THUNDER TIGER YAK 54 User manual

JE9000
Warranty
This kit is guaranteed to be free from defects in material and workmanship at the date of purchase.
It does not cover any damage caused by use or modification. The warranty does not extend beyond
the product itself and is limited only to the original cost of the kit. By the act of building this user-
assembled kit, the user accepts all resulting in liability for damage caused by the final product. If the
buyer is not prepared to accept this liability, it can be returned new and unused to the place of
purchase for a refund. Neither your dealer nor Thunder Tiger Distributors, can accept kits for return if
construction has begun.
Notice: Adult Super Vision Required
This is not a toy. Assembly and flying of this product requires adult supervision.
Read through this book completely and become familiar with the assembly and flight of this airplane.
Inspect all parts for completeness and damage. Browse www. thundertiger. com for customer service
if you encounter any problems.
16 1
Assembly Manual
MEMO
THUNDER TIGER CORP. www.thundertiger.com
No. 4349
Specification:
2
Wing Area: 382 sq.in. (24.66 dm )
Wing Span: 45 (1143mm)
Length: 45.5 (1160mm)
Weight: 2.3lb.(1000~1100g)

INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Introduction.........................................................................................................................2
Parts Drawings........................................................................................................................4-5
Wing…………………..........................................................................................…….…...……...6
Tail........................................................................................................................................7-8
Motor………...........................................................................................………….....……........9
Radio..………........................................................................................………….....……..10
Cowling..………........................................................................................………….....……..11
Control Throw & Balance ......................................................................................................12-13
............................................................................................................................15
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A checklist is provided as below which will make shopping for these items easier.
OTHER ITEMS REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBLY
Adhesives: You will need the instant
(cyanoacrylate) adhesives andepoxy.
Thank you for your purchase of the Thunder Tiger 3D YAK 54 EP. You can make this proven 3D fun flyer
easily in doing any aerobatics and 3D maneuvers, includes Knife Edge, Hovering, Torque Rolls, Cobra...etc.
Very good for those who are interested in learning 3D-aerobatics or experienced 3D pilots who are looking
for a relaxed practicing plane that can be used both outdoor and indoor.
Radio: A 4-channelradio with 4micro servos andmini
receiver are required. Suggest to use programable
radio so youcan adjust the Exponential.
Battery: Recommend the use of a ACE Power Lipo
battery 3S1P 2200mAh(No.2808).
Brushless Motor: Recommend
motor.
OBL36/09-30A
2
Paper Towel
Hobby Knife
Ruler
Pen, Pencil or Marker
Phillips&Flat Head ScrewDrivers
Scissors
Nose Plier
Drill Bit 1/8”(3mm)
TOOLS AND SUPPLIES NEEDED
Extension Wire: 2 pieces of extension wire in length
of 12” and one piece Y-cord.
Propeller: Recommended APC propeller 12x5E or
13x4E for normal flight and APC 12x6 E for high
performance 3D aerobatics.
ITEM REQUIRED
3
The 3D YAK 54 EP is designed for intermediate pilot minded.Before beginning the assembly read
the instructions thoroughly to give an understanding of the sequence of steps and a general awareness of the
recommended assembly procedures. Check the entire contents of your kit against the parts drawing and
photos to make sure that no parts are missing or damaged. This will also help you to become familiar with
each component of your plane. If you find that any of the parts are either missing or damaged, please contact
Thunder Tiger Distributors for Customer Service.
Controller: ACE BLC-40A( No. 8027 ) is a perfect
controller that controllingOBL motor efficiently.
BLC-40A

Right Wing(1)Left Wing (1)
Fuselage (1)
Wing Joiner Tube (1) CA Hinge (8) Nylon Retaining Screw (2)
Fin/Rudder (1)
Stab./Elevator (1)
CA Hinge (6)
Elevator Torque Rod (1)
Carbon Landing Gear (L/1,R/1)
M3x12 mm (4)
3x10mm Socket Screw (4) M3 Lock Nut(4) 3mm Washer (4)
Wheel (2)
2.3x8mm
Wood Screw (2)
Elevator(1)
Aileron (2)
Rudder(1)
3X3mm Setscrew (4) M2 Washer (8) M2 Nut (4) EZ Connector (4) Hex Wrench(1)
Control Horn (4)
3mm Collar (2)
Wheel (2)
2.3x8mm Wood Screw (4)
Canopy (1)
3X3mm Setscrew (2)
M3 Washer (2)
M3x21mm
Socket Screw (2)
M3 Lock Nut (2)
AS9127-03 Fuselage
AS9127-04
AS9128-03 Main Wing
AS9128-04
AS9129-03 Tail Set
AS9129-04
AS913 0-03 Cowling
AS9130-04
AS913 1-03Canopy
AS913 1-04
AS9132 Pushrod AS9133 Control Horn
AS9134 EZ Connector AS9135 Lite Wheel
AS9136 Carbon Landing Gear AS9137 Wheel Pant
AS9138 Tail Gear
Open the box and check that you have all the parts as shown below.
PARTS DRAWINGS PARTS DRAWINGS
45
Mounting Strip (1) Tail Gear (1) Tail Wheel (1) 2mm Collar (1)2.3x8mm (2) 3X3mm
Set Screw (1) Hex Wrench(1)
Cowling(1)
Hex Wrench(1)
Velcro (1) Tie Belt (1)
Frame (1)

WING
6
TAIL
7
1. Locate the aileron servo well at the bottom wing.
Use hobby knife to cut an “X” then tack down the
covering with heat iron.
2. Secure the aileron servo in place and exited the
wire at thewing root.
3. Remove the aileron then center all hinges in place.
4.CAthe four hinges on aileron. Make sure the hinges
are centered.
5. Next attach the aileron to the main wing, apply CA
on both side so the glue will seep into the trailing edge.
6. With servo horn and pushrod installed to decide
the control horn hole. Next drill 5/32”(4mm) hole at
the mark you decided. Make sure drill the hole
perpendicular to the control surface.
7. Secure the control horn with CA or epoxy, make
sure the control horn is oriented to the pushrod.
Snap Z-bend end of pushrod to the control horn and
insert the other end to the EZ connector which
should be installed on the servo horn with M2 washer
and nuts.
9. Temporally install the vertical fin andstab. Make
mark on stab and fin along the fuselage.
10. Remove the stab and fin, cut away the covering
inside the lines you drew. Be careful not to cut into the
wood as it may hurt the strength of the stab.
11. Attach the elevator torque rod first then install
the stab in place. Center the stab and make sure the
wing and stab is parallel, the fin is perpendicular to
the stab. Glue the stab and fin in place with CA or
epoxy.
12. Same way as you install the hinge on aileron,
secure the CA hinges on the elevators as shown.
8. Locate thefin the stab slots, carefully cut away the
covering.

TAIL
8
MOTOR
9
14. Install the tail gear and wheel in place with two
2.3 x8mm wood screws and wheel collar.
15. Locate the rudder, glue the CA hinges as shown.
Next use hobby knife to cut a slot so tail gear torque
rod can accommodate to leading edge of rudder.
This is to make hinge line gap as small as possible.
16. Trial fit the rudder in place, make sure it works
fine then apply epoxy at the rudder torque rod hole
and slot then attach the rudder on the fin. Wipe away
the excess epoxy and make sure rudder works freely
after cured.
17. Same wayto locate the rudder and elevator servo
well. Cut an “X” at the servo well.
18. Heat treatment the servo well.
19. Install the elevator servo as shown at the left side
of fuselage. Rememberconnect the extension wire
at least 12”.
20. Same way as the installation of aileron control horn.
Install the elevator control horn in place as shown.
21. Snap on the pushrod first then attach the servo
horn with EZ connector installed. Adjust the pushrod
with elevator and servo are both in neutral position.
22. Same way to install the rudder control horn in
place as shown.
23. Secure the rudder servo at the right side of fuselage
with 12” extension wire installed. Adjust the pushrod
when servo and rudder are both in neutral position.
24. Locate the brushless motor, cross mount, adaptor,
prop nut andmounting screws if user buys the kit with
motor.
13. Apply epoxy in the elevator torque rod holes then
attach the elevator onto the stab. Make sure it moves
free after cured.
25. Install the motor on the fire wall with cross mount
and adaptor installed.

RADIO
10
COWL
11
26. Install the carbon landing gear in place with M3x10
socket screws, M3 washers and M3 locknuts.
27. Drill 3mm hole for wheel axle, then install the
wheel pant and wheel with socket screw M3x21mm,
M3 locknut and washer. Adjust the wheel paint then
secure the wheel pant with 2.3x8mm wood screw.
Make sure thewheel rotates freely after installation.
28. Trial fit and main wing in place, then install wing
joiner. Locate the Nylon retaining screw then screw
in the wing in place as photo shown in next step.
30. Correctly connect all servo wires to the receiver
then secure receiver with nylon-tie bandin place
as shown.
31. Locate the tail opening at the bottom fuselage.
Cut a line in the middle then tack down the covering.
32. Thread the antenna through the fuselage and exit
at this opening. Tape the antenna properly at the
bottom fuselage.
33. Same way to locate the middle bottom fuselage
where is an opening for air outlet. Tack down the
covering as shown.
34. Locate the canopy & itsframe, trial fit the frame
in place. Make sure to leave about 3/32”(2.4mm) at
twp sides. Note the front of frame should even with
the canopy. The rear canopy should contact the
turtle deck smoothly after gluing the frame.
36. Trail fit the cowling in place, make sure the prop
adaptor is outof the cowling. Secure the cowling with
four 2.3x8mm woodscrews.
37. Secure the propeller properly with prop nut. Now
you finish the assembly please well adjust the control
throw and CG before you go to fly.
29. Secure the battery with the tie belt as shown in the
fuselage.
35. Install the Canopy assembly in place. It should
be secured perfectlywith the super magnet.

CONTROL THROWS BALANCE
LONGITUDE BALANCE
C.G. Must be set on thrust line
C.G. is too low C.G. is correct
As 3D planes do a lot of hovering so it is very important to do longitude balance to make hovering much
more stable. Try to create a small hole after the motor and on the thrust line. Get music wire or string then
thread the wire through the hole. Make sure that model hangs perfectly vertical as illustration. If not then
try to adjust the location of battery, receiver or ESC to get good longitude balance.
Congratulations
Your done, may you have many successful flights filled with fun and lots of 3D maneuvers.
Thank you for purchasing this plane from Thunder Tiger and we look forward to providing you with other
great R/C products in the near future.
SETTING UP FOR 3D FLIGHT
1/3 1/3 1/3
Stick Travel
Servo Output High Rate
Low Rate
13
The following control throw of 3D YAK EP is merely a starting point for your radio setup and can be
tailored to fit your flying style.
For all three models the aileron and elevator of the same throws but rudder are different as shown below.
Elevator/Low Rate
1” (25mm)
Aileron-High Rate
3” (75mm)
Aileron-Low Rate
1” (25mm)
1” (25mm)
Elevator/High Rate
Control Throws
BALANCE
It is importantto balance the plane to getcorrect C.G. before you fly.
Balance Point asindicated in each diagram.
Note: For thebest flight performance of the YAK, Ahigh center of gravity is important.
3” (75mm)
1” (25mm)
1-3/8” (35mm)
1-3/8” (35mm)
3-1/4” (90mm)
12
Rudder /Low Rate Rudder/High Rate
1-3/4” (45mm)
1-3/4” (45mm) 3” (75mm)
3” (75mm)

15
1. X
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
4mm
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14. 2.3x8mm
15.
16.
17.
18.
19. 30cm
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28. ,
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35. , 2.3x8mm
36.
Exponetial
To make your 3D flight successful, the most important
is to set up your radio properly and fine-tune the
exponential. We would suggest that could show the
exponential graph as the illustration.
Normally this computerized radio has dual rates or
even triple rates. Once you fly it fine with low rate in
normal flight. Next you will have to set up 3D rate.
We suggest the 3D-rate setting is same as low rate
setting around 1/3 of the total stick travel in the
beginning. If you look at the graph , the middle section
of 1/3 travel are most likely the same at low rate and
3D high rate .Beyond this middle section the 3D rate
setting is far higher than the low rate.
SIMULATOR
A good tool to practice 3D easier is to fly simulator.
One may say simulator is not realistic but this is not
true. There are some simulators available in the
market and its scenery and performance are just like a
real thing .For example, Aerofly Pro Deluxe USB
version from ikarus or Real Flight G3 from
Greatplanes are all good simulators you can choose
from .
Simulator is a must buy tool if you seriously want to fly
3D aerobatics. There is no genius or born 3D pilot,
remember that practice makes perfect. 30 minutes a
day on a simulator can help you do hovering, torque
roll easily as well as other aerobatics. If you would like
to be a good 3D pilot, flying everyday is necessary.
The reaction to control the airplane will be more
nature. As there is no time to think when you do 3D
aerobatics.
Simulator practice might be perfect yet suggest to do
some actual flying as the supplemental so it will not
go too far from the real thing as there are many things
that you can not learn in screen.
FLYING
Even though you set up the airplane , it needs to be
setup and fine-tuned in the air. Always start on low
rates when launch the airplane or take off of the
ground. Once you fine trim the airplane in the air then
tune the exponential setting, you will be able to fly it
all the timeon the 3D rates.
Once you got confidence to do hovering or do 3D
aerobatics, we suggest you fly it near you. The closer
the airplane, the better you fly it near you. The closer
the airplane, the better you can control the plane as
you can see it very clear even if it has a slight
movement. The other advantage is the lower or closer
to ground, the less potential energy. It is useful for a
dead battery or ESC cut off suddenly.
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