Dynaflite Talon User manual

TALNP02 Printed in USA
READ THROUGH THE PRELIMINARY INFORMATION BEFORE YOU START
BUILDING. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS, WARNINGS, AND
INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BUILDING AND USE OF THIS MODEL.
© Copyright 2000 V:1.3
Instruction M nu l
•H nd-l unch s ilpl ne for therm l or slope flying
•Fl t wing with ilerons for ultim te m neuver bility
•Rugged, lightweight b ls /ply construction
•Option l V-t il version
WARRANTY
Dynaf ite guarantees this kit to be free from defects in both materia and workmanship at
the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover any component parts damaged by use
or modification. In no case sha Dynaf ite’s iabi ity exceed the origina cost of the
purchased kit. Further, Dynaf ite reserves the right to change or modify this warranty
without notice. In that Dynaf ite has no contro over the fina assemb y or materia used for
fina assemb y, no iabi ity sha be assumed nor accepted for any damage resu ting from
the use by the user of the fina user-assemb ed product. By the act of using the user-
assemb ed product, the user accepts a resu ting iabi ity. If the buyer is not prep red
to ccept the li bility ssoci ted with the use of this product, return this kit
immedi tely in new nd unused condition to the pl ce of purch se.
™
™

INTRODUCTION ......................................2
PRECAUTIONS ........................................3
PREPARATIONS.......................................3
Required accessories ..................................3
Required bui ding supp ies and too s........4
Bui ding notes..............................................4
Types of wood .............................................4
BUILD THE FUSELAGE.............................5
Join the upper fuse age sides ....................5
Finish framing the fuse age........................7
Make the hatch ............................................8
BUILD THE TAIL SURFACES .....................9
Make the stab mount ..................................9
Bui d the stab...............................................9
Prepare the stab and fin for joining to the fuse
11
BUILD THE WING ...................................12
Bui d one wing pane ................................12
Finish the wing pane ................................14
Join the wing .............................................17
Mount the wing to the fuse age...............18
Mount the hatch.........................................19
Mount the stab and fin to the fuse age...20
FINAL CONSTRUCTION.........................20
Mount the servos ......................................20
Cover your mode ......................................21
GET YOUR MODEL READY TO FLY.........22
Hinge the ai erons .....................................22
Ba ance the mode .....................................22
Mount your receiver and battery .............23
Set the contro throws ..............................23
PREFLIGHT ............................................23
FLYING ..................................................24
Congratu ations and thank you for purchasing
the Dynaf ite Ta on. Whi e the Ta on is not
necessari y an advanced g ider, it is intended for
mode ers with some previous R/C bui ding and
f ying experience. Due to its f at wing and
re ative y thin airfoi , the Ta on is quite
maneuverab e and penetrates we , so it is at
home either on the s opes or the breezy p anes.
The unique fuse age construction yie ds an
interesting triangu ar cross section that bui ds
rapid y and is p easing to ook at. This
instruction manua a so shows you how to bui d
both the conventiona straight-tai version or
the V-tai version. We hope you enjoy bui ding
and f ying your Dynaf ite Ta on!
Your Ta on is not a toy, but a sophisticated
working mode that functions ike a fu -size
sai p ane.
Because of its performance, if you do not
assemb e and operate the Ta on correct y, you
cou d possib y injure yourse f or spectators
and damage property.
To m ke your R/C modeling experience
tot lly enjoy ble, we recommend th t
you get ssist nce with ssembly nd
your first flights from n experienced,
knowledge ble modeler. You’ earn faster
and avoid risk to your mode before you’re
tru y ready to so o. Your oca hobby shop has
information about f ying c ubs in your area
whose membership inc udes qua ified instructors.
You can a so contact the nationa Academy of
Mode Aeronautics (AMA), which has more
than 2,500 chartered c ubs across the country.
We recommend you join the AMA which wi
provide you with insurance coverage at AMA
c ub sites and events. AMA Membership is
required at chartered c ub fie ds where
qua ified f ight instructors are avai ab e.
Contact the AMA at the address or to -free
phone number next page.
PROTECT YOUR MODEL,
YOURSELF & OTHERS...
FOLLOW THIS IMPORTANT
SAFETY PRECAUTION
INTRODUCTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2

