Top Flite Models ORION User instructions

ORION

ORION
Youhave justpurchasedthe finestR/C kitever produced.
We haveput the bestmaterialsavailableinto your kitplusover
16yearsofmodelairplanemanufacturingknow-how.
Sinceyouarea specialkindofmodelenthusiastwhose standards
arehigh,we haveproduced thiskitwithyour particularrequire-
mentsin mind.
Wehope youenjoybuildingand flyingthe Orion and would be
pleasedtohear yourcomments onhow we atTop Flitecan con-
tinueto serveyou.
TOP FLITE MODELS, INC.
The designer says .........
TheOrionwasdesignedanddevelopedespeciallyforcontest
work.Fora completerun-downonsomeofthedesignfeatures
refertotheJune,1960issueofModelAirplaneNews.
ThiskitisthemostadvancedandcompleteR/Ckitproducedto
date.It isexactlyastheoriginalmodelwitha fewimprovements.
Ina highperformancecontestmodelgoodworkmanshipisessen-
tial. Mostimportantof all, flyingsurfaces must be true — more
onthislater.Theshipshouldbeflownwitha minimumofeight
channels,andnotrudderonly.
At this writing the prototype has had a full season of contest
flyingwithno weakpointsshowingup.
In spite of the advanced design the Orion is simple to build.

HINTSON GLUING
Glue jointsareimportant — useyour favorite glue. Cut 2 pieces
ofscrapbalsa1/8x 1 x 2 fortestbars.Gluethesepiecesto-
getherthusgivingtwosquareinchesofgluearea.Whendry,try
pullingaparttotestyourgluingtechnique.Doublegluingis
recommendedonallhighlystressedjointssuchasdoublers,
motormounts,joiningthewinghalves,stabandrudderattach-
ment,landinggearinstallation,etc.
White glue, suchas "Elmer's", is recommendedforplywood and
the hardwoodmotormounts.Good gluing will payoff in perform-
ance.
FUSE,STAB,ELEVATORS& RUDDER
Beforestortingconstructionstudyplancarefullytobecomefami-
liar with all theparts. It is recommended that thefuselagecon-
structionbestartedfirst.Thefuseneednotbe builtoverthe
plan.
1.Pinthetwofusesidestogetherandlayontheplantotrans-
ferlocationof all formers and thethrust line. Using a ball
pointpenmarktheselocationsontheedges ofthefuse
sides.Theselinesshouldbetransferredaccuratelytoinsure
goodalignment.Thefusesidesmaynowbetakenapartand
thethrustlinemarkedthefulllengthonbothsidesofthe
fusesheets— makeoneleftandoneright.Thisisimportant
asthethrustlineisusedto lineup thedoublersand laterto
checkoutthedecolage.
2. Usingthethrustlineasa guide,gluedown3/32balsadou-
blersF-2,F-3.F-4,F-5,F-6andF-6A.Whendrysandflatto
insuregoodgluingsurfaceformotorsupportblocksandmotor
mounts.
3. Trimendsoftriangularlongeronsto lengthandgluetosides,
topandbottom.Glueon partsF-14,F-15 andF-16.
4. Cementenginemountsandmotorsupportblocksto fusesides
leavinga 3/32spacefromthetoplongeronsforformerF-7.
Glueonservorails.AttachplywoodpartsF-10,F-11and
F-12.
5.GlueformersF-7,F-8andF-13to onefusesidemakingsure
theyaresquareandtrue.Afterthesearedrythe twofuse
sidesareready(orjoining.Theyshouldbe joinedwhilely-
ingon their sides.
6.Afterthefuseisdrysetit up vertically.Thendrawthe ends
ofthetailconetogetherandgluein toilpostF-17.If diffi-
cultyisexperiencedin pullingthetailconetogether,thetop
triangularlongeronmaybesawcutslightlyornotchedjust
behindF-8foreasybending.
Itisimportantthatthetailconebe pulledtogethertrue.This
may be checkedby stringing a line from the center of F-7 to
thecenteroftailpostF-17andmeasuringatintervalsalong
the tailcone.

