Golden Eagle Talon F1-P Technical specifications

Assembly and Flight Manual
Almost Ready to Fly
Model Includes:
• Complete airframe in four color Ora-
cover (Ultracote) covering and trim.
• Aluminum wing tube, Painted alumi-
num landing gear, Tailwheel assembly.
• Control surfaces pre-drilled with
round point-type hinges provided.
• Profile wheel pants, Cowl Strakes and
basic assembly hardware.
• Color Assembly Manual on CD-ROM.
Before You
Begin:
Please read through this
entire manual carefully be-
fore starting your assembly.
I have attempted to illus-
trate the best methods and
materials necessary to com-
plete this airplane quickly
and for you to begin to
have successful, exciting
flights. This model has
been assembled and exten-
sively test flown as pre-
sented in this manual. If
closely followed, you should
have similar, predictable
results.
I hope you will enjoy the
building and flying of your
new Golden Eagle Aircraft
Talon F1-P as much as I
have.
Chris Tomberlin
Designed and sold by
Golden Eagle Aircraft
5921 Carmichael Rd.
Montgomery, Al. 36117
334-301-2830
© Copyright 2005-
2006
Talon F1-P
Aircraft Specifications:
IMAA Legal Giant Scale Profile
Wing Span: 80.5"
Overall Length: 78"
Wing Area: 1597 sq. in.
Dry Weight: 13.5 to 16 lbs.
(Saito 1.80 / DA50)
Wing Loading: 19.5 oz./sq.ft.
Engines: 1.80 Glow to
50cc Gas

Thank you for your purchase of the Golden
Eagle Aircraft Talon F1-P. This airplane represents
the product of hundreds of hours of design, flight
testing, and production effort that resulted in a
unique, high performance aerobatic R/C model
that has the flight characteristics of larger scale
airplanes at a much more reasonable cost.
The Talon is based on the full scale “Team
Rocket F1” aerobatic homebuilt aircraft.
Team
Rocket
provided their factory CAD drawings for my
reference in designing the Talon. You can see
more of this beautiful aerial hotrod at :
www.teamrocketaircraft.com
Being a profile design, the Talon F1-P may
be one of the fastest assembled giant scale ARF’s
available and this manual will illustrate the steps
necessary. While the assembly is relatively simple,
with all of the major construction completed by
the manufacturer, it is still very important that
your work be in a manner consistent with the de-
mands of giant scale R/C models. This manual is
also a guide to the set-up and flying of this excit-
ing radio controlled model airplane.
You will find that the Talon can be a very
easy to fly sport airplane or a wild, all-out, free-
style aerobatic animal. The choice is yours, even
during a single flight, with just a flip of the trans-
mitter switch from low rates to full blown 3D
throws. Even precision aerobatic practice is possi-
ble with this versatile design. Because of its high
performance nature, this airplane is not suitable
for beginning modelers or inexperienced R/C pi-
lots. If you are comfortable with flying smaller
mid to low wing aerobatic R/C models, though,
you should have little problem with the Talon.
Please follow the instructions carefully and
if you have a question, you can email me for assis-
tance at
[e-mail] or call
334-301-2830. Of course, your comments and
suggestions about the kit or this manual are al-
ways welcome.
Chris
Page 2
Talon F1-P
The minimum tools and supplies:
Exacto knife with # 11 blades
30 or 45 minute epoxy
Disposable epoxy brushes and cups
Thin CA glue
1/4” thick foam rubber
Double-sided tape or silicone adhesive
Iron-on covering or packing tape for gap seals
Electric or hand drill with various bits
Hex head (Allen) wrenches, Socket and hand
wrenches, Screwdrivers
Covering iron
12” ruler
Prop balancer
Sandpaper
Thread locking compound (blue)
Denatured alcohol
Fine line permanent marker
Other items that are nice to have:
Power rotary cutting tool (Dremel or other)
Trim covering iron, Razor saw, Incidence meter
Table of Contents Introduction
Assembly Manual
Assembly Tools & Supplies Needed:
Introduction..............................................2
Assembly Tools and Supplies Needed ..........2
Purchase Terms.........................................3
Kit Contents ..............................................4
Additional Equipment Required ...................5
Engine Selection .......................................5
Recommended Radio Equipment.................6
Preparation ............................................6,7
Wing Assembly.......................................7,8
Fuselage Assembly..................................8,9
Tail Assembly...................................9,10,11
Landing Gear...................................... 11,12
Engine Installation..........................12,13,14
Receiver Installation............................ 14,15
Preflight Setup.................................... 15,16
Flying Tips, Summary.......................... 16,17
Beam Mounted Engine Supplement...........18
Firewall Mtd. Engine Supplement......19,20,21
DA50 Installation Drawings......... 22,23,24,25
Brison 3.2 Installation Drawings..26,27,28,29

Page 3
Model aircraft are not toys and must be handled
with the utmost care. The use of these products
can result in serious injury or death. The buyer
assumes all liability associated with the use of
these products and is advised to return them to
the place of purchase in new and unused condi-
tion if unwilling to accept these terms.
