40. This design is a direct result
of popular demand after the
great little Elder 20 was introduced. Modelers loved the design,
still do, but wanted something
"larger" and "while you're at it,
give it ailerons." So, here it is and
does it ever fly nice'.
The Elder 40 was designed and
sized expressly for .40 engines
and this includes the popular .40.45 and .49 engines. The design
turns in great performance with
the four-stroke power plants and
there is plenty of power margin
left over for the aerobaticminded pilot. However, the real
"kick" of this design, like its smaller brother, is the
realistic, slow-speed flights that allow you to actually
see the airplane instead of just a blur.
The design lends itself to all kinds of detailing, if you're
so inclined. For the beginner, nothing fancy is needed;
go out and fly it. The Elder 40 makes a remarkably good
training aircraft with gentle and totally honest flying
characteristics. A big bonus here is that your trainer is
just not going to look like everyone else's high-wing,
trike-gear, slab-sided beginner's airplane. In terms of
strength, theEIder40 is a lightly-loaded design that does
not tend to build-up inertia with excess flight speed. This
means that fairly rough handling does not necessarily
mean destruction. While nothing is "crash-proof", the
Elder
40
is a rugged aircraft that will keep coming back
for more.
While we touched on power earlier, a little more should
be said. This design simply does not need a lot of excess
power to fly the way it was intended to. Our experience
has shown us that normal 2-cycle .40's work great as
well as the 4-cycle engine sizes mentioned earlier. With
awing area of just under 800 sq. in., the Elder 40 gets its
tail up quickly and is airborne in just a few feet. Flying
the design with 4-cycle engines is
Give it a try in your Elder
we have provided in the kit may not fit some 4-cycle
engines and it may be necessary to visit your local retail
hobby shop to get the right one for your engine.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
TOP FLITE MODELS, INC. would certainly recommend
the Elder 40 as a first R/C powered aircraft. However, if
you are a beginner to the sport of R/C flying, we would
urge you to seek and use experienced assistance in constructing and flying this airplane. Again, if you are new
to this hobby, consider this:
Flying this or any other radio-controlled model aircraft is
a PRIVILEGE and not a RIGHT and this privilege begins
with the utmost safety considerations to others and
yourself as well. An R/C model airplane in inexperienced
hands has the potential of doing serious personal or property damage. These safety considerations start at the
building board by following instructions, seeking competent help when you are confused and avoiding shortcuts. These considerations have to be carried over to the
flying field where safety must come first and limitations
40.
Note that the motor mount
an absolute delight.
TOP FLITE MODELS INC.
1901 NORTH NARRAGANSETT AVENUE • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60639
cannot be exceeded. We urge you to:
1. Send for and obtain your AMA (Academy of Model
Aeronautics) membership which will provide insurance for your R/C activities — DO NOT RELY ON
HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.
2. Join an AMA sanctioned R/C flying club in your area
where you can obtain competent, professional instruction in trimming and learning how to fly this
model.
Check with your favorite local hobby shop for the required AMA forms or the address where they can be obtained.
WARNING!!!
A radio controlled model is not a "toy." Care and
caution must be taken in properly building the
model, as well as in the installation and use of the
radio control device. It is important to follow all
directions as to the construction of this kit as well
as installation and use of the engine and radio
gear. The advice and assistance of a well experienced builder and pilot is highly recommended. Don't take chances! Improper building, operation, or flying of this model could result in serious
bodily injury to others, yourself, or property
damage.
PRE-CONSTRUCTION NOTES
The Elder 40, like other Top Flite kits employs the use of
die-cut wood to ease the task of construction, parts fit
and identification. The dies used for this kit have been
rigorously checked for absolute accuracy and should
provide you with excellent fit. Die-cut parts should be
carefully removed from their sheets by first lightly sanding the back of each sheet of parts and then carefully
removing each part. Use a light garnet paper for the sanding and keep a sharp hobby knife with an X-acto #11
blade, or equivalent, handy for assistance in removing
any parts that might not have completely cut-through by
the dies. Parts which oppose one another and must be
precisely uniform—such as fuselage sides, ribs, etc.—
should be carefully "matched" after their removal from
the part sheets. Matching is the process of holding the
opposing pieces together with either pins, tape or spot
gluing and lightly sanding the edges of the parts until
they are identical. A sanding block with light garnet
paper is most useful for this and other phases of construction.
