Top Flite A0951 INSTRUCTION BOOK

Top Flite Models Champaign, IL Ph: (217) 398-8970, Ext. 5 Fax: (217) 398-7721 airsupport@top-flite.com

™

INSTRUCTION

MANUAL

WARRANTY

Top Flite® Model Manufacturing Co. guarantees this kit to be free from defects in both material and

workmanship at the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover any component parts damaged by use

or modification. In no case shall Top Flite’s liability exceed the original cost of the purchased kit.

Further, Top Flite reserves the right to change or modify this warranty without notice.

In that Top Flite has no control over the final assembly or material used for final assembly, no liability shall be assumed nor accepted for any damage resulting from the use by the user of the final user-assembled product. By the act of using the user-assembled product, the user accepts all resulting liability.

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 this address:

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.

READ THROUGH THIS MANUAL BEFORE STARTING CONSTRUCTION. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND USE OF THIS MODEL.

Hobby Services

3002 N. Apollo Dr. Suite 1 Champaign IL 61822 USA

SPECIFICATIONS

Wingspan

Wing Area:

Weight:

Loading:

Length:

Engine: .61 cu in [10.0cc]

62.5 in [1590mm]

699 sq in [45.1 dm2]

8.5– 9.5 lb [3850–4310 g]

Wing

Radio: 5– 6 channel, 7–8 servos

28– 31 oz/sq ft [85–95 g/dm

50.5 in [1285mm]

two-stroke glow, .91 cu in [15.0cc] four-stroke glow

]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Scale Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

AMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Engine Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Retractable Landing Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Radio Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Hardware and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Adhesives and Building Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Optional Supplies and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Covering Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

KIT INSPECTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS . . . . . . . . . . 5

KIT CONTENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

PREPARATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Prepare the Covering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

ASSEMBLE THE WING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Install the Belly Pan & Air Intakes . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Hook Up the Flaps and Ailerons . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Join the Wing Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Install the Retractable Landing Gear . . . . . . . . . . 11

Mount the Fixed Landing Gear. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

ASSEMBLE THE FUSELAGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Install the Rudder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Mount the Horizontal Stabilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Install the Elevators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Install the Tail Gear Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Mount the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Install the Fuel Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Mount the Cowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Install the Replica Engine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Final Radio/Retract Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Install the Cockpit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Apply the Decals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Balance the Model (C.G.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Balance the Model Laterally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

PREFLIGHT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Check the Control Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Set the Control Throws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Identify Your Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Charge the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Balance Propellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Ground Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Fuel Mixture Adjustments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Range Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . 30

AMA SAFETY CODE (excerpts). . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Radio Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

CHECK LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

FLYING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

LANDING GEAR DIAGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

THROTTLE PUSHROD HOLE TEMPLATE. . . . . 33

COWL HOLE TEMPLATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Thank you for purchasing the Top Flite Gold Edition

1/8

-scale F4-U Corsair .60 ARF. In spite of the apparent

complication of the gull-wing design and the scale appearance, you’ll ﬁ nd that the Corsair assembles more quickly than expected. The ﬂ aps and ailerons are pre-hinged and the outer ﬂ aps join to the inner ﬂ aps with convenient tabs. Detailed instructions and illustrations of various motor installations will get you into the air in little time. Finally, the Corsair’s light weight and generous wing area just about make it a trainer. But we won’t tell if you won’t tell, and all the spectators will think you’re a pro!

For the latest technical updates or manual corrections to this model visit the Top Flite web site at www.top-ﬂ ite.

com. Open the “GOLD EDITION ARFS” link on the

left side of the page and click on image of the Corsair that appears. If there is new technical information or

changes, you’ll see an “Important! TECH NOTICE”

box on the upper left corner of the page. Click on the

Tech Notice box to read the info.