That being said, we find aeromodeling to be
safe and infinitely enjoyable as long as proper safety
guidelines and common sense are followed. The AMA
(Academy of Model Aeronautics) provides just such
safety guidance, as well as sanctioned club flying fields,
events, and insurance to all its members. If you are
not already a member, please consider the AMA’s bene-
fits at www.modelaircraft.org.
I am also a member and supporter of the IMAA
(International Miniature Aircraft Association) which pro-
motes the non-competitive flying of giant scale models.
See the activities of their organization
at www.fly-imaa.org.
And, I am a member and competitor in IMAC
(International Miniature Aerobatic Club) which offers
scale aerobatic competitions to those pilots that are
willing to test their skills to the fullest. See their con-
test schedules and requirements at www.mini-iac.com.
All of these organizations can benefit any RC
modeler greatly and are highly recommended to all who
wish to advance their understanding and enjoyment of
this hobby.
Flight line At The Joe Nall IMAA Fly-In:
Purchase Terms
Assembly Manual Talon F1-P
Warranty
Golden Eagle Aircraft guarantees kits and merchandise
to be free from defects in material or workmanship at
the date of purchase. This does not cover damage ei-
ther in use or by modification. In no case shall Golden
Eagle Aircraft’s liability exceed the purchase cost of the
items. We reserve the right to modify or change this
warranty without notice.
Returns
The customer must make a written warranty claim to
Golden Eagle Aircraft before returning any item. No re-
turns will be accepted without prior authorization. We
reserve the right as to whether to replace, repair, or
refund for defective merchandise.
If returned for any reason other than an authorized
warranty claim, there will be a 10% restocking charge.
Other charges may apply if not received in new, unused
condition, or not in the original shipping containers.
Original shipping charges are not refundable. The pur-
chaser must obtain return authorization from Golden
Eagle Aircraft first and prepay return shipping charges
and insurance.
Damaged in Shipping
Refuse delivery of any obviously damaged packages. All
claims for discovered shipping damages must be made
with the carrier within three days of receipt. Please con-
tact us as well for assistance.
Errors and Omissions
Golden Eagle Aircraft makes every effort to pro-
vide accurate and complete pricing and infor-
mation about its products, including the assem-
bly and use thereof. We reserve the right to
make corrections to information and/or pricing
in our website or in any other product docu-
mentation or graphics as necessary. All repre-
sentations are provided without warranty of
any kind.
Liability
Final assembly methods and materials or equip-
ment used are the sole responsibility of the
purchaser. No liability is accepted by Golden
Eagle Aircraft for damage or injury resulting
from the assembly or use of any products pur-
chased by the buyer or any subsequent user.

Page 4
2- 1/4-20 x 3” nylon wing bolts, nylon insert
lock nuts, 4 nylon washers
2- 10-32 x 3” landing gear bolts, nylon insert
lock nuts, 4 washers
8- #2 x 1/2” screws
2- #4 x 1/2” screws
2- 4-40 x 1/2” cap screws, 2 washers
2- 4-40 T-nuts
Red Ultracote for engine bolt patches
CD-ROM Assembly and Flight Manual
Matching Ultracote Covering Colors:
Flame Red, Bright Yellow, Metallic Gold, Black
ARF Kit Contents:
Assembly Manual Talon F1-P
Fuselage
Battery and Receiver compartment hatches
Wing Panels
Ailerons
Fin and Rudder
Stabilizer and Elevators
Cowl Strakes
Aluminum Wing Tube
Painted Landing Gear Legs
Profile Wheel Pants
Tailwheel Assembly
Round nylon hinges, number as required

Page 5
Engine Selection:
Assembly Manual Talon F1-P
The Talon has been flight tested with three
types of beam mounted engines in sizes spanning the
recommended range: the Saito 1.80 four-stroke glow,
the Moki 2.10 two-stroke glow, and the Evolution 35GT
(35 cc) two-stroke gasoline with a tuned pipe system.