Academy of Mode Aeronautics
5151 East Memoria Drive
Muncie, IN 47302-9252
Te e. [phone]
Fax [phone]
Or via the Internet at:
http://www.mode aircraft.org
1. You must assemb e the mode according to
the instructions. Do not a ter or modify the
mode , as doing so may resu t in an unsafe or
unf yab e mode . In a few cases the p ans and
instructions may differ s ight y from the
photos. In those instances the written
instructions are correct.
2. You must take time to bui d straight, true and
strong.
3. You must proper y insta the R/C radio
system and other components so that the
mode operates proper y on the ground and in
the air.
4. You must test the operation of the mode
before every f ight to ensure that a equipment
is operating, and that the mode has remained
structura y sound. Check c evises or other
connectors frequent y and rep ace them if they
show signs of wear or fatigue.
Ple se inspect ll p rts c refully before
you st rt to build! If ny p rts re missing,
broken or defective, or if you h ve ny
questions bout building or flying this
model, ple se c ll us t [phone]
nd we’ll be gl d to help. If you c ll for
repl cement p rts, ple se look up the p rt
numbers nd the kit identific tion number
(st mped on the end of the c rton) nd
h ve them re dy when you c ll.We c n
lso be re ched by E-M il t:
productsupport@dyn flite.com
This is a ist of the “hardware” items you wi
need to comp ete your kit. Order numbers in
parentheses (OSMG2691) are provided for
your convenience and are recognized by
distributors and hobby shops. GPM is the
Great P anes®brand, TOP is the Top F ite®
brand and HCA is the Hobbico®brand.
❏2-Channe Aircraft Radio System with 2
micro servos and mini battery pack (250
mAh)
❏1 Ro Top F ite EconoKote®covering
❏2 Great P anes 24” F exib e Cab e
Pushrods (GPMQ3700)
❏Great P anes Doub e-Sided Foam Tape
(GPMQ4442)
REQUIRED ACCESSORIES
PREPARATIONS
NOTE: We, as the kit manufacturer, can
provide you with a top qua ity kit and great
instructions, but u timate y the qua ity and
f yabi ity of your finished mode depends on
how you bui d it; therefore, we cannot in any
way guarantee the performance of your
comp eted mode and no representations are
expressed or imp ied as to the performance or
safety of your comp eted mode .
PRECAUTIONS
3

These are the bui ding too s and supp ies that
you wi need to bui d your Ta on. We
recommend Great P anes Pro™ CA and Epoxy
❏1 oz. Thin CA (GPMR6002)
❏1 oz. Medium CA+ (GPMR6008)
❏CA App icator Tips (HCAR3780)
❏CA Acce erator (GPMR6035)
❏30-Minute Pro Epoxy (GPMR6047)
❏#1 Hobby Knife (HCAR0100)
❏#11 B ades (Qty. 5 – HCAR0211)
❏Razor P ane (MASR1510)
❏Sma T-pins (HCAR5100)
❏Great P anes P an Protector (GPMR6167)
❏E ectric Dri
❏Dri Bits: 1/16", 7/64" (or 3/32"), #25 (or
5/32"), 3/16", #12 (or 3/16")
❏#1 Phi ips Screwdriver
❏Top F ite Covering Iron (TOPR2100)
❏Hot Sock™(for your covering iron,
TOPR2175)
❏Denatured or Isopropy A coho (for epoxy
c ean-up)
❏HobbyLite™Ba sa Fi er (HCAR3401)
❏Lead/Acid or Si ver So der (GPMR8070)
❏Bar Sander or Sanding B ock and
Sandpaper (coarse, medium grit)
❏10-32 Tap
A f at, durab e, easy to hand e sanding too is a
necessity for bui ding mode airp anes. Great
P anes makes a comp ete range of Easy-Touch™
Bar Sanders and rep aceab e Easy-Touch
Adhesive-backed Sandpaper.
Here’s a comp ete ist of Easy-Touch Bar Sanders
and Adhesive Backed Sandpaper:
5-1/2" Bar Sander (GPMR6169)
11" Bar Sander (GPMR6170)
22" Bar Sander (GPMR6172)
33" Bar Sander (GPMR6174)
44" Bar Sander (GPMR6176)
11" Contour Mu ti-Sander (GPMR6190)
12' ro of Adhesive-backed 80-grit sandpaper
(GPMR6180)
150-grit (GPMR6183)
220-grit (GPMR6185)
Assortment pack of 5-1/2" strips (GPMR6189)
•When you see the term “test fit” in the
instructions, it means you shou d first
position the part on the assemb y without
using ny glue, then s ight y modify or
“custom fit” the part as necessary for the
best fit.
•Whenever just “epoxy” is specified you may
use
either 30-minute epoxy or 6-minute
epoxy. When 30-minute epoxy is specified,
it is highly recommended that you use on y
30-minute (or s ower) epoxy because you wi
need either the working time and/or the
additiona strength.
TYPES OF WOOD
BUILDING NOTES
REQUIRED BUILDING
SUPPLIES AND TOOLS
4