SCALE COMPETITION

The scale of this model is 1/8th (or 13% – 1/7.7 to be

precise). These ﬁ gures were derived from comparing the wingspan of this model to the wingspan of the fullsize. Though the Top Flite F4-U Corsair is an ARF and may not have the same level of detail as an “all-out” scratch-built competition model, it is a scale model nonetheless and is therefore eligible to compete in the

Fun Scale class in AMA competition (we receive many

favorable reports of our ARFs in scale competition!). In Fun Scale, the “builder of the model” rule does not apply.

To receive the ﬁ ve points for scale documentation, the

only proof required that a full size aircraft of this type in this paint/markings scheme did exist is a single sheet such as a kit box cover from a plastic model, a photo, or a proﬁ le painting, etc. If a black-and-white photo is used, other written documentation of color must be provided. Contact the AMA for a rule book with full details. See page 3 for the AMA contact information.

If you would like photos of a full-size F4-U for scale documentation, or if you would like to study the photos to add more scale details, photo packs are available from:

Bob’s Aircraft Documentation

3114 Yukon Ave Ph: (714) 979-8058 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Fx: (714) 979-7279

e-mail: www.bobsairdoc.com

AMA

We urge you to join the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) and a local R/C club. The AMA is the governing body of model aviation and membership is required to ﬂ y at AMA clubs. Though joining the AMA

provides many beneﬁ ts, one of the primary reasons to join is liability protection. Coverage is not limited to ﬂ ying at contests or on the club ﬁ eld. It even applies to ﬂ ying at public demonstrations and air shows. Failure to comply with the Safety Code (excerpts printed in the back of the manual) may endanger insurance coverage. Additionally, training programs and instructors are available at AMA club sites to help you get started the right way. There are over 2,500 AMA chartered clubs across the country. Contact the AMA at the address or toll-free phone number below.

Academy of Model Aeronautics

5151 East Memorial Drive Muncie, IN 47302-9252

Ph. (800) 435-9262 Fx (765) 741-0057

Or via the Internet at: http://www. modelaircraft.org

IMPORT ANT!!! Two of the most important things you

can do to preserve the radio controlled aircraft hobby are to avoid ﬂ ying near full-scale aircraft and avoid ﬂ ying near or over groups of people.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

PROTECT Y OUR MODEL, Y OURSELF &

OTHERS.....FOLLO W THESE IMPORT ANT

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

1. Your Top Flite F4-U Corsair ARF should not be

considered a toy, but rather a sophisticated, working

model that functions very much like a full-size airplane. Because of its performance capabilities, the Corsair, if not assembled and operated correctly, could possibly cause injury to yourself or spectators and damage to property.

2. You must assemble the model according to the instructions. Do not alter or modify the model, as

doing so may result in an unsafe or unﬂ yable model. In a few cases the instructions may differ slightly from the photos. In those instances the written instructions should be considered as correct.

3. You must take time to build straight, true and strong.

4. You must use an R/C radio system that is in ﬁ rst-

class condition, and a correctly sized engine and components (fuel tank, wheels, etc.) throughout the building process.

5. You must correctly install all R/C and other components so that the model operates correctly on the ground and in the air.

6. You must check the operation of the model before

every ﬂ ight to insure that all equipment is operating

and that the model has remained structurally sound. Be sure to check clevises or other connectors often and replace them if they show any signs of wear or fatigue.

7. If you are not an experienced pilot or have not ﬂ own this type of model before, we recommend that you get the assistance of an experienced pilot in your R/C club for your ﬁ rst ﬂ ights. If you’re not a member of a club, your local hobby shop has information about clubs in your area whose membership includes experienced pilots.

8. While this kit has been ﬂ ight tested to exceed normal use, if the plane will be used for extremely high stress ﬂ ying, or if engines larger than ones in the recommended range are used, the modeler is responsible for taking steps to reinforce the high stress points and/or substituting hardware more suitable for the increased stress.

9. WARNING: Some of the parts in this kit are made

of ﬁ berglass, the ﬁ bers of which may cause eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation. Never blow into

one of these parts to remove ﬁ berglass dust, as the dust will blow back into your eyes. Always wear safety goggles, a particle mask and rubber gloves

when grinding, drilling and sanding ﬁ berglass parts. Vacuum the parts and the work area thoroughly after working with ﬁ berglass parts.