All were excellent performers but offer different power
levels and running characteristics.
We have also extensively test flown the Talon
with a Desert Aircraft DA50-R (50 cc) gas engine
and have found that the airframe handles the extra
power well within the limits of pilot skills and reason-
able throttle control. A supplemental section has been
added to this manual to describe how to mount the DA-
50 or a similar size firewall mounted gas engine. What
else can I say about the DA50 powered Talon? Outra-
geous! Insane! Fun!!
The Evolution 35GT gasoline engine is superb
motor for this airplane, especially using its optional
tuned pipe system. All flight maneuvers are easily per-
formed with “unlimited” vertical and hovers are at
about 1/2 throttle or less. The powerband is broad and
very controllable. With its ignition module and battery
it weighs more than any of the glow engines but re-
quires less fuel to be carried. The case and mounting
dimensions are similar to the Moki. Props I have tested
are 20x8 and 21x8 with either giving good perform-
ance. The smaller diameter prop will give more RPM
but the larger seems to have a bit more thrust.
The Saito 1.80 has that wonderful, deep four-
stroke sound and makes good use of its wide power
band and ability to swing larger props for its displace-
ment. I used props in the sizes 16x8, 17x6, and 18x6
with the 18x6 my favorite. For general sport flying and
even most 3D maneuvers, this engine was very enter-
taining. The only area that seemed lacking was vertical
pull-outs from hovers. Of course, the new Saito 2.20
would be a great choice if you’re a big four-stroke fan.
The Moki 2.10 is a glow powerhouse in a rela-
tively lightweight package. Vertical penetration and
pull-out from hovers was very good. Most flying could
be done at 1/2 or 3/4 throttle. I used a 20x8 prop
throughout its testing with good results.
The right choice of an engine in all my air-
planes has always been the most decisive factor in
whether I really had fun - and that’s what it’s all about!
* Included in the Optional
Premium Hardware Package:
Dubro fuel tank - 20 oz. for gasoline engines
(with gas stopper) or
24 oz. tank for glow engines (with glow
stopper)
2- Dubro Adjustable HD control horns
3- Dubro HD control horns
2- Dubro 3 1/4” treaded light wheels
2- Dubro 5/32”x 2” axles
4- Dubro 5/32” wheel collars
5- Dubro 4-40 safety lock kwik-links
3- 4-40 x 12" full thread rod
1- Kwik-link with rod - 2-56 x 12" (throttle)
1- 12” carbon fiber pushrod tube
4- nylon mounting straps with screws
Bright Yellow Ultracote for gap sealing control
surfaces
* Equipment Not Included:
3 1/2” Spinner (or 4” for 50 cc motors)
Radio equipment
Engine
Engine mounting bolts
Propeller
Nylon pushrod for gas engine throttle
Monofilament (fishing) line - 12”
Balance weights (if required)
Additional Equipment Required:

Radio System: A 6 channel computer ra-
dio is the minimum system that should be used
because of the huge control surfaces and large
control throws possible on this airplane. The pro-
gramming of both exponential and multiple rates
is required to fully appreciate the abilities of the
design and to provide adequate control throughout
the wide range of the flight envelope. A 4 channel
radio could work but you’ll have to work harder at
installation and flying to get reasonable results.
Six channel radio setup only is covered in this
manual.
Servos: Control surface servos (five re-
quired - two aileron, two elevator, one rudder)
must have a minimum of 100 oz.-in. of torque and
either coreless or digital types are recommended.
An even stronger rudder servo is advisable if
you’re a big fan of knife edge loops. A standard
servo is also required for the throttle.