❏1. Unroll the plan sheet. Tightly roll it the other
way so it will lie flat.
❏2. Place the die-cut 3/16" balsa fuse bottom o er
the top iew of the plan and mark the location of
formers 1 through 6 using a straightedge and a
ballpoint pen.
Note: If some of the parts are difficult to remo e
from their die sheets, don’t force them out but
cut around them with a hobby knife and a #11
blade. After you remo e the parts, lightly sand
the edges to remo e sli ers or die-cutting
irregularities. Sa e some of the larger scraps of
wood as you proceed.
❏3. Position the plan so the top iew of the fuse
is o er a flat building board that you can stick
pins into. Co er the top iew of the fuse with
Great Planes Plan Protector or wax paper.
(For clarity, this photo shows the fuse bottom off
the plan, but yours should be pinned to your building
board o er the plan as instructed in this step.)
❏4. Accurately position the fuse bottom o er its
location on the plan and pin it down only
between formers 2 and 3. Raise the front of the
fuse 1/2" and the rear of the fuse 3/4" using the
1/2" x 3/4" x 2" balsa block cut into two pieces.
❏5. Use a ballpoint pen to label the die-cut 1/8"
plywood formers and dihedral brace (DB) as
indicated in the photo. Remo e the parts from the
die sheet.
❏6. Drill a 3/16" hole through former 3 at the
punchmark. Use a small, round file or a rotary
tool to round the “V” notches in formers 3
through 6 to accommodate the 1/8" pushrod
guide tube (not included) and the antenna guide
tube (not included).
❏7. Drill a 3/16" hole through the center of former
1. After your Talon is completed, this will allow
you to add lead shot to the compartment in the
front of the fuse for ballast or to adjust the C.G.
❏8. Lightly spray the fuse bottom with CA
accelerator o er the lines indicating the location
of the formers. Making certain the notches in the
JOIN TH UPP R
FUS LAG SID S
BUILD TH FUS LAG
5

sides of the formers are on the left side of the
fuse, glue the formers to the fuse bottom with
thin CA. As you proceed, use a small building
square to keep the formers perpendicular to your
building board.
❏9. Position one of the die-cut 3/16" balsa upper
fuse sides o er the side iew of the fuse plan,
aligning the front where indicated on the plan.
Mark the location of formers 2 and 3 on the fuse
side with a straightedge and a ballpoint pen. This
is now the left fuse side.
❏10.Transfer the lines from the left fuse side to
the right fuse side.
❏11. Securely pin the 1/2" x 3/4" x 1" balsa blocks
at the front and back of the fuse to the plan.
Making sure the fuse remains aligned with the
plan, pin the front and back of the fuse bottom to
the blocks.
❏12. Position both upper fuse sides on the fuse
assembly, aligning the marks you made with
formers 2 and 3.
❏13. Temporarily hold the upper fuse sides to
formers 2 and 3 with T-pins. Pull the aft end of the
upper fuse sides to formers 5 and 6 and check
alignment. Adjust the position of the upper fuse
sides on formers 2 and 3 until they align near the
aft end when you pull them to formers 5 and 6.
❏14. When you ha e achie ed the alignment
described in the preceding step, use thin or
medium CA to glue the upper fuse sides only to
formers 2 and 3.
❏15. Carefully checking alignment as you proceed,
use thin or medium CA to glue the upper fuse
sides to formers 4, 5 and 6.
❏16. Pull the upper fuse sides to each other and
to the fuse bottom. Use medium CA to glue the
upper fuse sides to the fuse bottom and to former
1. Refrain from gluing the fuse to the balsa block.
But, if you do, it’s no problem because you can
just break the balsa block free and sand later.
❏17. From the 1/8" x 1/4" x 24" balsa stick, cut
three 3/4" long pieces and glue them together to
make the tail block. Cut a 1/8" round notch in
one side of the tail block to accommodate the
antenna guide tube.
6

❏18. Position the tail block between the upper
fuse sides 4" aft of former 6. Make sure the notch
in the tail block is on the left side and glue it
in place.
❏1. Cut the outer guide tube from a Great Planes
24" Flexible Cable Pushrod (not included with this kit,
GPMQ3700) to a length of 17" to be used for the
ele ator. Roughen the outside of the guide tube with
sandpaper so glue will stick. Slide the pushrod
through the bottom holes in formers 3 through 6 as
shown in the side iew of the fuse plan.
❏2. Roughen the outer guide tube from an
additional Great Planes 24" Flexible Cable
Pushrod kit and slide it through the holes in the
sides of formers 2 through 6. This is the antenna
guide tube.
❏3. Glue both guide tubes in position with medium CA.
❏4. Use a straightedge and a ballpoint pen to mark
the front edge of former 3 on both upper fuse sides.
❏5. Use a razor plane and/or a bar sander and
80-grit sandpaper to sand the top edge of the
upper fuse sides as shown in the cross section
drawings on the plan. The top edges of the upper
fuse sides must be e en with the tops of the
formers to accommodate the fuse top.
❏6. Glue the 1/8" x 1-1/4" x 30" balsa fuse top to
the fuse with medium or thick CA. The aft edge of
the fuse top should extend 1/2" aft of former 6.
❏7. Use a hemostat or small needle nose pliers
to remo e the T-pins from the fuse bottom that are
holding it to your building board. You should be
able to reach the T-pins through the space
between the upper fuse sides and the fuse bottom.
Remo e the fuse from your building board.
❏8. Trim the edges of the upper fuse sides and the
fuse bottom e en with the formers to accommodate
the lower fuse sides, the same way you did for the
fuse top.
❏9. Glue one, then the other die-cut 1/8" balsa
lower fuse side to the fuse. Handle the fuse
carefully as you position so you do not build in any
twist to the fuselage.
❏10. Use your razor plane and/or your bar
sander to sand the lower fuse sides e en with the
upper fuse sides and the fuse bottom. Trim all
sheeting e en with the tail block.
FINISH FRAMING
TH FUS LAG
7

