Carl Goldberg GBGA1077 User Manual

Ideal as a first giant trainer and as a terrific everyday sport plane, the Tiger 120 ARF combines docile flight char­acteristics with the aptitude for super-smooth, exciting aerobatics. This ARF has been designed to keep build­ing time to a minimum; it's 90% pre-built, with a pre-assembled elevator and installed pushrod and wing guide
tubes, and it features top-quality American hardware and premium covering. So read through these instruc­tions, follow them carefully, and you'll soon be flying a Tiger that "growls as you grow." The better you get the
more fun it gives you!

WARNING

A radio-controlled model is not a toy and is not intended for persons under 16 years old. Keep
this kit out of the reach of younger children, as it contains parts that could be dangerous. A radio­controlled model is capable of causing serious bodily injury and property damage. It is the buyer's
responsibility to assemble this aircraft correctly and to properly install the motor, radio, and all other
equipment. Test and fly the finished model only in the presence and with the assistance of another
experienced R/C flyer. The model must always be operated and flown using great care and common
sense, as well as in accordance with the Safety Code of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (5151
Memorial Drive, Muncie, IN 47302, 1-800-435-9262). We suggest you join the AMA and become prop­erly insured prior to flying this model. Also, consult with the AMA or your local hobby dealer to find an
experienced instructor in your area. Per the Federal Communications Commission, you are required
to use only those radio frequencies specified "for Model Aircraft."

LIMITED WARRANTY

Carl Goldberg Products has inspected and certified the components of this aircraft. The company urges the buyer to perform his
own inspection, prior to assembly, and to immediately request a replacement of any parts he believes 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 one year 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 his responsibility to carefully assemble the finished flying model airplane and to fly 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.

INSTRUCTIONS

Tiger 120 ARF

© Copyright 2006 Carl Goldberg Products LTD.

P.O. Box 818 Oakwood GA 30566 Phone #[phone] Fax # [phone] www.carlgoldbergproducts.com

2

ITEMS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THIS AIR-

CRAFT

 1 RADIO GUIDANCE SYSTEM (5 CHAN-

NEL MINIMUM REQUIRED) 8 SERVOS

 2 6” FLAP SERVO EXTENSION WIRES
 2 18” AILERON SERVO EXTENSION

WIRES

 2 Y-HARNESS
 1 ENGINE .90-.1.20 2-CYCLE or .90-1.80 4-

cycle, AND MUFFLER

 1 CA Accelerator
 1 2 OZ. Bottle medium CA
 1 1/2 OZ. Bottle Thin CA
 1 30 minute and/or 5 minute epoxy.
 1 Foam rubber 1/2”x8”x12”
 1 3” Spinner

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES FOR ASSEMBLY.

 MODELING OR UTILITY KNIFE
 WORK SURFACE (24" X70")
 ELECTRIC DRILL
 1/16”,5/64” 3/32”,1/8", 5/32”, 1/4” DRILL

BITS

 SMALL STANDARD & PHILLIPS SCREW-

DRIVERS

 MASKING TAPE
 NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS
 36” RULER OR TAPE MEASURE
 FLEXIBLE STRAIGHT-EDGE
 T-SQUARE
 30-60-90° x 6" TRIANGLE
 SOFT PENCIL
 A FEW STRAIGHT OR "T" PINS
 ADJUSTABLE WRENCH
 WIRE CUTTER
 OPTIONAL HEAT GUN/COVERING IRON
 ACID BRUSH

NOTE: The Tiger 120 ARF is covered in White

(#870) UltraCote®. The trim colors are
True Red #866, Yellow #872 and Orange
#877.

3

USING THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Before you begin assembling your Tiger 120 ARF, take
some time to read through this entire instruction book. It
is designed to take you step-by-step through the process
and to give you added information on engine and radio
selection and set-up, balancing your aircraft, and flying
your model. The time you spend will speed the assembly
process and help you avoid problems.

PREPARING FOR ASSEMBLY

You will need a work area of approximately 24 x 70" which has
been covered to protect it from adhesive, as well as c uts and
other damage. Many people cover their work area with a
sheet of dry wall (sheet rock) and/or waxed paper t o pre­vent CA and Epoxy from ruining the work surface.

CONSTRUCTION TIPS

IMPORTANT: ALWAYS READ A FEW STEPS AHEAD.
This will alert you to coming instructions and will help you
plan accordingly.

Using the Parts Identification section, familiarize yourself
with the various items included in your kit box.