You will need to use 1” to 1 1/4” aluminum
or heavy duty servo arms on all servos except the
throttle. I used Dubro “Super Strength” long com-
posite servo arms (available to match your servo
brand). Suggested computer radio setup and con-
trol surface throws are noted in the “Preflight
Setup and Checklist” section.
Servos extensions:
(Heavy Duty recommended)
3 - 36” long for rudder and elevators.
Note: some manufacturer’s servo leads are shorter
than others; i.e. a 40” extension for a Futaba rud-
der servo will reach the receiver a little easier.
1 - 12” long for flight battery (glow engine installa-
tion - forward battery location).
1 - 12” long for throttle (glow), 6” long for gas.
2 - 12” long for ailerons from servos.
2 - 6” long for ailerons from receiver.
Use 3/8” diameter heat shrink electrical tubing to
safety all concealed or permanent servo extension
connectors.
Page 6
Seal the Covering: OK, you’ve got all
your equipment selected, your assembly supplies
at hand, and you’re ready to go. As with every
iron-on film covered ARF, you should go over the
entire airframe with a covering iron to make sure
it’s fully shrunk and secure. Even if there are few
wrinkles, a little attention now will make a big dif-
ference after you’ve begun flying and exposed the
airplane to hot sun and fuel residue.
First, with the iron set at no more than
300°, seal all the edges and seams on all surfaces.
This must be done before any shrinking is at-
tempted to prevent the edges from coming loose
or creeping. Next, allow the iron to cool to no
more than 250°, and gently glide the iron over ALL
the covering to shrink and seal it to the wood be-
low. A covering heat gun may be used but be
careful to not overheat the film and to follow
closely behind with a soft cloth or glove to press
the adhesive onto the subsurface. Pay close at-
tention to the graphics as well and work from the
center out to any sharp ends or corners. If you
experience any smears of covering adhesive, de-
natured alcohol will remove it.
Fuel Proofing: Fuel-proof all exposed
wood surfaces with 30-45 minute epoxy thinned
about 50/50 with denatured alcohol and brushed
on. This includes the wing roots and the engine
mounting areas. You may wish to wait until the
engine fitting and drilling is complete since some
Preparation:Recommended Radio Equipment:
Assembly Manual Talon F1-P

engines will require trimming of the wood engine
beams. Pay special attention to the joints in the
engine mount area and fill any gaps with un-
thinned epoxy to prevent fuel intrusion.
Unless you have foam-safe CA, be very
careful of the use of CA glues where it might con-
tact or migrate into the foam cores of the fuselage
and wings. Regular CA glues will instantly dissolve
the foam and, if excessive, weaken the structure.
Wing Bolt Fit: Before installing aileron
hinges, you should check the alignment and fit of
the wing bolt holes in the wing root tabs to those
in the fuselage. Place the fuselage flat on the
work table and check the fit of the 1/4” nylon bolts
through the wing mount hard points’ holes. Be
very sure that you are checking the front wing bolt
hole and not the top landing gear mounting hole
since it is very close to the front wing mount.
Enlarge if necessary with a 1/4” drill bit but only
just enough to allow a snug fit. Insert the alumi-
num wing tube through the fuselage, slide both
wing panels on, and insert the rear 1/4” dia. nylon
wing bolt with a nylon washer through the rear
wing root tab. Measure the distance from the bot-
tom of the fuselage to the center of the wing
trailing edge of both wing panels. If this distance
is not the same, or if you have difficulty getting
the wing bolt through both wing panels’ tabs,
elongate one wing tab hole only to correct. Do
Page 7
not drill the hole larger, just elongate in the direc-
tion it needs to correct the fit.
When this is finished, install a 1/4” nylon
washer and locknut on the rear wing bolt to se-
cure both wing panels. Now, check the fit of the
front wing mount bolt with the front wing root
tabs, elongating the tab holes only as necessary to
provide a snug fit of the bolt. This process will
provide proper wing incidence and correct any
manufacturing misalignment. Use thin CA to seal
the interior of each wing tab and fuselage mount-
ing hole against fuel intrusion.
If you have an incidence meter you can
check the alignment of the wing panels with each
other and the engine thrust line. All reference
lines; vertical engine thrust, wing and stabilizer in-
cidence lines; are at zero degrees to each other.