❏11. Cut the front of the fuse until the 1/2" x 1/2" x
1/2" hardwood nose block will fit. Glue the nose
block to the fuse, then car e and sand it to the
shape shown on the plan. Note that the grain
direction of the nose block runs parallel with the
length of the fuse.
❏12. Use your bar sander and progressi ely
finer grades of sandpaper to round the edges of
the fuse as shown in the cross section drawings
on the plan.
❏1. Use a balsa block or something similar to
support a ballpoint pen so the tip will be 1-1/8"
abo e your building table. Mark the bottom of the
hatch on both sides of the fuse extending from
the lines you marked earlier 11" forward. As you
proceed, press down on the fuselage o er the area
where the bottom is flat as shown in the photo.
❏2. Use a razor saw to cut the aft end of the hatch
along the lines you pre iously marked. Cut the
front of the hatch at an angle 11" from the aft end
of the hatch.
❏3. Use a fresh #11 blade to cut the bottom of
the hatch along the lines you marked on both
sides of the fuselage. Note how the knife in the
photo is inserted at an angle, allowing the tip of
the blade to trail behind. This pro ides more
stability, allowing you to steer the blade, not the
wood grain. Also note that the cut should be
parallel with the bottom of the fuse.
❏4. Use a fine razor saw to cut former 2 as
shown in the cross section on the plan so you can
remo e the hatch. Neato!
Cut parallel with the fuse bottom.
MAK TH HATCH
8

❏1. From the 1/8" x 3/4" x 8" balsa stick, cut two
4" long stab mounts.
❏2. Cut a 5/32" half-round groo e 2-1/4" from
one end of both stab mounts as shown on the
cross section of the plan. As you can see on the
plan, when joined together, the stab mounts will
hold the stab joiner wire in position. Hint: Use a
5/32" brass tube sharpened at one end to cut the
hole. Pinch the two stab mounts together and
twist the brass tube as you push it through. As
you proceed, use a small square to help you
guide the tube straight through.
❏3. Cut notches in both stab mounts to accommodate
the horn on the joiner wire. Round both ends of the
notches (use your sharpened brass tube for the
ends of the notches).
❏4. Use steel wool, sandpaper or a wire brush to
remo e corrosion and clean the solder joint
holding the horn to pre-bent stab joiner wire. If
necessary, use a small file to true up the solder
joint so both brass bushings can slide up close to
the horn.
❏5. Test fit the joiner wire between the stab mounts.
Make sure you ha e made your notches wide
enough and long enough so the horn does not
interfere and so you can get enough ele ator throw.
You may build either a con entional
straight-tail
stab and fin or a V-tail stab, whiche er you prefer.
The instructions show you how to build both
ersions. Most of the photos show the
con entional tail, but there are photos of the V-
tail where necessary.
❏1. Position the plan so the stab is o er your
building board, then co er it with Great Planes
Plan Protector or wax paper.
❏ ❏ 2. Pin the stab mount/joiner wire assembly
o er the location shown on the plan so the left
edge of the balsa stab mount is 1/16" from the
edge of the stab drawing.
BUILD TH STAB
MAK TH STAB MOUNT
BUILD TH TAIL SURFAC S
9

❏ ❏3. Note the location of the arm portion of the
joiner wire. This determines the true location of
the 1/8" x 1/8" balsa
rib —not necessarily where it
is shown on the plan.
(You can see in the photo
how the rib on our model needed to be mo ed
inward a bit).
Cut the rib from a 1/8" x 1/8" x 24"
balsa stick and pin it to the plan so it is contacting
the arm of the joiner wire.
❏ ❏4. Remo e the stab mount/joiner wire assembly
from the plan and finish building the stab using
the remainder of the 1/8" x 1/4" x 24" balsa stick
and an 1/8" x 1/8" x 24" balsa stick.
❏ ❏ 5. Remo e the assembly from the plan and
carefully sand both sides flat, smooth and e en.
Be careful not to weaken the structure by sanding
it too thin. Round the tips, LE and TE.
❏ ❏ 6. Cut a stab spar from the 1/16" x 1/4" x
36" balsa stick, then glue it to one side of the stab
where shown on the plan. Turn the stab half o er
and cut an 1/8" notch in the 1/8" x 1/8"
root rib to
accommodate the ele ator joiner wire.
❏ ❏ 7. Glue an additional 1/16" x 1/4" balsa stab
spar to the other side of the stab the same as the
first. Use the remainder of your 1/8" x 1/8" x 24"
balsa stick to make the rib caps that fit on the
front and back of the stab spars on the top and
bottom of the stab. Blend the rib caps and the tip
of both stab spars to the stab by sanding.
❏8. Return to step 2 and build the other stab half
the same way. When you position the edge of the
stab mount/joiner wire 1/16" from the end of the
stab, you’ll ha e to turn it around so you get the
correct spacing for the other side of the joiner.
1/16" x 1/4" Stab Spars
1/8" Notch 1/8" x 1/8" Rib Caps
Trim
10

