Carl Goldberg GBGA1047 User Manual

The Ultimate ARF

Wingspan: 60.5 in [1535mm]
Wing Area: 1250 in2 [80.6dm2]
Weight: 11.75 – 12 lb [5330 – 5445g]
Wing Loading: 22 oz/ft2 [67g/dm2]
Length: 66 in [1675mm]
Radio: 5-channel minimum
Servos: (6) Futaba 9001 servos, (1) Futaba 9202 servo (rudder),

(1) Futaba 3003 servo (throttle)
Engine .90 – 1.20 cu in [15 – 20cc] two-stroke,

1.20 – 1.50 cu in [20 – 25cc] four-stroke

INSTRUCTIONS

Welcome to the world of Ultimate fl ying! Now that you’re an
experienced R/C pilot, you’re ready to step up to a higher level
of aerobatic fl ying. And we’ve made sure this ARF version won't
disappoint. With the same fl ight characteristics as the kit version,
you’ll soon know why the Carl Goldberg Products Ultimate
has been America’s favorite sport biplane since 1990.

LIMITED WARRANTY

Carl Goldberg Products Ltd. has inspected and certifi ed the

components of this aircraft. The company urges the buyer to
perform their own inspection, prior to assembly, and to immediately
request a replacement of any parts they believe to be defective
for their intended use. The company warrants replacement of any
such components, provided the buyer requests such replacement
within a period of 90 days from the date of purchase and provided
the defective part is returned, if so requested by the company.

No other warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the company
with respect to this kit. The buyer acknowledges and understands
that it is their responsibility to carefully assemble the fi nished fl ying
model airplane and to fl y it safely. The buyer hereby assumes full
responsibility for the risk and all liability for personal or property
damage or injury arising out of the buyer’s use of the components
of this kit.

READ THROUGH THIS MANUAL BEFORE STARTING CONSTRUCTION. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT

INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND USE OF THIS MODEL.

™

If the buyer is not prepared to accept the liability associated
with the use of this product, the buyer is advised to return
this kit immediately in new and unused condition to the place
of purchase.

To make a warranty claim send the defective part or item to Hobby
Services at the address below:

Hobby Services

3002 N. Apollo Dr., Suite 1

Champaign, IL 61822 USA

Include a letter stating your name, return shipping address, as
much contact information as possible (daytime telephone number,
fax number, e-mail address), a detailed description of the problem
and a photocopy of the purchase receipt. Upon receipt of the
package, the problem will be evaluated as quickly as possible.

Champaign, Illinois

[phone]

www.carlgoldbergproducts.com

Entire Contents © Copyright 2008 GBGZ1047 for GBGA1047 V1.0

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUIRED ITEMS ............................................................ 2

Engine ........................................................................ 2

Radio Equipment .......................................................2

Tools & Building Supplies ........................................... 2

PREPARE FOR ASSEMBLY ............................................ 3

WING CONSTRUCTION ................................................... 3

Hinge the Ailerons ...................................................... 3

Servo & Control Horn Installation .............................. 4

Wing Dowel Installation .............................................. 6

FUSELAGE CONSTRUCTION ......................................... 6

Stabilizer & Fin Installation ......................................... 6

Flying Wires Installation ............................................. 7

Hinge the Tail Control Surfaces .................................. 9

Elevator Servo & Control Installation ......................... 9

Rudder Servo & Control Installation ......................... 11

ENGINE INSTALLATION ................................................ 13

Fit the Engine ........................................................... 13

Trim the Cowl ........................................................... 14

Throttle Pushrod & Servo Installation ......................14

RADIO INSTALLATION .................................................. 15

FUEL TANK & BATTERY INSTALLATION .....................16

Fuel Tank Assembly ................................................. 16

Mount the Fuel Tank & Battery ................................. 16

LANDING GEAR INSTALLATION .................................. 18

Main Landing Gear Installation ................................ 18

Tail Wheel Installation & Rigging .............................. 19

FINAL ASSEMBLY ......................................................... 20

Install the Cowl & Propeller ...................................... 20

Wing Installation .......................................................21

SETTING CONTROL THROWS & DIRECTION ............. 22

C.G. BALANCING ........................................................... 23

REQUIRED ITEMS

ENGINE

The Carl Goldberg Products Ultimate was designed to fl y
on the engines listed below. Using an engine outside of the
range listed is not recommended, nor can we be responsible
for any resulting damages. If you decide to use an engine
outside of this range, you must take extra precautions to
strengthen your model to handle the extra loads.

