GREAT PLANES Super Sportster 90 User manual

Super Sportster
90/120
InstructionBook
READ THROUGH THIS INSTRUCTION
BOOK FIRST. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT IN.
STRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERN-
ING THE BUILDING AND USE OF THIS
MODEL.
INSTRUCTIONS IN BOXES LIKE THIS
ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE
FOLLOWED CAREFULLY.
WARNING!
This R/C kit and the model you willbuild is nota toy'.Itiscapable of serious
bodily harm and property damage. ITISYOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND YOURS
ALONE — to build thiskit correctly, properly install all R/Ccomponents and flying
gear (engine, tank, pushrods, etc.) and to test the model and flyit only withexperi-
enced, competent help inaccordance withall safetystandards and common
sense as set down inthe Academy of Model AeronauticsSafety Code.Itissug-
gested that you jointhe AMAand become properly insured before you attempt to
flythis model. IFYOU AREJUST STARTING R/CMODELING, CONSULT YOUR
LOCALHOBBYSHOPORWRITETOTHEACADEMYOFMODELAERONAUTICS
TO FINDAN EXPERIENCEDINSTRUCTOR INYOURAREA.
Academy of Model Aeronautics
1810Samuel Morse Dr.
Reston,VA22090
[phone]
POBOX 721 URBANA ILLINOIS 61801

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.....................2
PRECAUTIONS ......................3
ENGINEANDMOUNTSELECTION ....3
LANDINGGEARCONFIGURATION....3
CHOOSING YOUR RADIO ANDSERVOS . 3
OTHER ITEMS REQUIRED............4
SUPPLIES ANDTOOLS NEEDED......4
HARDWARE.........................5
TYPES OF WOOD ....................5
GET READY TO BUILD ...............6
TAIL FEATHERS ................... 6
BUILDTHE RUDDER.................6
BUILD THE FIN .....................8
BUILDTHE ELEVATORS .............8
BUILD THE STABILIZER ..............8
INSTALL THE HINGES ...............8
WING ................................... 9
BUILD THE WING PANELS ...........9
JOIN THE WING PANELS ............12
COMPLETING THE WING............13
AILERONTORQUE RODS ............14
FIBERGLASS THE CENTER SECTION . 15
INSTALL AILERONS................15
INSTALL WING DOWELS ............16
LOWER FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY .........16
INSTALL NOSEGEAR BEARING ...... 18
INSTALL REAR PUSHROD GUIDE
TUBES .............................20
INSTALL CHINBLOCK AND BOTTOM
SHEETING .........................21
MOUNT THE WINGTO THE FUSE ....21
MOUNT THE ENGINE...............22
INSTALL NOSE GEAR ...............23
INSTALL FRONT PUSHROD GUIDE
TUBES ............................24
INSTALL FUEL TANK ...............24
UPPER FUSELAGE STRUCTURE ........ 24
FORMERS, STRINGERS ANDHOOD ...24
INSTALL COCKPIT FLOOR ...........25
INSTALL HOOD SHEETING ..........26
INSTALL REAR STRINGERS .........26
COMPLETING THE FUSE AND WING ....26
CONSTRUCT THE NOSE .............26
SAND THE FUSELAGE ..............28
INSTALL WING FAIRINGS ...........29
MOUNT THE STABILIZER ANDFIN . . 30
LOCK STABILIZER TO FUSELAGE ....31
FINISH MOUNTINGTHE STAB
ANDFIN..........................32
SERVOS, HORNS AND PUSHRODS ...... 32
MOUNT AILERONSERVO AND
PUSHRODS .........................33
INSTALL SERVOS ...................33
INSTALL ELEVATOR ANDRUDDER
HORNS ............................33
INSTALL PUSHRODS ................34
CANOPY AND WHEEL PANTS ........... 34
PREPARE THE CANOPY .............34
WHEEL PANTS .....................34
FINISHING ............................. 36
ADDITIONAL FUELPROOFING .......36
BALANCE THE AIRPLANE
LATERALLY ........................36
FINALSANDING ....................36
COVERING .........................36
GLUE THE HINGES .................37
INSTALL PILOT .....................37
GLUE CANOPY INPLACE ...........37
WING SEATING TAPE ...............38
RE-INSTALL ENGINE& RADIO ......38
BALANCE YOUR MODEL ............38
FINAL HOOKUPS ANDCHECKS .....38
PRE.FLIGHT...........................39
CHARGE THE BATTERIES ...........39
FIND A SAFE PLACE TO FLY ........39
GROUND CHECK THE MODEL .......39
RANGE CHECK YOUR RADIO ........39
ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS .....39
AMA SAFETY CODE ................39
FLYING ............................40
PARTS LIST ............................ 41
PREVENTING CONTROL SURFACE
FLUTTER ......................... 43
INTRODUCTION
Pssst!Pleasedon't tell your Super Sportster
90/120how big it reallyis, because it thinksit is a
"40-size"! Whatwe mean is thatthisfantastic
airplane flieswithallthesmoothness andagilityof
our otherSuper Sportsters (20, 40 and 60), and we
can hardlytellthedifference,except fortheawe-
somesize and power! We thinkyou'llagree that
this isthemost exciting Super Sportster yet!
Yes, the Super Sportster 90/120 is a scaled-up
version ofourSuper Sportster 60, but we haveincor-
porated manymajorstructuralimprovementsto add
strength (withoutextra weight)and to make it much
easier to buildstraight and true.
In thisbook we'll take you, one easy stepat a
time,through theconstruction sequence, pluswe'll
give you specific pointers on installingyour radio,
2
engine and accessories, and end up with tips on
finishing,balancingand flyingyour Super Sportster
90/120.
Before startingtobuild, we encourage you
toread through these introductorypages very
thoroughly,as they containa lot ofvitalinformation
you need to know,such as decisions you must make
now, engine and radio selection, safety precautions
and additional items you will have to purchase.
This is not a beginner's airplane! Whilethe
Super Sportster 90/120 is easy to buildand flies
great, we must discourage you from selecting this
kitas your firstR/C airplane.It is fast,highlyman-
euverable,andlackstheself-recovery characteristics
ofa good basic trainer such as theGreat Planes
PTSeriesairplanes. On the other hand, ifyou have

already learned the basics ofR/C flying and you are
able to safely handle an "aileron trainer" airplane
such asthe Great Planes Trainer Series or Big Stik
Seriesairplanes, the Super Sportster 90/120 isan
excellent choice
We thinkyou willagree thatthe Great Planes
Super Sportster 90/120 isthe highest quality, best
buildingand best flyingairplane ofits type on the
market today!
Ifyou have any questions or problems about
building or flyingthis airplane,or ifanyof thekit
parts are badly warped, defective or missing, please
call us at [phone] between 8 00 AM and 4 00
PM (central time)and we'll be glad to help If your
call concerns defective or missing parts, please be
ready to give us the 8-digitcode (on the box end flap)
and the partnumbers
PRECAUTIONS
1You must build the plane according tothe
plans andinstructions Do not alter or modifythe
model as represented by the plans, as doing somay
resultinanunsafeorunflyablemodel In afewcases
the plans and instructionsmay differslightly from
the photos In those instances you should assume the
plansand writteninstructionsare correct
2.You must take time tobuildstraight, true
and strong
3.You must usea proper R/C radiothat isin
first class condition, the correct sized engine and
correct components (fueltank, wheels, etc.)
throughout your buildingprocess
4You must properly install all R/C and other
components sothatthe model operates properly on
the ground and inthe air.
5You must test the operation ofthemodel
before the firstand each successive flightto insure
that all equipment is operating and you must make
certainthatthe model has remained structurally
sound Be sure to check the nylon clevises often, and
replace if they show signsofwear.
6.You must fly the model only with thecom-
petent help of a well experienced R/C pilot if you
are not already an experienced and knowledgeable
R/C pilot at this time.
Note. We, asthe kit manufacturer, can provide
you with a top qualitykitand great instructions,
but ultimatelythe qualityand flyabilityofyour
finishedmodel depends on how you buildit, there-
fore, we cannot inany way guarantee theperform-
anceofyourcompletedmodel,andnorepresentations
are expressed or implied as to the performance or
safety ofyour completed model
Remember: Take your time andfollow di-
rectionstoend up with a well-built model that
is straight and true
*********!]<S|!*#*****;i!il!***S|!*S|S***!tl*#****S|S!|!!|!**!|!*
DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE
NOW
ENGINEANDMOUNTSELECTION:
The recommended engine size range isasfol-
lows:
.61- .91cubic inch displacement 2-cycle
.90- 1.20cubic inch displacement 4-cycle
Do not power your airplane with an engine
larger than the recommended size ( 912-Cycle, 1 20
4-Cycle) Also, ifusing a 912-Cycle, do not use a
tuned pipe
When you start building thefuselage, one of
the first steps will be to cut offa portion ofthe front
ofthe fuselage sides and fuselage doublers ifyouwill
be using a 4-cycle engine, due to the increased length
and weight of the 4-cycle engines Therefore, it is
important that you have your engine close at hand
while building.
This kitincludeshardwood engine mounting
rails,but you may wish to purchase a custom engine
mount for your engine, and the instructions allow
for that type ofinstallation.
LANDINGGEARCONFIGURATION
The Super Sportster 90/120may be built with
a"taildragger" or "tricycle" landinggear configura-
tion Some people prefer the tricycle gear setup be-
cause theybelieve it handles better on theground
Others preferto buildit as a taildragger forthe
classic appearance This airplane actually handles
very well in either configuration,sothe choice isup
toyou Please make thisdecision now, asit will
affect several things you will do duringthe construc-
tion.
CHOOSING YOUR RADIO AND SERVOS
Most good qualityradio systemson themarket
today are suitable for this airplaneYou may,how-
ever, have to purchase a 5th servo or a high-torque
servo(seethe note below).
IMPORTANT NOTE We have found standard ser-
vos which provide approximately 45oz/in oftorque
tobe satisfactory foruse in theSportster90/120 with
thefollowing exception If youare using stan-
dard servos you should use oneservo for each
elevator (use a "Y"-Connector to plugboth elevator
servos into theelevator channelofyourreceiver)If
you wantto use only one servo forthe elevators, you
must use two pushrods and a high torque servopro-
viding at least 60oz/in oftorque.
Please make sure you select a radiosystem
that ison a frequencydesignated "for aircraftuse
only", and onethat meets current FCC standards.

OTHERITEMS REQUIRED
Propellers (seeengine instructionsfor size)
3"diameter Spinner
Fuel Tank (14- 16oz. or larger)
(Larger tanksrequirecustom fitting)
2- 3"diameter MainWheels
1- 2-3/4"diameter NoseWheel
(or)
1- 1-1/4"diameter Tail Wheel
4- 3/16"Wheel Collars for Main Wheels
2- 5/32"Wheel Collars for Nose Wheel
(or)
2- 3/32"Wheel Collars for Tail Wheel
Iron-onCovering Material
Silicone Fuel Tubing
FoamWing Seating Tape
Foam Rubber Padding, 1/2"thick
Dummy Pilot Figure (2-1/2"- 3"tall)
2- DuBro E-Z Connectors (or similar)
"Y"-Connector (for double elevator servos)
SUPPLIES AND TOOLS NEEDED
2-3oz.- Thin CA Adhesive Pliers
2oz.- Medium orThick CA Adhesive ScrewDriver
2.5oz.- 5 MinuteEpoxy T-Pins
2.5oz.-30MinuteEpoxy Straightedge
Hand or Electric DrillMasking Tape
Drill Bits (No. 53.1/16",5/64",3/32"7/64", Sandpaper, (Coarse, medium and fine grit)
1/8",5/32",3/16",11/64",13/64",1/4",5/16"T-Bar sanding block, or similar
Sealing Iron Waxed Paper
Heat Gun Balsa Filler
Hinge Slotting Tool1/4-20Tap
Hobby Saw(X-Acto Razor Saw) Tap Wrench
X-Acto Knife,#11Blades Dremel Moto Toolor similar (Optional)
******************************************************
COMMON ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS
BOOK ANDON THE PLANS:
Stab= Stabilizer
Elev = Elevator
LE= Leading Edge (front)
TE= Trailing Edge(rear)
Lt = Left
Rt = Right
"= Inches
Fuse = Fuselage
LG = Landing Gear
Ply = Plywood
4

HARDWARE
#2x3/8" SCREWLANDINGGEARCLIP
(NYLON)
NYLON CLEVIS
METALCLEVIS
#4x1/2" SCREW
#6 x I SCREW
NYLON HORN ANDNUT PLATERETAINERCUP
2-56x 5/8"SCREW
5/32"COLLAR
1/4-20 NYLON BOLT
4-40x1"BOLT
HOLES
•TO BE
DRILLED
6-32 x 1/4" SCREW
10-32SOCKET HEAD
CAP SCREW
BRASS AILERONHORN
NYLON L.G.STRAP
2-56 HEX NUT
TYPES OF WOOD
BALSAHARDWOODPLYWOOD
5

SS90W07PLY 1/8x4x13-7/82 PER KIT
GET READYTO BUILD
D1.Unroll the plan sheets. Re-roll them inside
out to make them lie flat.
D2 Remove all parts from the box Figure out
thename ofeach part by comparing it with
the plans Using a felt tip pen, write the part
name on each piece to avoid confusionlater.
Use the die cutpatternsshown below to iden-
tifythe die cut parts and mark before punch-
ing them out. Saveall scraps.
SS90F37PLY1/8x4-7/8x14PERKIT
-n
Lrf
FORMER
/-1
1
A B
ALIGNMENT
^BASE
-n
N3
FORMER
/F2
SS90F39 PLY l/8x4»10-7/8I PER KIT
SS90F33 PLY1/8x4 3/16x12-1/42 PER KIT
•UDDER FILLER mil REWIMGH.m\
DB DIHEDRALBRACE
w
FORMER
/F-5
^D
FORMER
+>
FORMER
F 4
LANDING GEAR DOUBLERS
SS90W33 BALSA3/32x4x18
8 PER KIT
SS90W34
BALSA3/32x4x18
3 PER KIT
TAIL FEATHERS
NOTE TheRudder,Fin,ElevatorsandStabilizer
are all builtin a very similar manner The following
section explains in detail how to buildthe Rudder
to make youfamiliarwiththeprocedure,thenyou
can use the same techniques for buildingthe other
"tail feathers"withvery littleinstruction, exceptfor
afew important comments Here we go!
BUILD THERUDDER
Tobuild the rudder you'll need the following:
1/4"x 3/4"x 36"balsa sticks (set aside the
straightest hard stick for the stabilizer TE)
1/8"x 1/4"x 36"balsa sticks (set aside the two
softeststicksto be usedlateron the wingtips)
1/16"x 3"x 36"balsasheets
Two 1/8"die-cutplyrudderfiller(RF)pieces
D1.Tape the fuselage plan down to yourflat
worksurface Tape apiece ofwaxed paperover
the finand rudder portion of theplan.

2. Glue the two rudder fillers (RF) together
using thick CA glue, makingone piece 1/4"
thick.
3.Using a razor saw, cut pieces of1/4"x 3/4"
balsa (from the36"sticks) to make the rudder
framework.Workingrighton the plan,glue
these pieces together along with the ply RF
piece, using thinCA glue.
4. From the 1/8"x 1/4"x 36"sticks, cut "ribs"
to fitbetween the rudder framework,and glue
them inplace. NOTE: It is not necessary to
getthese ribs in the exact position shown on
the plan.
5.Afterthe glue has completely set, remove
the rudder assembly from theplanand using
aT-bar sander or a sandingblock withcoarse
grit sandpaper,sand theoutside edge ofthe
rudder to the approximate shape asshown on
the plan.
6.Examine the rudder framework and add
thickCAgluetoanyopenjoints,thenuseyour
T-bar withmedium grit sandpaper to sand
both sides ofthe rudder framework smooth.
7.From the 1/16"x 3"x 36"balsa sheets, cut
fourpieces 12"long. Edge glue these pieces
together in pairs, using thinCA glue,to make
two sheets 6"x 12".Sand the surfaces ofthese
sheets smooth, using a T-bar with medium to
finegrit sandpaper.
8.Lay therudderassembly on top of one of
your6"x 12"sheets. Holdthe rudder assembly
down and apply thinCA glue along the edges
ofthe framework and ribs.
9.Sand theedges ofthe1/16"sheeting flush
with theedges ofthe framework.
12.Carefullydraw a centerline all around the
edges oftherudder.
D10.Apply thick (slow setting) CA glue (or 30-
minuteepoxy if you need more time) to the
rudder frameworkand ribs, then lay the other
6"x 12"balsa sheetinplace.Hold thesheeting
in place withyour hands or with books until
the glue has set.
D11.Sand the edges ofthe sheeting flush with
the edges of theframework.

13.Use yourT-bar sander to sand the leading
edge of the rudder to a "V"shape (takea look
at thetop viewof therudderon theplanto
determinetheproperangleof the"V")
D1.Tape waxed paper over the separate elevator
drawingon thefuseplanGlue thetwoEF
pieces together,theninthesame manneras
therudder,buildtheinnerframework.Build
two identical elevators.
D2. Sand the framework tothe shape asshown
on the plan.
D3.Glue 1/16"balsa sheeting to both sides of
the elevators, with the grain running the long
way.
D4 Sand theleadingedge to a "V'-shape, and
theotheredges to a roundshape.
D14Sand all other edges of therudder to a
round shape NOTE The centerlineyou previ-
ously drew willhelp you to sand thesame
amountfromboth sides.
BUILD THE FIN
You'll need the followingparts:
1/4"x 2-7/8"x 1-1/2"shaped balsa front fin
filler
1/4"x 3"x 1-1/2"balsa rear finfiller
1/4"x 3/4"balsa sticks
1/8"x 1/4"balsasticks
1/16"x 3"balsa sheets
D1.In the same manneras the rudder,buildthe
inner framework,includingthe1/4"finfiller
sheets, the1/4"x 3/4"sticks and the 1/8"x 1/4"
sticks (for ribs).
D2. Sand thetop front comer tothe shape as
shown on the plan.
D3.Glue 1/16"balsa sheetingtoboth sides(ver-
tical grain).
D4.Sand the leading edge (only)toa round
shape.
NOTE: The trailingedge, bottom edge and lower
frontedge must not be rounded or V-shaped, instead,
justsand these edges flat.
BUILDTHEELEVATORS
You'll need the following parts:
41/8"die-cutplyelevatorfiller(EF) pieces
1/4"x 3/4"balsa sticks
1/8"x 1/4"balsa sticks
1/16"x 3"balsasheets
BUILD THE STABILIZER
You'll need the following parts:
1/4"x 3/4"balsa sticks
1/8"x 1/4"balsa sticks
1/16"x 3"balsa sheets
Shaped1/4"ply frontstabbrace
1/4"x1/2"x6"plyrearstab brace
1/4"x 3-7/32"x 3"balsa stab center sheet
D1.Tape waxed paper over the separate
stabilizer'drawingon thefuse planIn the same
manneras therudder,buildtheinner
framework,includingthefrontstabbrace,rear
stab brace, 1/4"balsa center sheet, 1/4"x 3/4"
sticks and1/8"x 1/4"sticks.
D2.Sand the outside edgesto the shape asshown
on the plan.
D3.Glue 1/16"balsa sheeting to both sides, with
the grain runningthe long way.
D4. Sand the leadingedge and the ends to a
round shape.
NOTE- The trailingedge must not berounded or
V-shaped. Instead, justsand thisedge flat
INSTALL THE HINGES (Do Not Glue)
NOTE: The large one-piece molded hingessupplied
inthiskitare strong, easy to install,and providea
good dampeningeffectto helppreventdangerous
control surfaceflutterWe recommend thatyou use
these hingesinyourSuper Sportster 90/120.
D1 Lay the rudder and elevators on theplan
and mark the hingelocationsPlace therudder
against thefinTE (trailingedge) and transfer
the marks over to thefin.Place theelevators
against thestab TE and transfer the marks
over to the stab.

