Hobby-Lobby Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser User manual

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1/8 scale Piper PA-12 “Super Cruiser”ARF
Wingspan: 53.25 in. (1353mm)
Length: 39.5 in. (1003mm)
Wing Area: 360 in². (23.23dm²)
Weight (w/o battery): 27.5 oz. (780g)
Weight (w/ TP2100-3S): 34 oz. (964g)

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Hobby-Lobby.com is pleased to announce the 1/8 scale Piper PA-12 “Super Cruiser” as
part of its Pilot-1 Golden Age Civilian Series. The Pilot-1 “Super Cruiser” encompasses
the same attributes in quality construction and handling that made the original a great
design. We know you will be pleased with your new model. Its’ beautiful looks, balanced
maneuverability, and docile flying characteristics make it a design that is truly at home
cruising the skies at a Pilot-1 Aerodrome near you!
Hobby Lobby International, Inc.
5614 Franklin Pike Circle
Brentwood, TN 37027
1-866-WE-FLY-RC
(1-866-933-5972)
www.hobby-lobby.com

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Introduction & History
“The end of World War II saw the resumption of private aircraft manufacture and the
Piper Aircraft Company, already well known for the J-3 Cub and the J-5 Cruiser, began
production of improved models of these aircraft. These were the Piper PA-11 Cub
Special and the Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser. Walter Jamoneau, who was head of the
engineering department at Piper for many years, modified the J-5 into the PA-12. Test
flights were made in December 1945, and the first production version of the aircraft
appeared in February 1946.”
“The original J-5 series were fabric-covered, three-place, high-wing monoplanes, initially
powered by 75-hp Lycoming engines, and later by 90-hp Lycomings. The PA-12 was
also fabric-covered, over a welded metal tubular frame and wooden wing spars, and
featured a Lycoming O-325-C engine, fully cowled. Later models of the PA-12 had as
optional equipment a slightly more powerful engine. Standard features on the PA-12
included an electric starter, navigation lights, and a cabin heater. The Piper PA-12
Super Cruiser was used in a number of roles, from private pleasure flying to light cargo
carrying and many are still flying. It was also successful in the export market.”
Manufacturer: Piper Aircraft Corp.
Date: 1946
Country of Origin: United States of America
Dimensions:
Wingspan: 10.8 m (35 ft 5 in)
Length: 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in)
Height: 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)
Weight, empty: 454 kg (1,000 lb)
Weight, gross: 793 kg (1,750 lb)
Top Speed: 184 km/h (115 mph)
Engine: Lycoming O-235-C, 100 hp
Materials:
Fuselage: steel tube with fabric cover
Physical Description:
Single engine, two seat, high wing, monoplane, [cream] and red, first light aircraft to fly around the world
(Source: Online, NASM, http://www.nasm.si.edu/ , Jan 3, 2009) Search “Piper Super Cruiser” at the
following link: http://www.nasm.si.edu/

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Before starting, use the contents list to take an inventory and make sure it is complete.
If any parts are missing or are not of acceptable quality, contact Hobby-Lobby.com
support at 1-866-WE-FLY-RC (1-866-933-5972)
Contents List
Fuselage
Battery Hatch
Engine Cowl
Landing Gear
Wheels, Velcro, Tailwheel, Misc Hardware
Windshield and Side Windows
Wings, Center Section, and Ailerons
Tube Wing Joiner and Wing Struts
Horizontal Tail
Vertical Tail
Pushrods
Additional Items Required
4-channel Aircraft Radio w/ Receiver (minimum), Computer radio recommended.
2100 mah, 3-cell, 11.1v Lipo Battery (1800-2200mah)
(4) Hitec HS-55 Servos
18 amp Jeti Advance Plus Brushless ESC
AXI 2217/16 Brushless Motor
AXI 22 Series Radial Mount
APC 9x6SF “Slow-fly” Propeller
Soldering Iron and Electrical Solder
5-minute Epoxy Glue
Thin CA Glue and Canopy Glue (craft glue)
Small Phillips Screwdriver
Needle Nose Pliers
Hobby Knife

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1. This manual will help you assemble your
Hobby-Lobby.com Pilot-1 airplane step-by-
step. It does assume that this is not your
first airplane. If you need assistance, please
ask a local flyer, visit www.rcgroups.com, or
call us here at Hobby-Lobby.com. Let’s start
by preparing the aileron servos and aileron
wire extensions. Wrap the connection with
tape or use heat shrink tubing to prevent an
accidental disconnect.
2. Make sure servo is centered and install
large servo horn and screw. Test fit servo
on servo cover.
3. While holding servo horn centered in the
slot, use 5-min epoxy to glue servo blocks
in place as shown. Be careful to align side-
to-side and up-and-down.
4. After 5-min epoxy has set, install servo
screws into blocks. Use wire cutters to
remove unused side of servo arm.

