Lanier R/C TAYLORCRAFT Instruction Manual

Lanier R/C
TAYLORCRAFT Building instructions
Wingspan ------------------------- 83-1/2” (clipped wing) 108” (long wing)
Length------------------------------ 69”
Wing Area ------------------------ 1336 sq. in. (clipped wing) 1678 sq. in. (long wing)
Wing Loading ------------------- 20 oz./sq. ft. (clipped wing at 12 lbs. 19.3 oz./sq. ft.
(Long Wing at 14 lbs.)
Weight ----------------------------- 12 to 14 lbs. (approx)
Recommended Engines ------.91 to 1.2 2cyc,.91to1.8 four cyc., G23gas
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Lanier R/C
INTRODUCTION
The Lanier R/C Taylorcraft is not the ordinary
venerable Taylorcraft. It is a scale version of the
Taylorcraft’s modified and made highly aerobatic
by Mike Swick at the Aero County Airport just
north of Dallas, TX. Mike starts with a standard
Taylorcraft airframe and completely rebuilds it to
better-than-new standards. Larger control
surfaces, increased fin and rudder area has
been changed along with a clipped wing to
optimize aerobatic performance. The key to the
Lanier R/C Taylorcraft’s outstanding agility is a
¼ scale version of the Swick design allowing
you to do amazing maneuvers and a whole lot
more.
For those who are not interested in an all out
aerobatic airplane, we have included plans and
material for a set of long wings. Your choice,
build the clipped wing or build the long wing.
You will have to decide before building
This is not a beginners airplane kit. We assume
you have average building skills and are familiar
with the building techniques required to
successfully build this airplane. However,
before beginning construction we urge you to
read through these instructions to familiarize
yourself with the building requirements. Note:
It is wise to leave all the parts in the laser cut
sheets and cut them out as needed. It will make
them much easier to find; preventing
unnecessary confusion on your part.
BUILDING THE STAB AND ELEVATORS
Begin by getting all the materials necessary to
build the tail. Locate sheet 1 of the laser cut
parts and cut out E1,E2, E3, E4, E5, FN1, FN2,
FN3, RU4, RU5, and fillet. When cutting out
these parts, cut the micro tabs holding them in
place with a sharp X-acto knife and the part will
fall out. Do not try to break them out. Find (2)
1/4” x 1/2” x 36” balsa sticks, (3) 1/4” sq. x 36”
balsa sticks and (3) ¼” sq. spruce sticks to be
used on the stab and elevators. Find (1) ¼” x
1/2” x 36”, (2) 1/4” sq. x 24” balsa sticks and (1)
1/4” sq. x 36 spruce stick to be used on the stab
and rudder.
We recommend using a good grade Aliphatic
white glue for gluing like PICA Gluit, Elmers,
Titebond. Any of these will do a good job. Of
course CA glue can be used to help hold the
part while the white glue is curing. Pick out a
flat building surface, spread out the plans for the
stab and elevator and tape them down. Lay a
piece of wax paper over them and you are ready
to start building.
1. Pin down the stab TE and elevator LE on the
plans.
Glue in E1, E2, E3, E4 and pin E5 in place.
Note: before gluing, remove the burned char
from the gluing surface with a sanding stick for
better adhesion.
2. Cut, fit, and glue in the 1/4” hardwood stab
TE
Spar. Cut, fit and glue in the short tail strut
reinforcement pieces.
3. Cut the 1/4” hardwood LE and TE piece to
rough length. Fit and glue them in place around
the perimeter.
4. Finally glue in the 1/4” balsa ribs and
diagonals. Make good square cuts and fit them
close for good strong joints. When cured,
remove them and shape to match the plans.
Drill two 3/32” holes where shown on the plans
for the tail braces.
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BUILDING THE FIN AND RUDDER
Building the fin and rudder is very similar to the
construction of the stab and elevators. Locate
FN1, FN2, FN3, RU4, and RU5. You should
have them cut out already. Sand the chared
edges where glue is spred on each piece for
better adhesion. Locate (1) ¼” sq. x 24” spruce
stick. Also locate (1) 1/4” x 1/2” x 36” balsa stick
and (2) 1/4” x 24” balsa sticks. You are now
ready to build the fin and rudder.