D2. Cut the hinge slots ontheaccurate center-
lines which you previously drew, using a
standard slottingforkand slotting hook. Be-
cause thehinges are wider than normal,you
shouldusethefollowingprocedure:Whenfirst
insertingtheslottingfork,push itinonlypart-
way along one side of thehingelocation, then
push it in the fulldepth along the other side
ofthehingelocation,finally,gobackandcom-
plete the push in the original position. Clean
out the slotwith the slotting hook.
D3.IMPORTANT! Condition or"break-in" the
hinges by foldingthem tightly back and forth
several times.
D4.Insert thehinges into the slotsandtrial fit
therudder and elevators in place on the fin
and stab. Do not glue thehinges until after
you have covered themodel.
WING
BUILDTHE WING PANELS
D1.Tape the wing plan to your flat building
surface, and tape a sheet ofwaxed paper over
the wing panel portion ofthe plan.
Q2. Punchout all thewing ribs fromthe die-cut
sheets. Compare theribs with the wingrib pat-
terns on the wing plan and arrange them into
stacks ofthe same kind ofribs.
D3.Note that the drawing ofrib W-2 shows the
two alternatelocations for the main landing
gear blocks. Note also that the W-2 ribs have
partial cutouts for each of the two locations.
Ifyouarebuildingyourplane asataildragger,
cut out the front notches in the W-2 ribs. If
you are buildingyour plane with a tricycle
gear, cutout the rear notches. Trim thedie-cut
1/16"ply doublers, and glue them to the W-2
ribs as shown on the plan.
D4.The notchedbalsa leading and trailingedges
are supplied inone shaped piece and are held
together by thinstrips ofbalsa. Break these
apart now,and break offany remainingpieces
ofthe thinbalsa. Sand the edges straight with
your T-Bar sanding block.
NOTE: Follow steps 5 through 28tobuild the
RIGHT wing panel, then repeat these steps to
build theLEFT wing panel UPSIDE DOWN.
Lt. Rt.
DD 5.Glue two W-3 ribstogether to make onetip
rib.
DD 6.Draw an accurate centerlinealong the rear
edge ofthe notched balsa trailingedges.
DD 7. Pin one of the notched balsa trailingedges
to the1/4"x 1-5/32"x 33"balsa jigstick as
shown in the followingsketch. Note thatthe
top of the jigstick must be on the centerline
which you have drawn on the trailing edge.
Notched Balsa
Trailing Edge
T-Pin
_Balsa
Jig Slick
Table
Top
DD 8.Place one ofthe 3/8"x 1/2"basswood main
spars on thewing plan,line up theright end
with the outside edge ofthe tiprib and pin the
spar down withcrossed T-pins asshown in the
followingsketch. NOTE: If you prefer not to
usepins,youmay holdthespar firmlyinplace
using"shotbags"asshowninthephotos,which
are made by partially filling a sockwith lead
shot.
T-PINS
SPAR

IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When buildingtheright wingpanel,position
theribs sothe landinggear block notchesintheW-2
ribs are down, and the servo opening inribW-1 is
up.
When buildingthe leftwingpanel,position
the ribs sothe landinggear block notches in the W-2
ribs are up, and the servo opening in ribW-1 is
down.
DO NOT BUILD TWO RIGHT WING
HALVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DD 9.Place the ribs on the sparin their approxi-
mate positions, but do not glue.
DD 10.Hold the notched balsa trailingedge in
place (withjigattached)andcarefullywork
theribsintothenotches,centeringeach ribup
and down.In thesame manner,inserttheribs
intothenotches inthe balsa leadingedge. Note
that one end ofthe leading and trailing
edge stock has a notch at the end, and this
notch must beatthewing tip. Do not glue
anythingyet.
***********************************************************
PLEASE STUDY THE FOLLOWING NOTE
AND THE ACCOMPANYING PHOTOS
BEFORE PROCEEDING!
Note thattheleadingand trailingedges do not have
anotch forthe W-1 rib.Use the 1/8"die-cut ply
dihedral gauges "DGR" and "DGL" to position rib
W-1 at the proper angle.Whenbuildingthe right
wingpanel,use dihedralgauge DGRto position W-1,
settingtherib's locationandtiltwiththepointof
DGR on the "Right Wing Panel Centerline". When
buildingthe left wingpanel(upsidedown),use di-
hedralgauge DGL to positionW-1, withthe point
ofDGL on the"LeftWing Panel Centerline".
***********************************************************************
DD 11.Insert thetop spar intothenotches inthe
top of the ribs, withthe rightend even with
the outside edge of the tip rib.
DD 12.Make sure the tiprib isvertical (90 degrees
to the work surface),thatthe spars are lined
up withthe outsideedge of the tiprib,thatrib
W-1 issetat theproper angle, and thatall
parts are properly aligned. Apply thinCA glue
to alljoints(butdo not gluethe "jig stick" to
the TE!). Then apply thickCA glue to alljoints
which are not tight-fitting.
DD 13.Gluethe1/8"ply dowel reinforcing plate
to the back of the leading edge, between W-1
and W-2.
DD 14.Gluethepre-cut1/16"balsa shearwebs
to the rear edge of thespars inallribbays
exceptbetweenW-1 andW-2.
10