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5. Insert the elevator or rudder pushrod into
the wing so that it sticks out of the aileron
servo cavity as shown. Note: Be careful not
to bend pushrod.
6. Tape the aileron wire extension to the end
of the pushrod. Pull pushrod and wire
through wing panel. Remove tape from
pushrod. Repeat for opposite wing panel.
7. Install each aileron servo cover with four (4)
small sheet metal screws.
8. Bend CA hinges as shown. Flex hinges
completely back and forth several times to
loosen them before installation.

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9. Insert CA hinges and aileron into wing.
Make sure alignment is good with even
spaces at each end of aileron.
10.With aileron deflected downward and fitted
with no gap between the leading edge of
aileron and wing, CA each hinge. Use thin
CA, 2 drops per hinge per side.
11.Insert wing tube and route aileron wire as
shown.
12.Insert machine screw and washer into
predrilled hole to secure wing panel.

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13.Use straight edge and pen to mark where
the aileron control horn will be attached.
14.Make another mark 8mm (5/16”) as shown.
This is where the aileron horn pins will go
through the balsa aileron block.
15.Temporarily insert aileron control horn into
aileron.
16.Trace around horn and remove covering
with hobby knife.

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17.Insert horn and use thin CA or 5-min epoxy
to glue in place.
Repeat steps 1-17 for opposite wing
panel.
18.Insert aileron pushrod “z-bend” into outer
hole of servo arm as shown. You may need
to use a drill bit, reamer, or hobby knife to
enlarge hole in servo arm.
19.Adjust clevis to correct length and connect
to aileron horn. Slide fuel tubing safety onto
clevis to prevent accidental disconnect.
20.Look at the covering on the horizontal
stabilizer to determine which side is the top.
Use a pen to mark the “top.”
TOP

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21.Using the same technique as the ailerons to
install the elevator. Pre-bend the CA
hinges, deflect downwards, CA each hinge
2 drops per side. *Note: before gluing, if you
feel hinges are too stiff, cut each hinge in
half so that they are 1/4” wide by 1/2" long.
Then glue normally.
22.Temporarily install the wing. Insert
countersunk machine screws or use
masking tape to hold in place.
23.Temporarily install horizontal and vertical
stabilizers in place.
24.Use 90 degree square to align vertical
stabilizer. Check alignment between
horizontal stabilizer and wing for level.
Measure left and right elevator tip to aileron
tip and adjust so that they are even. Some
twist can be removed with light heating of
covering with heat gun.

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25.When completely satisfied with fit and
alignment, use thin CA to glue each joint
thoroughly. There are six joints total.
26.Remove covering from lower front of
rudder. Insert and glue tailwheel wire into
predrilled hole. Use 5-min epoxy for this
step.
27.Install rudder and check for alignment.
28.Use thin CA for each hinge as you did with
the elevator. Be careful NOT to CA the
tailwheel bracket to the tailwheel wire.

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29.Install pushrods and servos as shown.
Make sure servos are centered before
installing horns. The outer holes may need
to be drilled out slightly for the “z-bend” in
the wire.
30.Install pushrod clevis to the rudder and
elevator pushrods. Use a sheet metal screw
to install tailwheel bracket. NOTE: fuel
tubing safety shown installed on clevis.
31.Measure and mark a line 9mm (5/16”) from
the hinge line. Install control horn on clevis.
32.Lightly press control horn points into
elevator along mark made in previous step.

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33.Using the indentations, drill two pilot holes
through elevator. The drill bit should be
smaller than the control horn pin diameter,
approximately 1.5mm (1/16”).
34.Trace around horn, remove the covering,
install control horn flush.
35.Use thin CA on both sides of elevator to
secure horn in place. Then use wire cutters
to trim of excess pin length flush. NOTE:
Make sure to use fuel tubing over each
clevis to prevent them from coming open
accidentally.
36. Repeat the steps above for the ruder horn.
Again, make sure to install the fuel tubing
safety sleeve on each clevis.