❏9. If you’re building the con entional straight-
tail, build the fin using the 1/8" x 1/8" balsa sticks
and the 1/8" x 1/4" balsa sticks lefto er from
building the stab hal es. Use lefto er 1/8" balsa to
make the tip of the fin.
❏1. If you’re building the V-tail ersion, bend the
joiner wire as shown on the plan. When you bend
the wire, clamp your pliers o er the brass bearing
tube next to the horn. Hold the joiner wire o er
the plan to make sure you ha e bent both sides
the same.
❏2. Use sandpaper to roughen both brass bearing
tubes on the joiner wire so glue will adhere. While
you’re at it, roughen the joiner wire where it will
be glued to the ele ators.
❏3. Carefully add a small drop of oil to the joiner
wire on both sides of the horn to lubricate the
bearing tubes. Refrain from getting oil on the
outside of the bearing tubes.
❏4. Glue the balsa stab mounts together with
the joiner wire in between. Make sure you ha e
the joiner wire facing the right way and make
sure
you glue the bearing tubes to the mounts,
but
refrain from getting glue inside the bearing tubes.
❏5. Sand the top of the stab mount to the airfoil
shape shown on the plan.
❏6. Test fit both stab hal es to the joiner wire
and the stab mount. Position the stab hal es so
they are centered on the stab mount and are e en
with each other. View the stab from the rear and
make sure they are both in the same plane. If
necessary, remo e the stab hal es and use pliers
to
tweak the joiner wire so both stabs are e en.
PR PAR TH STAB AND FIN
FOR JOINING TO TH FUS
11

❏7. Remo e the stab hal es from the joiner wire.
Solder a metal clevis to the braided wire ele ator
pushrod cable that came in your pushrod kit.
❏8. Connect the cle is to the bottom hole on the
joiner wire. Slip the cable through the ele ator
pushrod guide tube in the fuse and position but
do not glue the stab mount on the fuse as
shown in the photo and on the plan. Mo e the
cable back and forth to actuate the joiner wire.
Make adjustments as necessary so the system
operates smoothly.
That’s about all we can do on the tail and the fuse
until we get the wing built. Set the stab and fuse
aside for now.
Do the right one first so yours looks like the photos.
❏ ❏ 1. Use a ballpoint pen to draw a guideline
3/32" from the bottom of one of the 5/16" x 1-1/4"
x 24" balsa ailerons. This guideline indicates the
desired thickness of the trailing edge of the
aileron. As shown in the photo, the guideline can
be most easily drawn by laying your pen and the
aileron on your workbench. You may ha e to raise
the aileron off your workbench to make the
guideline at the correct height. With the pen we
used, it happened that one of the included 1/16"
balsa sheets worked perfectly for this.
❏ ❏2. Using the line you drew as a guide, carefully
shape the aileron to the cross section shown on
the wing plan. We prefer a razor plane followed
by
a bar sander with 80-grit sandpaper for this
job.
How’d you do? It wasn’t so bad, was it?
❏3. Before we get started on the real wing construction,
mark and shape the other aileron the same way.
❏ ❏ 4. Arrange the plan so the right wing panel
is o er your building board and co er it with
Great Planes Plan Protector. Note: If this is your
second wing panel, make sure you are building
the left one.
❏ ❏ 5. Use a fresh #11 blade and a straightedge
to true one edge of a 1/16" x 3" x 24" balsa sheet.
Trim the other edge of the sheet as indicated in
the sketch. From now on this sheet will be called
the bottom leading edge skin.
❏ ❏ 6. Glue a 1/8" x 1/4" x 24" balsa spar to the
top of the bottom leading edge skin along the
edge you trued (the aft edge).
❏ ❏7. Accurately align the root and the aft edge of
the bottom leading edge skin with the plan and pin
it down.
2-1/2"
Root
1-7/8"
Tip
Trim
True
BUILD ON WING PAN L
BUILD TH WING
12

❏ ❏ 8. Label both sets of die-cut 3/32" wing ribs
as shown in the sketch and carefully remo e them
from their die sheets. If any of the ribs are difficult to
remo e, cut around them first. Remo e any die-
cutting irregularities or sli ers with a hobby knife or
sandpaper.
❏ ❏9. Place ribs 3 through 9 on the bottom spar.
If necessary, trim the notch in rib 9 so it will fit the
bottom spar at the angle on the plan.
❏ ❏ 10. Cut the bottom center section sheeting
from a 1/16" x 3" x 24" balsa sheet (if you’re
building your second wing panel—the left one—
use the remainder of the same 1/16" x 3" x 24"
piece you used when you built the right wing
panel). Accurately align the edge of the sheet with
the end of the wing where shown on the plan and
pin it in position. Place ribs 1 & 2 o er the sheeting
where shown on the plan.
❏ ❏11. Place the 1/8" x 3/8" x 24" balsa sub trailing
edge (T ) up against the ribs o er its location on
the plan. Pin a straightedge to the plan tightly up
against the sub TE to hold it in position. Trim any ribs
as necessary to make sure the sub TE will remain
straight.
❏ ❏ 12. One at a time, glue ribs 3 through 9 to
the sub trailing edge and the bottom spar. As you
proceed, make certain the sub TE and the ribs
are contacting your building board.
❏ ❏ 13. Use a straightedge to align ribs 1 & 2
with the
tick marks on the plan. Then glue them to
the bottom center section sheeting, the bottom
spar and the sub trailing edge. Glue the center
section sheeting to the leading edge skin and the
sub trailing edge.
❏ ❏14. Using the same 1/16" sheet you used for
the bottom center section sheeting, cut four
shear webs to fit between ribs 2 through 6. Test
fit, then glue the shear webs between the ribs.
Make certain that the shear webs are the correct
height so they will contact the top spar, yet allow
the top spar to fully seat in the notches of the ribs.
❏ ❏15. Test fit, then glue a 1/18" x 1/4" x 24" top
spar to the ribs and the shear webs. Note that the
top of the spar should be e en with the tops of
ribs 1 and 2 to accommodate the top center
section sheeting.
123
456
9
87
13