DD 15.Lightly sand thetops of theribs to blend
with the notched trailingedge, if necessary;
then position one of the 3/32" x 1-13/32"x 33"
balsa trailing edge sheets sothe Rt. end is
even with the outside edge of the tip rib and
glueit in place.
DD 16.Ifyou are buildingataildragger, you should
install the grooved hardwood landing gear
block at this time.Refer to steps 20 - 23 for
the correct procedure.
bend the sheeting down onto the ribs and spar.
Hold the sheeting down withmasking tape,
pins and your hands untilthe glue has set.
NOTE: Do notinstall the TOP leading edge
sheetinguntil after joining theleft andright
wingpanels.
DD 20. Trial fitthe long grooved hardwood land-
inggear block into thenotches in the W-2
ribs (see the landing gear detail drawingon
the wingplan for properpositioning).File the
notches if necessary for a good fit.Now use
epoxy to securely glue the block in place.
LID 17.Before applying the leading edge sheeting
in the next step, use yourT-bar to lightlysand off
the edges ofthe shear webs and the rear corners of
the spars to blend with the ribs.
DD 18.Prepare the3/32" x 3-27/32" x 33"balsa
bottom leading edge sheeting by sanding
one edge to a slight bevel soit willfitsnugly
against the back ofthe leading edge. Ifyou are
building a taildragger, carefullycut out an
openingin the leadingedgesheeting for the
landinggear block.
NOTE:Itwill be helpfulto have the following items
handy for the next step . . . thinCA, thickCA, a wet
cloth, masking tape and T-pins.
DD 21.Glue the short grooved hardwood block to
the landinggear block and to the 1/16"ply
doubler as shown on the planand in thephoto,
using5-minuteepoxy.Afterthegluehasfirmly
set, insert a 3/16"diameter drillbit down into
the groove in the short hardwood block,then
continue drilling through the long hardwood
block.
DD 19.Position the leading edge sheeting sothe
Rt. end is even with theoutside edge ofthe tip
rib. Using thinCA, glue thefront(beveled)
edge oftheleadingedge sheetingto theback
edge ofthe leading edge. Wet the top surface
ofthesheeting soit willbend easier. Apply
thickCA glue to the top edge of the ribs and
to the front half ofthe spar, then immediately
DD 22. Glue the1/2"x 3/4" x 1/2"hardwood block
to the other end ofthe landinggear block and
tothe1/16"plydoubler,using5-minuteepoxy.
DD 23.Trial fitthe 3/16"diameter main landing
gear wire into the landinggear block at this
time.Cut or filethegroove and hole in the
landinggearblock asnecessary fora good fit.
11

NOTE: Most standard wheels have a 5/32"diameter
axle hole,soyou'llhave to drillthehubsof your
wheels to fitthe 3/16"diameter landinggear wire
supplied in this kit.Start by using a 3/16"drillbit,
butbecausethenylonhubmaterial issomewhatflex-
ible, it may be necessary to use a 13/64"drillbit to
get the hole large enough to allow thewheel to turn
freely.
DD 24. Glue the 3/32"balsa trailingedge sheeting
to the other side ofthe wing in the same man-
ner asdescribed in step 15.
L]D 25.Find the 8 balsa center section sheets
(3/32"x 2-5/8" x 10-1/8")andthe 4balsacenter
section sheets (3/32 x 1-3/8x 10-1/8).Glue 2 of
the2-5/8widesheetsandoneofthe 1-3/8sheets
to theW-l and W-2 ribs onthebottom ofthe
wing only Now gluejust one 2-5/8 piece of
top center section sheeting in place at thetrail-
ing edge (the balance of the top sheeting will
beinstalled after joiningthe wing panels).
DD 26. Using a razor saw, carefully cut off all ex-
cesssheeting, spars,LE andTE even with W-l.
Now sand theends ofthe parts you just
trimmed untilthey are smooth and flushwith
the face ofW-l.Also sand the outside face of
the tip rib at this time.
DD 27. Carefullycut out the center portion ofthe
W-l ribs (1/8"in frontand back ofthe spars),
tomakeroomfortheplywooddihedralbraces.
D28.Now go back and repeat steps 5 through
27 to build the left wing panel. Remember,
you will build theleftwing panel UPSIDE
DOWN!
JOIN THE WING PANELS
NOTE: Read Steps1-5,then make a "dryrun"
through thesestepsbefore actually proceeding.
1.Layapieceofwaxedpaperdownatthecenter
ofthewing,place thetwowingpanelstogether
at the center, and block upboth wingtips 1-
1/2".
D2. Trial fitthe 1/8"ply dihedral braces to
make sure they will readily slide into place.
NOTE: Due to the extremely high stresses which
occur at the center ofthis wing, you must use
30minute epoxy in the next step to insure
adequatestrength.
D3.Mixupabatchof30minuteepoxyandspread
it liberally on the frontand back ofthespars
between ribs W-l and W-2, on the spar ends,
and on one surfaceofeach ofthedihedral
braces. Slidethe dihedralbraces intoplace and
immediately proceed to the next step.
D 4.Carefully align the leading and trailing
edgesofboth wingpanels atthe centerline and,
whileholdingthemincorrectalignment,apply
thinCA glue to thecenter jointto "lock" the
panels together. Do not apply CA glue to
any area that is already coated with epoxy.
Immediately proceed to the next step.
12

