Top Flite Elder RC-32 User manual

RC-32INSTRUCTION MANUAL
INTRODUCTION
Inthisday and age of specializa-
tion, TOP FLITE MODELS felt
that itmight be a refreshing
break fromthe "norm" to come
upwithanairplane that was
specificallydesigned forFUN.
The Elderwas not designed to
Pylon Race, flyPattern, be
entered in Scale or beused in
Fun-Fly contests,whichhave
become anything but. Nope, the
Elderwas designed for the FUN
of it.
Relativelyslow,realistic and
statelyin flight,the Elderiseasy
to flyand build. Furthermore, it's
alightly-loadeddesign thatdoes
not tend to build-up lots of inertia
withexcessflightspeed. This
means that fairlyrough handling does not necessarily
mean destruction.Nothing is "crash-proof"but the
Elderisa rugged aircraftthatwillkeep comingback for
more.
Forthebeginners, nothing fancyisneeded; go out and
flyit. Forthoseof you who are into detailing, thedesign
lends itselfextremelywellto allkindsof "bellsand
whistles";flyingwires,turnbuckles,detailedcockpits,
plastic machine guns, etc., etc.,etc.We have flownour
prototypesboth "stripped"and detailedtothenines.
Either way itstilllooks and fliesgreat.
Aword about power isinorder. Fire-breathing,
Schneurle-ported engines are not needed and indeed
are not recommended fortheElder.Normal, everday
sport engineswithmufflersareall thatis needed topro-
vide you withsome delightfulflying.Anydiscussion
about poweringtheElderwould be incompletewithout
mentioningand highlyrecommendingtheuseoftheHP
.21rotary-valved4-cycleengine. This littlejewel,when
installedin theElder,makes probably thebest possible
combinationimaginable! Withit'squiet,scale-likeex-
haust note, thisengine fliestheElderbeautifully!The 6
ounce fueltankshown on theplans willkeep thislittle
engine purring foralmost an hour withoutcoating your
airplane withoil!If you do decide on thisengine, replace
the engine mount inyour kit witha ".40-size" mount. It
all fitsquitenicely;in fact,we'veshown thisinstallation
on the plans.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
TOP FLITE MODELS, INC.would certainly recommend
theElderas a firstR/C powered aircraft.However, ifyou
areabeginnertothesport of R/Caircraft,wewouldurge
you toseekand use experienced assistancein construc-
ting and flyingthisairplane. Again, ifyou are new to this
hobby, consider this:
Flying thisor any other radio-controlled model aircraft is
aPRIVILEGE and not a RIGHT and thisprivilege begins
withthe utmost safetyconsiderations to others and
yourselfas well. An R/C model airplane ininexperienced
hands has the potential of doing serious personal or pro-
perty damage. These safetyconsiderations start at the
building board byfollowinginstructions, seeking com-
petent help when you are confused and avoiding short-
cuts.These considerations haveto becarried overto the
flyingfieldwhere safetymust come firstand limitations
ProductSupport
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TOP FLITEMODELS INC.
1901 NORTH NARRAGANSETT AVENUE • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60639

cannotbeexceeded. We urge you to:
1.Send forand obtain your AMA(Academy of Model
Aeronautics) membership whichwillprovide in-
suranceforyour R/Cactivities— DONOT RELYON
HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.
2.Join anAMAsanctioned R/C flyingclub in your area
where you can obtain competent, professionalin-
structionintrimming and learning how to flythis
model.
Check withyour favoritelocal hobby shop forthere-
quired AMAformsor the address where they can beob-
tained.
WARNING!!!
Aradio controlled model isnot a "toy." Care and
caution must betaken in properly building the
model, as wellas intheinstallationand use of the
radio controldevice. Itis important to followall
directionsas to the constructionof thiskitas well
as installationand use of the engine and radio
gear. The advice and assistanceof a wellex-
periencedbuilder and pilot ishighly recommend-
ed.Don't takechances! Improper building, opera-
tion,or flyingof thismodel could resultin serious
property damage or inbodily injuryto yourselfor
others.