1. Lay the fin and rudder plan down on a flat
building surface covering it with wax paper. Pin
down the fin TE and the Rudder LE. Cut them
roughly to length. Now, cut out the notch inset
for R2 in the fin TE. Glue R1, R2 , R3, and R4
in place. Pin R5 in its location. Install the short
piece of ¼” x ½” balsa backup at the base of the
rudder and glue in place.
2. Using the 1/4” sq. hardwood, cut and fit the
fin LE and the rudder TE. Now cut and fit in the
1\4” balsa ribs and diagonals. Finally, glue the
fillet on the fin LE. Use white aliphatic resin glue
for all joints. When cured, remove from plans
and shape edges to the configuration shown.
Set aside for final sanding and shaping of LE
and TE surfaces.
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BUILDING THE SHORT WING
(also see building the long wing) Begin by
laying the plans down over a flat surface building
one panel at a time. No need for wax paper to
protect the plans because the front lower spar
is shimmed up with 3/32” strips.
1. Pin down the lower front 1/4” x 1/4” spruce
spar shimming it up with short pieces of 3/32” x
1/4” balsa rib capping. Place 2-1/2” lengths
under the spar beginning at the first rib bay and
then at every other bay including the end bay.
Use a long straightedge to make sure the spar is
pinned down straight.
2. Locate and cut out all the ribs to build the
wing panel. Lay them out in position over the
plans to keep in order so as not to glue in the
wrong rib by mistake. Find the wing dihedral
gauge (laser cut sheet 11) and cut it loose. Use
it to place Rib 1A at the proper dihedral angle of
1 degree. Do this carefully. Use thick CA to
tack the rib in place pinning it at the back edge
to the plans. Now glue the rest of the ribs to the
spar. Use the other edge of the dihedral gauge
to make sure the ribs are perpendicular.
3. Locate 3 more 1/4” sq. hardwoods spars and
glue them in the top front and upper and lower
notches. The lower rear spar must be slid in
under the ribs and pushed up into the slots.
Make sure you do not disturb the 1 degree angle
on R1A.
4. Locate and glue on the 3/32” x 1” trailing
edge. It should overhang the back edge of the
rib support by .040.
5. Glue and fit in the 3/32” vertical webbing on
the backside of the front spars and on the front
side of the back spars. Cut (13) 1-1/2” pieces to
be used for the front webbing. Cut (13) 1-1/1/8”
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pieces to be used for the rear webbing. Note:
6. A piece of webbing is required on both sides
of the spars in the first rib bay to retain DB1 and
DB2. Keep glue blobs clean in this area.
7. Cut and glue on the 3/32” x 1” wing TE sheet
just ahead of the aileron. Now glue on the
aileron leading edge aligning the front edge with
the top-protruding end of the aileron. Cut the
sheet a little long letting the ends rest on the ribs
at both ends. Do not glue sheet to these ribs.
Now find the 3/32” x 1/4” rib capping and cap the
aileron ribs. Do not cap the end ribs at this time.
8. Locate and glue on the 1/8” x 1/2” sub
leading edge. Center it on the front of the ribs.
This fits close in order to minimize the sanding
required to bevel both top and bottom edge to
conform to rib configuration.
9. With a 3/32” x 3” balsa sheet, true up one
edge, so that it is straight. Trim off the other
edge so that you have a 2-1/2” wide sheet. Now
do another three sheets. Put a pencil mark, on
each end of the front top spar,1/8” back from the
front edge. Spread white glue on each rib and
along the front sub-LE. Spread thick CA along
the spar where the sheeting will come in contact.
Align the sheeting on the marks and allow CA to
cure before pulling it down to the sub LE. Use
masking tape to hold in place until cured. Now
lift up the wing from the plans and sheet the
other side as described above. Make sure the
wing is weighted down on a flat surface to cure
and not warp.