D5.Clampthedihedralbraces togetherasshown
in thephoto,wipeaway anyexcess epoxy,then
allow theepoxy to fullyharden before disturb-
ing thewing.
COMPLETINGTHEWING
D1.In thesame manneras inSteps 18and 19
above, glue the top leading edgesheetingin
place.
D5.Gluethe1/2" x 1-1/2"x 2-15/16" balsa rear
tip fairing blocks in place at thetrailingedge
ofthe wing tips.
D6.Findthetwosoftest 1/8"x 1/4"x 36"balsa
sticks thatyou previously setaside when build-
ing therudder.
D7. Glue1/8"x 1/4"balsastrips to the top and
bottom ofthe wingtips as shown inthephotos.
Do not be concerned if thesticksbreak when
theyare bentaroundthe curve. Just glue them
down and-sand them toa rounded shape later.
D2. Glue thetop center section sheetingin
place (Note: As youdo so,itwillbe helpfulto
mark the location oftheaileron servo open-
ing on thetop ofthesheetingforfuturerefer-
ence).
D8.Use a sandingblock withcoarse (#60or
#80) sandpaper to blendthereartipfairing
blocks to thewingtips, as shown.Also sand
theoutside edge of the wingtips toa smooth,
rounded shape.
D3.From the 1/4"x 1"x 7" balsa sheet and the
1/4"x 7/8"x5-7/8"balsa sheet,cutoutthetrian-
gular tipbraces using thepattern on the wing
plan, then glue them to the 1/8"ply wing tips.
D4. Glue the wingtipand tipbrace assemblies
tothe tipribs.
13

D9.From the six 3/32"x 3/8"x 36"balsa sticks,
cut cap strips to fitbetween the trailingedge
sheeting andleadingedge sheeting. Glue these
cap strips to the top and bottom edges ofall
exposed ribs as shown on the plan.
D10.Temporarily install the main landing gear
wiresintothewing.Nowfilltheunusedportion
ofthe slotin the landinggearblock with pieces
cut from the 3/16"x 3/16"balsa stick. Glue
these pieces in place.
D11.Temporarilysecure the landing gear in
place withthenylon straps and #2 x 3/8"
screws as shown in the landinggear detail
drawing and the cross-section drawing ofW-2
onthe wing plan.
AILERONTORQUERODS
D1.Sandthe short end ofthe torque rod with
320gritsandpaper.
D2.Roughen the surface of the brassbearing
tube with100grit sandpaper.
D3.Clean the torque rod and bearing tube with
degreasing solvent or thinner.
D4.Apply a small amount ofsoldering fluxto
the short end ofthe torque rod, push on the
brasstubewhichhasbeenflattenedatoneend
and rotate it to the proper position.
D5.Heat the brass tube with a soldering gun or
iron whileapplyingsolder to thejoint.When
the assembly becomes hot enough thesolder
will melt and flow freelyintothe joint.Then
remove the heat and allow to coolwithout dis-
turbing.
D6.Drill holes in the flattened portion of the
brass horn forthe clevis pin (Note: The proper
size drill bit to use here is a #53 bit,available
at most hardware stores. You may, however,
use a 1/16"bit, but a slight amount of"slop"
may result).Afterdrilling,carefullyremove
the sharpness from the edge of the holes with
an Xacto knife.
D7.Repeat the above processforthe othertorque
rod. You should now have a right and a left
torque rod.
D8.Find the two grooved, tapered balsa center
trailing edge pieces, and trial fitthe torque
rodsintothem. Determine fromtheplanwhere
to cut theclearance notches in the center trail-
ing edges and the wing trailingedge, which
permit thetorquerod horns to travelfreely.
Note: Thetorque rod horns must exit the
TOP ofthewing!
D9.Slide the brass torque rod bearings toward
the brass horns, then use a toothpick to apply
asmall amount of petroleum jellyto the ends
ofthe brass tubes. This willhelpprevent glue
from locking upthe torque rods.
D10.Use 5-minute epoxy to glue the brasstorque
rod bearings into the grooves in the center
trailingedge pieces. Wipe offany excessglue
and allow to harden.
D11.Trial fitthe trailing edge/torque rod assem-
blyontothewingtrailingedge. Sandthecenter
trailingedge pieces slightly where they join,
fora good fit.Glue these pieces in place with
epoxy. Also check to makesure the top and
bottom ofthe TE pieces lineupwith the top
and bottom ofthe wing.
14

FIBERGLASS THE CENTER SECTION
NOTE: Because of thehigh stresses in the center
ofthis wing, fiberglass reinforcement is RE-
QUIRED. Please do notomit this important sec-
tion!
D1.The fiberglass tape issupplied in two 3"
strips, whichare appliedin such a way that
they overlap 1-1/2"at thecenter (see thedia-
gram in the lowerleftcornerofthewingplan).
Begin by markingthe wingsheeting 3/4" each
way from the center joint.
D2.Ifyou have previous experience with apply-
ing fiberglass,feel freeto use your favorite
method,providingthatit results ina strong
bond between theglass cloth and thewood. If
this is your firsttime, we offer the following
suggested method, which isthe fastest and
easiestwe have seen.
3.Spray a very light mist of3M "77"Spray
Adhesiveon thecenter section in thearea to
be glassed. Hold the spray can at least 12"away
from the surface when doing this to avoid a
heavy buildup.The purpose of this isonly to
give the wood a little"tackiness". If you apply
too much spray it could result in a poor glue
bond.
D4.Beginning at the trailing edge, lay one of
the glass tape strips in place on the wing,over-
lapping the center jointby 3/4". You can use
ascissors to cut a hole in theglass cloth for
the aileron torque rod horn. Gently press the
cloth in place, working out all wrinkles.The
"77"spray adhesive should hold the cloth down
to thesurface,but willpermityou to liftand
reposition thecloth if you make a mistake.
Keep working forwardalong the top ofthe
wing,aroundtheleading edge, and along the
bottom ofthe wing, ending at the trailing edge.
Itis not necessary to wrap the glasscloth
around the trailing edge.
D5.Working outdoors or ina very well-venti-
lated area, applythin CA glue to theglass
cloth. Begin by runninga bead ofglue down
the center oftheglass cloth strip,then continue
applyingthe glue in lines untilall the cloth
has been secured. WARNING: Thisopera-
tion produces a larger than normal quan-
tity ofCA fumes, soadequate ventilation
isa must!
D6.Inspect the surface of the glass cloth. If any
areas are not glued down, apply a couple more
drops ofCA glue and press down with a piece
ofwaxed paper until the glue sets.
D7.Afterthe glue has set, trim theexcess cloth
atthetrailingedgewith a sharpXactoknife.
D8.Carefully sand the edges ofthe glass cloth
with a sanding block. Also, lightly sand the
surface ofthe glasscloth toremove any rough
spots.
D9.Repeat steps 3 through 8 to apply the other
3"strip of fiberglass tape,again overlapping
the center ofthe wing by 3/4".
INSTALL AILERONS
NOTE: Do not glue the aileron hinges until after
your model has been covered.
D1.Note onthe wing plan the location ofthe
small scrap balsa block fillerat thewing tip
near the end of the aileron.Glue this filler
block in place at this time, and sand it to blend
with the shape ofthe aileron.
D2.Draw an accurate centerlinealong the lead-
ing edge ofthe aileron.
D3.Check the length ofyour aileron against the
actual aileron openingand trim the aileronas
necessary. You should provide approximately
1/16"gap at each end ofthe aileron.
D4. Lay the aileron in place in the opening, with
the torque rod resting on top oftheaileron.
Mark the torque rod location on the top ofthe
aileron.
D5.Drill a 1/8"or 9/64" hole in the aileron at
the torque rod location, starting at the leading
edge centerline and drilling straight in to the
proper depth.
15