7.FormersF-18,F-19,F-20andF-21maynowbe gluedin
place.Gluein3/16x 1/4 bottomcenterlongeron.Whendry,
runa sandingblockalongthetopofthefuseto insurea good
contactfortopblock.Shapedtopblockmaynowbegluedin
place.Sheetbottomoffuse.
8. Shapedtopnoseblocksarenextattached.A pieceof1/4
sheetisjoinedtotopnoseblocksin frontofF-13.Glue
hatchjamsin placeandcutouttophatchblock.Atthispoint
allotherblocksmaybegluedin place.Besureto drillthe
enginemountsandinstalltheblindnutsbeforeattachingthe
bottomnoseblockinplace.
9. Duringdryingperiodsonthefuse,constructiononthestab
shouldproceed.Stabshouldbebuiltovertheplan.Usea
pieceofwaxedpaperovertheplansothatthegluewillnot
sticktoit.It isimportantthatstabbebuiltononabsolutely
flatsurface.(SeesuggestedmethodunderWINGsection.)
10. Pinshapedstab,leadingandtrailingedgesand5/16tipsto
plan.Glueplywoodbracesinplace.Glueall3/32x 5/16
diagonalribsin place.Glueontopsparanddie-cutcenter
sectionplanking.Whendryremovestabfromplanandglueon
bottomsparandplanking.Aftersandingstab,beveldiagonal
ribsnearleadingandtrailingedgesasshownonplan.Cover
withsilkleavingcentersectionuncoveredwherestabattach-
estofuse.
Sandelevatorstoshape.Coverwithsilk.
Assemblefinby gluingR1,F1AandR2downon a flatsur-
face.DolikewiseforrudderpiecesR3andR3A.Whendry
sandtoshape.
Thestabon theORIONisgluedpermanentlyinplace.Be
surato workonit simultaneouslywiththefuseinorderthat
completion of the fuse will not be delayed.
11.Beforeattachingstabto the fuselage,thefuseshouldbe
carved and sanded to shape.A long blade "Xacto" knife con
beusedtoroughit toshape.Forsandinguse3M Production
Finishingpaper— #80 forroughingand#150forfinishing.
Contoursshouldbe ascloseto theplanaspossible.A good
waytosandistoplacethefusebetweentheknees,resting
thetoilconeona chair.Usea pieceofsandpaperabout
4x11asthoughusinga shoepolishingcloth.Bythismethod
anycontourcanbedeveloped.
12.Afterfuseissandeditisreadyforthestabattachment.Set
fusethrustlinelevelwitha flatbenchtopandfitstabplot-
formto the3/16positiveinc idenceshownonplan.Thisis
mostimportant.It isequallyimportanttogeta goodfitfora
goodgluejoint.Afterthisisdonethestabmaybedouble
gluedtothefuse.Besuretheelevatorsareassembledtothe
stabbeforeattachingstabto thefuse.

13. AssemblefinportsR-1,F-1AandR-2.Whendry,sandto
contour,fittostabandfuseandgluein place.Careshould
betakenthatthefinbeinstalledtruewiththecenterlineof
thefuse.Thiscanbecheckedbystringinga linefromthe
centerofthefuseatF-7aroundthefinandbocktoF-7.
Afterthe(inisdryfairingsR-4maybefitted.Wettingthe
outer surface he I psbend ing. Use a piece ofscrap blockto fill
spacebetweentopdeckingandrudder.Usebalsaputtyto
blendcontours.
14. Afterthefuseisfinishsanded,giveittwocoatsofclear
dopeandthensandlightly.Thefuseandfinnowconbe
coveredusingdrysilkanddopingthroughthesilk.
WING
Thewingisthemostvitalpartoftheship.A truewingisa must
fora contestship.Generallyspeaking,theoverageworkbench
topisnottrueenoughon whichtobuilda wing.A wingpanelcon
be no truer than the surface onwhich it is built.
Thebestmethodtogeta trulyflatsurfaceistousea pieceof
3/4plywoodatleast12x 36.Thismayhavea slightwarpor
twistin it.Byshimmingandclampingtheplywoodtoyourwork
bench until every portionof it is level, a flat surface will beob-
tained. This is absolutely essential. Use a good sensitive level.
1.Thewingisbuiltintwohalvesandjoinedlater.Laminate
thefoursparsasshownon theplans.
2. Pinbottomspardownon thewingplan.Besureit is pinned
downabsolutelystraight.
3. Withoutgluing,placealltheribsintheirrespectivepositions
andcheckforalignment.Bysightingdownthewingpanel,
anyribthatisoutofalignmentconbereadilyseenand
shouldbesandedor shimmedatitscontactpointtobringit
in line.
4. Glueribsdowntobottomsparkeepingan eyeon thealign-
ment.
5.Afterthegluesets,thetopsparmaybedroppedin placeand
glued.
6. Theshapedleadingedgeisaddednext,makingsuretoglue
onlytonoseofribandnottothealignmentlugs.
7.Aftertheglueisfirmlyset,thebottom3"trailingedgesheet
isslippedin place.Thiscanbepinnedandshimmedinto
position.NextaddtheaileronareaverticalsparW30.
8. Afterthebottomtrailingedgesheethasbeensetup,rear
sparW16shouldbegluedinplace.Thiswillrequirea little
fittingwitha sandingblocktoconformtothecontourofthe
wing. Ribpart W2B is thenattached. When this hasset for a
while,gluethetoptrailingedgesheetinplacewhichshould
bebeveledslightlytofitthebottomsheet.