We, as the kit manufacturer, provide you with a top quality, thoroughly tested kit and instructions, but ultimately the quality and ﬂ yability of your ﬁ nished model depends on how you build it; therefore, we cannot in any way guarantee the performance of your completed model, and no representations are expressed or implied as to the performance or safety of your completed model.

Remember: Take your time and follow the instructions to end up with a well-built model that is straight and true.

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE

This is a partial list of items required to ﬁ nish this

model that may require planning or decision making before starting assembly. Order numbers are provided in parentheses.

ENGINE RECOMMENDATIONS

As speciﬁ ed on the cover of this instruction manual, the Corsair is designed for a .61 cu in [10.0cc] two-stroke or .91 cu in [15.0cc] four-stroke glow engine. And the Corsair has the lightest airframe and wing loading of all the “Gold” ARFs to date, so there is deﬁ nitely no

need to overpower this model.

If using the O.S.® Max .65AX 2-stroke, the stock

mufﬂ er may be used, but the O.S. #744B mufﬂ er extension (OSMG2582) or the Bisson Pitts-style mufﬂ er (BISG4061) will be required. If using the O.S. Max .91S II 4-stroke engine, an O.S. FS70-91 Exhaust Header Pipe (OUT) (OSMG2625) is also required. If using the O.S. .95V, the M11 in-cowl 80D header pipe was also used (OSMG2568). Refer to the Engine Mounting

instructions starting on page 19 for more information and illustrations.

For the O.S. .91 4-stroke a 15 × 6 propeller is usually the standard, “go-to” prop. However, a Master Air Screw 14 × 7 prop is a nice 3-blade option for static scale effect. In the air, the 14 × 7 loads the engine a little more than the 15 × 6 and the Corsair ﬂ ies slightly slower, but as

long as the engine is needled correctly the 14 × 7 will provide great performance.

RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR

The Top Flite Corsair .60 ARF comes equipped with

5.0mm ﬁ xed landing gear wires, but Robart pneumatic retracts may be used instead.

For Robart retractable landing gear the following items

are required:

❍ 615 100 Degree Rotating Mains (ROBQ1815) ❍ 188VR Standard Air Control Kit (ROBQ2302) ❍ 190 Air Line Quick Disconnects (ROBQ2395) ❍ Great Planes® Wire Axle 2x3/16" (2)

(GPMQ4282)

❍ Great Planes 3/16" wheel collars (GPMQ4308) ❍ K&S 7/32" brass tubing (for wheel spacers for

included wheels) (K+SR5130)

An air pump will also be required to ﬁ ll the onboard air cylinder when you get to the ﬁ eld and it’s time to ﬂ y. The Robart Hand Pump & Gauge (ROBQ2363) may be used, but those who ﬂ y often usually prefer an electric hobby/emergency air compressor with a

pressure gauge. A wide selection of 12V pumps should be available at most automotive stores. Use air line

that came with the retracts to connect the ﬁ ller valve to the compressor.

RADIO EQUIPMENT

If ﬂ ying the Corsair with ﬁ xed landing gear, a ﬁ vechannel radio with seven servos will be required; 2 ailerons, elevator, throttle, rudder and 2 ﬂ aps. If installing retracts, six channels will be required with an eighth servo.

For all ﬂ ight control surfaces, servos with a minimum of 50 oz. in. of torque (such as Futaba® 9001— FUTM0075) should be used. For the throttle and the air control valve, any standard servo is suitable (such as Futaba S3003—FUTM0031).

Note: The servo output torque recommendations are

the minimums. Higher-torque, ball bearing servos could be used for durability and ﬂ ight precision.