Your building surface should be at least large enough to
accommodate the wing panels. This surface should be
as absolutely flat as possible and yet be able to accept
pins easily. We have found that a product such as
Celotex fiber board works quite well for this purpose.
Another good surface can be found in most well-stocked
hardware stores—a 2' x 4' fiber board ceiling tile. These
are quite inexpensive and can be used for several
airplanes before needing replacement.
As with most R/C kits that are constructed from wood, a
selection of tools—most of which can be found in the
average workshop—are a must to do the job correctly:
Hobby knife and sharp #11 blades
Single-edge razor blades
T-pins
Sanding blocks in assorted sizes
Sandpaper in various grits
Hand-held hobby saw, such as an X-acto
Dremel tool or power drill and assorted drill bits
Straight-edge, preferably metal, at least 36" long
90" triangle
Soldering iron, flux (silver) and solder
Carbide cut-off wheel for wire cutting
Small power jig-saw, such as a Moto-Saw
Razor plane
Tapes, such as masking and cellophane
Our Elders were constructed using a variety of common
hobby adhesives including 5-minute epoxy, Cyano-
acrylates, aliphatic resin (such as Titebond) and 1-hour
epoxy. Since all of us have our own construction techniques and favorite adhesives, stick with the ones that you
are familiar with and prefer. However, in certain areas
there will be callouts for certain types of adhesives, and
we urge you to try not to substitute since doing so could
possibly cause problems structurally.
The last thing we should touch on before we begin actual construction is the sequence in which the Elder is
assembled. The sequence given to you in this booklet
has been proven to be the most straight-forward and provides the finished components in the order that you will
need them to progress to the next assembly phase. Try
to stick with the building order presented here to avoid
mistakes.
Spread the plans out on your work surface, cover them
with a clear plastic material, such as the backing from a
roll of Monokote or plastic wrap and commence con-
struction.
WING ASSEMBLY
Wing construction for the Elder consists of building
three separate pieces; the two wing panels and the
center section. These will be joined in the Final
Assembly section of this manual. You will need the
center section, with its top unsheeted, during the
Fuselage Assembly section. In this sequence, be certain that you are working on a flat work surface. Carefully join the two wing plan sheets, 3 of 4 and 4 of 4, at the
center section and secure with tape. This provides the
full wing plan on which to work. The wing is built directly
over the plans, so cover them with Monokote backing or
clear food wrap.
1. Start with the center section first. Locate the die-cut
sheets containing parts W-11 (2, ply), W-12 (2, ply),
W-13, two of the W-1A's and W-1 B (4, balsa). Remove
these parts from their sheets and clean up any rough
edges before assembly.
2. Using the plans as a guide; measure, cut and buttglue the
sheet and the 3/32" x 1" trailing edge that makes up
the bottom center section. Note desired grain direction of these pieces. Measure, cut and glue in place
1/4" x 1-1/2"
lower leading edge,
3/32"
balsa
2
the 3/8" x 1/2" upper leading edge. Glue one of the
W-11 ply dihedral braces in place against the inside
surface of the leading edge—be sure that it's
centered. Glue the outer W-1A half-ribs in place
against the rear face of the dihedral brace, lined-up
with the edges of the bottom sheeting at right angles
to your work surface. Now glue in place two more
W-1A's, 1" inboard of the two outer ones.
3 As shown on the plans, the center dihedral brace is a
composite made by laminating the two W-12's (ply)
to each side of W-13, which results in a 1/4 "thick part
—do this now. Glue the completed composite
dihedral brace in place to the bottom sheeting and
up against the rear edges of the four W-1A's. Be sure
this part is centered.
4 Locate two of your 1/4" x 1/2" pieces of spar stock.
From each, cut one 5" length. Glue one of these
pieces in the top rear slots in the W-1A's and against
the top forward face of the center dihedral brace.