❏ ❏16. One rib at a time, simultaneously lift up
on the bottom LE skin at each rib as you push
down
on the rib. Add a few drops of thin CA to
glue the skin to the rib. Hint: Use a thin metal
ruler or something similar as a
pry bar to lift the
skin to the rib.
❏ ❏17. Trim another 1/16" x 3" x 24" balsa sheet as
described in step 5 to make a top leading edge skin.
❏ ❏ 18. Reposition any T-pins in the bottom spar
that will be concealed when you position the top
leading edge skin and the top center section
sheeting. Apply a bead of medium or thick CA to
the top spar only and glue the top leading edge
skin in position.
(For clarity, the wing panel is not shown on the
building board in this photo, but yours should
still be pinned down).
❏ ❏19. Glue a die-cut 3/32" balsa gusset to both
sides of rib 2 and the sub trailing edge. Glue an
additional gusset to rib 9 and the sub trailing
edge. This gusset is not shown on the plan and
you’ll ha e to trim it to fit.
❏ ❏20. Sheet the top of the center section using
the same 1/16" x 3" balsa sheet you used for the
shear webs and the bottom center section.
❏ ❏ 21. Lightly wet the top leading edge skin
with Windex™or water, then remo e the T-pins
and lift the wing panel from your building board.
❏ ❏ 22. Use thin CA to glue the top skin to the
ribs. Do one rib at a time holding the top skin
down until the glue hardens.
❏ ❏ 1. Use a razor plane followed by a bar
sander with 80-grit sandpaper to trim both LE
skins e en with the front of the ribs.
❏ ❏ 2. Trim the end of the wing skins and the
spars e en with rib 9.
❏ ❏3. Glue the 5/16" x 5/16" x 24" balsa leading
edge to the wing. We did it one half at a time by
applying a bead of medium CA to the LE skins
from the middle of the wing outward, then
holding the LE in position for a few moments
until the CA cures. Lift the other end of the LE
from the wing and apply another bead of CA to
the skins from the middle of the wing outward in
the other direction and hold the LE to the wing.
Another method would be to use aliphatic resin
such as Great Planes Pro and hold the LE to the
FINISH TH WING PAN L
14

wing with masking tape until the glue dries
(about an hour should be sufficient).
❏ ❏ 4. Use your razor plane followed by a bar
sander with 80-grit sandpaper to blend the LE to
the top and bottom skins. Do not round the LE
until you are instructed to do so after you join the
two hal es together.
❏ ❏ 5. Glue a shaped triangular balsa wing tip
block to the end of the wing. Note that the flat
side of the tip block is on the bottom of the wing
so the tip cur es downward. Car e, then sand
the wing tip block to match the shape of the wing
and the plan.
❏ ❏6. Cut 2-1/2" from one of the ailerons you shaped
earlier to make an aileron torque rod block. Cut
a 5/32" groo e through the center of the leading
edge of the block to accommodate the nylon
bearing tube on the right aileron torque rod.
Hint: Use a 5/32" brass tube sharpened at one end
to cut the groo e.
❏ ❏ 7. Test fit the pre-bent wire right aileron
torque rod (or the left aileron torque rod if
this is your second time through and you are
building the left wing panel) in the torque rod
block. If necessary, enlarge the groo e you cut so
the torque rod will fit all the way in. Cut a notch in
the bottom of the torque rod block to allow for
control throw.
❏ ❏8. Cut a notch in the sub trailing edge of the
wing panel (the same as the notch in the torque
rod block) to allow for control throw. Roughen the
nylon bearing tube on the aileron torque rod with
coarse sandpaper. Apply a dab of petroleum jelly
(not marmalade) to the ends of the bearing tube.
Use thick or medium CA to simultaneously glue
the bearing tube in the torque block and glue the
torque block to the sub trailing edge of the wing.
Note that the bottom of the torque block should
be e en with the bottom of the wing.
❏ ❏ 9. Use a bar sander with 80-grit sandpaper
to sand the end of the wing square and e en.
❏ ❏ 10. Trim the tip of the aileron to match the
angle of the wing tip. Test fit the aileron to the
wing. If necessary, glue lefto er balsa to the tips
of the aileron to achie e adequate spacing
15