9.ThetopaileronareasheetingW22and W18shouldnowbe
gluedon.
10. Addthetopleadingedgesheet.Nowglueontheribcap
strips. Important; odd the capstrips before the wing is re-
movedfromthebenchastheystiffenthewingconsiderably.
Centersectionsheetingisnotputonuntilthewingisjoined.
Afterwingpanel is removedfrom plan, bottom aileron area
sheetingisgluedon.
11.Afterbothwingpanelsore builttheyarereadyto be joined.
Thisisthemostcriticaloperationandcaremustbe takento
besurebothpanelsare joined true. Good glue jointsare
especiallyimportantatthispoint.
12.Whenwingisdry,gluein plywoodribdoublersforthelanding
gear.Formedlandinggearwireisnowassembledtothe3/8
squaregearspar.Thisunitistheninstalledinthewing.
Hereagain,a goodgluejobisessential.Afterthegluehas
set,breakofftheribalignmentlugs,thenaddthebottom
leadingedgesheet.Cuta 1/2" diameterholein thissheetto
clearthelandinggearwire.Whengluingthissheetonitis
importanttopreventanytwistsfromdevelopingin thewing.
Atwistedwingisuselessona contestmodel.
13.Bottomcopstripsareaddednext.
14.Bottomcentersectionisthenaffixed.Atthispointbell-
cranksandcontrolwiresoreattached.Topcentersection
sheetingisnowgluedin place.Servoopeningiscutoutafter
top sheeting ha* dried. Wing tip is then added.
AILERONS
FRISE AILERON— The ordinary type aileron producesan un-
balanceddragandadverseyawingcondition.Toovercome
thistheFRISEaileronisused.Whenthetrailingedgeofthe
Friseaileronisraised,theleadingedgedropsbelowthe
undersurfaceofthewing.Someoftheairwhichwouldnor-
mallyflowundertheaileronnowflowsoverit.Thedragor
raisedaileronisincreasedsothatit isalmostequaltothe
dragoftheonethatislowered;thusequalizingthedragand
preventinganyyowingcondition.
Pindownbottomleadingandtrailingedgesontheplans.Glueall
ribs in place.Gluedown W25—26—27. Addtopleadingand trail-
ingedges.Addtopcopstrips.Removefromplanandglueon W31.
Addbottomcapstrips.Trimandsand.Installnylonhingesas
shownonplan,thenattachhingefittings.Aileronsmaynowbe
fittedtowing.Thisisa matterofsandingandfitting.Topaileron
sheetW22maybebeveledandsandedtogivetheclearanceshown
on theplan.
COVERINGANDFINISHING
1.Afterallpartsareaddedtothewingit is readyforsanding
andcovering.Thewingshouldbecarefullysanded.Apply
two coats of cleardopeandsand lightly. Cover with silk
only, put it on dry, doping through the silk. It is important