❏ 2-Stroke: .90 – 1.20 cu in [15 – 20cc]
❏ 4-Stroke: 1.20 –1.50 cu in [20 – 25cc]

In order to complete the model, you will also need a 3-1/2"
[89mm] spinner. We suggest Tru Turn’s® 3-1/2" Ultimate
aluminum spinner.

You will also need:

❏ (4) 8-32 x 1-1/4" [32mm] SHCS bolts (GPMQ3050)
❏ Fuel plug “dots” (GPMQ4166)
❏ Standard fuel clunk (DUBQ0637)
❏ A suitable Pitts-style muffl er

If you’re going to use a three line fuel tank you’ll also need a
second fuel clunk and a “fuel dot” stopper plug for the fi ll line.

RADIO EQUIPMENT

A 5-channel radio system with seven standard servos is
required for this plane. Below is a list of standard case size
servos we recommend. Note: The second elevator servo
must be reversed.

❏ (6) Futaba

size servos (FUTM0075)

®

9001 OR minimum 54 oz-in torque standard

❏ (1) Futaba 9202 (rudder servo) standard size (FUTM0090)
❏ (1) Futaba 3003 standard size servo (for throttle)

(FUTM0031)

❏ (2) Y-harnesses (FUTM4130 or FUTM4135 for

digital servos)

❏ (1) Hobbico

®

Heavy Duty Y-Harness (HCAM2751)

❏ (1) Hobbico Heavy Duty Switch Harness – Futaba J

type (HCAM2761)

❏ (4) 12" [300mm] Servo extension (HCAM2711 for Futaba)
❏ (2) 24" [610mm] Servo extension (HCAM2721 for Futaba)

TOOLS & BUILDING SUPPLIES

❏ 1/2 oz. [15g] Thin Pro

™

CA (GPMR6001)

❏ 1/2 oz. [15g] Medium Pro CA+ (GPMR6007)
❏ Denatured alcohol
❏ Drill bits: 1/16" [1.6mm], 5/64" [2mm], 3/32" [2.4mm],

5/32" [4mm], 7/32" [5.6mm]

❏ #1 Hobby knife (HCAR0105)
❏ #11 Blades (5-pack, HCAR0211)
❏ Hobbico Steel T-Pins 1" (100) (HCAR5100)
❏ Great Planes
❏ CA applicator tips (HCAR3780)

®

Pro™ Threadlocker (GPMR6060)

❏ 220-grit Sandpaper
❏ Bru Line hemostat – curved 5-1/2" (BRUR1303)
❏ Metric & standard ball-end hex drivers
❏ 36" Metal ruler (HCAR0475)
❏ 18" Flexible steel rule (HCAR0460)
❏ Builder’s Triangle Set (HCAR0480)
❏ Pliers with wire cutter (HCAR0625)
❏ Hobbico heavy duty diagonal cutter 7" (HCAR0627)
❏ Rotary tool such as Dremel

®

❏ Rotary tool reinforced cut-off wheel (GPMR8200)
❏ Masking tape (TOPR8018)
❏ Hobbico Retractable Fabric Tape Measure (HCAR0478)
❏ Pro 30-minute epoxy (GPMR6047)
❏ Pro 6-minute epoxy (GPMR6045)
❏ Robart Super Stand II (ROBP1402)
❏ Hobbico Builder’s Protractor (HCAR0490)
❏ R/C foam rubber (1/4" [6mm] – HCAQ1000)

2

PREPARE FOR ASSEMBLY

Before you begin assembling your airplane, take the time now
to tack down the covering and get rid of any wrinkles. Areas
like servo bays, stab/fi n slots, or anywhere covering must be
trimmed should be tacked down with medium/high heat before
you trim them open. This prevents the covering from peeling
up and will make it easier to cut clean, straight lines.

❏ 2. Prepare sixteen (16) CA hinges by placing a T-pin

through the center of each hinge. Slide the hinges into the
hinge slots of each wing.