Glue the other on bottom sheeting against the bottom rear face of the center dihedral brace.
5 Now glue the four W-1 B rear half-ribs in place behind
the main dihedral brace. Glue the remaining W-11
(ply) dihedral brace in place on the bottom sheeting
against the rear edges of the four W-1B's. Locate the
1/4" x 3/8" trailing edge material and cut a 5" length.
This is now glued in place against the rear face of the
rear W-11 brace and to the bottom sheeting.
NOTE: For now this completes the center section con-
struction. You will finish it after it has been used in the
construction of the fuselage. Set it aside for now and
build the two wing panels. Both panels are built directly
over the plans at the same time.
3
6. In this step we want to prepare each of the required
components—the top and bottom spars, the 3/8" x
1/2" front LE. and the rear
proper dihedral angle at their inboard ends. The
cross-section of the wing that is shown on the plans
is ideal forthis purpose. Simply lay, for instance, the
bottom 1/4" x 1/2" balsa spar in place over this drawing. Note that the outboard end is cut at 90 degs.; but
that the inboard end must be cut at an angle
achieve the required 3/4" per panel dihedral angle.
Make two of these bottom spars. Now repeat this
process with the top spars, the leading edges and
the trailing edges (note that the length of the leading
edges is developed from the top view of the wing
plan). The inboard edges
leading edges should be first cut at 90 degs. and
then slightly chamfered to match the needed
dihedral angle.
7. Start construction by first
lower leading edges in place, directly over the plans.
Note that the inboard edges of these two parts terminate at the outer edges of the two outboard
W-1A's. Next, pin the 3/32" x 1" bottom trailing edge
planking in place. Now glue the 1/4" x 3/8" trailing
edges in place on the top, rear of the 3/32" trailing
edge bottom sheet. Now cut, fit and glue each of the
3/32" x 1/4" bottom cap strips which sit beneath each
of the W-2A's, W-3's and W-4's—pin these in place
over the plan to keep them from shifting. Using the
3/32" sheet balsa provided, measure, cut and glue the
inboard bottom wing sheeting in place—note grain
direction. Glue the W-6 wingtips in place. Now glue
and pin the bottom spar in place (angled end inboard) on the bottom wing sheet and the cap strips.
Now glue all W-2A, W-3 and W-4 wing ribs in place.
Make sure that these are at right angles to your work
surface—pin and allow to dry.
8. Glue all of the W-5 angled ribs in place. NOTE:Toobtain a flush fit, use your sanding block to chamfer the
forward ends of the W-5 ribs where they contact the
W-3 rib sides.
9. Glue all of the wingtip braces (W-7, W-8, W-9, W-10
and W-15) in place on the W-6 wingtip sheet. Note
that W-7, W-9 and W-10 need to have their inboard
ends chamfered with a sanding block to fit flush
the outer face of W-3.
10. Now take the center section which was assembled
earlier and fit ittooneofthewing panels.Tilt it until
thetwoarmsoftheW-11 plydihedral braces fit flush
to the front and rear bottom sheeting and the center
brace is correctly positioned against the bottom
spar. Check this fit to be sure all components fit
nicely. Trim as needed to get proper fit. Prop and/or
pinthiscenter section inthispositionasyouwill use
it as a guide for the remaining wing panel parts.
Remember not to glue anything to the center section
yet; it's only in place for spacing purposes.
11. Glue the front 3/8" x 1/2" leading edge in place on top
of the lower 1/4" x 1 -1/2" leading edge and against the
front of each full and half rib (angled end inboard to
1/4" x 3/8" T.E.
of
the
1/4" x "I11/2"
pinning
the
—with the
to
lower
1/4" x 1-1/2"
to
fit against tilted center section). Glue the top 1/4" x
1/2" spar in place (angled end inboard). Cut, fit and
glue the 3/32" x 1" leading and trailing edge planking
in place—pinortapetohold. Remove the center section from the wing panel and repeat the above steps
on the remaining panel.
