The Zagi Teardown-Project #1

I already talked about pleasing the Zagi gods.  To summarize, this was a plane that spent more time crashing into the ground nose first than flying.   It's time I got to work on the restoration project.  One of the largest challenges is removing tape from foam with an extra layer of 3M 77 adhesive.  And to top it off, throw in some mono-filament  strapping tape.  How do you get the tape off the plane without destroying it?

Forget about it.

Seriously, that's the answer.  Let it sit for years and don't touch it. What will happen over time is the adhesives will get old and fail. I mentioned before that packaging tape, especially the acrylic adhesive packaging tape (colored tapes) have the mildest adhesive of them all.   Over time it gave out.  It's a process called "delamination."  





About 90% of the tape came off without a fight. There were a few spots that required 'gentle persuasion.'  It took about 45 minutes to get the plane down to its foam core.






The photo above shows the build of the Zagi.  The foam at top looks different than the foam beneath the seam.  The leading edge is made of EPP foam and the rest of the wing is good old fashion styrofoam.   You have to keep in mind that this is 20-year-old technology.    The brushless motors that this plane had can't compare to the brushless outrunners of today.

The photo also shows a fairly good scar in the foam.  There is a solution.   Lightweight spackle.  It's what is used to fill in dwells and cracks in foam. It's mainly cosmetic.

The wiring was truly remarkable.

The problem with the plane probably had a lot to do with the weight. It was too heavy fly, or at least the motor wasn't strong enough to get proper lift.  It had a lot to do with excess tape and wiring.  In the new build, weight will be addressed. The old build came in at just around a pound without batteries.  And that's without the winglets. . I am hoping to get that down to ten ounces.

The motor stays, for now.

I got the brushless ESC to replace the one that burned out.  For an older brushed motor, this one was pretty good for its time.  That and I have three more propellers.

The motor mount still worked, though it was a tad bit broken in the back, and the canopy has been missing for a while.  No fear, $20 later it was on its way from Trick RC who still sells these Zagi parts though the owners'  are retiring.




Lady (singular) and gentlemen (plural), I present to you, the Zagi a la nude.

And now, I know what I am up against. Someone told me at the time that I should use Shoo Goo to bind the spar to the wing.  Over time the glue ate through the foam and was only stopped by the tape. Shoe Goo wasn't the greatest idea.  The plane also had a one-inch hole at the front where the styrofoam died from too many crashes on its nose.   I have a fix for it.  The tape did tear away six inches of the trailing edge on the port side.

Overall I give this plane around an  80% for it's condition. It's not perfect but it's a great first project to work on. I can continue to make my mistakes on this plane before I move onto other things.