Thunder Tiger Piper J-3 Cub User Manual

Thunder Tiger Piper J-3 Cub ARF Airplane (TTR4532)

Distributed in North America by Ace Hobby Distributors,Inc.• 116 W 19th ST,Higginsville,MO 64037

Phone:660-584-7121 • www.acehobby.com • E-mail:acehobby@ctcis.net

Piper J-3 Cub

Assembly Manual

Wingspan: 82.7” (2100mm)

Length: 48” (1215mm)

Wing area: 850 in2(55dm2)

Weight: 6.5-7.5lbs (3-3.5kg)

Engine: .46-.61 2 Cycle

.50-.91 4 Cycle

Radio: 4 Channel (5 Servos)

Specifications:

Warranty

This kit is guaranteed to be free from defects in material and workmanship at the date of purchase. It does not cover any damage caused by use or modification. The warranty does not extend beyond the product itself and is limited only to the original cost of the kit. By the act of building this user-assembled kit,the user accepts all resulting liability for damage caused by the final product. If the buyer is not prepared to accept this liability,it can be returned new and unused to the place of purchase for a refund.

99206/JE6120

Notice: Adult Supervision Required

This is not a toy. Assembly and f lying of this product requires adult supervision.

Read through this book completely and become familiar with the assembly and f light of this airplane. Inspect all parts for completeness and damage. If you encounter any problems,call 660-584-6724 for help.

INTRODUCTION

PRE-ASSEMBLY NOTES

One of the most recognized names in aviation history is the Piper J-3 Cub. A child of the Depression, Mr.Piper’s Cub began production in the early ‘30s,evolving into the 65 HP J-3 version in 1939. Proliferating in the years before and during WWII,the Cub has introduced more young men to the joys of flight than any other airplane ever.

Now you can own a part of aviation’s history and enjo y the relaxing and realistic f light characteristics of the venerable J-3 Cub. Thunder Tiger’s ARF J-3 has been meticulously built from the finest material and covered with UltraCote® in the classic Cub Yellow color scheme. Scale details such as wing struts, landing gear bungees,Cub wheels,accurately contoured fuselage,and dummy engine cylinder heads create a headturning beauty. Only a few hours of enjoyable assembly and you are ready to step back in time and be a part of history b y flying the classic,IMAA legal J-3 Cub.

Before beginning the assembly read the instructions thoroughly to give an understanding of the sequence of steps and a general awareness of the recommended assembly procedures.

By following these instructions carefully and referring to the corresponding pictures,the assembly of your model will be both enjoyable and rewarding. The result will be a well built,easy to assemble A.R.F. model,which you will be proud to display and also provide you flying excitement not unlike its full-scale counterpart.

If you are not an experienced R/C pilot,plan to have a fully competent pilot check your completed model and help you with your first flights. Even though we have tried to provide you with a very thorough instruction manual,R/C models are rather complicated and an experienced modeler can quickly check over your model to help make sure your first flights are successful. Your J-3 Cub is designed for intermediate to advanced pilots.

Before you begin,check the entire contents of your kit against the parts list and photos to make sure that no parts are missing or damaged. This will also help you to become familiar with each component of your plane. If you find that any of the parts are either missing or damaged,please contact Ace Hobby Distributors,Inc.,Customer Service (660-584-6704) immediately for replacements.

Note: Neither your dealer nor

Ace Hobby Distributors, Inc., can accept kits for return if construction has begun.

Trial fit each part before gluing it in place. Make sure you are using the correct part and that it fits well before assembling. No amount of glue can make up for a poorfitting part.

Introduction

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Other Items Required

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Items Needed Check List

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Parts Sketches

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4-5

Wing Assembly

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6-9

Fuselage Assembly

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10-12

Stabilizer Assembly

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12-14

Engine & Fuel Tank Installation

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14-15

Radio Installation

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16-18

Cowl Installation

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Windshield Installation

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Wing Strut Attachment

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20-21

Balance

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Control Thro ws

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Flying Hints

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Pre-Flight Checks

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Safety Precautions

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Post-FlightCheck List

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

RECOMMENDED TOOLS & MATERIALS

Adhesives:

Instant setting Cyanoacrylate adhesive (thin CA) Slow setting Cyanoacrylate adhesive (thick CA) 10 Minute Epoxy (fast) 20-30 Minute Epoxy (slow) R/C 56 Glue

Tools:

Model knife,T-Pins,1/2”vinyl tape Small screwdrivers,Medium screwdrivers Scissors Steel straight edge Long nose pliers and diagonal cutting pliers Drill and drill bits Sanding block Fine felt tip pen and soft lead pencil Straight building board

R/C System:

4 Channel radio with 5 servos

Engine:

2 cycle: .40 to .61 CID 4 cycle: .50 to .91 CID

Propeller (appropriate for engine type and preferred performance)

Adhesives - You will need two types of adhesives for the Fun Tiger - Epoxy and Instant (cyanoacrylate) adhesives. We recommend that you purchase both 5-minute and 30-minute epoxy to cut down on assembly time, but you can get by with only 30minute epoxy if time is not important. You will also need a small bottle of both “Thick” and “Thin” instant adhesive.

Tools - Model assembly can be much easier if the proper tools are used. Therefore, we have included in our checklist to the left, a complete listing of all the tools we used to assemble our prototype models.As you will notice, many household tools can be utilized during construction.

Engine - The Thunder Tiger PRO-46 and F-54S are the ideal engines for this airplane.These quiet-running engines are easy to start, require no special break-in periods, are very easy to maintain and will last for years.