❏ 3. Fit the ailerons to each wing. Note: All ailerons are

identical with respect to shape and hinge slot location, but
you must be careful to mount left side ailerons to the left
wings and right side ailerons to the right wings because of
differences in the trim scheme.

WING CONSTRUCTION

HINGE THE AILERONS

Note: For the following steps the upper left wing is shown.

❏ 1. Use the back edge of a hobby knife to “dig out” each of the

hinge slots on both of the wings and each of the four ailerons.

❏ ❏ 4. Working with one aileron at a time, slide the edge of

each aileron all the way outboard on the wing so that the tip
of the aileron is fl ush with the tip of the wing.

❏ ❏ 5. Push the aileron tightly up against the TE of the

wing. Flex the aileron up and down a couple of times as you
push in. Now remove the T-pins.

3

❏ ❏ 6. Hold the aileron in its full defl ected position as you’re

pushing in and apply 10 to 12 drops of thin CA to each hinge. Turn
the wing over and apply CA to the opposite side of the hinges.

❏ 7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for the other ailerons.

SERVO & CONTROL HORN INSTALLATION

❏ 4. Use the screws that came with your servos to tap the

holes. Remove the screws and place a drop of thin CA into
each hole. This will harden the wood and will keep the screws
from loosening over time.

❏ 1. Gather four (4) servos and four (4) 12" [305mm] servo

extension leads. Attach a lead to each servo. To secure the
leads, use a piece of heat shrink tubing over the connection OR
place a drop of medium CA along the seam of the connection.

❏ 2. Tie a guide string to the end of each servo lead and carefully

pull the lead through the wing. You may have to move the lead
back and forth in the wing in order to clear each rib, so be careful.
Save your guide strings for the elevator servo installation.

❏ 3. Position the servos in the servo bays with the output

shaft facing forward. Using a 1/16" [1.6mm] drill bit, drill the
holes for the servo mounting screws.

❏ 5. Use your radio to center your servos and install servo

arms on each servo so that the arm that faces outboard is
90 degrees to the servo case and is parallel with the hinge
line. Drill the holes with a 5/64" [2mm] drill bit. Cut off the
remaining arms.

❏ 6. Use a straightedge or a builder’s square to mark the

position of the control horn centerline directly behind the third
hole out from the center of the servo. Do this for each aileron.

❏ ❏ 7. Locate four (4) control horns, four (4) backplates and

twelve (12) 2-56 x 1" [25mm] machine screws. Have your drill
ready with a 3/32" [2.4mm] drill bit.

4555

❏ ❏ 12. Locate the four (4) 3-1/4" [83mm] long aileron

pushrods and four (4) plastic clevises. Thread the clevises
onto the pushrods so that 1/16" [1.6mm] of thread is exposed
on the inside of the threaded barrel of the clevis. Slide a
silicone clevis retainer onto the pushrod.

❏ ❏ 8. Center a control horn on the line that you made. Now

slide the horn forward or back until the pushrod holes are
aligned directly above the hinge line.

❏ ❏ 9. Use the holes in the base of the control horn as a

drilling template. Use a 3/32" [2.4mm] drill bit and drill three
holes in the aileron. Use thin CA to harden the holes that you
drilled. Note: Do not use the backing plate as a template. Its
holes must not be drilled.

❏ ❏ 13. Attach the clevis to the outermost hole of the

control horn.

❏ ❏ 14. Holding the aileron in the neutral position, extend the

pushrod to the third hole out from the center of the servo arm.
Mark the pushrod at the hole. Make a 90° bend at the mark.

❏ ❏ 10. Install the control horn and its plastic backplate with

three 2-56 x 1" [25mm] machine screws. Cut off the excess
portion of the screw when you’re done.

❏ 11. Repeat steps 7 through 10 for each aileron.

❏ ❏ 15. Install the pushrod in the third hole out from the

center of the servo arm. Attach a plastic keeper to the
pushrod and cut off the excess portion of the pushrod when
you’re done.

❏ 16. Repeat steps 12 though 15 for the remaining ailerons.

WING DOWEL INSTALLATION

❏ 1. Locate the two 5/16" x 2" [8 x 51mm] wing dowels. Test

fi t each dowel in the LE of the pre-drilled holes of the lower
wing. To help installation in the fuselage later, you may round
the tip of each dowel using sandpaper.