PRE-CONSTRUCTION NOTES
TheEIder, likeotherTopFlitekitsemploysthe use of die-
cut wood to ease thetask of construction,parts fitand
identification.The dies used forthiskit have been
rigorouslychecked forabsolute accuracyand should
provide you withexcellentfit.Die-cut partsshould be
carefullyremoved fromtheirsheetsby firstlightlysan-
ding the back ofeach sheet of parts and then carefully
removing each part. Use a light garnet paper forthesan-
ding and keep a sharp hobby knifewithand X-acto#11
blade or equivalent handy forassistanceinremoving
any partsthatmight not have completelycut-throughon
the dies. Parts whichoppose one another and must be
preciselyuniform—suchasfuselagesides,ribs,etc...—
should be carefully"matched" aftertheirremoval from
the part sheets. Matchingis theprocess of holding the
opposing pieces togetherwitheitherpins, tape or spot
gluing and lightlysanding the edges of thepartsuntil
they are identical.A sanding block withlightgarnet
paper is most usefulforthisand other phases of con-
struction.
Your building surfaceshould beat least large enough to
accommodate thewingpanels. This surfaceshould be
as absolutelyflatas possible and yet be able to accept
pins easily.We have foundthata product such as
Celotex fiberboard worksquitewellforthispurpose.
Anothergoodsurfacecanbefoundinmostwell-stocked
hardwarestores,thisisa2'x4'fiberboardceilingtile—-
thesearequiteinexpensiveand can be used forseveral
airplanes beforeneeding replacement.
As withmost R/C kitsthatare constructedfromwood, a
selection of tools—mostof whichcan be foundin the
average workshop—area must to do the jobcorrectly:
Hobby knifeand sharp #11 blades
Single-edge razor blades
T-pins
Sanding blocks in assorted sizes
Sandpaper invarious grits
Hand-held hobby saw, such as anX-acto
Dremel tool or power drill and assorteddrillbits
Straight-edge, preferablymetal, atleast 36" long
90" triangle
Soldering iron, flux(silver) and solder
Carbide cut-offwheel forwirecutting
Small power jig-saw,such as a Moto-Saw
Razorplane
Tapes such asmasking andcellophane
Our Elderswere constructedusing a varietyof common
hobby adhesives including5-minute epoxy,Cyano-
acrylates,aliphaticresin (such as Titebond) and 1-hour
epoxywasused tosecure themain wingwiretubes in
thewingroots. Sinceall of us have ourownconstruction
techniquesand favoriteadhesives,stickwiththe ones
thatyouarefamiliarwithandprefer.However,incertain
areas there willbecalloutsforcertaintypesof
adhesives and we urge you totrynot tosubstitutesince
doing so could possibly cause problems structurally
later on.
The last thingwe should touchon beforewe begin ac-
tual constructionis thesequence inwhichtheElderis
assembled. The sequence givento you in thisbooklet
hasbeenproventobethemoststraight-forwardandpro-
videsthefinishedcomponents in theorderthatyou will
need them toprogress to the next assembly phase. Try
to stickwiththebuilding order presented here to avoid
mistakes.
Spread theplans out on your worksurface,cover them
witha clear plasticmaterial, such as the backing froma
roll of Monokote orplastic wrap and commence con-
struction.
WING ASSEMBLY
Wing constructionforthe Elderconsistsof building
three (3)separate pieces; thetwowingpanels and the
centersection.These willbejoinedin theFinal
Assemblysectionof thismanual. You willneed the
centersection,withits topunsheeted duringthe
Fuselage Assemblysection.Inthissequence, becer-
tainthatyou are workingwitha flatworksurface.The
wingis built directlyover theplans so cover them with
Monokote backingor food wrap.
1.Start withthe center sectionfirst.Locate the die-cut
sheets containingpartsW-5A (ply), W-5B (2, balsa),
W-6(ply),W-7(ply),W-1A(therearefourbutyouneed
twoat thistime, balsa)and W-1B(2,balsa). Remove
these partsfromtheirsheetsand clean-upany rough
edges beforeassembly. Also,locate theshaped
hardwood insertforthewingboltsand W-13 as well.
2.Using the plans as a guide; measure, cut and butt-
glue the three required lengthsof 3/32"balsa sheet
that makes-up thebottom centersectionsheeting.