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37.Install four (4) aluminum straps and eight
(8) sheet metal screws on each corner of
landing gear wire as shown. Install wheels
and wheel collars.
38.Solder motor to speed control. In our
application, on the motor side of the ESC,
connect black to yellow, red to red, yellow
to black. That will assure motor runs the
correct direction. Solder your battery
connector on the other end of ESC. Here
we have used the Male Deans Ultra plug.
As with any electric plane, use high quality
connectors designed for R/C applications
and make good solder connections.
39.Install motor mount supplied in AXI
accessory kit. Then install motor mount
bolts with plywood spacers as shown.
40.Use tie wraps or tape to secure ESC
(Electronic Speed Control) to motor box.
Route wires as necessary to receiver and
battery.

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41.Cut four (4) strips of paper the same width
of cowling blocks (approx. 1/2”wide) and 4”
long. Use tape to install paper strips over
each cowling block as shown.
42.Install cowling. Make sure the paper strips
are on outside of cowl. Align cowl with
propeller shaft face 5mm (3/16”) in front of
cowl. Use masking tape to hold cowl in
position for next few steps.
43.Use a pen to mark the location for each
screw on the paper strips.
44.Drill a 1mm (1/32”) pilot hole through paper
strip, cowl, and wood mounting blocks for
each of the four (4) screws.

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45.Fold paper strips out of the way and slightly
enlarge the hole in the fiberglass cowl only!
Here we are using a reamer but you could
use a hobby knife or drill bit. This is done to
keep cowl from cracking when inserting the
cowl sheet metal screws.
46.Install four (4) sheet metal screws to hold
cowl in place. Remove all tape and paper
strips. Install the APC 9x6SF propeller. An
APC “E-series” is shown in this photo but
we preferred the “SF-series” after testing.
47.Install receiver and hook up all servos and
wiring. A 2.4GHz receiver is shown here. If
you are using a 72MHz radio, you may wish
to route antenna though bottom of plane,
along belly, and use clear tape to secure
near tailwheel, leaving any extra wire to trail
behind plane.
48.We used a black permanent marker to color
around window frames before installing
windows.

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49.Use canopy glue or craft glue to install side
windows.
50.Use canopy glue to install windshield. Use a
wet paper towel to clean up any mess
before glue dries. Use masking tape to hold
everything in place while the glue dries.
51.Make one (1) loop with the tail brace cable
and crimp. Compress crimp with needle
nose pliers as shown.
52.Remove tailwheel bracket screw and
reinstall with wire loop from above step.
Route tail brace cable through predrilled
holes in horizontal and vertical stabilizers,
then through 2nd crimp, around screw, and
back through crimp as shown. Then lightly
pull slack out of cable and compress crimp
with needle nose pliers. Trim off extra
cable.

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53.The tail brace cable should look like this
when complete.
54.Prepare the wing struts for assembly. The
front strut is slightly larger than the rear
strut.
55.Place scrap foam or towel under center
section of wing for support. You do not want
any load placed on wing tips while installing
struts. Sight the wings from behind the
airplane to check for any warp or twist. If
any is found, twist wing back to straight and
lightly use heat gun or iron to remove any
wrinkles in covering. Experienced modelers
may want to add a degree or two of
washout (L.E. down) at the wing tips.
56.Install both wing struts to the fuselage with
sheet metal screws behind the landing gear
as shown.

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57.When you are satisfied with the
straightness of the wing, use a sheet metal
screw to attach the forward wing strut at 1-
5/8” (41mm) from the Leading Edge of the
wing.
58.Install a sheet metal screw in the rear strut
at 5-3/8” (137mm) from the Leading Edge of
the wing.
59.You may wish to remove struts and soak
each hole with thin CA to strengthen attach
point. Reinstall sheet metal screws after CA
has dried.
60. Make a mark on each wing 2” (50mm) back
from the leading edge. Install battery and
balance model at these marks with the tips
of your fingers. Move the battery fore or aft
until airplane balances with fuselage level
or slightly nose down. Make a mark in
battery compartment so that you place the
battery in the same place every time. Small
stick-on lead weights may also be
necessary inside engine cowl or near tail to
properly balance.
CG