10. Locate the 3/32” x 1 stock and glue on the
lower TE sheeting. Pin it to a flat surface in
order to keep it flat and straight until cured.
Prop up the LE keeping the TE flat. Use white
glue.
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11. While the wing is curing find (2) R1B and
install the 1/4-20 blind nuts in them. Push the
nuts in flat against the surface. Make a LH and
a RH part and apply thick CA around the edges
to hold them in. Find (4) WS1’s and install 8-32
blind nuts in them. Lastly find the (2) R2A.
Using epoxy, center the metal fittings ST4 on the
centerlines, indicated on the part. Roughen the
sides to be glued and allow the epoxy to flow
through the holes to pin them in place. The
holes should extend 5/8” below the rib. You will
need a LH and RH part here. Be sure.
12. Install R1B with blind nuts on the inside of
R1A using white glue. Clamp if necessary to
make the prongs on the blind nut penetrate the
balsa. Now glue in the two WS1 with blind nuts.
Locate and glue in the R2A with the jury strut
retainers. Glue on the 3/32” x 1” wing TE
sheeting. It’s you choice. You can notch out the
sheet to fit around WS1 or you can butt the
sheet up against both sides of WS1 and fill in
the gap.
13. Locate (2) A1 on laser cut sheet 5. Cut the
micro joints to free them. Using a 1/16” shim for
spacing, glue them in at each end of the aileron.
Some sanding may be necessary to fit them
completely into the trailing edge. The top front
edge should line up with the upper sheeting.
14. Install the 3/32”x 1” lower aileron sheet
aligning it with the ends of A1. Cut it to fit and
glue on to the aileron end A1.
15. Sheet the first 2 rib bays with 3/32” x 3”
sheeting. Starting from the TE and working up.
Fill in the last small opening next to the LE
sheeting. Now cap all the ribs with 3/32” x ¼”
balsa.
16. Fill in between the jury strut supports and
the adjacent rib. Cut 2 pieces of 3/32” sheet
balsa 1-3/4” wide, notch the end to fit around the
support ST6, and glue in place.
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17. Glue 3/32” x 1/4” capping to the servo well
cross supports. Make the edges flush with the
inside surfaces of the well.
18. Now turn the wing over and sheet the root
section, as on the bottom side, and cap all the
ribs with 3/32” x ¼” balsa capping.
19. Cap the wing end rib, next to the aileron ,
with 3/32” sheet cap on top and bottom side. It
is a very narrow strip, becareful, the end rib is
very fragile and easily broken off.
20. Now is the right time to cut out the aileron.
Using a razor saw, cut through the 1/16” gap
between the aileron and wing at both ends.
Now cut through the ribs just behind the wing
TE. Remove the aileron and set it aside.
21. Block sand the wing trailing edge smooth
with the spars and cap with a 1/4” x 1-3/8” x 24”
piece. You will have to trim the ends and fit it.
Use white glue and masking tape to hold it in
place. When cured sand flush with surface.
22. Cut off the extending ribs on the aileron a
the proper angle. The angle is defined by
drawing a line from the edge of the top sheeting
to the edge of the bottom sheet. Use a razor
saw and support the work on an edge of the
bench.
23. Block sand the angle surface with a long
sanding stick. Now cap it with a piece ½” x 1-
3/4” x 24” balsa. Lay the cap on a flat surface.
Pin down if necessary. Line up the bottom
edge of the aileron with the lower edge on the
cap leaving all the material towards the top of
the aileron. This will assure you enough
material for the angle required at the top. Use
white glue and pin down in place.
24. Cut or plane off the excess balsa and sand
flush at each surface maintaining the same
surface plane.
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25. Install AIL3 found on sheet 5, as shown on
the plans, with white glue. Glue in a short piece
of 1/4” sq. reinforcement at each end as shown
on the plans.
26. Plane and sand the wing LE sheeting
flush with the sub-LE. Now glue on the
3/16” x 3/4” leading edge. Use white glue
and hold in place with masking tape. When
cured, remove tape.