Note desired cross-grainof thissheeting. Measure,
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cutandglueinplacethe3/8"x1/2"leadingedge.Glue
the forwardply dihedral brace, W-6, inplace against
the inside surfaceof theleading edge piece—be
sure it'scentered. Glue the twoforwardW-1A half
ribs in place against the rear faceof the dihedral
brace, lined-up withthe edges ofthebottom
sheeting at right angles to your work surface.
3.Asshown on the plans, thecenterdihedral brace is a
compositemade by laminating the twoW-5B's to
each side of the ply W-5A, resultingin a 1/4" thick
part—dothisnow. Glue the completed center
dihedral brace in place to the bottom sheetingand
the tworear edges of the W-1A half ribs—again, be
sure it'scentered.
4.Now glue thetworearW-1 B ribs inplace to thebot-
tom sheeting and rear faceof the centerdihedral
brace. Asshown, thesetwohalf ribsalso line-up
withthe outside edges of the bottom sheeting, at
right angles to the work surface.Now glue the
shaped hardwood wingbolt insertinplace between
the W-1B ribs, withitsrear edge lined-up withthe
rearedges ofthese ribs. Finally, glue remainingW-7
ply dihedral brace in place against therear edge of
the shaped wingbolt insert and thetwoW-1B
ribs—besure ittooiscentered. Locate and markthe
position of W-13 on the outsidesurfacesof thetwo
W-1B ribs, do thiswithlightpencilmarks (you will
need thesemarks forlater locatingand cutting-out
the cockpitopening).GlueW-13 in place.
NOTE:Forthe time-being, this completes the center
sectionconstruction.We willfinishit afterwe have
used itin the constructionof thefuselage.Set it
aside fornow and build thetwowingpanels. The
wingpanels are constructeddirectlyover the plans
—buildboth at thesame time.
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5.Locate and remove all of the required die-cut parts,
W-2's(12),W-3's(10),W-4's(10)andtheW-8wingtips
and theW-9, 10,11and 12wingtipformers.These
should beremoved carefullyand theiredges
cleaned-upwitha sanding block as needed. Start
constructionby accuratelycuttingand positioning
the bottom 3/32" x 1" leading edge sheetingstripin
place. Dothesamethingfortherear 3/32"x 1 "trailing
edge sheetingas well.Now takeone of theW-2 ribs
and testfitit inplace betweenthesetwosheet
strips. The notches shouldfitaccurately,allowing
the bottom of the rib tocontactthework surface.If
any adjustmentisneeded due to gaps, movethe rear
sheeting stripslightlyforwardor back as needed;
once satisfied,pin the sheeting in place.
6.You are now going toprovide the proper dihedral
angle to theleading edges and thespars to giveyou
anaccurate,tightfitwhen thetwopanels are joined
to the centersectionlater.Take thecentersection
structurethatyou justbuiltand positionit inplace
against theinboard edges of the twosheetingstrips
that are pinned in place. Tiltthe centersectionstruc-
ture down until the frontand rear ply dihedral brace
arms contactthesheeting. The resultingangle of
the sideof thecentersectionis theangle thatyou
want to impart to the inboard ends of both sparsand
the leading edge. Take one ofthe 3/8"x 1/2" x 30"
leading edges and lay itin placeon theleading edge
sheet, against the now tiltedcentersection—note
thegap atthe bottomdue to thetilt.Use a razor blade
to trimtheend of theleading edge tofitflushand
square to the tiltedcentersection'sleading edge.
Once satisfied,mark and cuttheotherend of the
leading edge to end at the outboard edge of the
leading edge sheeting.You shouldnow have a
perfectfittingleadingedge—repeatthe processfor
the oppositepanel and glue theleading edge in
place. Now do the same thingto the inboard ends of
the top and bottom spars. Positionand pin thebot-
tom spar in place over the plans. Gluethefirst,in-
board W-2 ribin place to the rear faceoftheleading
edge, tothe spar and therear trailingedge sheeting
strip.Hold thetiltedcentersectionstructurein
place to provideaccurateplacement ofthisfirstrib.
7.Glue all of theremainingW-2 ribs in place.
8.Glue thetop spar in place into theW-2 rib slots—use
the centersectiononce again to ensure proper in-
board positioningof thespar end.
9.Glue all oftheW-4half ribs in place to the topand
bottom sparsand the leading edge.