As you work, CHECK OFF EACH STEP in the box pro­vided, so that you are sure you do not forget anything.

Do not hesitate to ask questions. Your local hobby dealer
and area flyers will most likely be happy to help, as they
want you to have a successful flying experience. You may
also receive technical assistance from Carl Goldberg
Products via e-mail (carlgoldbergproducts.com) or by tele­phone [phone].

INTRODUCTION

COVERING

The Tiger 120 ARF is covered in premium iron on film. It
is not uncommon for ARF's to develop a few wrinkles in
transit. If this is true of your model, the situation is easily
corrected. Before you begin putting the pieces together,
run over the surface of each section with an iron (either
specially designed for airplane use or the more cumber­some household iron) or use a modeling heat gun. Apply
the heat (set at about 350° F), following along with a soft
cloth and pressing down on the covering as you go
around. This will more firmly set the covering adhesive
into the wood and keep your aircraft covering tight and
smooth in the future.

One of the great advantages of film is that it can be
applied over itself without causing gas bubbles. This
allows you to repair your aircraft, as well as to customize
it in a number of ways. If, due to a flight mishap, you get
a hole or similar covering damage, simply trim away the
ragged edges and then apply a patch, following the direc­tions that come with replacement film , which is available
at your hobby dealer. In case of a major crash, where
large amounts of the film must be replaced, heat the
damaged covering and then slowly peel up. If you are
applying sufficient heat, the film will come up easily and
leave no color on the wood.

ADHESIVES & GLUING TECHNIQUES

CA adhesives are specially formulated to firmly glue the
plywood, hardwood, and balsa used in your model and to
withstand the vibration and stresses of high performance
flight. However, there are times, such as when you are
installing the stabilizer and fin on the fuselage and want
more set-up time for careful alignment and positioning,
then you should use epoxy. Occasionally, you also will
want to use thin CA, which "wicks" into the surrounding
areas. Aliphatic resin glue or similar water-based glues
can also be used, but they will add to the assembly time
because they dry so much more slowly than CA glue.
Remember, when ever using any CA, you must be care­ful to read instructions thoroughly, as you will have only
seconds for positioning of parts. Be sure to trial fit parts
together before gluing. Also, never use watery THIN
type CA glue for gluing plywood and hardwood parts.
Thin CA's do not adequately bond these areas.

CAUTION

Some people may experience an allergic reaction when
exposed to fumes from CA glue or epoxy. As with paints,
thinners, and solvents, it is always important to use glues
only where there is adequate ventilation to carry fumes
away. A fan is recommended. Also, special care must
be taken when using CA, as it will bond skin as well as
other surfaces. Before using any CA, carefully read all
label precautions. When using CA, protective eye-wear
and care in keeping the glue away from the face is high­ly recommended. If CA does happen to get into the eye,
hold lid open and flush with water only. Seek immediate
medical attention.

4

RADIO EQUIPMENT & CARE

There are many fine radio systems on the market. Your
local hobby dealer and club members are good sources
of information on equipment and its suitability for various
projects. It is recommended that you speak to them
before making a final choice.

Today's RC systems are very well engineered and con­structed.
However, they
will remain only
as good as the
way in which
they are
USED. Always
follow the rules
of proper
usage and all
manufacturer's
instructions for
your particular
piece of equip­ment.

TRANSMITTERS: Keep your transmitter clean and free
from fuel residue and dirt. Battery condition and RF out­put should be monitored, and the system should be
aligned and tuned annually. Do not transport under vibra­tion (such as on the floor of a car) without cushioning.

RECEIVERS: Receivers must be vibration free. When
installing in the aircraft, wrap them in a minimum of ¼" soft
foam rubber (not plastic foam). Keep well clear of all
cables and batteries. Tune annually (or as recommended
by the manufacturer), as indicated below under "Check­Ups."

SERVOS: Servos are vibration prone. Be sure to mount
them with grommet shock mounts in servo trays which are
also shock mounted. Also be sure to keep them clean. If
the neutral position "drifts," this is a sign of change which
should not be ignored; find out WHY before flying again.

BATTERIES: Nicads also can suffer from vibration, so
they too should be wrapped in soft foam rubber before
installing. Check their condition periodically by measuring
the voltage with a volt meter or battery tester. Charge the
batteries before EVERY flying session. When not used
for a period of time (such as during the winter months) the
batteries should be charged every 30 days. Never store
batteries in a discharged condition.

PUSHRODS: Obviously, pushrods should be installed to
operate freely, so that they place no load on the servo.
Using a servo's power to move a tight rod or heavy sur­face by force increases the battery drain, shortens the
electronic life, and can cause neutralizing problems. In
addition, it is important the pushrods do not flex or vibrate.
Any vibration is transferred directly to the servo.

CONNECTORS: In using connectors, never pull on the
wires to disconnect; grasp the plugs instead. Clean them
by dunking in a solvent, such as dope thinner. Tape the
connectors together when installing and make sure there
is no strain on the cables.

CHECK-UPS: A full check-up by the factory or an author-

ized service center should be done AT LEAST ONCE A
YEAR, as well as any time something unusual occurs dur­ing usage. A malfunction or "glitch" is the first sign of an
impending failure; it should not be ignored. The checkup
should include tuning and alignment of the system, as
well as battery testing.

ENGINE & PROPELLER SELECTION

When selecting an engine, it is important to stay within
the manufacturer’s recommended range, as failure to
do so is likely to lead to less than satisfactory per­formance and may well lead to failure of the aircraft.

Remember, that manufacturers design and test their mod­els for specific engine sizes. Therefore, the aircraft is
unlikely to withstand the stresses created above this
range. Many a modeler has watched all his hours of work
and many dollars worth of hardware head earthward
because he did not heed this warning: DO NOT OVER-
POWER YOUR MODEL! Doing so will automatically void
the manufacturer’s warranty.

Typically, size recommendations are for both a 2­cycle or a 4-cycle engine. A 2-cycle engine has more raw
power because it has faster RPMs on the propeller. A 4­cycle engine swings a bigger prop and therefore creates
more pull. It is also quieter. 4-cycle engines are general­ly preferred for high performance, more aerobatic planes.
However, if flying a tri-gear plane, a 2-cycle should be
used. The expense of an engine is usually related to
its efficiency. Some engines of similar cubic inch
displacements are more powerful than others. Check
with a dealer or an experienced flyer to learn about the
specific attributes of the engine you are considering.

If selecting a more sophisticated engine, you may go with
the lower recommended range However, if purchasing a
more basic engine, it is probably best to select something
in the higher recommended range. If you are a relatively
new RC pilot, it's probably a good idea to select an engine
that is popular at the flying field, so that if you have any
engine problems, other modelers will be familiar with the
engine and be able to help. REMEMBER: DON'T OVER-

POWER THE AIRCRAFT!

The propeller size must be matched to the engine. For
example, a .60 may use a 11" diameter prop while a .80
can use a 13" prop. Refer to the information that is sup-

plied with your engine for recommended propeller sizes.
It's wise to buy a few spare props, as everyone breaks
them occasionally, and particularly often when learning to
fly.
Balancing your propeller helps to protect your radio from
the damaging effects of vibration. There are good, easy
to use prop balancers on the market. Follow the instruc­tions that are supplied with the prop balancer. Never

5

carve or cut a prop near the hub for any reason (such as
to fit a spinner).

A 3" CGP 4-Pin Snap-On Spinner is available for the Tiger
120 ARF. It is a rugged precision molded spinner that
does not require any special mounting nuts or screws.
Carefully read the spinner instructions and warnings
included in this book. Although a spinner helps reduce
the chance of injury from a rotating prop, extreme caution
always must be used when the engine is running.

As with other precision equipment, a new engine should
be "broken-in" to enhance performance and extend its
life. Breaking-in usually consists of running the engine
with a "rich" fuel mixture and at lower RPMs until all the
moving parts get to "know each other better." This can be
done with the engine mounted in the model or securely
clamped into a CGP Engine Test Stand or similar device.
Refer to your engine's operating manual for the recom­mended break-in procedure and follow it carefully.

STARTING BATTERY AND GLO-PLUG CLIP: A 1-1/2
volt battery is required to heat your engine's glo-plug for
starting. Wires connect the glo-plug clip to the battery.
Because engine starting draws a lot of electric power
from the battery, rechargeable ni-cad batteries are rec­ommended. Although they cost more initially, they are
more economical in the long run than frequently replac­ing dry-cell batteries.

FUEL: For best engine performance, use the fuel rec­ommended by your engine's manufacturer. 2 and 4­cycle engines require different fuel blends. Ask your
dealer to recommend a good quality fuel.

FUEL PUMP: Needed to transfer fuel from the fuel can
to the model's fuel tank. A simple squeeze-type bulb will
do for small tanks, whereas manual crank or electric
pumps fill larger tanks more quickly.