❏ 2. Glue the dowels in the wing with epoxy. Install them so

that the top of the dowels are 5/16" [8mm] from the LE of the
wing. Note: If the dowels are longer than this, they will not
allow the lower wing to seat properly.

❏ 4. Use a fi ne felt-tip pen to draw lines on the stab where

the stab meets the fuselage. Don’t forget to draw lines on
both the top and bottom of the stab.

FUSELAGE CONSTRUCTION

STABILIZER & FIN INSTALLATION

❏ 1. Temporarily fi t the bottom wing.

❏ 2. Trim the covering from the horizontal stabilizer slots in

the fuselage.

A

A=A
B=B

A

BB

❏ 5. Lay a straightedge just a bit inboard of each line you

drew. Trim the covering along the edge of the straightedge.
Be very careful not to cut into the wood fi bers – a fresh hobby
knife blade should allow you to cut the covering when light
pressure is applied.

C=C

CC

❏ 3. Slide the stab into the fuselage. Center the TE of the stab

so that the distance A=A. Make a mark at the top center of the
fi rewall and measure the distance from each stab tip. The stab
is correctly aligned when the distance A=A and B=B.

❏ 6. Slide the stab back into the fuselage and center it as

you did earlier. Level the stab so that it is parallel with the
wings. You may lightly sand the slots in the fuselage to adjust
the stab, but be careful not to make the slot too loose.

6

❏ 7. Coat the top and bottom of the stab with 30-minute

epoxy. Fit and align the stab as you did earlier, but take note
of the trim design – the top and bottom are very similar, so
be careful to install it with the right side up.

is perpendicular to the stab. You can hold it in position with
masking tape.

❏ 12. As you’re waiting for the epoxy to cure, you can jump

ahead and build up your landing gear.

❏ 8. Use denatured alcohol applied to a paper towel to

clean up the excess epoxy. Set the fuselage aside until the
epoxy cures.

❏ 9. Lay the vertical fi n on your building table. Draw a line

that is 3/4" [19mm] above the bottom edge of the fi n and is
parallel to that edge.

❏ 10. Trim the covering from the fi n at the line you drew.

Don’t forget to trim the covering from the vertical TE post.

FLYING WIRES INSTALLATION

❏ 1. Gather two (2) 7-3/4" [197mm] fl ying wires, two 8"

[203mm] fl ying wires, and four (4) 9-3/4" [247mm] fl ying
wires. These should have a plastic fi tting at each end.

❏ 11. Apply 30-minute epoxy to the fi n and glue it into the

fuselage. Use a builder’s square to make sure that the fi n

❏ 2. Harden each of the pre-drilled holes in the fi n and the

stab with thin CA.

❏ 3. Turn the fuselage over. A foam fuselage cradle is very

helpful here.

7

❏ 4. Measure 4-1/8" [105mm] forward from the TE of the

fuselage (the rudder hinge line) and draw a line straight
across the bottom of the fuselage.

necessarily want these to be equal lengths on both sides
– just make sure that the stab and fi n are both aligned.

❏ 8. Flip the fuselage over and use two (2) 2-56 x 5/8" [16mm]

machine screws and two (2) #2 nuts to loosely attach the
four (4) 9-3/4" [247mm] upper fl ying wires to the vertical fi n.
One screw will hold both the left and right wires.

❏ 5. Use one of the small 10mm wood screws to attach each

of the two bottom aft fl ying wires (7-3/4" [197mm] wires) to
the bottom of the fuselage. Attach them at the line you drew.
Drill a 1/16" [1.6mm] pilot hole to help you start the screw
and use thin CA to harden each hole. The other end of each
wire will attach to the aft hole in the stabilizer.

❏ 6. Using the same method, install the two 8" [203mm]

fl ying wires just ahead of the ones you just put in.

❏ 7. Adjust the length of the bottom wires until they match

the holes in the stab. Be careful to allow an equal amount
of thread engagement on each fi tting. Note: You don’t

❏ 9. Use two (2) 2-56 x 5/8" [16mm] machine screws and

#2 nuts to attach the other ends of the fl ying wires to the
left stabilizer. The corresponding top and bottom wires are
attached with one screw and a nut. Repeat this for the right
stabilizer. Apply one drop of threadlocking compound to each
of the six screws.

8