The following servo extensions and Y-harnesses were

also used:

❍ (2) 24" [600mm] servo extensions for the

aileron servos (HCAM2721 for Futaba)

❍ (2) 6" [150mm] servo extensions for connecting

the ﬂ aps and ailerons to the receiver (HCAM2701 for Futaba)

❍ (2) Futaba dual servo connectors for the ﬂ ap

and aileron servos (FUTM4130)

❍ A minimum 1,000mAh receiver battery is also

recommended.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED

HARDWARE AND ACCESSORIES

In addition to the items listed in the “Decisions Y ou Must Make” section, following is the list of hardware

and accessories used to ﬁ nish the Corsair as illustrated in this instruction manual. Order numbers are provided in parentheses.

❍ 1/4" R/C foam rubber (HCAQ1000) ❍ 3' [900mm] standard silicone fuel tubing

(GPMQ4131)

❍ 1/2" [13mm] double-sided foam mounting tape

(GPMQ4440)

❍ Ernst #124 Charge Receptacle (ERNM3001 for

Futaba)

❍ Stick-on segmented lead weights (GPMQ4485) ❍ Propeller and spare propellers suitable for your

engine

❍ 1/7-scale Military Pilot (GPMQ9117)

ADHESIVES AND BUILDING SUPPLIES

In addition to common hobby tools and household tools, this is the “short list” of the most important items

required to build the Corsair. Great Planes Pro™ CA

and Epoxy glue are recommended.

❍ 1 oz. [30g] Thin Pro CA (GPMR6002) ❍ 1 oz. [30g] Medium Pro CA+ (GPMR6008) ❍ CA applicator tips (HCAR3780) ❍ CA Activator (2 oz. [57g] spray bottle

(GPMR6035), or 4 oz. [113g] aerosol (GPMR634)

❍ Pro 30-minute epoxy (GPMR6047) ❍ Threadlocker thread locking cement

(GPMR6060)

❍ #1 Hobby knife (HCAR0105) ❍ #11 blades (5-pack; HCAR0211, 100-pack;

HCAR0311)

❍ Drill bits: 1/16" [1.6mm], 5/64" [2.0mm], 3/32"

[2.4mm], 1/8" [3.2mm], 3/16" [4.8mm]

❍ 8-32 tap and drill set (GPMR8103) ❍ Tap handle (GPMR8120) ❍ Soldering iron or Hobby Heat™ Micro Torch II

(HCAR0755)

❍ Silver solder w/ﬂ ux (STAR2000) ❍ Denatured alcohol for epoxy cleanup ❍ Rotary tool and cutting bits ❍ Fine-point felt-tip pen (Top Flite® Panel Line

Pen—TOPQ2510)

OPTIONAL SUPPLIES AND TOOLS

Here is a list of optional tools that are also mentioned

in the manual.

❍ Epoxy brushes (6, GPMR8060) ❍ Mixing sticks (50, GPMR8055)

❍ Mixing cups (GPMR8056) ❍ CA debonder (GPMR6039) ❍ J&Z R/C-56 canopy glue (JOZR5007) ❍ Dead Center™ Engine Mount Hole Locator

(GPMR8130)

❍ Curved-tip canopy scissors for trimming plastic

parts (HCAR0667)

❍ Non-elastic string for stab alignment (such as K

& S #801 Kevlar thread or ﬁ shing Kevlar thread)

❍ Masking tape (TOPR8018) ❍ CG Machine™ (GPMR2400) ❍ Precision Magnetic Prop Balancer (TOPQ5700) ❍ 2 pkgs. Great Planes #2 × 3/8" [10mm] button-

head Allen screws (for mounting the canopy

and bottom fuselage cover; see page 19)

(GPMQ3120)

❍ Precision, durable .050" ball wrench for button-

head Allen wrench (MIPR9000)

COVERING T OOLS

A covering iron will be required for tightening the covering on the model after it is removed from the

box. Following are the covering tools recommended:

❍ 21st Century® sealing iron (COVR2700) ❍ 21st Century iron cover (COVR2702) ❍ 21st Century trim seal iron (COVR2750)

The Top Flite Corsair ARF is factory covered with Top Flite MonoKote® ﬁ lm. Should repairs ever be required, following is a list of colors used on this model and order numbers for 6' [1.8m] rolls. (At some hobby shops MonoKote can also be purchased by the foot.)