FUEL LINE: Have about 3 feet of silicone fuel line to
make connections between the fuel pump, the fuel can,
and the model's fuel tank.

EXTRA PROPS: Experts always have a few spares on
hand, so flying doesn't have to stop due to a broken pro­peller.

CGP ENGINE TEST STAND

FIELD EQUIPMENT

The following equipment will be needed at the flying field
to start your engine, make adjustments, and clean your
model after flying.

FLIGHT BOX: Something sturdy in which to carry your
equipment. CGP's quick-building MiniTote carries the
basics: fuel, starter and battery, and a few essential tools.
The larger CGP Super Tote is economical, easy to build,
and pack lots of utility into little space. They hold fuel,
transmitter, starter & battery, as well as many tools, in a
balanced load that is easy to carry. The fuel tote is
designed to carry your fuel in a handy box that keeps the
jugs from rolling around in your car.

6

HARDWARE IDENTIFICATION

GLOSSARY OF MODELING TERMS

ARF: Almost Ready to Fly
AILERON: the control surface on the wing that rolls the

plane

AIRFOIL: the shape of the wing as seen from the end
ANGLE OF ATTACK: the angle at which the wing meets

the air flow

BEVEL: to sand to an angle shape
BURR: the rough edges on a piece of wood or metal after

it is cut

CAP STRIP: a thin strip glued to the edges of the ribs to

shape the wing

CONTROL HORN: a device attached to each control sur-

face to provide an attachment point for the pushrod

COWL (COWLING): the nose section of the fuselage that

encloses the engine

DECALAGE: the difference between the incidence of the

wing and stabilizer

DIHEDRAL: the upward angle of the wings, as seen from

the front

ELEVATOR: the moveable part of the horizontal tail,

which controls pitch

EMPENNAGE: the tail of the plan
FIN: the fixed vertical part of the tail
FIREWALL: the hard wooden former at the front of the

fuselage, to which the engine is mounted

FORMER: a piece which shapes the fuselage; and to

which the sides of the fuselage are attached.

GUSSET: a small triangular piece glued into a corner to

strengthen it

INCIDENCE: the angle of the wing or the tail in relation

to the thrustline

LAMINATE: to glue two thin sheets of material together

to form a thick sheet

LEADING EDGE (L.E.): the edge of the wing that first

meets the airflow

LONGERON: a stringer that runs the length of the fuse-

lage

OUTPUT ARM: the piece that attaches to the servo and

connects it to the pushrod

PITCH: an up and down movement of the nose of the

plane, which is controlled by the elevator

PROTOTYPE: the full scale airplane from which the

model design was taken

PUSHROD: the long, stiff dowel, plastic or wire piece that

connects the servo with the control horn

RTF: Ready to Fly
RIB: the airfoil-shaped piece that connects the leading

edge, spars and trailing edge of the wing together
and holds them in shape

RETRACTS: devices for extending and retracting the

wheels on command

ROLL: tilting of the plane as viewed from the front, con-

trolled by the ailerons

RUDDER: the moveable vertical tail of the plane, which

controls yaw

SERVO: the part of the airborne radio system that

moves the control surfaces

SHEAR WEB: wood sheeting that connects the top and

bottom spars to stiffen the wing

SHIM: a thin piece of wood inserted between two other

pieces to improve their fit

SPAR: a wooden stick running lengthwise through the

wing that serves as its backbone

SPINNER: the rounded cone that fits over the propeller

hub

STABILIZER (STAB): the fixed horizontal part of the tail
STALL: a situation in which the plane is flying too slow-

ly to move sufficient air across the wing to produce
lift

STRINGER: a long piece of wood attached to the form-

ers to shape the fuselage

THRUSTLINE: a line drawn from the center of the pro-

peller hub straight through the airplane

TORQUE: a rolling tendency caused by the spinning

propeller

TRAILING EDGE (T.E.): the edge of the wing that faces

the rear of the plane

TRIM: small adjustments made to the control surfaces

to cause the plane to fly straight and level by itself

WASHIN: a twist in the wing that makes the trailing

edge lower than normal

WASHOUT: a twist in the wing that makes the trailing

edge higher than normal

WING SADDLE: the shaped part of the fuselage in

which the wing rests

WHEEL COLLAR: a metal ring that holds the wheel on

the axle

YAW: a right-to-left movement of the nose, controlled by

the rudder

BLIND NUT

EYELET

PUSHROD CONNEC­TOR WITH SNAP NUT.