10.Glue all of theW-3 angled rear ribs inplace. NOTE:
WheretheforwardendsoftheseribscontacttheW-2
ribs,theyshould be chamferedto fitflush,do this
withyour sanding block.
11.Asshownon thecrosssections on the plans, the
bottom rear trailingedge sheetingstripneeds to be
chamfereda littletoreceivethetoprear trailing
edge strip.Dothisnow withyoursanding block.
Once satisfied,gluethe top rear trailingedge
sheeting strip (3/32" x 1") in place, again using the
tilted center section structure foralignment and
positioning.Pin in place and allowto dry.
12.Glue wingtipW-8 in place to theends of the wing
panels. Note thepositionsofand glue wingtip
formersW-9,W-10,W-11andW-12inplace.
13.Remove the wingpanels fromthe worksurface.In-
spectthemforanydriedglobsofglue, remove these
witha #11 X-actoknife.Whileholding both panels
together,make sure theyare identicalby usinga
sanding block togo around all of theedges tomatch
them as closelyaspossible. Take your timehere and
do a neat job.
14.Use a razor plane and yoursanding block to now
shape theleading edge downto thecrosssections
shown. A stripof masking tape justbehind the
leading edge and acrossall of the ribswillprotect
them whileyou are formingtheleading edge shape.
Finally,use a well-wornpiece of lightsandpaper to
go over allof thewingpanel surfacesto totally
smooth it out forcoveringlater.
15.You willnotice on the plans thateach wingpanel is
shown withthreelengthsof 1/4" sq. sprucewhichis
meant to serve as wingwireanchor points.If it is
yourintentionto use thesewireson yourmodel, cut
and glue theseanchor pointsin place.
TAIL GROUP
The tailgroup of yourElder,hopefullyliketherest ofthe
airplane,isquitestraight-forwardand buildabledirectly
overtheplans. Notethereare a fewoptionsopen to you
withthesepartsin termsof shape. The stab'sgentle
curveswhichterminatein sharp pointsat thetrailing
edge of theelevatorsgivea certain"look." This look can
bechanged by rounding theoutboardtrailingedges of
theelevatorstoget rid ofthesharppoint.This"softens"
thelook oftheseshapes.The same thingcan be done to
thefinand rudder, topand bottom—looksnice. As
shown,youcan alsoseallopthetrailing edgesoftherud-
der and elevatorstogiveyetanother look.
1.Start withthe stab, build it directlyover theplans
whichyou have coveredwiththeclearbackingfrom
Monokote or foodwrap.PositionS-1 in placeand
pin. Cut a lengthof1/4"x1/2" stocktogluetothefor-
wardedge ofS-1—gluein place. GluethetwoS-2
leadingpiecestothetwoS-3 piecestoformthetwo
requiredleadingedges. Glue thesein placetoeach
side ofS-1 and the1/4" x1/2" trailingedge of S-1.
2.Cut, fitand glue thetwo1/4" sq. balsaribsintoeach
side ofthe stab. Use shortlengthsof1/4"x 1/2" stock
tomake thefillets—notetheirgraindirection.
3.From the1/4 " x 1-1/2" x 24"balsa stocksupplied,
measureand cutthetwoelevators.Notchthemas
showntoacceptthe1/4" dia. x 3-1/2" dowelelevator
joiner.Withthestabstillin positionon thework
bench, positiontheelevatorhalvesin placeand pin.
Protectthetrailingedge of thestabwitha stripof
waxedpaperand epoxythedowelelevatorconnec-
torinplaceinthenotchesmadeearlier—allowtodry
completely.
4

4.Removethe stab and elevators from the plans. Build
thefinnextinthesamemannerusingtheR-1 andR-2
die-cut pieces witha 1/4" sq.and 1/4" x 1/2" balsa
frames shown. Cut the rudder to shape from the re-
mainder of the 1/4" x 1-1/2" balsa stock used forthe
elevators. Position the rudder inplace to the back of
the finand glue R-3 inplace to the leading edge of
the rudder. Remove the parts from your building
board.
5.The elevators, stab, finand rudder are now final-
sanded to shape. Start byusing masking tape to
mount theelevators to the stab. Useasanding block
to go over all of the outside surfaces, to carefully
match them. Laythe stab on a flatworking surface,
masking tape down, and use the sanding block to
sand itflat.Use the sanding block to taper the
elevatorsas shown on oneside;once satisfied,tape
the stab/elevator hinge line, turn thestab over,
remove thetape fromthisside, and repeat the pro-
cess. The same method isused forthe finand rud-
der. Once complete, use sandpaper to round the
leading edges. Set these parts aside forcovering
and assembly to the fuselage.
FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY
Before starting construction, study the plans and draw-
ings to familiarize yourself withhow the fuselage is
assembled. Note that itreally is nothing more than a
basic "box" fuselage withsemi-formers inthe nose area
to create the rounded cowling effect.This simple and ef-
fectiveway of making a fuselage can only beruined in
one way; building itcrooked. This can bedone bynot
making the fuselage side frames identical and/or mis-
sizing the top and bottom cross braces. Another com-
mon error isto make improper joints.The Elderrelys a
great deal on the strength of its frame—make those
jointsfitcorrectly. Note also that the uprights and cross
braces are a mix of both spruce and balsa. These are
notated.
1.Locateand removedie-cut parts F-6and F-10,twoof
each. Securely pin F-6inplace directlyover your
covered fuselage plan. Note that the bottom aft
spruce longeron terminates inthe rear notch inpart
F-6.Glue the forwardend of the bottom spruce
longeron into F-6,disregard the curve of this
longeron fornow.
2.PinF-10inplace directly over the plans. Measure
and cut thetop rearspruce longeronthat fitsinplace
from the back of the "tab" on F-10aftto the tail post.
(Atool such as anX-actomitre box and razor saw is
quite good forcuttingspruce.) Glue the top rear
longeron in place to F-10.
3.Locate one of the three 1/4"x1"x3"ply formers that
are supplied withyour kit. Hold thisformer inplace
on top of F-10,infrontof the "tab." With a pencil,
mark its forwardlocation on the former. From your
1/4" sq.balsa stock, cut and fitthe top forward
longeron which extends forwardfrom the pencil
mark you justmade to the back faceof the firewall.
Notethat you willhaveto makea slight cut inthetop
ofthis longeron at thewing's leadingedge location
to get Itto bend back down to followthe drawing—
just "crack" Itslightly atthis point. Glue this
longeron inplace.
4.Cut,fitand glue Inplace allof the uprights and
diagonal braces (1/4" sq.and 1/4" x 1/2" balsa)from
the nose back to andincluding the 1/4" sq.uprights
just ahead of the F-10former (these connect the
front edge of the F-10with the top rear edge of F-6).
5.Cut,fitandglueInplacethe rearmost 1/4"sq.spruce
tailpost upright—be sure that the correct angle is
also trimmed Intoits bottom endfor the bottom
longeron. With the frame firmly secured to the
building board, bendthe bottom longeron uptomeet
the rearmost upright that was Just Installed. Glue
and securely block this longeron inplace.
6.Withtheexceptionofthe1/4"x1/2"servotraybearer,
cut, fitand glue all remaining balsa and spruce
uprights inplace; thus completing the basic frame.
Youwillnowwanttomakeasecond, identicalframe.
We have found the easiest way to besurethat they
are identical isto build the second frame directly on
top of the first.Besure to cover the firstframe with
Monokote backing or food wrap first.
7.Hold ortape the twocompleted frames together and
use your sanding block to make sure they are iden-
tical. Separate them and sand their sides smooth
(both sides) with the sanding block.
8.Measure and cut the two required 1/4" x 1/2" x 2-1/2"
balsa cross braces that fitat the top and bottom of
the fuselage at the wing's trailing edge. Measure
and cutthe 1/4"x2-1/2" balsa bottom cross bracethat
fitsinthe bottom of the radio compartment and the
1/4"x2-1/2" sprucecross bracethatfitsinplace atthe
top, frontof the two frames. Locate allof the three
1/4"x 1"x3"plyformers. Positionthetwoframesup-
side down overthetop view on the plans—accurate-
ly please! Pin them inplace at right angles to the
work surface. (NOTE: Due to the slight incidence
angle inthese frames, they will not fitflatto the sur-
face. This isnot important at this time.) Epoxy the
twoforward1/4" x 1"x 3"landing gear formers in
place inthe notches provided inthe F-6's.Glue the
tworemaining balsabottomcrossbracesinplace-
pinandallowtodry.Removetheframefromthework
surface, turn itover and glue the forward 1/4" sq.
spruceandrear(wing'strailingedge)1/4"x1/2"cross
braces inplace. Now epoxythe remaining 1/4"x1"x
3"ply former inthe space left on top of F-10.
