at the center top for Vertical Stab installation
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42 - Mark shown at top center
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43 - Forward section of fuselage marked at center of turtle deck
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44 - A line is then drawn from the turtle deck to the Fuselage rear mark
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45 - Center line drawn for Vertical Stab
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46 - Covering is cut away about 1/8" on each side of the center line
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47 - Covering is removed for good glue purchase
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48 - Iron used to seal the freshly cut edges
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49 - The bottom 1/2" of covering is cut from the Vertical Stab
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50 - Covering being removed
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51 - Edges of covering sealed with an iron
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52 - The "front" of the Stab is marked to insure it is installed correctly
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53 - Stab is test fit to the Stake
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54 - A hobby knife assists with keeping the stake open while epoxy is applied
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55 - Epoxy is applied to the inside of the stake rather than on the Vertical Stab. This will keep the upper seam clean and free of glue when the Stab is inserted
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56 - Stab is inserted into the Stake until it is flush with the bottom of the Stake
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57 - Clamps are used to hold the stake in place while Alcohol is used to clean up excess epoxy that squeezed out
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58 - Vertical Stab and Stake Assembly completed and drying. Note the position of the Stake; the recessed area is at the front of the assembly
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59 - A center mark is made on the underside of the Vertical Stab at the rear
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60 - Pins are installed front and rear to keep the fin aligned and centered on it's marker lines. Check the fit for gaps and lightly sand if necessary
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61 - Epoxy is applied to the bottom of the Vertical Stab Assembly and to the Fuselage
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62 - The Vertical Stab is placed in position and pinned in place while glue sets. A square on a board works great to insure it is perpendicular to the Fuselage
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63 - Pre-drilled holes are punched in the Horizontal Stab with a pencil
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64 - Horizontal Stab shown positioned above it's location
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65 - Supplied bolts and washers are installed in the pre-drilled holes
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66 - The Horizontal Stab is temporarily installed using the supplied hardware
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67 - A marker is used to mark the location of the fuselage sides on the Horizontal Stab
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68 - Cut about 1/16" inside the marked lines to remove covering
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69 - Covering is being removed from the top of the Stab.
Note: SAVE THIS COVERING! It can be reused to cover Aileron covers later in the assembly
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70 - Marker lines are removed with Denatured Alcohol
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71 - Covering edges are sealed with an iron
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72 - Horizontal Stab ready to glue in place
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73 - Extra covering is trimmed away from the Horizontal Stab area on fuselage edges
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74 - Covering is then removed
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75 - Edges are sealed with an iron
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76 - Epoxy is applied to the fuselage edges, rear lip and center spar. Be careful not to get glue in the blind nut holes on the center spar
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77 - Epoxy applied to the trailing edge of the Horizontal Stab
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78 - Stab is then installed on the Fuselage
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79 - Bolts are used to hold the Stab in place
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80 - The Stab is positioned flush against the rear lip of the Fuselage, then pins are installed to hold the Stab down to the Fuselage edges...this is important...make sure the fit is flush with no gaps
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81 - Excess epoxy is removed from the rear
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82 - Excess epoxy is removed from the top of the Stab and Fuselage joint
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83 - Horizontal Stab Installation completed
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84 - Front of Fuselage drilled for Antenna wire tube
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85 - Inside of fuselage is drilled for Antenna wire tube. NOTE: You should always ground test as this antenna run may not work well with your radio
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86 - Hole shown drilled under the front dashboard on the right bottom side
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87 - Hole is drilled in right rear for Antenna wire tube
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88 - Red cords are used to pull wires through fuselage
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89 - Antenna wire tube installed from the front
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90 - Receiver antenna wire is tied to the fuselage RIGHT SIDE red cord (Note that the fuselage is inverted)
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91 - Antenna wire is pulled through the fuselage into the cockpit area. The red cord works great!
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92 - Rear of tube is pushed through hole at rear cockpit former, then the front is marked for trimming
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93 - Antenna wire tube is cut to length
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94 - Antenna Installed
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95 - Inside of nosecone is roughed up with 60 grit sandpaper
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96 - Inside is shown sanded
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97 - Epoxy applied to front edge of Fuselage
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98 - Epoxy applied inside of Nosecone
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99 - Nosecone installed on Fuselage
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100 - Excess epoxy cleaned up
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101 - Nosecone left vertical pointing up so it will run down to the Fuselage and create a fillet. Nosecone shown below is finished
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102 - Fuselage Airframe Build completed
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103 - Fuselage Airframe Build completed
Most of what you will need to complete the electronics. 12Ga wire, hardware and batteries not shown
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104 - Black Power Wire tied to red cord
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105 - Wire pulled rearward through the Fuselage
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106 - Red wire taped to the black and pulled through
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107 - Power wires shown exiting hole in rear of Fuselage
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108 - Tinning the power wires
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109 - 3.5mm Wire sockets used and installed
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110 - Heat shrink tubing installed on sockets
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111 - Power Wires completed at rear end of Fuselage
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112 - Connectors soldered on the ESC
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113 - Matching connectors installed on the motor. Note the "Plugs" are installed on the motor instead of the wires from the ESC/battery; this is to prevent shorting of the power source if components are unplugged. Always use sockets on the power side of the wires and plugs on the component side for safety
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114 - Motor plugs get some heat shrink to prevent the possibility of shorting
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115 - Plug installation on motor completed
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116 - It is important to balance the fan, especially for a 700w 4S power setup. A High Point Balancer is shown below, but any cheap magnetic balancer will due
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117 - 3MM bolts are required for motor mounting in the fan assembly. Note this assembly is for the Wemotec Minifan 480. If you use another fan, follow the manufacturer's instructions for assembly
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118 - The shaft adapter is placed on the motor shaft
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119 - The supplied set screws are installed with just enough drag to allow the adapter to be moved up and down the shaft under some pressure
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120 - Motor in installed in Fan Shroud
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121 - You can install the two 3mm bolts temporarily to hold the motor in place
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122 - Fan is installed and pushed down until the rear of the fan bottoms out on the shroud surrounding the motor
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123 - Fingers are pushing against the fan to keep it bottomed out on the Shaft Adapter, while the Adapter is pulled out slightly to give about a 1/16" clearance between the rear of the fan and the front of the motor housing at the edges. This spacing will prevent the fan rear from rubbing against the motor housing
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124 - Fan is then carefully removed
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125 - Motor is removed from the motor housing area on the Shroud
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126 - Locktite is applied to the set screws one at a time and they are each re-installed and tightened
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127 - Once both set screws are tightened, use a Q-Tip to remove all traces of the Locktite, otherwise it can attack the fan shroud plastic
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128 - Locktite is appied to the motor threads with a toothpick. Never apply Blue Locktite to the bolt threads, or it can attack the plastic in the shroud. Another solution is to use "Green" plastic safe Locktite
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129 - Motor is installed for the final time in the Fan Shroud
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130 - The two 3mm x 6mm mount bolts are installed and tightened to hold the motor centered and in place
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131 - Fan is installed on the shaft
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132 - Washer is installed next
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133 - Aluminum nut is installed and made finger tight
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134 - The shaft is pushed through a piece of paper, then a slot is cut dead center in the shaft with a Dremel. Paper is used to keep any filings away from the motor while cutting
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135 - Slot shown cut into the shaft, about 3/16" deep
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136 - A screwdriver is used in the slot that was just cut, holding the shaft while a 10mm wrench is used to tighten the aluminum nut
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137 - Fan assembly completed
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138 - A 2" long piece of heat shrink tubing is placed over the three ESC wires
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139 - The ESC wires are connected to the motor
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140 - Temporarily connect the receiver and motor, turn on your radio and start the fan unit to check direction. If it is spinning the wrong way, reverse any two motor leads to the ESC
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141 - Once you set the motor direction (toward the ESC), use a heat gun and shrink the tubing around the leads. This will help prevent them from comming loose during normal flight
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142 - Leads sealed and heat shrunk
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143 - ESC is tie wrapped in place to keep the wires tight and somewhat areodynamic, so they don't fly around loose in the duct
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144 - Top view of the completed power plant assembly
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145 - Fan Assembly is installed in the Fuselage
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