between the tips of the aileron and the wing. We
recommend a 1/16" gap at both ends.
❏ ❏11. Cut a groo e and drill a 7/64" (or 3/32") hole
in the leading edge of the aileron to accommodate
the aileron torque rod. Test fit the aileron to the wing.
❏ ❏12. Cut three 1/8" x 5/16" x 1" hinge blocks
from lefto er 1/8" balsa and glue them to the front
of the sub trailing edge where the hinges are
shown on the plan. The hinge blocks are not
shown on the plan but you can see two of them
in the photo.
❏ ❏13. Mark the location of the hinges on the wing
and the aileron, then cut the hinge slots with a
#11 blade.
❏ ❏14. Cut three hinges from the CA hinge strip
and test fit the aileron to the wing with the hinges.
❏ ❏ 15. If necessary, shape the TE of the wing tip
and the top of the sub trailing edge to match
the aileron.
❏ ❏ 16. Remo e the aileron from the wing. Use
a razor plane or a hobby knife followed by a bar
sander with 80-grit sandpaper to shape the
leading edge of the aileron to a “V” to allow for
control mo ement.
❏ ❏ 17. Temporarily join the aileron to the wing.
Operate the aileron by mo ing the aileron torque
rod back and forth. Make sure you ha e enough
throw and make sure e erything operates
smoothly. Make adjustments as necessary.
That’s about all we can do on this wing until we
join the other wing, so return to step 4 on page
12 and build the Left wing panel. Make sure you
build a L FT wing panel not a right wing panel!
You may build your wing flat or with dihedral.
If you build the wing flat your Talon will ha e
more maneu erability. If you build your wing
with dihedral your Talon will ha e more
stability. The wing joiner included with the kit is
for a flat wing. If you wish to build in dihedral,
make your own dihedral brace from 1/8"
plywood (not supplied) using the sketch on
page 24 and raise both tips 3/8" from your
workbench when it’s time to join the wing.
JOIN TH WING
AND #11 BLADE
WITH HOBBY KNIFE
CUT HINGE SLOT
16

❏1. Cut a 1/8" notch in rib 1 of both wing panels
between the top and bottom spar to
accommodate the die-cut 1/8" plywood wing
joiner (or your homemade joiner if you are
building in dihedral). Test fit the joiner in one wing
half, then the other. Sand the joiner and adjust the
notch in the ribs as necessary for a good fit.
Perform step 2 only if you are building your
wing flat.
❏2. Test join the wing hal es with the wing
joiner. Lay your wing flat on your workbench so
the aileron torque rods are o er the edge. If
necessary, use your bar sander and 80-grit
sandpaper to sand the ends of the wing for a
good fit.
Perform step 3 only if you are building your
wing with dihedral.
❏3. Test join your wing hal es with your homemade
wing joiner. Use your bar sander to sand the ends of
the wing as necessary so they will fit at the
correct angle.
❏4. Use a piece of wire or something similar to
thoroughly apply 30-minute epoxy to the spars
inside one wing half and to the top and bottom
edges of one half of the wing joiner. Slide the
joiner into the wing between the spars. Be certain
the joiner is centered between the spars. Wipe
away excess epoxy and allow the assembly
to cure.
❏5. Lay a piece of Great Planes Plan Protector on
your workbench. After the epoxy from the
pre ious step has fully cured, apply 30-minute
epoxy to the spars inside the other wing half, the
top and bottom of the other end of the joiner and
to the sheeting on the end of both wing hal es.
Proceed quickly to the next step.
❏6. Join both wing hal es and wipe away excess
epoxy. Lay your wing on the plan protector on
your workbench. If you are building your wing
flat, place weights on top of your wing to keep it
from mo ing and to hold it down. If you are
building your wing with dihedral, use balsa
blocks or something similar to raise both wing
tips 3/8". Make sure the trailing and leading edges
align. Do not disturb your wing until the epoxy
has fully cured.
❏7. Lightly sand the center section of your wing to
blend the two hal es together. Finish rounding the
leading edge as shown in the cross section on
the plan.
❏8. Glue the 1" x 14" strip of glass cloth o er the
seam between the two wing hal es. You may use
1/8" Notch
17

CA but we prefer 30-minute epoxy. Whate er
adhesi e you use, just make sure the cloth is
thoroughly saturated and is securely bonded to the
sheeting.
❏1. Cut both aileron torque rods to a length of
5/8".
❏2. Round one end of the 3/16" x 1-1/2" wing
dowel. Test fit the dowel into the hole you drilled
in former 3. If necessary, use a round wood file or
a small tube wrapped with sandpaper to enlarge
the hole so the dowel fits easily but snugly.
❏3. Cut a 3/16" notch in the center of the TE of the
wing to accommodate the dowel. The aft,
rounded end of the dowel should protrude from
the TE of the wing 5/16".
❏4. Fit the wing to the fuselage using the dowel.
Make adjustments where necessary for a good fit.
❏5. With the wing on the fuselage, apply a small
amount of epoxy o er the dowel to glue it to the
wing. For additional strength, add some Great
Planes Milled Fiberglass to the epoxy. Be careful
so you don’t glue the dowel to the fuse.
❏6. After the epoxy from the pre ious step has
fully cured, remo e the wing. Glue the dowel to
the bottom of the wing with more epoxy.
❏7. Similar to the way you did the trailing edge
of the wing, notch the leading edge of the wing to
accommodate the 3/8" x 1/2" x 1-3/4" wing bolt
block when it is in position against the aft edge
of former 2. Test fit the wing with the wing bolt block.
❏8. Remo e the wing bolt block and drill a #25
(or 5/32") hole through the block as shown on the
plan. If you ha e access to one, use a drill press
to keep the hole on center as you drill, or just
proceed carefully and use your
eagle eye to drill
straight through.
❏9. Cut 11/16" from the top of the wing bolt
block. You now ha e a bottom and a top wing
bolt block.
5/8" AileronTorque Rod
MOUNT TH WING TO
TH FUS
18

