Great Planes GPMA1267 User Manual

C

™

RT

INSTRUCTION MANUAL SUPPLEMENT

BEFORE YOU PROCEED WITH THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

This Ready-to-Cover (RTC) version of the Great Planes Viper 500 is supplied to you without the pre-applied fi berglass of the
ARF version. Fiberglassing the fuse and wing is necessary for safety so it must be done, but in this RTC version we allow
you the choice of how and where you want to glass. You can also, of course, glass and paint the whole airplane, but this is
not necessary.

Fiberglassing takes a certain amount of skill, so if you’ve never done it before we recommend that you seek the help of an
experienced modeler. When you’re done glassing and covering, please proceed with the included ARF instruction manual.

Please note that when cutting dry fi berglass cloth, the best tool to use is a rotary cutter with a cutting mat. These can be
found at most fabric supply and art/craft stores.

ITEMS REQUIRED FOR COMPLETION

3/4oz [21g] Fiberglass Cloth (HCAR5000)
8oz [236cc] Coverite™ Balsarite™, fi lm (COVR2515)
4oz [118cc] Top Flite® Trim Solvent (TOPR6020)
9oz [255cc] Great Planes® Finishing Resin (GPMR6049)
Epoxy brushes (GPMR8060)
Mixing sticks (GPMR8055)
Mixing cups (GPMR8056)
Vaseline® petroleum jelly
Great Planes Easy-Touch™ hand sander 5.5" (GPMR6169)
220-grit Easy-Touch Sand Paper (GPMR6185)
400-grit sand paper

Tack cloth
Masking tape (TOPR8018)
Pi ece of 1/16" [1.6mm] scrap balsa sheet or an old credit

card for use as a squeegee
Plan Protector (GPMR6167) or waxed paper
Acetone (for clean-up)
Sharp scissors
Olfa® Rotary Cutter
Self-Healing Cutting Mat (HCAR0454)
HobbyLite™ White-Colored Balsa Filler (HCAR3400)

Fiberglass the Forward Fuselage

17" [432mm]

Cut the edges
like this.

3-1/2" [89mm]

9" [229mm]

FUSE BOTTOM PIECE

(OUTER)

Mark the center line
of the cloth. You will
center this on the firewall.

20" [508mm]

FIREWALL & FUSE SIDES PIECE (OUTER)

6-1/2" [165mm]

Fwd

8" [203mm]

FUEL TANK

COMPARTMENT

PIECE

Fwd

Up

3-1/2"

[89mm]

2" [51mm]

2" [51mm]

FIREWALL PIECE

(FUEL TANK

COMPARTMENT,

INSIDE)

❏ 1. Cut out the following pieces for the fuselage from 3/4oz

[21g] fi berglass cloth:

A. One 3-1/2" x 20" [89 x 508mm] strip and trim the sides

as shown

B. One 3-1/2" x 9" [89 x 229mm] rectangular piece (for

the fwd fuse bottom)

C. One 6-1/2" x 8" [165 x 203mm] rectangular piece (for

the fuel tank compartment sides and bottom)

D. One 2" x 2" [51 x 51mm] square (for the back side of

the fi rewall)

❏ 4. Fill the threads of the blind nuts with petroleum jelly

using a toothpick.

MASKING TAPE HERE

APPLY THE 9" [229mm]
BOTTOM PIECE FIRST

❏ 5. Mix up about 3/4oz [22cc] of fi nishing resin. Brush on

a thin coat of resin to the bottom of the forward fuse. Apply
the 3-1/2" x 9" [89 x 229mm] rectangular piece of fi berglass
to the bottom of the forward fuse. Align the forward edge of
the glass with the edge of the fi rewall. Stipple the glass cloth
down to the fuse. Squeegee any excess resin out of the glass
so that the surface is smooth. Allow the resin to cure. Sand
the fi berglass smooth feathering the glass into the balsa.

❏ 2. Lightly sand the forward part of the fuselage where you

will apply the fi berglass. Round the edges of the fuse sides
slightly. Use compressed air or a tack cloth to clean any dust
from the fuse before you begin glassing.

❏ 3. Apply masking tape to the fuselage sides and bottom

about 1" [25.4mm] back from where you will be applying
fi berglass. See the sketches for more details.

CENTER THE GLASS
ON THE FIREWALL.

FIREWALL/FUSE SIDES PIECE WILL
WRAP AROUND THE FIREWALL LIKE THIS.

❏ 6. Mix up another batch of fi nishing resin and brush a

thin coat onto the fi rewall and forward fuse sides. Center
the 3-1/2" x 20" [89 x 508mm] piece of glass cloth on the
fi rewall and wrap it around to cover the fuse sides. Stipple
and squeegee the glass cloth smooth. Allow the resin to cure
and sand the fi berglass smooth.

❏ 7. Fiberglass the inside of the fuel tank compartment using

the 6-1/2" x 8" [165 x 203mm] rectangular piece for the fuse
bottom and sides, and the 2" x 2" [51 x 51mm] square piece
for the back side of the fi rewall. Allow the resin to cure. Use
your hobby knife to open up the front and back sides of the
blind nuts on the fi rewall. Clean out any remaining petroleum
jelly from the threads of the nuts.