An airframe worthy of high performance.

Craig Gottschang is a BVM Rafale fan and recently helped us update and improve the assembly manual. BVM customers that are still building their kit can contact us for a new manual.

This is Franz Walti's Jet World Masters champion model in action with the "HAMMER DOWN" i.e. the engines at combat rated thrust. Computer graphics allows us to put our imaginations into print.

Terry Nitsch's Rafale B-O1 won Top Gun, the AMA Nationals and Scale Masters - further
testimony to its scale authenticity and flight performance.

An analysis of large scale twin (or single conversion) turbojet powered airframes that are available today reveals that only one, the BVM Rafale, can safely handle the extreme power and performance that is available and weigh-in well below the AMA limit of 55lbs wet. No modifications are required to achieve the wide envelope of performance available from this canard assisted, delta wing configuration. This has been demonstrated many times at many jet events and scale contests in recent years.
It can handle the thrust of (2) 35lb engines (or one 45lb) and 200+ mph because it is properly designed, manufactured and flight proven by BVM. Super high alpha maneuvers can be immediately followed by 200 mph passes without even switching "flight modes" (a JR feature). Of course, this kind of performance should be attempted only by experienced jet pilots, but they can have confidence that their BVM Rafale will hang together. And, when it's time to land, the undercarriage and its mounting system can take a pretty firm, carrier style landing.
Rugged landing gear. We all know that the most critical stage of every flight is the landing - especially when we must operate in a crosswind. The fuselage mounted gear of the RAFALE allows us to make that area capable of withstanding some heavy loads. The retracts and struts represent our best effort at optimizing strength to weight ratios.
Replacement parts and service are another great reason to own a BVM Rafale - we make them here in our Florida factory.
Each kit is custom made to order and built in the molds as a single, or seperately, as a twin. Engine specific CAD drawings and instructions describe the assembly and gearing up procedures. Carbon Fiber cloth, Kevlar, fiberglass and preformed balsa laminates form the skin, while Carbon end grain balsa and plywood formers are fixtured into the fuse providing wing, canard, fin and landing gear mounts factory installed. You can take the model out of the box, and in minutes have the wings, canards and fin mounted as shown. A big jet that can travel. The fin, wings and canards are easy to remove making storage and transit very convenient. To make the travel box even smaller, you have the option of making the nose cone and exhaust nozzles removable. BVM knows it is nice to have a big jet, but to fully enjoy it, you must be able to transport it.
Rafale pilots like this large scale jet for a reason - it can handle the "extremes". The scale external wing tanks are an available option that add presence and visibility.

Typical twin engine installation.

Rafale B-O1
Airframe Directive (A.D.)
And other helpful notes

Large Fuel Cell Transfer Tubes
Replace Brass with Stainless Steel
(4/20/06)

There has been one case where the brass tube that transfers fuel through a hole in the fuel cell baffle experienced a razor saw-like cut. The engine flamed out because the remaining fuel below the tube was unusable.
The most likely cause of the brass tubing failure was many miles of trailer transport of the model with the fuel cells empty.

The Fix

BVM now supplies Stainless Steel tubes with the large baffled fuel cells i.e., KingCat, F-100, F-4, Rafale, F-86 (80"). Retrofit parts are available. Ask for part #PSTU003 (quantity 2) price $5.00 for the pair mailed within the USA.
To be honest, we don't know how many travel miles the brass tubes will withstand. It could vary quite a bit. BVM is converting our factory demo models as time allows. Our prototype F-100D is 6 years old, has at least 300 flights and more trailer miles than we can count. We inspected the brass tubes and found minimum wear. We changed them to the Stainless Steel variety anyway.

Elevator Travel Clarification

The elevator travel should be 1-3/4" up and 1-3/4" down when measured at the fuselage intersection. Note from the plans that in the neutral position, the elevator top side is flush with the upper edge of the fuselage strake.

The Rafale usually requires a few clicks of down trim during flight to compensate for fuel burn off - a feat that most jet pilots can handle with ease.

The canards are mixed to the elevator channel as per the instruction manual.

Reverse servos

The instruction manual failed to define that you will need (2) reversed servos, one to operate one canard and the other to operate one elevator.

Landing Technique

The Rafale does not utilize a speed brake or flaps for landing so we rely on the main gear doors to function as drag devices for landing. Manage the throttle as follows. Slow the model to below 80-90mph and extend the gear. Fly the landing pattern with about ½ throttle until turning onto the final approach heading, then reduce the engines to idle for a few seconds to allow the model to decelerate to approach speed - the fuselage angle should be nose up about 5 degrees. Reset the throttle to about ¼ stick position to fly the glide slope. When the model is about 2-3ft above the approach end of the runway, reduce to idle thrust and hold the nose up for a soft, flared touchdown. If the runway length is limited, set the brakes to "full on" prior to landing.

Gyro Mix

The Rafale is best flown with a rudder gyro to damper the "dutch roll" effect that all swept wing aircraft experience. Plug the gain control into an aux channel (we use Aux 5 on the JR 10X receiver). If you use a gyro to assist the roll stability, both ailerons must function from one channel (ail) and be "y" harness connected. "Y" harness connect the two gyros together and plug into Aux 5. It is desirable to have the gyro's more active at slow speed i.e. take-off and landing. If, the gyro's are too active in high speed flight they will cause the model to oscillate violently. If you use the following mix program you can set the system and forget about it, the landing gear operation will set the gyro gain as required for both high and low speed flight. Note: Terry did not use roll assist gyro in his Top Gun Rafale. It is not allowed by the rules - the model flew very smoothly without it. A roll assist gyro does allow smoother flight with less pilot input.

How to setup your Tx

Always check that the gyro moves the surface to correct the upset. Use the reverse switch if necessary. Tilt left wing down and the left aileron should go down. If the system is not properly set - you may crash on takeoff. Select a mix Mix Aux 5 to Aux 5 - page 1 Offset +85 Pos 0 +0% +40% Pos 1 +0% +70% Page 2 Activate with gear (GR) switch up Page 3 Master = Normal Select function 17 Select Aux 5 INH Select function 75 (servo monitor) Check that channel 10 index shows about 35%-40% with gear down 20%-25% with gear up Adjust the 40% and 70% in Mix 51 as required to get the above percentages of activity. Elevator travel: The prototype Rafale elevator travel is now 1-5/8" up 1-1/2" down measured at the inboard end.