12. Cut, fit and glue all of the remaining top 3/32" x 1/4"
cap strips in place on all of the ribs and half ribs.
13.
Remove the wing panels from the work surface. In-
spect them for any dried globs of glue, remove these
with a #11 X-acto knife. Tape or hold the two wing
panels together with the bottoms of each facing the
other—align carefully. Use your sanding block to
now shape the forward wingtips identically with
each other and the curves shown on the plans. With
the exception of the inboard ends, use your sanding
block to carefully "match" the wing panels, leading
edges, tips and trailing edges. Separate the panels
and use a sanding block with light paper over all of
the panels' surfaces to smooth them for covering
later (after final assembly).
14. Note on the plans, the points shown for the 1/4" sq.
spruce flying wire anchor points. These are full rib
depth. If it is your intention to use these optional
wires on your model, cut and glue these anchor
points in place at this time. Set aside the completed
wing panels for final assembly later.
TAIL GROUP
The tail group of your Elder is built directly over the plans
in a quite straight-forward manner. Note there are options open to you with these parts in terms of shape. The
stab's gentle curves which terminate in sharp points
the trailing edge of the elevators give a certain "look,"
which can be changed by rounding the outboard trailing
edges of the elevators. This "softens" the look of these
shapes. The same thing can be done to the fin and rudder, top and bottom—looks nice. As shown, you can
also scallop the trailing edges of the rudder
elevators to give yet another different look.
1. Start with the stab. Build it directly over the plans
which have been covered with the clear backing
from Monokote or food wrap. Position the two S-1
tips in place and the center S-2 as well; pin. From the
1/4" x 1/2" balsa stock provided, cut, fit and glue in
place the two leading edges and the trailing edge.
Using the same material, cut and glue in place the
"cap" in front of S-2, thus completing the stab
outline.
2. Cut, fit carefully and glue the 1/4 "sq. balsa ribs (three
per side) in place. Use short lengths of 1/4" x 1/2" stock
to make the fillets—note grain direction.
3.
From the1/4" x 1-3/4" balsa stock provided, measure
and cut the two elevators. Notch them as shown
accept the 1/4" dia. dowel elevator joiner. With the
stab still in position on the work surface, pin the
elevator halves in place. Protect the trailing edge of
the stab with a strip of waxed paper and epoxy the
dowel joiner in place in the notches—allow to set
completely.
at
and
to
4
4. Remove the stab and elevators from the plans. Build
the fin next in the same manner using the R-1 and R-2
die-cut pieces with 1/4" sq. and 1/4" x 1/2" balsa frames
shown. Cut the rudder to shape from the remainder
of the
1/4 " x
1-3/4"
balsa stock used for the elevators.
Position the rudder in place to the back of the fin and
glue R-3 in place to the leading edge of the rudder.
Remove the parts from your building board.
5. Using the 3/32" x 1/4" balsa provided, cap strip both
sides of the fin and stab assemblies as shown on the
• plans. Be sure, when capping the lower edge of the
fin, to leave a distance of 3/32" from the bottom to
allow the fin to fit into the slot between the two top
S-3 caps. Glue the two S-3 caps to the upper surface
of S-2, leaving a 1/4" gap at the centerline for the fin.
Test-fit the fin in place on top of the stab. With the fin
still in place, cut, fit and glue the forward 3/32" x 1/4"
cap strip in place forward of the fin. Remove the fin.
6. The elevators, stab, fin and rudder are now finalsanded to shape. Start by using masking tape to
mount the elevators to the stab. Use a sanding block
to go over all of the outside surfaces to carefully
match them. Lay the stab on a flat working surface,
masking tape down, and use the sanding block to
sand it flat. Use the sanding block to taper the
elevators as shown on one side. Tape the
stab/elevator hinge line, turn the stab over, remove
the tape from this side, and repeat the process. The
same method is used for the fin and rudder. Once
complete, use sandpaper to round the leading
edges. Set these parts aside for covering and
assembly to the fuselage.
FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY
Before starting construction, study the plans and draw-
ings to familiarize yourself with how the fuselage is
assembled. Note that it really is nothing more than a
basic "box" fuselage with semi-formers in the nose area
to create the rounded cowling effect. This simple and effective way of making a fuselage can only be ruined in
one way; building it crooked. This can be done by not
making the fuselage side frames identical and/or missizing the top and bottom cross braces. Another common error is to make improper joints. The Elder relies a
great deal on the strength of its frame—make those
joints fit correctly! Note also that the uprights and cross
braces are a mix of both spruce and balsa. These are
notated.
1. Locate and remove die-cut parts F-5 and F-9, two of
each. Securely pin F-5 in place directly over your
covered fuselage plan. Note that the bottom aft
spruce longeron terminates in the rear notch in part
F-5. Disregard the curve of this longeron for now.
2. Pin F-9 in place directly over the plans. Measure and
cut the top rear spruce longeron that fits in place
from the back of the "tab" on F-9 aft to the tail post.
(A tool such as an X-acto mitre box and razor saw is
quite good for cutting spruce.) Glue the top rear
longeron in place to F-9.
3. As you can see from the plans and building sketches, the top 1/4" sq. spruce longeron fits in place
from the front edge of the
1/4" x 1"
x
3-5/8"
ply wing
hold-down former. Eventually, when it is installed,
this
ply former will be backed-up with a 333/8"
length
of 1/4" x 1/2" balsa. Hold this former on edge with a
piece of 1/4" x 1/2" behind it and mark its forward location on F-9. Cut a length of 1/4" sq. spruce to fit from
this mark forward to the front face of the
firewall-
glue in place to F-9.
4. Cut, fit and glue the four required 1/4" x 1/2" balsa
uprights from Cross-Section B-B back to and including the one beneath the "tab" on part F-9—note
that the bottom, rear longeron will need to be blocked in place as the bottom, rear curve starts. As
shown on the plans, a 1/4" balsa doubler is made to
fit inside of the fuselage frame, at the nose, between
F-5 and the top longeron and against the front of the
1/4" x 1/2" upright at Section B-B. This doubler is cut to
fit 1/4" behind the top longeron in order to accept the
firewall. Glue this doubler in place.
5. Cut, fit and glue in place the rearmost 1/4" sq. spruce
tailpost upright—be sure that the correct angle is
also trimmed into its lower end for the bottom
longeron. With the frame firmly secured to the
building board, bend the bottom longeron up to meet
the rearmost upright that was just installed. Glue
and securely block this longeron in place.
6. Cut, fit and glue in place all remaining spruce
uprights while bending and block-pinning the bot-
tom, rear longeron in place as you go. This completes the basic fuselage side frame. Now make a
second, identical frame. Be absolutely sure that
they're identical by building the second frame
directly on top of the first, carefully covering the first
frame with Monokote backing or food wrap.
7. Hold or tape the two completed frames together and
use your sanding block to make sure they are identical. Separate them and sand their sides smooth
(both sides) with the sanding block.
8. Note on the side view of the plans for the fuselage
that there are six 1/4" x 1/2" balsa cross-brace locations shown (numbered 1 through 6). All of these
cross-braces, with the exception of #3 (directly
beneath the wing's trailing edge) are 3-1/8" long.
Carefully cut all
five
to length.
#3
is 3-5/8" long,cut
this one as well. Carefully position the two fuselage
frames upside down, over the top view of the plans.
Block or pin as needed to hold them in place at right
angles to your work surface. (NOTE: Due to the slight
incidence angle in these frames, they will not fit flat
to the surface. This is not important at this time.)
Locate two of the1/4" x 1"
x3-5/8"
ply formers. Epoxy
these in place in the notches located on the bottoms
of the F-5's. Glue bottom cross-braces 4, 5 and 6 in
place between the two fuselage frames and allow to
set. Remove the frame from the work surface, turn it
over and install the three remaining cross-braces, 1,
2 and 3 in place. Now epoxy the remaining 1/4" x 1" x
3-5/8" ply
wing
hold-down former in place on top of
F-9.
5
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