Tip: The centerline of the wing tube opening and
the front wing bolt would be your datum line.
Aileron Servos: On the bottom of each
wing panel, locate the aileron servo openings and
check the fit of your servo. Trim the opening size
larger if necessary. Use your covering iron to seal
down any loose covering edges at the openings.
With the aileron servo in place, drill a 1/16” pilot
hole through each mounting grommet into the ply-
wood servo plate and install servo screws. Re-
move the screws and servo, and apply, sparingly,
a drop of thin CA to each servo plate hole to
harden the wood. Also fuel proof any exposed
wood with thinned epoxy. Install the 12” aileron
servo extensions, safety the connectors with heat
Assembly Manual Talon F1-P
Wing Assembly:

shrink tubing, pull the wires through the wings,
and reinstall the servos.
Aileron Hinging: Remove all aileron
hinges from both wing panels and ailerons and
clear each hinge hole of covering or wood shav-
ings. Do not enlarge - just clean them up a bit to
allow the hinge knuckle to seat properly.
Using 30 or 45 minute epoxy, install the
hinges in the wing panels and ailerons. Applying a
bit of Vasoline with a cotton swab to each hinge
knuckle will prevent the epoxy from intruding. Ap-
ply epoxy to both the shaft of the hinge and into
the hole before inserting. Clean away excess ep-
oxy with a paper towel and denatured alcohol.
Position the aileron from the wing’s trailing edge
with just enough gap to allow for about 50° of
pivot up and down. Insert several shims of card-
board or balsa along the length of the aileron to
maintain this gap and tape the aileron to the wing
to hold until the epoxy sets.
Control Horns: Thread the Adjustable 8-
32 control horn bolts (Dubro) through each pre-
drilled aileron hard point using the adjustable alu-
minum washers and pylon. If necessary, drill out
only enough to allow the horn bolts to thread
snuggly, not drop through. Measure the distance
horizontally from the bolt to the center of the
hinge line and redrill the nylon horn’s clevis pin
hole if required to align with the hinge centerline.
Trim and round off excess horn length. Thread
the control horn fully onto the control horn bolt’s
aluminum pylon.
Pushrods: Install the aileron servo horn
arm and be sure to use thread locker compound
on the screw if your servo has a metal shaft. In-
stall the Dubro safety lock link onto the control
arm and the clevis onto the control horn. With the
aileron aligned neutrally with the wing and the
servo arm 90° to the servo, measure the pushrod
length required from the safety link to the control
horn clevis, allowing for threading into each and
future adjustment. Cut the 4-40 full thread push-
rod to this length, thread into clevis and safety
link, and adjust for neutral aileron at the 90° servo
arm position. Measure the resulting exposed
threaded pushrod length and cut the carbon fiber
Page 8
pushrod tube 1/2” shorter (allowing 1/4” exposed
threads from each end of the CF tube). Remove
the safety link from one end of the pushrod,
thread a 4-40 nut down to the clevis, slide on the
CF rod, and thread on another 4-40 nut. Reinstall
the safety link and readjust aileron to neutral. Ad-
just to center and tighten the 4-40 nuts snuggly to
each end of the CF tube. This pushrod assembly
is extremely rigid and has been used successfully
on much larger aircraft. Gap seal the hinge lines
with iron-on covering or clear packing tape.
There really is no fuselage assembly but
rather preparation to receive the engine, tail sur-
faces, landing gear, and radio equipment. No can-
opy or engine cowl to fuss over! See the gas en-
gine installation for its’ throttle servo location.
Engine Mounting: (see Engine Mount-
ing Supplements) Test fit the engine to the
wood mounting beams, allowing 1/8” clearance
from the end of the nose to the back of the spin-
ner plate. Adjustments to fit various engines are
necessary but simple. If the engine case is too
wide to fit between the mounting beams, remove
just enough material equally from each beam to fit
snuggly. Since most engine cases are rounded,
usually just a bit of a bevel at the outer edges of
the mount are required. On the other hand, if
your engine case is more narrow, epoxy a thin
plywood shim to each mount to keep the engine’s
vertical thrust line correct and to reinforce the
Fuselage Assembly:
Assembly Manual Talon F1-P

mounting bolt holes. When satisfied with the fit,
mark the center of each mounting hole and drill all
the way through the fuselage. The use of a drill
press or drill jig to keep the holes perpendicular is
best.