Flat insignia blue TOPQ0507 Flat dove gray TOPQ0511

KIT INSPECTION

Before starting to build, take an inventory of this kit to make sure it is complete, and inspect the parts to make sure they are of acceptable quality. If any parts are missing or are not of acceptable quality, or if

you need assistance with assembly, contact Product Support. When reporting defective or missing parts,

use the part names exactly as they are written in the Kit Contents list on this page.

Top Flite Product Support

3002 N. Apollo Drive, Suite 1 Ph: (217) 398-8970 Champaign, IL 61822 Fx: (217) 398-7721

E-mail: airsupport@top-ﬂ ite.com

ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS

To order replacement parts for the Top Flite Corsair

ARF, use the order numbers in the Replacement P arts

List that follows. Replacement parts are available only

as listed. Not all parts are available separately (an aileron cannot be purchased separately, but is only available with the wing kit). Replacement parts are not available from Product Support, but can be purchased from hobby shops or mail order/Internet order ﬁ rms. Hardware items (screws, nuts, bolts) are also available from these outlets. If you need assistance locating a

dealer to purchase parts, visit www.top-ﬂ ite.com

and click on “Where to Buy.” If this kit is missing parts,

contact Product Support.

REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST

Order No. Description

TOPA1830

TOPA1831

TOPA1832

TOPA1833

TOPA1834

TOPA1835

TOPA1836

TOPA1837

TOPA1838

TOPA1839

TOPA1840

TOPA1841

TOPA1842

Fuselage Corsair .61 ARF

Wing Corsair .61 ARF

Tail Surfaces Corsair .61 ARF

Canopy Corsair .61 ARF

Cowl Corsair .61 ARF

Belly Pan Corsair .61 ARF

Tail Cover Corsair .61 ARF

Decals Corsair .61 ARF

Landing Gear Corsair .61 ARF

Spinner Corsair .61 ARF

Tailwheel Wire Corsair .61 ARF

Cockpit Corsair .61 ARF

Landing Gear Block Corsair ARF

Note: The stabilizer and wing incidences and engine

thrust angles have been factory-built into the Corsair. However, some technically-minded modelers may wish to check these measurements anyway. To view this information, visit the web site at www.top-ﬂ ite.com and click on “Technical Data.” Due to manufacturing tolerances which will have little or no effect on the way the model will ﬂ y, there may be slight deviations

between your model and the published values.

KIT CONTENTS

PREPARATION

PREP ARE THE COVERING

During assembly there will be several occasions where epoxy cleanup will be necessary. Instead of wasting whole paper towels, stack three or four

paper towels on top of each other and cut them into small squares.

This will eliminate wast-

ing whole paper towels and the little squares are easier to use. For epoxy clean up, dampen the squares with denatured alcohol.

1. Fuselage

2. Cowl

3. Replica Engine

4. Propeller Hub

5. Torque Bar

6. Fixed Landing Gear Mount

7. Main Landing Gear Wires

8. Wheel Covers

9. Wheels

23 23

24 24

10. Engine Mount

11. Fuel Tank

12. Canopy

13. Belly Pan

14. Cockpit Kit

15. Elevator Joiner Wire

16. Tail Gear Cover

17. Tail Gear

18. Horizontal Stab & Elevators

25 25

19. Rudder

20. Rudder Torque Rod

21. Right Wing Panel

22. Left Wing Panel

23. Servo Mount Blocks

24. Wing Joiners

25. Air Intakes

26. Wing Dowels

1. Carefully remove any masking tape used for

❏

temporarily holding parts together during shipping. Any remaining glue from the tape can be removed with paper towel squares dampened with naphtha (lighter ﬂ uid).

2. Cut the covering over the air exit holes in the

❏

ends of the rudder and elevators. These air passages will allow expanding air to vent during the process of tightening the covering. This will also keep the covering

from pufﬁ ng outward on hot days when your Corsair

is sitting in the sun.