Radio - A 4-channel radio with five standard servos is required.

PARTS DRAWINGS

AS6034

Back Plate (2) Screw (6)

Vertical Fin (1) Rudder (1)

Vertical Tail AS6033

Stabilizer (1) Elevator (2) Elevator Joiner (1)

1/8" Wire

Horizontal Tail AS6032

M3mm x 8mm

Tapping Screw (6)

M3mm x 5mm

Screw (6)

M2mm x 8mm

Screw (8)

Control Horn (2)

M2mm x 15mm

Screw (4)

Control Horn Set #3151

M2mm X 6mm

Screw (6)

M2mm X 3mm

Fuselage AS6029

Fuselage(1)

Stab/Rudder Pushrods(2)

Clevis (2)

Left Wing (1)

Wing AS6030

Right Wing (1)

Trim Tape (1)

Shrink tube (4)

Aft Pushrods AS6035

Threaded Rod (2)

Aileron Pushrods #3152

Main Wheels (2) Hub Cover(2)

Wing Bolt Plate (1)

Wing Joiner (3)

Shrink tube

Main wheel #3101

Mounting Plate (6)Wing Struct (2)

Hatch (2)

Wing Struct AS6031

Silicone Tube (1)

Cap (1)

Fuel Stopper (1)

Nipple (1)

300 c.c. Tank (1)

90" Nipple (1)

Fuel Tank Set #3263

Clunk (1)

PARTS DRAWINGS

WING ASSEMBLY

❐ With the right wing panel once again upside down on the building board,determine the aileron servo location (2nd wing bay in from the inboard edge of the aileron). Using a felt tip pen,draw a cutting line 3/16” inside the bay. Carefully cut away the covering and seal the edges using a heating iron.(Photos 5, 6 & 7)

❐ Obtain two servo extensions that give you the necessary lead length for your aileron servos (12”or so). Join the aileron servo and servo extension. Cover the connection with heat shrink tubing provided and using a heat gun shrink the tubing over the connectors. (Photo 8).

❐ Identify the right and left wing panels. Carefully remove the tape that temporarily secures the ailerons to each wing panel.

❐ Carefully remove all hing es from the ailerons and appl y a small drop of oil to each hinge on the hinge pin.(Photo 1)

❐ Apply 20-30 Minute Epoxy to one half of each hinge and insert into the right aileron. Set aside to cure and repeat procedure for the left aileron.(Photo 2)

❐ Apply 20-30 Minute Epoxy to the exposed portion of the hinges on the right aileron. Carefully fit the aileron into the right wing panel. Wipe off any excess epoxy using denatured (rubbing) alcohol. Set aside to cure. Repeat the same procedure for the left wing aileron and wing panel.(Photo 3)

❐ Place the right wing panel upside down on the building board. Locate the exit hole for the aileron extension. Using a model knife, carefully cut and remove the cov ering material covering the e xit hole. Repeat the procedure for the left wing panel. (Photo 4)

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 8

Photo 7

Photo 6

Photo 5

WING ASSEMBLY

❐ Insert a piece of piano wire through the root rib of the wing panel and “fish”the aileron servo lead through the wing.(Photos 9 & 10)

❐ Use a pair of tweezers to pull the servo lead through the exit hole in the wing panel (Photo 11).

❐ Place the servo in the wing panel in the servo mount. (Photo 12)

❐ Place the servo hold down plate over the servo and drill through

the plate into the servo mount taking caution not to drill through the

wing.(Photo 13)

❐ Using M2.5X8 wood screws,screw the servo hold down plate in place (Photo 14)

❐ Locate the correct servo cover and install in the right wing panel. ❐ Drill 4 3/64”holes at the four corners. (Photo 15)

Photo 9

Photo 10

Photo 11

Photo 12

Photo 15

Photo 14

Photo 13

WING ASSEMBLY

❐ Place the control horn on the aileron and align with the servo horn slot in the hatch cover. Dr ill holes using the control horn as a template. Secure the control horn with two M2x12 screws and the backer plate. (Photo 16)

❐ Locate the control clevis and thread onto the push rod. Snap the clevis onto the control with the servo at the neutral position. Mark the clevis for the “Z” bend. (Photo 17)

❐ Remove the clevis,cut of f the excess wire and insert the “Z”bend through the hatch cover then into the servo horn. Snap the clevis onto the control horn. Secure the hatch cover with 4 M2x8 wood screws. (Photos 18 & 19)

❐ Repeat the above procedures for the left wing panel.

❐ Locate the three wing joiners (2 plywood and 1 aluminum). Apply

a coat of 5-10 Minute Epoxy to each side of the aluminum joiner and mate the 2 plywood joiner to it. Clamp the assembly together and set aside to cure. (Photos 20 & 21)

❐ Draw a center line on the wing joiner and trial fit into the spar box on each wing panel. Sand to fit as necessar y. (Photo 22)

❐ When the two wing panels match up perfectly, apply 30-45 Minute Epoxy to the wing joiner on one half only. Liberally apply 30-45 Minute Epoxy to the spar box in the right wing panel. Insert the joiner into the spar box wiping off any excess epoxy. Set aside to cure. (Photo 23)

Photo 16

Photo 18

Photo 19

Photo 23

Photo 22

Photo 21

Photo 20

Photo 17

SUGGESTION: Secure any clevis/control horn connection with a piece of medium fuel tubing about 1/4”long. (Not Shown)

+ 16 hidden pages

Thunder Tiger Piper J-3 Cub User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual