GREAT PLANES F-14 TOMCAT User manual

INSTRUCTION BOOK
WARRANTY
Great Planes ModelManufacturing Co , Incguarantees thiskitto befree of defects inboth material
andworkmanship atthe date of purchase This warranty does not cover any component parts damaged
by use or modification Innocase shallGreat Planes' liability exceed the original cost of the purchased
kitFurther, Great Planes reserves the right to change or modify this warranty without notice
Inthat Great Planes has nocontrol over the final assembly or material used for final assembly, no
liabilityshall beassumed nor accepted forany damage resulting from the use bythe user of the finaluser-
assembled product Bythe act of using the user-assembled product the user accepts allresulting liability
Ifthe buyer isnotprepared to accept the liabilityassociated with the useofthis product, heis
advised to immediately return this kitinnew and unused condition to the place of purchase.
READ THROUGH THIS INSTRUCTION BOOK FIRST.
ITCONTAINS IMPORTANTINSTRUCTIONSAND
WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND
USEOF THIS MODEL.
P0 BOX788URBANA ILLNOIS61801(217)398-8970
EntireContents ©1992 Hobbico,IncF146P03V1 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ........................3
Precautions...................................3
Other Items Required..................4
Suppliesand Tools Needed..........4
DecisionsYou MustMake Now ..5
Common Abbreviations...............5
Types ofWood .............................5
Die Patterns..................................6
Get Ready to Build.......................7
TAIL FEATHERS ........................7
Buildthe Fins and Rudders..........7
Buildthe Stabs and Elevators ......8
Temporarily InstallHinges..........9
WING.............................................10
Spars.............................................10
Buildthe WingPanels..................10
Assemblethe Two Panels ............12
Installthe WingSheeting.............14
InstalltheAileronTorqueRods...18
FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY............19
Prepare the Sides..........................19
Prepare the Firewall.....................21
Assemble Fuselage.......................21
LandingGear (Fixed)...................23
LandingGear (Retracts)...............25
General Fuselage Assembly.........27
Installthe Nose Gear Retract .......28
InstallRadio .................................29
Retract Pushrods ..........................30
Pushrods.......................................31
DrillEngineMount......................34
InstallFuelTank...........................35
FinalFuselage Construction.........35
Fit the Wingto the Fuselage ........37
BuildtheWing TurtleDeck.........39
EngineCompartment...................40
FINAL ASSEMBLY .......................42
Install Wing Tips ...........................43
InstallAilerons..............................43
InstallAileronServo......................44
Install ExhaustNozzles .................45
Cut MainGear Retract Openings ..46
FINISHING....................................47
Blend Wingto Fuse .......................47
InstrumentConsole & Seats ..........47
Prepare Canopy..............................47
Balance the AirplaneLaterally ......48
FinalSanding.................................48
Covering ........................................48
GlueFins and Stabs inPlace .........49
Glue AileronHinges......................49
GlueElev. and RudderHinges......49
InstallCockpit................................50
Decals and Trim.............................50
Wing Seating .................................51
Re-install Engineand Radio..........51
Balance Your Model ......................51
Final Hookups and Checks............53
PRE-FLIGHT.................................53
Charge the Batteries.......................53
Find a Safe Place to Fly.................53
GroundCheck the Model ..............53
Range Check Your Radio ..............53
EngineSafety Precautions.............53
AMA Safety Code.........................54
FLYING..........................................54
Takeoff...........................................54
Flying............................................54
Important Caution..........................55
Landing..........................................55
Control Surface Throws.................55
2-VIEW............................................56

WARNING! THIS IS NOT A TOY!
THIS IS NOT A BEGINNERS AIRPLANE!
ThisR/C kitand themodel you willbuildis not a toy! It is capableof seriousbodilyharmand
property damage IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND YOURS ALONE — to buildthiskit
correctly,properly installallR/C componentsand flyinggear (engine,tank,pushrods,etc ) andto
testthemodelandflyitonlywithexperienced,competenthelp,usingcommonsenseandin
accordance withallsafetystandardsas set down intheAcademyof Model AeronauticsSafetyCode
It is suggested thatyou jointhe AMAandbecome properlyinsuredbeforeyou attemptto flythis
model IF YOU AREJUST STARTING R/C MODELING, CONSULT YOURLOCAL HOBBY
SHOPORWRITETO THEACADEMYOFMODELAERONAUTICSTO FINDAN
EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTOR IN YOURAREA
Academyof Model Aeronautics
5151 East MemorialDrive
Muncie,IN47302-9252 [phone]
INTRODUCTION
Congratulationsand thankyou for purchasingthe
Great PlanesF-14 TOMCAT'
TheGreatPlanesF-14isa highperformance
propeller-drivensportairplanethatresemblesthereal
F-14Tomcat Inthe air, the prop is invisible,addingto
the realismThe smoothnessandspeed of thisairplane
allowyoutoexperiencethethrillsof flyinga jet-like
airplanewithoutthecomplexityand highcost ofa dueled
fanmodel
Please inspectallparts carefullybefore
startingto build!Ifany partsare missing,
brokenor defective,or ifyouhaveany
questionsaboutbuildingor flyingthis
airplane,please call us at [phone] and
we'llbe glad to help.Ifyouare callingfor
replacementparts,pleaselookupthepart
numbersand thekitidentificationnumber
(stamped on the end of the carton) and have
them ready when calling.
This isnot a beginner's airplane! WhiletheF-14
TOMCAT isnotdifficulttobuildandfliesgreat,we
mustdiscourage you from selectingthiskitas yourfirst
R/C airplaneItis very fast,highlymaneuverableand
lackstheself-recoverycharacteristicsof a good basic
trainersuchas theGreatPlanesPT Series airplanes
On the other hand,if you are confidentwithyourflying
skilland can safelyhandleaileronairplanessuchas the
GreatPlanesUltra-SportSeries or Big StikSeries
airplanes,theF-14 is anexcellentchoice.If you
currentlyflyan aileronairplanebutyouare unsureabout
yourabilityto handletheF-14. we recommendthatyou
buildandflya low-wingsport planebefore buildingand
flyingyour F-14
PRECAUTIONS
1.You mustbuildtheplaneaccording to the plans
and instructions. Do notalteror modifythemodelas
doingsomayresultinanunsafeor unflyablemodel In
afew casesthe plansand instructionsmaydifferslightly
fromthephotos Inthoseinstancesyoushouldassume
theplansandwritteninstructionsare correct Alsoyou
maynoticea slightdifferenceinlengthbetweenlonger
parts and theplansThisis normaland is caused by the
plansexpandingandshrinkingwiththechanging
moisturecontentintheanDo notmodifythepaitsto fit
the plan
2You musttaketimeto buildstraight,trueand
strongIMPORTANT- Glueshouldneverbe
substitutedtora good jointTake a littleextratimeto get
aclosefittingjointandglueitproperlyItwillbe
stronger,neater,andmuchlighterthana bad jointheld
together witha glob of glue!
3

3.You must use a proper R/C radio that is in firstclass
conditionandmeetsthecurrentAMAandFCC
requirementsand therequirementsof yourlocal flying
club,thecorrectsizedengine andcorrect components
(fuel tank, wheels, etc )
4.You mustproperlyinstallallR/Candother
componentssothatthemodel operates properlyon the
ground and intheair
5.You musttest theoperationofthe model beforethe
first and each successive flightto insurethatallequipment
is operating Also youmustmake certain thatthe model
has remained structurallysound
6.Youmustflythemodel only withthe competent
help ofa wellexperienced R/C pilotif you are not already
an experienced and knowledgeable R/C pilot.
Note We, as the kitmanufacturer,can provide you witha
top qualitykitandgreatinstructions,butultimatelythe
qualityand flyabilityof yourfinishedmodel depends on
howyoubuildit,therefore,wecannotinanyway
guarantee theperformance ofyourcompleted model, and
norepresentationsareexpressedor impliedas to the
performance or safety ofyour completed model
Remember:Take yourtimeand follow
directions to end up with a well-built model that
is straight and true.
OTHER ITEMS REQUIRED
DFour-channelradio with4 or 5 servos (additionalchannel
and retract servo requiredif retracts are beingused)
DPropellers(see engineinstructionsforrecommended
sizes)Top Flite® "Power Props" recommended.
D2-1/4" Spinner(Hobbico 2-1/4"Jet spinner#HCAQ3750
recommended)
DFuel Tank(GPMQ4104)
D5/32"Wheel Collars (GPMQ4306)
DIron-on Covering Material(Top Flite Super MonoKote®
gray, blackand cubyellowrecommended)
DFuelproof Paintfor Tail Cones, and possibly for trim
Note Chevron"Perfect Paint"matchesTop FliteSuper
MonoKote,and isavailableinspraycans.
D36"Throttle Pushrod (GPMQ3710)
DSilicone Fuel Tubing(GPMQ4131)
D1/16"thickWingSeatingTape (GPMQ4422) orsilicone
sealer seeinstructions
DLatex Foam RubberPadding (HCAQ 1000)
D2 PlasticPilotsWilliams BrosMilitary 1-1/2"Scale#171
DWheels (seepage 5)
THE OPTIONAL RETRACTS ALSO REQUIRE:
DHobbico Low-ProfileRetracts(HCAP4000)
D#2 X 3/8" Socket Head Screws (GPMQ3120)
DDubro #103 StripAileronHorn (DUBQ1780)
DNose GearRetractPushrod(ASullivanred outer
guidetubeanda 34" threaded rod works wellfor this)
DThree 3/32" Wheel Collars(GPMQ4302)
DScrew-Lock Pushrod Connector (GPMQ3870)
D2-56Metal Clevises (GPMQ3790)
SUPPLIES AND TOOLS NEEDED
D2 ozThin CA Adhesive (GPMR6003)
D2 ozMediumor ThickCA Adhesive (GPMR6009)
D2 5 oz Epoxy (GPMR6047)
DSilicone Adhesive
D7/64BallDriver(GPMR8003)
D440Tap(GPMR8101)
DHand or ElectricDrill
DDrillBits1/16", 5/64", 7/64", 1/8",5/32", 3/16",
13/64",1/4"and5/16"
DSealingIronandHeatGun(Hobbicoor Top Flite
recommended)
DHobby Saw (X-acto Razor Saw)
DX-acto Knife,#11Blades
DPliers
DScrew Drivers
DT-Pins(HCAR5200)
DStraightedge
DMaskingTape (Requiredfor construction)
DSandpaper (coarse, medium,finegrit)*
DT-Bar SandingBlock (or similar)
DWaxed Paper
DLightweightBalsa Filler
DVaseline PetroleumJelly
DIsopropyi RubbingAlcohol(70%)
D3M "77"Spray Adhesive(optional)
DDremel Moto Tool or similar(optional)
D5/64and 2mmBallDriver(forHobbico Retracts)
*NOTE: On our workbench, we have four11"T-Bar
sanders, equipped with#50, #80, #100 and #150-grit
sandpaper.Thissetup isallthatisrequiredfor
almost any sanding task. We also keep some #320-
gritwet-or-dry sandpaper handyforfinishsanding
before covering.
4

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE NOW
ENGINE, MOUNT AND MUFFLER
SELECTION
The recommended enginefor theF 14 isa 60*- 75
cubicinchdisplacement2-cycle *NOTE: Performance
maybe marginalifa non-Schneurle-ported60 cuin
2-Cycleengineis used.The engineyouselect will
determinehow you buildthefuselage, soitisimportant
thatyouhavetheengineclose athandwhilebuilding
Becauseof thesizelimitationsandthenatureof this
model,4-cycleenginesare more difficultto installand
balanceand therefore arenot recommended.
This kitincludesa Great Planes MM60 enginemount
(orsimilarmount)thatfitsmost60 - 61(2-Cycle)
engines(slightmodificationofthismountis requiredto
mounttheOS 61 SF byfilingtheinsideedgesof the
enginemountbeams)If thesuppliedmountcan'tbe
modifiedtofityourengine,itmaybenecessaryto
purchasea differentmount(checkwithyourhobby
dealer).
SELECTION OF WHEELS
Tosaveweight,we recommendusinglightweight
wheelsREMEMBER:Largewheelsareuglyand
unrealisticon a model of thistype,sotryto keep the
wheelsas smallas possible.
Ifyou will beflyingfrom a concreteorasphaltrunway, we
recommend 2-1/4"main wheels anda 2"nosewheel
Forgrassfields,largerwheels will berequired,suchas2-1/2"
mainwheelsanda2-1/4"to2-1/2"nosewheel.
Ifyouwill beinstalling retracts,you shouldtry tolimit the
wheelsizetoa maximum of2-1/4"main wheelsand a 2"nose
wheel orthewheelwellswillbeexcessivelylarge.
POSSIBLE RADIO INSTALLATIONS
The F-14 is designedto satisfya widevarietyof
modelers'desiresThefollowingradioinstallation
optionswillallowyouto customizetheplaneto fit
whicheverradio you wantto use.
Ourrecommendedradioinstallationrequires5
standard servos and a 180degree retract servo (ifretracts
are used)Thiswillallowyou to use one standardservo
fortherudders,twoservosfortheelevators(onefor
each), one forthethrottleand one for theaileronsThis
set-upwillgiveyou very precise controlandis easy to
install
You can also flythe plane with4 standard servos by
usingonlyone servo to driveboth elevatorsInthiscase
theelevatorservo ismountedupina frontservo trayand
two long pushrodsare used ThiswillworkOk, butthere
is generallymore "play"intheelevators(dueto the
longer,curvedpushrods)Thismethodisnot
recommendedif you intendto use a highpowered engine
or do a lot of highspeed flying
Both rudders can beoperated from one servo without
any problems because theirlinkageis much straighter If
you don'tplanon doingmuchacrobaticflying,youcan
evenget by withonlyone operatingrudderInthiscase
youwouldjustrunonepushrodstraightbacktothe
rudder onthe same side asthe servo The other rudder
would be gluedon to the finand wouldnot move
RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR (optional)
Thisairplanefliesvery wellwitha fixedlandinggear,
andretracts are not necessary, however,theydo add
realismandspeed, andarea niceaddition(ityouare
prepared for theextra work involvedintheirinstallation)
Sincetheretractsarealllocatedinthefuselage,one
retract servo (suchas theFutaba FP-S136G) can be used
to actuateallthreeretracts
COMMONABBREVIATIONSUSEDIN
THIS BOOK AND ON THE PLANS:
Elev = Elevator
Fuse = Fuselage
LE = LeadingEdge (front)
LG = LandingGear
Ply = Plywood
Stab = Stabilizer
TE = TrailingEdge (rear)
=Inches
TYPESOF WOOD
BalsaBasswood Plywood

6

GET READY TOBUILD
D1. Unrolltheplansheets and re-roll them inside
out. Thiswillhelpthemlieflat.
D2.Removeallpartsfromthebox.As youdo,
determinethenameofeach part by comparingitwiththe
plansandtheparts listat theback of thisbook. Usinga
felttippen,writethepart name or sizeon each pieceto
avoidconfusionlater.Usethedie-cutpartpatterns
shown on page 6 to identifythe die-cutparts, butdo not
punch them out untilyou are ready to use them.Save
allscraps. Ifanyof thedie-cutpartsare difficultto
punchout,do notforce them!Instead,firstcutaround
the parts withanX-actoknife.Afterpunchingoutthe
die-cutparts, use yourT-Bar or sandingblockto lightly
sandtheedgestoremoveanydie-cuttingirregularities.
D3.Asyouidentifyandmarktheparts,separate
them intogroups,suchas fuse (fuselage), wing, fin and
stab(stabilizer),and hardware.
"TAIL FEATHERS"
DD 3.Cutthetipof thefinreartomatchtheleading
edge sweep of thefinfront.Gluethe littletrianglepiece
of scrap intothe"V" at thebottom.Cutthe1/4"x 5/8"
x9"balsa stick (F146R04)inhalftomaketwo4-1/2"
longfintips. Gluethetipinplace at theend of thefin
rear.
BUILD THE FINS AND RUDDERS
D1.Tape the fuselage side view portion ofthe plan
down onto yourflatwork surface.Tape a piece ofwaxed
paper over thefinandrudderportion oftheplan.
DD 4. Drawa lineparallelwiththetrailingedge of
thefinand1/4"infrontof it.Drawanotherlineparallel
withthe bottom edge ofthefinand 1"above it.Cutout
aclearancenotchfor thetorquerods usingthe linesasa
guideas shown inthe photo.
DD 2. Glue the 1/4" balsa finfrom (146R01) to
the 1/4"balsafinrear (F146R03) so theirbottomsare
even witheach other. Note thatthere willbe a triangleof
wood missingbetween the two pieces. This can be filled
in thenextstep.
DD 5.Use a sandingblockwithmedium(150)grit
sandpaperto sand theedges and both sides ofthestab
smooth.Carefullydrawa centerlineallaroundthe
edges of thestaband elevator.Thiswillmakeiteasierto
maintainsymmetrywhensandinglater.
7

D D 6.Using a sanding block andcoarse (50 or 80-
grit)sandpaper,sandbothsidesoftheruddertoataper
(see cross-section on plans).The trailingedge should
end upapproximately3/32" wide.(Do notsandtoa
sharpedge).Leavethetopandbottomedgessquare.
Sand theleadingedge of therudder to a "V-shape" as
shown on theplan.NOTE: If you aregoing to have
only one operating rudder, do not sand the LE ofthe
fixed rudder to a "V"asdescribed above. Leaveit
square andJustglueitinplace againstthe TE and tipof
thefin.HINT: Itis a good ideatokeepnew,sharp
sandpaperon yoursandingblocks.You willnoticethatit
"cuts" thewood andthegluemuchcleanerandproduces
amuch smoother finish.
DD 7.Sand thetop and frontedges ofthe finto a
roundedshape (see cross-section on plans).Sand the
trailingedge of thefintip(at the top oftherudder) to the
same taper asthe rudder.
D8.Go backto step 2 andbuildanotherfinand
rudder.
DD 2.Gluethe1/4" balsastab front (F146S01)to
the 1/4"balsa stab rear (F146S03) sotheroot endsare
even with each other.Note thatthere is a triangleof
missingwood formed whenthetwopieces are properly
joined.There are no scrap pieces to fitinthere.You can
cutone ifyoudesire,althoughitisnot necessary.
DD 3.Positionthe1/4"balsaelevator (F146S04)
over theplanandmarkwherethestab tipwillbe cutoft.
Cutthetipoff witha razor saw and glueitto thestab
rear. Do thisovertheplansso youwillbe sureto
position it correctly.
BUILDTHE STABILIZERSAND
ELEVATORS
D1.Tapethe fuselage top viewportion ofthe plan
down ontoyourflatworksurfaceandcover thestabilizer
portion of thefuselagetop viewwithwax paper.
DD 4.Use a sandingblock withmedium(150)grit
sandpaperto sandtheedges andbothsidesof thestab
smooth.Carefullydrawa centerlineallaroundthe
edgesofthe stab and elevator. This willmake iteasier to
maintainsymmetrywhensandinglater.
8

DD 5.Usinga sandingblock and coarse(50or 80-
grit)sandpaper, sand bothsides of the elevatorto a taper
(seecross-section on plans).The trailingedge should
endupapproximately3/32" wide.(Do notsandtoa
sharp edge). Leave theendssquare.Sand theleading
edge oftheelevatorto a "V-shape" as shownon the
plan.
DD 6.Sand the tipand frontedges ofthe stab to a
roundedshape(see cross-section on plans).Sand the
trailingedge of thestab tipto the same taperas the
elevator.
DD 7.Draw a lineparallel withthetrailingedge of
thestaband1/4" infrontof it.Drawanotherline
parallel withtheroot edge of thestaband 1"outfromit.
Cut out a clearance notch for thetorquerods justasyou
did on the finsearlier.
D8.Go back to step 2 and buildanotherstab and
elevator.
B.Make three or fourmore cutsinthesame line,going
slightlydeepereach time.Asyoumakethese
additionalcuts.work on goingstraightintothewood.
Continuethisprocesswhile"wiggling"theknife
handleforwardandbackwarduntilthebladehas
reached theproper depth for thehinge.
C.Trialfitthehingeintotheslot.Ifthehingeis
difficulttopushin.re-inserttheknifeandmoveit
back andforthintheslota fewtimes toenlarge the
slot. Do not glue the hinges yet.
TEMPORARILYINSTALL HINGES
AND TORQUE RODS
D1.Usingtheplansas a guide,markthehinge
locationson thestabs, elevators,finsand rudders. Also
designateone of each surfaceas being"right" and the
others as "left."
CAUTION!!! You must use extreme care when
cuttinghingeslotswithan X-actoknife,to
avoid cutting yourself! If the balsa part breaks
whileyou are pushing on the knife,the blade
could gointo your hand before you know it!A
goodprecaution is to wear leather gloves while
performing the followingsteps.
D2.Cut the hingeslots on the centerlines you drew
earlier. Our recommendedhingeslottingmethodis
described below.
A. Begin by carefullycuttinga very shallow slit at the
hingelocation.The firstcutisto establishyourcutin
therightplace,soconcentrate on stayingon the line
and don't cut toodeep.
D3.Checktheplansandmarkthelocationof the
torquerods on theruddersandelevators.Drill7/64"
holes in the rudders and elevators(the holes are drilled
slightlyoversizetoallowfor positioning,andtocreatea
hardepoxy"sleeve" aroundthewire).Groovetherudder
andelevatorLE to accept thetorquerod wiresandnylon
bearings (See below).
HINT: UsinganX-acto knife,sharpen theinsideofone
end of a 1/8"diameterbrasstube.anduseitto cutthe
groove in the leading edge of theruddersandelevators.
9

D4. Determinethetorque rod bearing locations
from theplan.Then usea hingeslottingtooltocutthe
slotsinthestabsandfinstorthenylontorquerod
bearings.Cuta groove inthetrailingedge of thestabs
and finsto accept the torque rods and nylonbearings.
TWOWARPEDSPARSINSTALLED
THISWAYWILLRESULTINA
STRAIGHTWING
TWO WARPEDSPARS INSTALLED
THIS WAYWILLRESULTIN A
WARPEDWING
D5.Trial fitall these parts together usingthe torque
rods andhingesandtrimthefintipsflushwiththe
trailingedges of therudders.Checktheoperation of the
control surfaces butdo notglueanythingyet.
"WING"
NOTE: The followinginstructionsexplainhow to build
thewingon a flatsurface,directlyon theplans.The jig
tabs willautomaticallybuildin1-3/4 degrees ofwashout
andenableyou to builda wingas straightas yourwork
surface.Becausethiswinghasa lot of taperand sweep,
itisnot advisableto builditon a Great Planes WingJig.
imperfections.If possible,positioneach spar sothe
imperfections(ifany)areon the outer half ofthewing
panel(towardthetip),wheretheywillbe leastaffected
by highstress.If thesparsare warpedslightly,tryto
"balancethemout"byinstallingthewarpedsparsin
opposite directions(see sketch).NOTICE: Ifyou feel
thatanyof thewingpartsare unusableduetosevere
warps or other defects, giveus a calland we'llreplace
the parts.
D2. Sand2" of one endof each1/8"x 3/8"x 18"
balsa spar doubler (F146W05)to a taper as shownin
the "Wing Spar Detail" on theplan.
D3.Glue the spar doublers to the 1/8"x 3/8"x 30"
balsa spars(F146F04) withthickCA as shown in the
"Wing Spar Detail."Take yourtimeandpress thespar
assembly flatagainsttheworksurfacewhiletheglueis
curing.Also rotatetheassemblyontoitsside andpress
it down to keep the doublerand spar alignedand straight.
Do thison a flatworksurfaceandmostwarpscan be
eliminated. Wipe off anyexcess gluebefore itcures.
SPARS
D1.Beforeusingthehardbalsaspars, examine
themcarefullyforpossibleimperfections.Look for
knots, soft spots, diagonalgram and any other
BUILD THE WING PANELS
NOTE: If youbuildintheconventionalmanner,by
pinningthecomponentsto yourworkbench,itwillbe
helpfulto buildthewingon a piece of "Celotex"* or
10

othersemi-soft(andflat)surface,intowhichyoumay
easilystickpinstofirmlyholddownthewingparts
whilebuilding,to avoidwarps. *Availablefrom lumber
companies and home centers.
NOTE: You shouldalso be aware ofthefollowing:
This wingis constructed with1-3/4degrees of washout
(TE higherthanLE at thewingtip)built-in.Whenthe
wingisupright,thetabson therear portionof theribsset
theribsat theproper anglesto achievethisslighttwist.
Whenyouflipthewingoverto work on thebottomside,
the jigtabson thetop ofthe wingwillhold the correct
washoutinthewing.
DD 1. CuttheWing Plan apart on the heavy dashed
line.Tape theright(or left)wingpanelplanto yourflat
work surface, and cover thewingdrawingwithwaxed
paper(soyou won'tgluethewingto the plan!).
DD 2. Carefullypunchoutallthedie-cut3/32"and
1/8"balsawingribs. Sand theedges slightly to remove
anydie-cuttingirregularitiesor "fuzz."
with the rear-most jig tab against the work surface.
Use a 90-degree triangleto keep theribsvertical.
DD 5.The shaped and notched wingtrailingedges
(F146W07)are fastenedtogetherbya thinstripof balsa.
SeparatethembycuttingwithanX-actoknife.Position
theTE inplaceby workingtherearendsof theribsinto
the notches inthe TE. CentertheTE verticallyon each
rib and glueitinplace withthinCA.
DD 3.Cross-pin one of thespars to theplanwiththe
longspar down.andwiththethickend(2laminations)
towardtheroot.Thetaperedendof thespar doubler
shouldend justinside(1/4") ofribW8.
DD 6.Glue the top spar inplace (withthe long spar
on top). Make sureitisfullyseated inthenotchessoit
doesnotstickabovethetopsurfaceoftheribs.
Remember, thespar doublerstops justinsideribW8.
DD 4. GlueribsW2throughW11ontothesparin
theircorrect position.Notice that the ribs areinstalled
DD 7.Positiona shapedbalsaLeadingEdge
(F146W06) over theLeadingEdge Templateon thewing
planand mark where thenotchgoes. Use a razor saw to
11

cut the notch. Make sure you cut the notch perpendicular
to theLE andnoticethatitdoes not need to go allthe
way throughthe LE.
W3 and the slanted piece ofLE already installed. Trim
the LE flushwithW2 and theslanted piece of LE.
DD 8.GluetheLEtoribW5so thenotchis
positionedas shownon theplanandtheLE is centered
(upand down)on the rib. Center the LE on ribs W6
throughW11andglueitinplace withthinCA. Next,
gluetheLE to ribW3 andlastlyto ribW4. The LE may
break intwo duringthisstep, butthisisOK, justglueit
back togetherasyou perform the step. IMPORTANT -
Use theplansas a guidetokeepthefrontofrib W3
positioned correctly.
DD 9.Cut the excess LE off flushwiththe frontof
rib W3. Sand itifnecessary to get the face ofthe LE cut
aligned withrib W2.
DD 10.Gluethe remainingpiece of LE to ribs W2,
NOTE: Inthefollowingsteps you'llfinditnecessary to
removesome ofthe pinsholdingthewingdownto your
buildingboard. As you do, take other steps asnecessary
to continueholdingthewingdown,suchas by applying
weight tothetop of thewing, orby relocating the pins.
DD 11.Gluethepre-cut1/16"balsaverticalgrain
shear webs to therear edge of thespars inallribbays
except inside ofrib W2 and between ribs W5 and W6.
Alsoglueshear webs on thefront edge of thespars in
thefirst5 ribbaysstartingwiththeW2-W3bay.
NOTE: You maywishto trialfit,mark,andtrimeach
webbeforegluingitin.The webs must besecurely
glued tothe spars.
DD 12. Trim the tipend ofthe LE,TEand sparsoff
flushwithribW11.
DD 13.Trimofftheroot endof thesparsandTE
slightlylongerthantheircorrect length(approx.1/64"
longer).Later, whenthetwowinghalvesare joined,
theywillbe sanded to thecorrect length.Remove the
wing panel from the work surface.
D14.Go back to step 1 and assemble theother wing
half.Be sureto build a right wing and a leftwing!
ASSEMBLE THE TWO PANELS
D1.Cut out the two dashed semi-circles on the left
wingplan.Place theleftwingplanover therightwing
planandcarefullyline-upthecenterlinesofeach plan.
Tape thetwoplanstogether.Test fitthetwopanels
togetherover theplansandsandthesparsandTE as
necessary untilyou achievetheproper spacing andwing
sweep.Insertthedie-cut1/8"plyfront wingplate
(F146F15) and the 1/4"x 1"x 4-13/32"plyfront wing
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bolt plate (F146W18) to check the spacing.Make sure
bothpanelsare on a flat surfaceandlinedupcorrectly
withthe jigtabs against the work surface. Refer to the
plansand thefollowingphoto.NOTE: The notches for
themiddlesparshouldforma straightline whenthe
proper amountofsweep is achieved.
D2.Whensatisfiedwiththefitof thetwopanels,
insert the frontwingbolt platealongwiththewingfront
plateintotheslots intheW-2 ribsandgluethespars and
TE'S togetherwithepoxy. Also gluethe platesinplace.
D4.Securelygluethe1/8"x 23/32"x 4-5/32"ply
dihedral brace (F146W12)inplace betweenthe spars
and against the W1B ribs with epoxy.
D3.Installthedie-cut1/8" balsaW1Bribs
(F146W01) by insertingthemintothetrailingedge slots
androtatingthemuntilthefrontnotchescontactthe
spars. Make sure the aileron servo rail slots in the ribs
are positioneddown (near thework surface) and glue
them in place.
D5.Slide the die-cut 1/8"plyW1A ribs (F146F32)
intoplace by positioningthemat an angleas shownon
theleftside of thephotoandrotatingthemuntiltheyfit
intoplace as shownon therightside of thephoto. Be
careful not to push the wingfrontplate outawayfrom
the wingboltplateduringthisstep. Sand theinsideslot
of the W1Aribs iftheyare hardto slideoverthewing
bolt plate.Glueallthese pieces together withthinCA
followed by eitherepoxy or thickCA.
D6.Soak the entireouter side of each W2 ribwith
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thinCA to helphardenthewood.Cutfour1"long
piecesof 1/2" trianglefromthe1/2"x 36"triangle
(WSTR001H) and gluetheminplace above and below
the frontwingbolt plate and against the W2 ribs. Add
epoxyor thickCA aroundeveryjointinthisarea to
make sure everythingis securely glued in place.
D7. Trimthe1/8" x 3/8" x 24" balsatop middle
spar(F146W17) to fitin place by positioningit in the
notches and usinga razor saw to accuratelycutthetaper
on bothends.NOTE: Itis importanttoget thebest
jointpossiblebetweenthemiddlesparsandthemain
spars. Securely gluethe middlespar inplace withepoxy.
of themiddlespar inallribbays. The shear webs willbe
tootalland too wide, sojusttrim them to fitand securely
gluetheminplace.
D8.Flipthewingover and installthe1/8"x 3/8"x
24" balsabottom middle spar justas youdidthetop
one inthelast step. Make a niceepoxy filletwhere both
middlespars contact the mainspars.
D10.Cutpieces ofshear websto litinthethreecenter
bays ofthe mainspar and securely gluethem inplace.
D11. Cuttwo1-1/2" longaileron servo rails from
the 1/8"x 3/8"x 15"basswood strip(F146F30). Slide
these intothe slots inthe W1ribs and use your aileron
servo to properlyspace them.They shouldbe installed
as farforwardas possible andfarenoughapart to allow
you to get the servo inand out.Securelygluethem in
place.
INSTALL THE WING SHEETING
NOTE: In the next steps, maintain straightness by
keepingthejigtabsandspardownon theflat
surface.
D9.Turnthewingback over sothetopis upand
install 1/16"balsa shear webs on the frontandthe back
D1.Lightlysand the tops ofthe ribs to blendwith
the notched trailingedge, thengluethetwotop 1/16" x
1"x 30"balsatrailingedgesheets(F146W14) in place.
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NOTE: The edge oftheTE sheet may not be exactly
straight,butjustpositionthesheet soitslightlyoverlaps
past theTE, and any overlap can besanded off flushwith
the TE later.
aftedge ofthesheeting isapproximatelyinthemiddleof
thespar, thencutoff theexcess sheetingon theends,
leavingapprox. 1/4"extra to allow for positioning.
D2.Make fourleadingedge sheetsby cuttinga
triangle2"wideon theend and18"longoff of one end
ofeach 1/16" x 3"x 36"balsa wingsheet (F146W13).
HINT: Use an X-acto knifeandcuta straightlineusinga
metal straightedge.Flipthetriangleover and glueitto
therestof thesheetas showninthesketchesabove.
Notice the graindirectionon the small triangle.
NOTE: It willbehelpfulto have the followingitems
handyfor thenextsteps: ThinCA, thick(slowcure)CA
and a straightpiece ofwood (suchas an aileron).
D6.HoldthesheetingtightlyagainsttheLE ata
slightanglesoitsitsdownon theLE of theribs.Use
thin CA to gluethe sheetingto the LE only. Do not glue
it to the ribs yet.
D3.Sand theboth sides of each LE sheet smooth
witha sandingblock and finegritsandpaper.
D4.Before applyingtheleadingedge sheetinginthe
next steps,use your T-bar to lightlysand off theedges of
the shear webs and smoothlyblendtheribsto thespar.
Also,cleanuptheLE/rib jointsto removeanyglue
globs.
D5.Sand thefrontedge (the edge withthe triangle
glued to it)to a slight bevel soit willfitsnuglyagainst
thebackof theleadingedge.Trialfititbefore
proceeding. Position the sheeting leftor right untilthe
D7. Tilt thewingup,withtheLE down,and applya
drop or twoof thickor slowcuringCA to each rib.Hold
thewingat an angleso thegluewillflowdownandcoat
theedgeof eachrib.Applya lineof gluetothe
15

frontedge of thespar. Immediatelyplacethewingon
yourflat worksurfaceand press thesheetingintoplace.
Use a piece ofwood (an aileron worksOK)to holdthe
sheetinginplacewhilethegluecures. Itisimportantto
keep thewingflatduringthisprocess as the LE sheeting
will"lock" the wingtogether.
D10. FirstgluethesheetingagainsttheLE sheeting
alreadyinplace.Try to lineuptheedges as closelyas
possible. Dripsome thickCA down the ribs and press
thesheetingintoplace. Add CA alongtheLE andusea
smallbutflatpieceof wood to keepthesheetingstraight
alongtheLE (turtledeck formerT1 workswellfor this).
Trim the end ofthesheetingflushwithrib W2.
D8.Trimthetipend of thesheetingflushwithrib
W11.Trimtheroot end of thesheetingflushwiththe
centerlineof thewing,ribW2 and the wingfrontplate.
D11.Sheet theoppositewingpanelusingthesame
procedure outlinedabove.
D9.Cutthefourpieces of 1/16" x 3"x 15"balsa
stock sheeting (F146W23) as shown in thesketch
above. Test fitone of thepiecesinplace infrontof the
leadingedge sheetingandtrimand sand itas necessary
to make it fit.NOTE: The grainshouldrunalong the
LE.
D12. Cuttwo1/16" x 3"x 24"balsacenter sheets
(F146W15) andassembletwotrianglesas shownabove.
Use one in the next step and save theother for the bottom
ofthe wing.
16

D13.Test fitthetrianglesheetingintoplaceandsand
it ifnecessary to achievea good fit.Itshouldgo half
waybackonthemiddlespar.Glueitinplaceby
applyingthickor slowcuringCA totheribsand spars
and holdingthesheetinginplace whilethegluecures.
D16.Installtheremaining1/16"leadingedge
sheeting,thestrakesheetingandthecentertrianglesheet
usingthesame procedure outlinedinsteps 2-13.
D14.Flipthewingoverand carefullytrimoff thejig
tabs on thebottomof thewing(theside opposite theside
you justsheeted).Use a sandingblock witha finegrit
sandpaper to touchupwherethetabs were and to blend
theribsintotheTE. Be carefulnot to change the
shapeofthe ribs during this step.
D17.Trimoneof the1/16" x 3"x 18"balsarear
wing sheeting (F146W21)pieces to fitinplace behind
thetrianglecentersheet. Aneasy waytodo thisisto
tape itinplace behindthetrianglecentersheet and laya
straightedge alongthefrontedge of the1"TE sheeting.
Markwhereboth sides of theTE sheetingcontinueunder
therear sheeting.Removetherear sheetingandcutout
the triangleformed by thelinesyou marked.Cutanother
oftherearsheetingpieces inhalflengthwise andglue
one half to the rear edge ofthepiece you justtrimmedto
fit.
Tape thesheetingback intoplace and markwheretheTE
sheetingintersectstheoutsideedges. Cuttheaftpiece of
sheetingto fitand gluetherear sheeting in place with
thick or slow CA.
D15.Add the remainingtwo1/16" x 1"x 30"balsa
TE sheetsjustas youdidearlieron thetop surface.Do
one panelat a timeand keep thepanelflaton thework
surface untilthegluecures.Note: Due to thetaper of
the wing,the jigtabs on thetop surface ofthe wingwill
only keep one panel flatat a time.
D18.Cuta semicircleoutofthesheetingbetween ribs
W4 and W5 asshown in the next photo.
17

D19.Flipthewingover. On theside thatstillhas the
jigtabs attached,writetheword "top" nearthecenterof
thewing.Trimandsandofftheremainingjigtabs.
Touch uptheribs with a finegritsandingblock and add
the rear sheetingjustas youdidinsteps 17 and18.Trim
allsheetingflushwiththeW11ribsand laythewing
aside untillater.
INSTALL AILERON TORQUE RODS
rods come upthroughit.Cutnotches there to clear the
torquerods. Test fitthewedge on thewingand sand itif
needed to get a good fit.Test fitthe torque rods inthe
groove to make sure theyfitOK. If not, sand thegroove
andnotchuntiltheydo.Alsocutsmallclearance
notchesonthebottomsideof thewingwherethe
threaded portion ofthe torquerod willbe located. Note:
The torque rodhorns must exit the BOTTOM ofthe
wing!
D5.Slidetheplasticbearingstowardthethreaded
end of thetorquerods. Then use a toothpickto applya
smallamountof petroleumjellyto theendsof the plastic
tubes(to helppreventgluefromgettinginsideand
lockingupthe torque rods).
D1. Roughentheun-threadedendof theaileron
torque rods(WBNT167)with100-grit sandpaper, and
filethe same end to a wedge shape.
D6.Use epoxy to gluetheplasticbearingtubesinto
the grooves in therear wedge. Make surethetorque rods
are fullyseated inthegroove. Wipe off anyexcess glue
and allow itto harden.
D2.Roughenthesurface ofthe plastic bearing tubes
with100-grit sandpaper.
D3.Clean the torque rods and bearing tubes with
alcohol.
D4.Positionthe1/2" balsagrooved rear wedge
(F146W10) over the plans and mark where thetorque
D7.Sand the TE of the wingto make itstraight with
square edges.
D8.Trialfittherearwedge/torquerod assembly
onto thewingtrailingedge. Itshouldbe centered upand
down on the wingTE sothe torquerods arelocated at
the centerlineofthe TE. Sand theTE ifnecessary to get
agood fitthengluethewedgeinplacewithepoxy.
HINT: Use maskingtape to hold thewedge againstthe
wingTE and to aid inpositioningit.
D9.Locatethe tapered balsa center TE (F146W09)
(it is10-1/8"long and has the same cross section asthe
18