❏10. Securely glue the bottom wing bolt block to
the aft edge of former 2 and the bottom of the
fuse. Enlarge the hole in the bottom wing bolt
block and drill through the bottom of the fuse
with a #12 (or 3/16") drill bit.
❏11. Tap threads into the top wing bolt block with
a 10-24 tap. Coat the threads with thin CA. Allow to
fully cure (you may use a little CA accelerator), then
re-tap the threads. Coat with thin CA and re-tap
once more.
❏12. Secure the top wing bolt block to the bottom
wing bolt block with the 10-32 x 2" nylon wing
bolt. Position the wing on the fuselage with the
top wing bolt block in the notch in the leading edge.
❏13. Check the wing alignment by accurately
measuring the distance between both wing tips and
the aft end of the fuse. If necessary, trim the notch
in the LE of the wing for the wing bolt block and
shift the wing until the distances between the tips
and the aft end of the fuse are equalized.
❏14. Securely glue the wing to the top wing bolt
with epoxy. For additional strength, add Milled
Fiberglass Fibers to the epoxy. Build up a small
fillet of epoxy around the top wing bolt block, but
make sure you don’t glue it to the bottom wing
bolt block. Place a weight on top of the wing to
hold it down until the epoxy fully cures.
❏15. Cut a small, round hole in the fuse bottom to
countersink the head of the nylon wing bolt. Hint:
Use a 13/32" brass tube sharpened at one end to cut
the hole.
Refer to this photo while you mount the hatch to
the wing.
❏1. Cut the end of the nylon wing bolt so it is
e en with the top of the top wing bolt block.
❏2. With the wing bolted to the fuselage, little by
little carefully trim the hatch until it fits the wing.
Proceed slowly and frequently test fit the hatch as
you proceed.
❏3. Use thin or medium CA to carefully glue the
hatch to the wing only. Remo e the wing.
❏4. Use lefto er 1/8" balsa to fill the space
between the bottom of the wing near the LE and
the fuse. Glue the lefto er balsa pieces to the wing
and shape them to fit the wing saddle on the fuse.
❏5. Use lightweight, sandable balsa filler where
needed to blend the hatch to the wing. Do not
build up a fillet, but use just enough filler to fill
any gaps between the hatch and the wing. Then,
yours will look as nice as ours (almost!)
MOUNT TH HATCH
19

These following instructions apply to you V-tail
builders, too.
❏1. Temporarily position the stab mount on the
fuse with both stab hal es. With the wing bolted
to the fuse, iew the model from the rear to make
sure the stab aligns horizontally with the wing
(it’ll be a little trickier to see the V-tail stab
alignment with the wing, but it’s the same idea).
If necessary, trim the stab saddle of the fuse to
bring the stab into alignment with the wing.
❏2. After you ha e achie ed the alignment
described abo e, connect the ele ator cable to
the ele ator joiner wire. Route the cable through
the guide tube and securely glue the stab mount
to the fuse with 30-minute epoxy. Hold the stab
mount in position with T-pins until the epoxy is
fully cured.
❏3. Sand the end of the stab mount and the fuse
sheeting e en with former 6.
❏4. If you’re building the straight-tail, trim the
bottom of the fin to fit the fuse and stab mount.
Glue the fin in position. Make the small fin filler
from lefto er 1/8" balsa. Glue the fin filler to the
front of the fin and the fuse top. Blend to the fin
by sanding.
Refer to this photo while you mount your aileron
ser o in the wing.
❏1. Cut a hole through the bottom wing sheeting
to accommodate your aileron ser o. Test fit your ser o.
❏2. Make two servo mount plates from lefto er
1/8" plywood. Glue the ser o mount plates to the
bottom of the wing. Mount your aileron ser o to
the plates with the wood screws that came with
your ser o.
❏3. Connect the aileron ser o to the aileron
torque rods with the nylon swi el and swi el
cle is and two .074" x 4" wire pushrods. Cut the
pushrods to the correct length and connect them
to the ser o horn with a Z-bend. If necessary,
enlarge the holes in your ser o horn with a hobby
knife or a #48 drill.
Refer to this photo while you mount your ele ator ser o.
❏4. Make a one arm ser o horn for your ele ator
ser o by cutting off the unused arms. Connect the
MOUNT TH S RVOS
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
MOUNT TH STAB AND
FIN TO TH FUS
20