ASSEMBLE THE WING

INSTALL THE BELLY PAN & AIR INTAKES

3. Take time now to shrink the covering over open

❏

structure (elevators, rudder) and shrink and seal the covering to the rest of the airframe over sheeting. Covering not bonded to the wood underneath—even

if you don’t see any wrinkles now—may form wrinkles

later. The best way to get the covering down and tighten any wrinkles is with a covering iron with a protective covering sock—a 21st Century covering iron with a

protective cover sock is best. Set the dial on the 21st Century iron to 350°F (this should provide a surface temperature on the cover sock of approximately 320°F

– 330°F). The trick is to push down on the iron to bond

the covering to the wood, but where the sheeting is soft, thin or unsupported it may bend inward, making

it difﬁ cult to shrink the covering. So where possible, reach inside and push back on the sheeting. Where

this cannot be done, glide the iron lightly over the area.

If blisters/bubbles appear in the covering you may be using too much heat or leaving the iron in one position too long. Allow the area to cool and keep the iron

moving or lower the temperature. Note: This process

takes time. If you don’t feel like going over the entire model all at once, do the center wing panel ﬁ rst and

the rest of the parts as needed. Note: A drop or two

of CA debonder on one of your paper towel squares

is great for cleaning the covering in any areas where the pigmented adhesive from one color has bled onto another color.

1. Test-ﬁ t, then use 30-minute epoxy to glue both

❏

5/16" × 1-3/16" [8mm × 30mm] hardwood wing dowels into the leading edge of the center wing panel with

1/4" [6mm] of both dowels protruding. Be certain to

wipe away any excess epoxy around the dowel before it hardens.

2. Use medium-grit sandpaper to roughen the bottom

❏

edges of the ﬁ berglass belly pan so glue will adhere.

3. Bolt the wing to the fuselage with the two 1/4-20 ×

❏

2" [50mm] nylon wing bolts. Test-ﬁ t the belly pan to the

bottom of the wing and fuselage. Make any adjustments necessary for a good ﬁ t. Use a ﬁ ne-point felt-tip pen to mark the edges of the belly pan onto the wing.

4. Use the tip of a pointed soldering iron to melt

❏

through the covering 1/16" [1.6mm] inside the lines you

marked and peel away the covering. If you don’t have a suitable soldering iron, you could cut the covering with

a sharp hobby blade, but obviously use great care NOT to cut into the wood. Wipe away the ink lines with one of your paper towel squares and denatured alcohol.

5. Glue the belly pan into position with 30-minute

❏

epoxy—use care not to allow excess epoxy to

inadvertently glue the wing or belly pan to the fuselage.

6. With the wing mounted to the fuselage, hold the

❏

left wing air intake up against the fuselage. Use a

ﬁ ne-point felt-tip pen to mark where to trim the intake for a perfect ﬁ t.

7. Trim and ﬁ t the intake as necessary until it ﬁ ts well.

❏

8. Holding the intake in position, use a ﬁ ne-point

❏

felt-tip pen to mark its outline onto the top and bottom of the wing.

9. Use a small pin to perforate the covering just

❏

inside the outlines.

10. Use one of your paper towel squares and

❏

denatured alcohol to wipe the ink lines from the wing. Hold the intake into position and carefully glue it to the wing with thin CA. Or, use J&Z R/C 56 canopy

glue instead. If using canopy glue, hold the intake to

the wing with masking tape until the glue dries. Hint: If using CA, ﬁ rst use CA accelerator to lightly “prime”

the underside of the intake where it contacts the wing. Allow the accelerator to dry for a few seconds, then

glue in place.

11. Trim, ﬁ t and glue the right intake into position

❏

the same way.

HOOK UP THE FLAPS AND AILERONS

Center Panel

Outer Panels

Before hooking up the ﬂ aps and ailerons note the orientation of the servo hatch covers in the bottom of the wing panels.