D6.Usingan Xacto knife,sharpen the insideof
one end of a 1/8"diameterbrass tube and use
it tocut a groove intheleadingedge of the
aileronto accept thetorquerod. Cutthisgroove
alittlelarger at thebeginning,to makeroom
forthetorque rod bearing.Trialfittheaileron
onto thetorque rod and cut or fileas necessary
untilit fits.
D7.Lay the aileron on the plan and mark the
hingelocationson the aileron.Place theaileron
against the wingTE and transfer themarks
over to thewing.
NOTE: The large one-piece molded hingessupplied
in thiskitare strong, easy to install,andprovidea
good dampeningeffectto helppreventdangerous
controlsurfaceflutter.We recommend thatyou use
these hingesinyourSuper Sportster 90/120.
D1.Holding thedie-cut 1/8"plywood dowel
plate on the leading edge, in theexact center
ofthe wing,markthedowel locations through
the dowel plate holes.
D2. Remove the dowel plateand doublecheck to
make sure the dowel locations are both the
same distance from the wingcenter joint.
D8.Cut the hingeslots usinga standardslotting
forkand slottinghook.Because thehingesare
wider thannormal,you should use thefollow-
ingprocedure: When firstinsertingtheslotting
fork,push itinonlypart-wayalongone side
ofthehingelocation,thenpush it inthe full
depth alongthe other side ofthehingelocation,
finally,go back andcompletethepush inthe
original position.Clean out the slotwith the
slottinghook.
D9. IMPORTANT! Condition or "break-in" the
hinges by foldingthemtightlyback and forth
several times.
D10.Sand theleadingedge of theaileronto the
same "V"shape asshown on the wing ribdetail
drawing.
D11.Insert the hinges intothe slots and trialfit
theailerons inplace on thewing.Do not glue
the hinges until after you have covered the
wing.
There shouldbeno hingegap!
INSTALL WING DOWELS (Do not glue)
D3.It is importantthatyounow drillthedowel
holes accurately! To insureaccurately
positionedholes,begin by drillingsmall (1/8")
holesinthecenterof themarkedlocations.
Then graduallyincrease drillbit sizes until
you havefinallydrilledtheholes to 5/16"
diameter.The finalholes youdrillmustextend
4-7/8" intothe wingto penetrate the frontdi-
hedral brace.
D4.Sand one end of each wingdowel to a
roundedor pointed shape. This is theend that
willbe inserted. Do not sand the other end at
this time.
D5.Trial fitthe dowels intothe dowel holes, and
trialfitthe dowel plate over the dowels. Do
notglue the dowels in place at thistime.
LOWER FUSELAGE
ASSEMBLY
D1.Lay one of the shaped 3/16"balsa fuselage
sides in place on the fuselage planside view.
Note thatthefrontof the fuse side extends
forwardbeyondthefirewalllocation,and this
extra length is used if a 2-cycle enginewillbe
installed.If a 1.20cu. in. 4-cycle engine will
beused, carefully cut off thefront 3/8"of
thefuse sides,even with thefront ofF-1.
16

NOTE: Ifyou are planning to install a 2-cycle engine
you may use the 1/8"plyfuselage doublers without
any changes. If, however, you willbe using a 1.20
4-cycle engine,it willbe necessary to cut 3/8"offthe
frontof the doublers. In the die-cuttingprocess, we
have already started this cut for you,and you may
complete it now. If you willnot be cuttingoff the
front portion ofthe fuse doubler, apply thick CA glue
to thepartial cutwhich we have madebeforeproceed-
ing to the next step.
2.Find the shaped 3/16"balsa lower front
fuse side andthe lower rearfusesidepieces.
Edge glue these pieces to the bottom edge of
the fuse sides in the locations shown on the
plan. Note that the lower rear fuse side pieces
have extra material at the rear portion which
must be sanded off.
3.Glue the die-cut 1/8"ply fuse doublers to
the fuse sides, making oneRIGHT and one
LEFT side. Note that the top edge must line
up,and the frontof FD must be 3/8"behind
the frontedge of the fuse side. A good way to
do this isto carefullyalign thefusedoublers
and, while holdinginposition, apply thin CA
glue aroundthe notches and lighteningholes,
then around theedges. Make sure you apply
sufficient glue soit flows under the doubler
and produces a strong bond.
4.Insert the followingparts into the notches
in the rightfuse side: Die-cut 1/8"plyF-2, die-
cut 1/8"ply F-3, 1/4"x 7/8" balsa cross-brace,
andthe die-cut 1/8"ply alignment base(AB).
5.Press the left fuse side into place ontothe
above parts. Turn the fuse assembly upside
down sothe long straight edges ofthefuse
sides are resting on a flatsurface. Check to
make sure the above parts are all securely in
place and square, thenapplythinCA glue to
thejoints.Follow upwith thick CA glue in any
joints that are not tight fitting.
6.Find thetwo 1/8"shaped balsa aft deck
base halves and edge glue them together along
the straight edges.
D7. Carefullyposition the assembled aftdeck
base on the fuseplan top view. Note that the
front edge oftheaftdeck base must lineup
with the dashed line which marks theback of
F-3.Temporarily tape in place.
17