27. Locate the 1/2” x 2-1/2” x 16” balsa
block. Stand the wing panel on end and
trace the airfoil configuration on the block.
Cut out the wing tip, slightly outside the line,
and glue it in place. Use white glue and
masking tape to hold. When cured, shape
the tip by rounding the corners and rounding
the front where it meets the LE.
28. Before gluing on R1, the root rib, draw
a line on R1A from top to bottom wing spar,
front and back side. Cut out the balsa
between the lines of each set of spars to
provide an opening for DB1 and DB2.
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you can remove the balsa between the
spars, if you find it more desirable, after R1
has been glued in place. Now glue on R1.
29. Locate DB1 and DB2 on the laser cut
sheet 1. Cut them out and trial fit them in
their respective slots. They may need a
slight amount of sanding to fit do to building
tolerances. Do not glue them in at this
time.
BUILDING THE SERVO MOUNT
1. In the wing servo opening, cut and glue
in (4) 1/4” x 1/4” x 1/2” blocks in each corner
of the opening. Set them below the surface
1/8”.
2. Locate (4) SV2 on sheet 5 and 2-SV3’s
on sheet 8 of the laser cut parts. Lay
one SV3 on a flat surface with wax paper
and center the servo output arm in the slot.
Also center the servo from side to side.
Note the correct orientation of the servo.
Place a small square of doubled sided servo
tape under the servo to hold it in place.
3. Cut 4 pieces of 1/4” 1/4” x 3/4”hardwood.
With the servo in place epoxy one under
each servo mount. Apply epoxy to the end
of each piece only. Now glue in a gusset
SV2 behind each mount and allow to cure.
4. Mount the servo mount in place with
servo mounting screws, available from Micro
Fasteners. They require a ball wrench to
drive them into a 1/16” dia hole. The servo
wire tube, shown as an option, can be
purchased from TnT Landing Gear
Products, Swanton, OH., or your hobby
dealer. It has another function; tying the ribs
together for added strength.
HINGING THE AILERONS
Before hinging the ailerons it is a good idea
to build a simple drill fixture (not included).
The edge of the hinge hole falls at the
bottom edge of the sheeting on the wing and
aileron LE. Impossible to drill without a
fixture. It can be made from 1/2” ply and
won’t take any time to build. The reason for
1/2” ply is that it will support the drill bit
better assuring the hole to be drilled where
you want it. Cut two blocks from 1/2” ply 1-
3/4” x 3”. Glue one on the top edge of the
other one, as shown in the photo. When
cured, drill a 3/16” hole in the center of the
block locating the center of the hole 3/16”
down from the lower edge of the block on
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the opposite side. This is important so take
your time and be accurate with the hole
location. Cover the surface in contact with
the sheeting with sandpaper to keep from
slipping
1. Before locating and drilling the hinge
holes, glue in the 4 – 1/4” x 5/8” x 1” hinge
backing blocks at the wing trailing edge as
noted on the plans.
2. Align and tape the aileron in the wing
opening and mark each hinge location by
striking a line on the wing and aileron. Now
carry the lines down the front surface of the
aileron and wing TE. Mark the center of the
hole on the fixture down and around to the
same hole location on the other side. This
will enable you to line up the centerlines on
the fixture and the part before drilling
3. Using the drill fixture align each hole to
be drilled with the scribed lines. Make sure
the top surface of the fixture is flat on the
wing/aileron surface. Drill carefully. Note:
you will be drilling holes through the upper
rear wing spar. No need to worry, there is
plenty of beef around them. Do not glue in
the hinges until the wing and aileron is fully
covered
4. Align the aileron control horn with the
servo output arm. Use a straightedge
scribe a line on the aileron for its location.
Locate AIL4, on sheet 5 of the laser cut
sheet, and cut it out. Tack glue it to the
aileron noting the forward edge is slightly
ahead of the aileron LE. Now place the
control horn on top, align, and mount using
servo mounting screw. A 1/16” dia. drill is
fine for the screw pilot holes. Make up the
aileron push rod with the components
specified on the plans. Final adjustment can
be made later. Remove the control horn
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