1. Install the rubber grommets and eyelets into the

❏

servos. Hold two hardwood servo mount blocks to

your ﬂ ap servo with thin cardstock or 1/32" [.8mm]

plywood spacers under the servo and between the blocks and the servo to provide the necessary spacing

for proper vibration isolation. Drill 1/16" [1.6mm] holes

into the servo mount blocks for the servo mounting screws and mount the servo to the blocks with the screws that came with the servos.

2. Mount the other ﬂ ap servo to another set of mount

❏

blocks the same way.

3. Temporarily place the servo arms on the ﬂ ap

❏

servos to aid in centering them in the hatch openings. Use 30-minute epoxy to securely glue the mount blocks to the hatch covers with the arms centered both fore and aft and side-to-side in the openings—be certain

to apply epoxy to the ends of the blocks and to the

hatch for a secure bond.

4. Cut two 6" [150mm]

❏

pushrods to a length of 4-1/4" [108mm] by cutting the unthreaded end. Read the

Expert Tip that follows about

soldering, then solder a clevis onto one end of each pushrod. While you have your soldering equipment out, go ahead and cut the aileron pushrods to a length of 3-1/4" [83mm] and solder the clevises to them

3-1/4" [83 mm]

as well.

Aileron Pushrod

4-1/4" [108 mm]

Flap

Pushrod

HOW T O SOLDER

1. Use denatured alcohol or other solvent to thoroughly clean the pushrod. Roughen the end of the pushrod with coarse sandpaper where it is to be soldered.

2. Apply a few drops of soldering ﬂ ux to the end of the pushrod, and then use a soldering iron or a torch to heat it. “Tin” the heated area with silver solder by applying the solder to the end. The heat of the pushrod should melt the solder – not the ﬂ ame of the torch or soldering iron – thus allowing the solder to ﬂ ow. The end of the wire should be coated with solder all the way around.

3. Place the clevis on the end of the pushrod. Add another drop of ﬂ ux, then heat and add solder. The same as before, the heat of the parts being soldered should melt the solder, thus allowing it to ﬂ ow. Allow the joint to cool naturally without being disturbed.

Avoid excess blobs, but make certain the joint is

thoroughly soldered. The solder should be shiny, not rough. If necessary, reheat the joint and allow to cool.

4. Immediately after the solder has solidiﬁ ed, but while it is still hot, use a cloth to quickly wipe off

the ﬂ ux before it hardens. Important: After the joint cools, coat the joint with oil to prevent rust. Note: Do

not use the acid ﬂ ux that comes with silver solder for electrical soldering.

This is what a properly soldered clevis looks

like – shiny solder with good flow, no blobs and flux removed.

5. Hook up the left ﬂ ap using the hardware shown—

❏

using care not to drill through the top of the wing, drill

1/16" [1.6mm] holes for the #2 × 1/2" [13mm] Phillips

screws, positioning the base of the horn 5/16" [8mm] from the wing trailing edge as shown. Use #2 washerhead Phillips screws for mounting the hatch.

6. IMPORTANT! Temporarily remove the horn

❏

mounting screws from the ﬂ ap, add a few drops of thin CA to the holes, allow to harden, and then remount the horn. Perform the same procedure for the hatch screws too.

10. Hook up the right ﬂ ap the same way. This

❏

time, connect both servos to the ﬂ ap channel using a

Y-connector and do not adjust the ATVs. Simply adjust

the length of the right ﬂ ap pushrod to duplicate the throw of the left ﬂ ap.

You can set up the ﬂ ap throw now, or wait until the

model is ﬁ nished and you are programming the radio.

7. If you do wish to set up the ﬂ aps now, guide the

❏

ﬂ ap servo wire through the ribs and the hole in the top of the wing and temporarily connect the ﬂ ap servo to the appropriate channel in your receiver (a servo extension may be useful here). Connect a switch and a battery to the receiver and retrieve your transmitter so you can power the servo.

