Nan Explorer Q5 4m

The Nan Models Explorer 5 is designed to excel in the new category GPS Triangle Racing - Light Class. Nan gave this exciting class the attention it deserves by designing and producing a glider that fits perfectly in the category. The Explorer 5 can also be used as a F5J glider (especially for windy conditions) and for slope soaring in light to moderate conditions. Some people call the model Explorer Q5 and others Explorer 5.

The Explorer 5 airfoil is based on the successful Xplorer 2/3 airfoils (F3J and F5J champions), resulting in a wing that gives the glider the perfect combination of speed and good climb rate, which is very important in the GPS Triangle Light Class category.

The kit is supplied with:
• Three piece carbon fibre/kevlar fuselage for easier transportation.
• Tailboom includes Bowden cables for slop free rudder and elevator actuation.
• Includes a radio transparent kevlar/glass nosecone compatible with GPS racing.
• Fuselage supplied with Servoramen 30mm firewall (not fitted).
• Four piece fully molded composite wing.
• Fully molded composite tail.
• Accessory pack.
• Ballast tubes built into main wing centre panels (22cm long 18.5mm diameter).
• Available with V and X tail configuration.

The fuselage of the Explorer Q4 and 5 series is a masterpiece of design and composite engineering. Starting from the front, a 40cm long slim nosecone with a 16cm hatch holds the motor, speed control and flight battery. This is supplied to take a Servoramen 30mm firewall (blank one supplied but not glued into place). The length is a benefit as it allows lightweight (c 100g) motors to be used. However if a heavier powertrain is preferred the front could be shortened by approx 25mm and fitted with a 32mm firewall, and the rear could be cut down by approx 4cm while still allowing room for a good sized battery. The slim nosecones supplied with our Q5 models all have a kevlar/glass layup to assist with GPS reception.

In addition to this slim nosecone Nan also make a radio transparent fat nosecone that is slightly wider and takes a 36mm firewall (or 38mm with adjustment). This is useful for higher power motors, larger batteries, or for more bulky electronics.

Moving back, the middle section of the fuselage is an all carbon molded part and includes wing mountings that match the wing root airfoil, and is marked Explorer 4 or Explorer 5, as appropriate. This part retains the very low frontal area of the nosecone and is barely any thicker than the wing root. However it includes a very useful hatch on the underside that gives access of the pre-fitted wing wiring harness and receiver wiring plugs, making it an ideal position for mounting the receiver.

The fuselage is completed with a very long yet lightweight carbon tailboom with low friction 1.5mm carbon rod inner Bowden cables ready fitted. The tail servos are installed horizontally at the front of the tailboom on a supplied carbon servo mount designed for 23mm wide wing servos (e.g. KST X08H, KST A08H, MKS HV6110, MKS HS75, MKS HV75K-R). The tail linkage consists of clevises to be screwed and glued onto the carbon inners at the front and pre-fitted L bend wires at the rear that locate in pre-fitted horns in the tail surfaces. The cross tail and V tail tailbooms are the same length but as the cross tail version's rudder projects further to the rear the X tail version ends up being about 5cm longer. The cross tail tailboom includes a very clever toggle that securely clamps the fin and tailplane in place without any tools required. The V tail tailboom mounts the V tail halves at 103º to each other, giving good rudder and elevator authority with no interaction.

The three parts that make up the complete fuselage should be held together using good quality waterproof tape. Do not glue them together as that will make subsequent servicing and repairs more difficult.

The nicely finished hollow molded four piece wing uses the contest proven Xplorer 3 airfoil. This airfoil has a slightly lower camber giving it a good speed range and making it perfectly suited to GPS Triangle Racing and F5J in windy or strong conditions. The wing carbon skin is available in standard and strong layups. The strong layup is about 50g heavier. The flap and aileron servo openings are approx 45mm x 45mm and are designed for Integrated Drive System servo installations as there is no provision for external flap or aileron horns. The four piece wing and three piece fuselage result in model that fits into a 28 x 16 x 122 cm box, making it very transportable. The other benefit is that the dihedral angle of the centre panels as well as the tip panels can be adjusted by using different wing joiners.

We supply the model with three wing joiner options: 5.7º, 7º and 9º equivalent dihedral angle (EDA):
5.7º - least affected by turbulence and gusty conditions, best for flying fast, not as laterally stable so requires more concentration when thermalling at the limit of visibility.
7º - compromise between easy thermalling and nicer handling in windier or more turbulent conditions.
9º - most laterally stable, easiest to thermal at the limit of visibility, more affected by wind and turbulence, best for calm day thermal soaring.

The accessory pack includes clear servo covers and a wiring harness with plugs that connect into sockets built into the fuselage. Explorer info is spread around several RCGroups threads, but this Explorer 5 thread is definitely useful.

(c) 2023 Neil Stainton

Explorer 5 Specifications
Wing span	3.92 m	154 in
Wing area	86.0 dm2	1333 sq in
Length inc spinner	192 cm	75.6 in
Flying weight from	1570 g	55.4 oz
Wing loading	18.3 g/dm	6.0 oz/sq ft
Aspect ratio	17.9
Wing airfoil	Proprietary
EDA (dihedral)	5.7 - 9º
Spinner Diameter	30 mm
Centre of Gravity	100-125 mm from wing leading edge; V more forward.
Controls	Rudder, elevator, ailerons, flap, throttle

Explorer 5 Recommended Servos
Tail servos	KST X08H, KST A08H, MKS HV6110, MKS HS75, MKS HV75K-R
Aileron	MKS DS6100, MKS HV6100, MKS HV6110, MKS HV6120, MKS HV6130, KST X10 Mini
Flap	MKS DS6100, MKS HV6100, MKS HV6110, MKS HV6120, MKS HV6130, KST X10, KST A12-T

Explorer 5 Powertrain Recommendations
Powerline Micro 1025	3S 1Ah LiPo, 16x8 prop (10 m/s, 2000 fpm, 43A)
XPower F2925/8 Windy	3S 1Ah LiPo, 10x5 prop
Leomotion L3013-4550	3S 1Ah LiPo, 15x9 prop (11 m/s, 2200 fpm, 57A) (Use 32mm firewall)
XPower F3426/7 Storm	3S 1Ah LiPo, 11x5 prop (Use 32mm firewall)

Explorer 5 Typical Weights
Fuselage	191 g	6.7 oz
Left wing	445 g	15.7 oz
Right wing	443 g	15.6 oz
Fin	30 g	1.1 oz
Tailplane	39 g	1.4 oz
Wing joiners	47 g	1.7 oz
Accessories	29 g	1.0 oz
Total structure	1224 g	43.2 oz
Wiring	20 g	0.7 oz
Control rods	10 g	0.4 oz
Receiver	8 g	0.3 oz
Rudder servo	9 g	0.3 oz
Elevator servo	9 g	0.3 oz
Wing servos (4)	40 g	1.4 oz
Speed control	25 g	0.9 oz
Motor	100 g	3.5 oz
Prop & spinner	25 g	0.9 oz
Battery	100 g	3.5 oz
Flying weight	1570 g	55.4 oz

Explorer 5 Control Movements
Rudder	30 mm each way
Elevator	12 mm up, 12 mm down
V tail	13 mm up, 14 mm down
Ailerons	14 mm up, 8 mm down
Flap	80 degrees down
Thermal camber	Flap 6 mm down, aileron aligned with flap
Speed camber	Flap 2 mm up, aileron aligned with flap