D8.Usinga straightedgeanda pen or pencil,
lightly drawlinesto mark theF-3B, F-4A, F-
5Aand F-6B formerlocations, usingthe
former locator lines on the plan (these lines
willbe used later).
D9.Turntheaftdeck base upside down,pinor
tape inplace,and,usingthesame former
locator marks,drawlinesto locate formers F-4,
F-5 and F-6.
D13.Pullthefuse sides togetherat theF-4, F-5
and F-6 locationsand at thetail,usingclamps
or heavy blocksagainstthe sides. Check align-
ment,then glue the fuse sides to the aftdeck
base and to the formers.
D14.Glue the tapered balsa tail wedge inplace
at theaftend of the fuse.
D 15.Findthe1/4" ply wing hold-down block
and trialfitit intothenotchesinthefuse side
doublers,sandingas necessary fora goodfit.
Gluethe hold-downblock inplace securely,
using30-minuteepoxy, thencut pieces of3/8"
balsa triangleand glue themin place under
the hold-down block.
D10.Position former F-4 in place between the
lineson theaftdeck base and center it,side-to-
side. GlueF-4 to theaftdeck base whileusing
adraftsman'striangleor carpenter's square to
make sure it isperpendicular.
D11.In thesame manner,glue F-5 and F-6to
the aftdeck base.
D12.Carefullyposition the fuselage assembly
(upsidedown)over theplantop view,holding
thefrontportionsecurely in place with
weights.
INSTALLNOSEGEAR BEARING(Ifapplicable)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Ifyou are planninga "tricy-
cle gear" setupand you are usingthehardwooden-
gine mountingrailssupplied inthekit,youmay
mountthe nosegear bearingon thefront of F-1.If,
however,youare usinga custom enginemountyou
willhaveto mountthenose gear bearingon the
back ofF-l.
D1.Hold thenylonnose gear bearing inposi-
tion on thefrontof F-l and mark the location
ofthefourmountingboltholes.
D2.Drill 1/8"diameter holes at the above
marked locations.
D3.If the nose-gear bearing isto be installed on
thefrontofthefirewall,installthe4-40 blind
nuts on the back of the firewall.
18

3a. If thenosegear bearing is to be installed
on the back ofthefirewall(because a custom
engine mount isbeing used), you willhave to
cut indentations into the frontof thefirewall
at the blind nutlocations sothe blind nuts will
be flushwiththe frontsurface of thefirewall
and thus not interferewith your custom engine
mount.After cutting the indentations, install
the nosegearbearingon the back ofthe firewall
withtheblindnutsonthefrontofthe firewall.
4. Ifthe nosegear bearing isonthe front ofthe
firewall,you may now drill the hole in F-l for
your nose gear steering pushrod guide tube.
16.Trial fitthe3/8"ply firewall(F-l)sothe
large notches lineupexactly withthe longslots
in the plyfuse doublers. Use 30-minute or 5-
minuteepoxy to securely glue the firewallin
place, holdingwithclamps untiltheglue has
firmlyset.NOTE: Before the glue sets, double
check to make sure F-l isproperly aligned.
17.Now, using a small razor saw, cut out the
small tabs inthe front of the fuse doubler at
the end ofthe engine mounting rail slots.
18.If youplanto use thehardwoodengine
mountingrails supplied in this kit,trial fitthe
railsthrough theopenings in F-l and intothe
slots inthe fusedoubler. Trimor sand theopen-
ings asnecessary for a good fit.Glue the rails
securely inplace with epoxy.
D18a.Ifyou plan to use an aluminumengine
mount made for your engine, do not installthe
hardwood rails. Instead, glue the3/8"x 5/8"x
1-1/8"hardwood blocks into the cutouts in F-l,
using epoxy.
19.Note thatthebottom ofF-l may not be
flushwith the fusesides, especially ifyou are
planninga 4- cycle engine installation.Ifthis
isthe case, glue a scrap of hard balsa to the
bottom edge ofF-l,then sand it off flush with
the bottom edge of the fuse sides.
20. Cutpieces of 1/2"balsa trianglestock to
fitin the frontcorners ofthe fuse, above and
belowthe engine mountingrails. Glue inplace.
D21.Cut piecesof3/8"balsa triangle to fitin
the rear corners ofthe fueltankcompartment,
above and below theengine mounting rails.
Glue in place.
D22. In the same manner, cut and glue 3/8"balsa
triangle to fit in the front corners ofF-3.
19

WARNING: Do notomit this next important
step!
D23.Cut two pieces of 3/8"balsa triangleto fit
between F-6 andthetapered balsa tailfiller,
at thejointsbetween thefuse sides and theaft
deck base. You willhaveto taper theends of
these trianglepieces to fitproperly,as shown
on the fuse plan top view.Workingthrough
the openinginthe fusebottom, glue these
pieces securely in place.
INSTALL REAR PUSHROD GUIDE TUBES
IMPORTANTNOTE: Beforeproceeding,planyour
servo and pushrod installation.Especially note
whichside of thefuselage thethrottlepushrod and
nosegearpushrod(ifany)willbelocated.Remember
thatthe throttlearms of2-cycle and 4- cycle engines
are on opposite sides. It willbe helpfulto actually
sketch your pushrod locations on the plans with a
pencil.
D1.Sand the outer surface ofthe pushrod guide
tubes with100grit sandpaper to providea
surface towhich the glue willadhere.
D2. Use an Xactoknifeto sharpen one end of a
piece of3/16"(outside diameter)brass tubing,
then use thistubingto cutthepushrod exit
holes. Determine thelocationof these holes
from the plans. Note that each elevator re-
quires a separate pushrod.
D3.Insert the plastic pushrod tubes through the
holes youjustcutand throughformersF-6,
F-5,F-4 andF-3.Cutgrooves inthe inside
opening of F-6 at the pushrod tube locations to
minimizethe curvatureofthe tubes.
4. Route the pushrod tubes according to your
radio installationplan,andanchor the tubes
to formersF-4, F-5 and F-6 using1/8"x 3/8"
balsa cross- braces. Keep tubes as straight
aspossible. Do not anchor the tubes to F-3
atthis time, to allowforslight adjustmentof
the position of the pushrods when the servos
are installed later. Leave approximately2 in-
ches of the pushrod tubes protrudingintothe
radio compartment, and cut off theexcess.
D5.Gluethepushrod tubes to thefuse sides at
the exitpoints,usingthinCA glue.Then cut
offthetubes and sand them flushwith the fuse
sides using a sanding block.
20