ailerons)and cut a notch inboth endsto clear the torque
rods. Also sand theveryfrontof the ends if needed to
make it fitinplaceagainsttherear wedge. Tape it in
place withmaskingtape andcheckto make sure itis not
tiltedupor downYou can use theedge of a 1/8"balsa
fuse doubler(F146F02)as a templatetocheckthe
centerTE alignment,butbe sure to check itfrom the top
and thebottomof thewingWhensatisfiedwithits
alignment,glueitinplacewiththinCABe very
careful around the ends soyou don't glue the torque
rods!
D 10 Use some lightweight wood filler to blend the
rear wedgeandcenterTE inwiththecontourof the
wing.Afterthe fillerhas cured, use a sandingblock to
smooth thingsout.
This is allwe willdo tothewinguntilafterithas
been fittedto thefuselageand theturtledeck has been
added Thiswillhelpkeep thewingtips,cap strips and
ailerons from gettingdinged upinthe process.
top (F146F03), fuse side bottom (F146F01)andaft fuse
side (F146F04) together, sandingas necessary for a good
fitMake sure they line upwiththe plansand gluethem
together.
DD 2 Assemblea 1/8" balsafusedoublerby
gluinga die-cut 1/8"balsa doubler top (F146F03) to a
die-cut 1/8"balsa doubler bottom (F146F02).
DD 3 Positionthedoubleron topof thefuseside
and alignits edges andlighteningholeswiththeedges
andlighteningholesof thefuseside Gluethedoublerto
thefuseside byapplyingthin CA aroundalledges ofthe
doubler,includingthelighteningholesNOTE: The
doubler stops 1/4"beforethefrontof thefusesideto
holdF-lImportant: Do notmaketworightsides'
Gluethedoublerto theopposite side whenmakingthe
second side.
FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY
PREPARE FUSE SIDES
DD 1.Working over the fuselage side view covered
with waxed paper, trial fita die-cut 1/8"balsa fuse side
DD 4.Assemble a turbineinner side by test fittinga
die-cut3/32" balsaturbineinnerside(F146F07),
turbine side bottom (F146F08) and turbine inner aft
19

side (F146F09) together over the plansCarefullysand
themifneededtoachieveclosefittingjointsWhen
satisfiedwiththefit.add thinCA to alljointsAfterthe
glue has cured, applythickCA to any loose-fittingjoints.
DD 5.Assemble a turbineouter side by testfittinga
die-cut3/32" balsaturbineouterside(F146F26),
turbine side bottom (F146F08) andturbine outer aft
side(F146F10) together over the plansCarefullysand
themifneededtoachieveclosefittingjointsWhen
satisfiedwiththefit.add thinCA to alljointsAfterthe
gluehascured,add thickCA to anyloose fittingjoints.
Sand both sides smooth witha finesandingblock.
D9 Carefullypositiona turbineinner side on each
fuseside Do thisoverthefuseside viewon theplans
and use the wingsaddle to helpalignthem Make sure
they are correctly positioned and add thinCA aroundthe
edges,lighteningholesandformernotches.
IMPORTANT- Be veryaccuratewhendoingthis.
Make sure the two turbinesides are installedat thesame
angleand positioninrelationto the sides Tocheck this,
holdthetwofusesidestogetherandcomparethe
alignmentof theturbinesides before securely gluingthe
second side NOTE: The turbineinnerside is attached
tothe fuse side,not the doubler
DD 6 Gluea die-cut3/32"balsaturbineside
doubler (F146FOS)to theouter turbineside Lineifup
withthewingsaddle andadd thinCA aroundtheedges
Whendoing thisstep for thesecond side, make sureyou
gluethedoubler to the opposite side, making a right and
aleftset
D10Test fitthetwodie-cut1/8"balsafront fuse
bottom halves(F146F05) togetherSand themslightly
ifneededandgluethemtogetherTest fitthedie-cut
3/32"balsa rear fuse bottom (F146F06)inplace
DD 7 Inspect allgluejointsfor gaps and add thick
CA ifnecessarytostrengthenthejointsRepeatthe
above steps to makeanotherset ofsides. Make sure
you assemble a RIGHT and a LEFT setofsides!
D8 Place thetwoassembledfusesidestogether.
Lightlysandtheedges as necessarytomakethetwo
sides identical Do thesame fortheturbinesides Also
sandthesides of eachassemblysmoothwitha fine
sandingblockItisratherhard to do thislater'
Lineuptheentirebottomovertheplanstokeepif
straightand gluetherear onto thefrontMake sure both
pieces are pressed flatagainstthework surfaceWrite
the word "TOP"on the side facingup(thiswillkeep the
smooth side towardstheoutsideof thefuse)Whenthe
gluehascured,flipifover and sand the bottom smooth
witha tinesandingblock.
20