From the opposite fuselage side, cut or drill 1/2”
holes only down to, but not into, the engine
beams. These holes are to allow clearance for the
engine bolt locknuts and will be concealed with
iron-on covering.
Cowl Strakes: In the above photo, you
can also see the cowl strake slots in the fuselage.
Remove the covering from the three cowl strake
openings in each side of the fuselage for attach-
ment of the cowl strakes. Use a heated wire to
remove the foam to the depth of the tabs at the
slots. Epoxy the cowl strakes to each side of the
Page 9
fuselage, making sure that they are perpendicular
to the sides. Again, coat all exposed wood with
thinned epoxy to seal against fuel. Apply thin CA
to the engine mount holes sparingly to avoid the
foam on the opposite side. If you wish, you can
paint the wood surfaces inside the engine bay with
matching “Flame Red” Ultracote paint. Wait until
you have the tail surfaces and landing gear
mounted before installing the engine.
Fin and Stabilizer: Slide the fin in place
in the fuselage slot and mark a line at the fuse
side. Remove any fin covering that is more than
about 1/8” below this line without scoring the
balsa sheeting on the fin. Also mark and cut the
rudder servo opening in the fin sheeting. Some
servos’ depth will require you to remove the right
side fin sheeting as well (not the fuse side) to fully
seat the servo against the mount. You could also
use a thin shim at the outside of the mount plate.
The rudder servo should mount so that the shaft
and wire are to the front. Remove any interior fin
balsa as required to clear the servo wire path.
Now measure the trailing edge of the stabi-
lizer and mark the centerline with a felt tip pen.
Measure outward each side of the centerline one-
half of the width of the fuselage and mark a line
for mounting alignment Use a drafting triangle or
carpenter’s square to assure that your lines are
90° to the trailing edge of the stab. Center the
Assembly Manual Talon F1-P
Tail Assembly:

stab in the fuselage slot and trace around the ele-
vator servo plate at the underside of the stab. Re-
move covering from the stab bottom to 1/16” in-
side these lines, being careful not to score the
balsa sheeting. Also remove the covering from the
top of each elevator servo box.
With the wing tube and wings installed,
and the stabilizer and fin temporarily in place,
check that the stabilizer is level with the wings. If
necessary, sand the stabilizer opening or use thin
balsa shims to bring the stab into alignment with
the wing. Using 30 or 45 minute epoxy, glue the
stabilizer in place first and then the fin. Use the
drafting square again to keep the stabilizer trailing
edge 90° to the fuselage. Be sure to keep the
openings for the rudder and elevator servo wiring
clear of epoxy. Clamp the fuselage sides to fin as
Page 10
shown while the epoxy cures.
As you did with the ailerons, clear the
hinge holes and epoxy the hinges for the fin and
elevators in place. The bottom rudder hinge will
need the hole in the fuselage deepened to fit. Al-
low just enough gap for about 50° of control sur-
face travel. Install the control horn bolts in the
rudder and elevators as you did the ailerons. Gap
seal the hinge lines.
Tailwheel: Assemble and install the tail-
wheel and bracket with two #4 screws as shown
in the following photo. I used a modified servo
arm to act as steering arms and secured it to the
bottom of the rudder with two #4 screws. Back
out all the mounting screws, harden the holes with
thin CA, allow to cure, then reinstall. I like to use
monofilament (fishing) line to connect the rudder
steering arm to the tailwheel arm. It helps to tape
the rudder in the neutral position first, then pull
each side tight and tie each side equally.
Rudder and Elevator Servos: Drill and
screw the servos temporarily in place then remove
the servos and CA the screw holes. Attach the
servo extensions and safety the connections.
Thread each of the elevator servo wires
through separately and, using the pull cords, gen-
tly pull the wires through to the receiver opening.
I made a big loop with the pull cord so that each
wire pull would still have the cord in place for the
next wire. I also like to fold the wire back a cou-
ple of inches and hold it with a very little bit of
Assembly Manual Talon F1-P