NOSE GEAR BLOCK

SNAP LINK

LANDING GEAR
STRAP

STEERING ARM

CONTROL HORN

SOCKET HEAD
SCREW

WHEEL COLLAR

PAN HEAD
SCREW

SHEET METAL
SCREW

SET SCREW

WASHER

7

WING ASSEMBLY & INSTALLATION

AILERON and Flap INSTALLATION

1.  Collect the following parts:

(1) Left and right wing
(1) Left and right aileron
(1) Left and right flap
(14) CA hinge

2.  Locate the pre-cut aileron and flap hinge

slots in both wing halves. Using a hobby knife
(#11 blade), slide the blade into each slot to
make sure it is cleanly cut.

 Repeat this process with the ailerons and

flaps, making sure all hinge slots are clean.

3.  Place a straight pin into the center of each of

the four CA hinges.

 Slide each hinge into the hinge slots on one

of the wing halves. The pin will prevent the
hinges from going in further than halfway into
the wing.

4.  Select the aileron for the wing on which you

are working and insert the exposed half of
each hinge into the aileron slots.

 Slide the aileron toward the wing until no gap

remains between the aileron and the wing.

 Install the flap in the same manner. Align the

stripes on the wing and make sure the
aileron clears the tip and the flap.

5.

 When satisfied with the alignment, remove

the straight pins, being sure to keep the
aileron and flap tight to the wing. You may
wish to apply a few pieces of masking tape to
keep the pieces in place.

6.  Keeping the aileron, flap, and wing in posi-

tion, apply 3 or 4 drops of thin CA to the small
exposed area of each hinge.

 Turn the assembly over and again apply 3 or

4 drops of CA to the exposed hinge surfaces.

 Allow to dry for 10 minutes before flexing the

aileron.

7.  Repeat the above steps for the other half of

the wing and each flap.

AILERON SERVO INSTALLATION

The following pictures may not exactly match the hard­ware you are using. Always check the radio manufac­turer's instructions when installing radio equipment.

1.  Collect the following items:

(2) Wing halves
(4) Servos with rubber grommets

(16)Servo Mounting Screw (supplied with radio)
(2) 18” servo extensions
(2) 6” servo extensions

8

2.  Pull the servo leads down through the wing

and exit through the hole on the top surface
of the wing.

AILERON FLAP CONTROL HORN

INSTALLATION

1.  Collect the following items

(4) Silicone clevis keepers
(4) 4-40 x 1-3/4” bolts

(4) 4-40 metal clevis
(4) 4-40 nuts
(4) Nylon ball nuts
(4) Nylon washers
(4) Nylon control clevis
(4) 4-40 x 5-1/2” pushrods threaded both ends

2.  Use a straight edge and make a mark at a

90º degree angle to the trailing edge and in
line with the side of the servo

IMPORTANT! To ensure that any connections located
inside the wing will not come loose, either when the
wires are pulled, and during flying, always tape them
securely together with electrical tape.

3.  Repeat these steps for the other half of the

wing, so that both servo extensions are exit­ing the holes in the center of the wing.

4.  Mount the aileron and flap servos using the

hardware supplied with the radio. The output
arm should go toward the leading edge.

3.  For proper operation the aileron servo horn

location should be marked on the outboard
side of each servo (closest to tip). The flaps
will need to be marked on the outboard side
on one wing and the inboard side on the
other wing.

9

4.  Measure 5/8” back from the trailing edge of

the wing along the mark you made for the
control horn. Drill a 9/64” hole at this location.
Make the hole perpendicular to the trailing
edge of the wing, not square to the surface of
the aileron.

5.  Insert the 6-32 bolt through the ailerons from

the top side. No washer goes on the top.
Place the nylon washer on the bottom side
and screw the nylon nut in place. The nut will
self tap onto the screw but it is much easier if
you run a 6-32 tap through the hole first. Run
the tap through the control horn fitting also
and screw into place. Leave it flush with the
top of the screw or one thread down(1/32”) to
provide the mechanical leverage needed.

Control Horn Fitting

Bolt

Nylon Nut

Nylon Washer

6.  Repeat for the other aileron and both flaps.

6.  Locate the 4-40 pushrods and thread a nut

and a clevis with silicone keeper on one end.
The aileron pushrods are 1\4” longer than
the flap pushrods.

7.  Screw the other end of the pushrod into the

nylon pushrod fitting. It should screw in to
the opening in the back of the clevis. Center
the aileron and servo and attach the clevis to
the output arm on your servo. Adjust the cle­vis to fit.

screw pushrod to
opening in clevis

5/8”