whencoveringbottomofwingtobringcoveringaroundW30.
Thisaddsstrengthtothisarea.Afterwingiscoveredspray
lightlywithwatertoshrinksilk.Be surethatthesilkisnot
tootightsothatthewingwillnotbewarped.
2. Aileronscanbecoveredin thesamemanner.
3. Four coatsofcleardope will usually fill the silk. Sand with
afelteraserand#1503M ProductionFinishingpaper,being
carefulnottocutintothesilk.Oneortwomorecoatsof
cleardopeandsandingshouldgivea smoothsurfaceforcolor
doping.Dependingon thecolor,twoorthreecoatswillcover
quitewell.
TRIMMING
Aftershipisfinishedit shouldbe setupon a flatbenchfora
final decologecheck.
1.Thethrustlineshouldbe setup paralleltothebenchtop.
Atthispointthestabshouldhove3/16positivein 6" as
shownon theplan.Thewingshouldhave1/2"positiveinci-
dencein12".Thisgivesa decalageof1/8"orabout1/20of
incidence.Thischeckoutisextremelyimportant.Thewing
platformshouldbe sandeduntiltheproperdecalageisob-
tained.
2. Theservoradiogear,enginebatteries,etc.connowbein-
stalled.Servosshouldnotbepositioneduntilallcomponents
oreinstalled.Servoboardcanbeshiftedforeandoftto
obtain the 4-1/2" locationshownon the plan.
3. Wrap receiver in sponge rubber, and take care not to install
it tootightly.Thelengthofthereedsshouldbe parallelwith
the piston travel so that the engine vibration will not operate
thereeds.
4. Beforeflyingthemodela vibrationcheckshouldbe made.
Runenginefullspeedhavingsomeoneholdeachwingtip
lightlywiththereceiverswitchon.Watchforanyunwanted
controlmovement.Besureallcontrolsarewiredforproper
di rection.
5.Ifdecolagesettingiscorrectthemodelshouldflyrightoff
theboard.Firstcheckforstraightflight.Modelshouldgroove
asthoughona railroadtrack.Withneutralelevatormodel
shouldflyflatwithnoclimbordive.Ifitclimbs,leading
edgeofwingshouldbeshimmeddownuntilproperflightis
obtained.It isimportantthattheelevatorbe atabsolute
neutral,alsothatbothelevatorsbeon thesameplanewith
notwist.Anyrightorlefttendencywouldbecausedby
rudderor aileronsnotbeingneutralorby wingwarp.
6.Nexttryinsideloops.Theyshouldbe roundandrightinthe
groove.Anyleftor rightdriftin theloopwouldbecausedby
rudderor aileronsnotbeingneutralorby theelevatorsbeing
outofline.

7.Outsideloopsaretriednext.Again,theyshouldberoundand
true.Beforeenteringinsideoroutsideloopsbesurewings
arelevel.Truestraightflights,insideloopsandoutside
loopsareobtainedbycompromisesettingsofrudderand
aileronneutral.Donotbesatisfiedwiththeperformanceof
themodeluntilstraightflightsandinsideandoutsideloops
areperfect.Ifproblemsoreencounteredbesuretocheckthe
finalignment.
8.Nextthingtoflightcheckistheaileronsforyaw.Doan Im-
melmandirectlyoverhead.Modelshouldreverseitsdirection
exactly180. Ifitisoffthisheading,aileronsneedmoreor
lessdifferential.Ifthemodeldriftstothelefton a right
roll-out,moredifferentialisneeded;thatis,moreup aileron
thandown.Thiscanbeaccomplishedby movingfulcrum
pointfurtherforwardonthephenolicaileronhorn.Hornposi-
tionon planiscorrectbutmayvaryfrommodeltomodel.
9.Gearpositionon planiscorrectforaveragecondition.For
grassflying,ifmodelnosesover,gearshouldbebentfor-
ward.Ifmodelbouncesona hardsurface,gearshouldbe
bentback.Generallyspeaking,gearshouldbe about3/4"fur-
therbockfora hardsurfacethanforgrass.Gearpositionis
importantandisdeterminedbytrialanderror.Wheelsshould
havea slighttoeour.Besuretolubricatewheels,asany
wheelchatter will cause ground looping.
10. It isimportanttospendalllthetimenecessarytotrimthe
modelperfectly.Thiswillpayoffin contestwins.A proper-
lytrimmedORIONwillachievea newstandardofcontest
performanceforyou.
RELIABILITY
Ontheplansyouwillnoticewoodstripsforeandoftofthe
servos.Thisisanimportantdetail.Withthissystemtheservos
cannotdriftforwardorbackward,thusmaintainingbettertrim.
Theservosshouldnotbetighteneddowntoa pointwherethe
rubbergrommetsorecompressedsolidlythusdestroyingtheiruse-
fullness.Allscrewsandnutsshouldbe safetiedbytackingwith
glue.Thisisespeciallyimportantontheaileronparts.
Withmodernradiogearandservosthereisnoreasonwhyyour
ORIONshouldnotlostforyears.Experienceshowsthatmost
crackupsarecausedby poorwiring.Werecommendonly"Bonner
19" strandwireor equivalent.Solderjointsareimportant.All
solderjointsshouldbe bridgedwithplasticspaghettitubing.
Thisincludesconnectionstobatterybox,switch,andplugs.
Therestisup toyou,thepilot.Thegeneralthinkingisthatfor
a winning contest team it is 35%airplaneand65% pilot. We feel
sureyouwillhovea bollwhileflyingtheORION.
GoodLuck,