8. Turn on your transmitter and receiver. Start by

❏

setting the ATVs on your ﬂ ap channel in your transmitter to 50% at both ends (up/down). This should be a good starting point for the correct ﬂ ap throw. With the ﬂ ap switch in the

hole in the servo arm should be slightly above the hatch. With the switch in the extended position (ﬂ aps

down), the outer hole in the servo arm should be

slightly belo w the hatch. Once you have the servo arm correctly positioned, cut off the unused arms. Caution:

Don’t forget to install the servo arm screw.

9. Mount the hatch to the wing and connect up the

❏

pushrod to the outer hole in the servo arm. Adjust the length of the pushrod and ﬁ ne tune the ATVs to achieve the correct ﬂ ap throw as illustrated on page 29.

retracted

position (ﬂ aps up), the outer

11. Hook up the ailerons the same as the ﬂ aps with

❏

the following exception: When the servo is centered, the

servo arm should be set approximately ten degrees

forward. This will provide symmetrical aileron throw even though the servo rotates the same in both directions.

JOIN THE WING PANELS

1. Securely glue together two sets of two plywood

❏

wing joiners to make two complete joiners.

2. Glue the 1/8" [3.2mm] plastic alignment pins

❏

halfway into both ends of the center panel.

3. Test ﬁ t, but do not glue one, then the other outer

❏

panel to the inner panel with the wing joiners. Make

any adjustments necessary for a good ﬁ t.

4. Install two 24" [610mm] servo extension wires

❏

through one side, then the other side of the center

panel that will connect to the aileron servo wires when the wings are permanently joined (it will be helpful to temporarily remove the ﬂ ap servo hatches to help guide the wires).

6. Gather everything required to glue together the

❏

panels: 30-minute epoxy, mixing sticks and cups, epoxy brushes, masking tape and your paper towel squares and denatured alcohol for epoxy clean up.

Note: Join only one outer panel to the center panel at a time with one batch of epoxy—do not attempt to

join both outer panels at the same time or with the same batch. Otherwise, you may run out of working time before the epoxy begins to harden.

7. Mix approximately 3/4 oz. of 30-minute epoxy.

❏

Liberally apply epoxy in the spar “pocket” in the outer wing panel and all the way around the outer half of one of the joiners. Insert the joiner into the outer panel, and then coat the pocket in the inner panel and all other joining surfaces with epoxy. Proceeding quickly, join

the panels and proceed to the next step. IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to key the tab in the outer ﬂ ap into the slot in the middle ﬂ ap.

from the wing when you press the panels together.

Use several strips of masking tape to tightly tape the

panels together. As the epoxy hardens and continues to leak from the seam, one strip at a time, remove the tape, wipe away the epoxy, and then immediately replace it with another strip to keep the wing tightly

clamped. Continue to monitor the wing, wiping away

leaking epoxy and making sure the gap remains tight.

9. After the epoxy has hardened, carefully remove all

❏

the tape. If the epoxy is hard but has not yet fully cured,

there is still time to clean up any remaining epoxy with

paper towel squares dampened with denatured alcohol.

10. Join the other panel the same way – don’t forget

❏

ﬁ rst to connect the other aileron servo wire to the other extension in the wing and secure the connection with

heat shrink tubing. After all the epoxy has been cleaned up, use a covering iron to re bond any covering that

may have pulled away when removing the tape.

INST ALL THE RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR

If not mounting retractab le landing gear , skip to “Mount

the Fixed Landing Gear” on page 14.

5. Cut one of the included pieces of shrink tubing

❏

in half. Use the tubing to connect the aileron servo wire coming out of one of the panels to the servo extension wire coming from the respective end of the center panel. Carefully shrink the tubing with a hobby torch or a heat gun.

8. Use paper towel squares dampened with

❏

denatured alcohol to wipe away epoxy as it squeezes

1. Note: There are no ﬂ at spots on the ends of the

❏

struts for the set screws in the toothed cam gear. It is

highly recommended that you remove the struts and

grind at least one ﬂ at spot for one of the set screws

in the collar. Otherwise, the strut may slip in the collar on the gear. When reattaching the gear to the strut, threadlocker should also be used on the threads of the set screws.

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