9.Locatethe1/4"x2-5/8"x3"plyfirewall.You mustnow
use the plans to locate the position of your motor
mount on the firewall.This mount isinstalled in-
verted. Mark the location of the four mounting holes
ontothefirewall.Useadrillanda1/8"dia.drillbitto
drill the holes through the firewall.Use the four4-40
blind mounting nuts provided and epoxy them in
place to the back of the firewall,into the holes just
drilled—keepadhesive out of the threads. Test
mountthemotormountwiththe4-40x7/8"boltspro-
vided. Remove the mount and epoxy the firewallto
5

the front of the fuselage frame, align itcarefullyand
allow to cure.
10.Use your sanding block and medium sandpaper to
now go over the frame. Make sure the edges are all
squareand clean.
11.Locate and assemble, if needed, the fueltank that
you planto use.This airplane can useeither4,6 or8
oz.fueltanks. Notethatwe are showing theSullivan
slant-type tankthat ismounted inverted in the nose.
This is becausethisposition places the tube outlets
more inline withthe engine's carb. Fit your tank into
the nose of the fuselage frame. Use short (3")
lengths of scrap balsa stock to make "support" for
it.Withthe fuselageopen at this time, it'seasy to
seeifthetankwillsitlevel—adjustasneeded.Inthis
6

way, when the fuselage isdone, yourtankcan bein-
serted from the wing opening into the nose and
removed, if needed, withassurance that itis
mounted correctly. Now use a 3/16 "drill bitto drill the
two required holes forthe fuel tank(one forfuel feed
and fillingand the other forthe pressure tap and
overflow). Remove the tank.
12.Drilland tap the holes necessary Inthe motormount
toattach yourengine(we liketo use 4-40Allen-head
bolts for this purpose). Attachthe motor mount to
the firewalland the engine to the mount. Byviewing
from the front, determine the location of the throttle
tube housing exit hole. This should belined-up with
the carb'sthrottlearm. Drill a3/16" dia. hole through
thefirewallforthistube. Rough-uptheoutersurface
of the outer throttle tube housing and glue itinplace
inthe firewall—about3/16" of itshould protrude out
from the face of the firewall,the rest of itruns into
the radio compartment. Besure your tank still fits
nicely.
13.The servos shown on the plans are of average con-
figuration, however yours may bedifferent;taller,
wider, etc...The Elderwillaccept almost any radio
system, there isplenty of room. Laythe fuselage
frameoverthesideviewof the plans and takeoneof
the servos that you plan to use and lay itinplace,
aboutwhere they areshown on the plans.
Rememberthat these servoswill bemounted on the
1/8"plyservotray.Observe ifyourservoswillfit.Cut,
fitand gluethe 1/4"x 1/2"balsaservotraybearersin
place between the twouprights inthe radio (servo)
compartment—note that their outer edges are flush
withthe rest of the fuselage frame
14.You can now sheet the bottom of the fuselage from
the nose (between the twolanding gear formers)
backtothelastbottom 1/4"x 1/2"crossbrace—don't
sheet any further back. Note this sheet is applied
cross grain. Use your sanding block to clean the
edges flush withthe frame sides. Sand the landing
gear mounts and sheeting to a smooth curve when
viewed from the side.
15.Usethe3/32"x4"x24"balsasheet provided to now
make the primary fuselage sides. Beeconomical
here,youwillneedtherestofthissheeting later. Lay
the fuselage frame on the sheet withthe forward
edgeof itlined-up withthe leading edge ofthewing.
Use a pencil to tracethe fuselage side outlineonto
the sheeting. Cut out the fuselage side and glue itin
place,repeattheprocessfortheotherside.Useyour
sanding block to again true-up edges and generally
tidy the fuselage.
16.Stand the fuselage on its nose, firewallflatto the
work surface. Locate and glue inplace the twoside
F-4formers to the firewallsides, flushwithits front
face.
17. Locate and glue inplace the twoside formers, F-5.
Glue balsa former F-7to ply former F-8(see plans).
Glue the F-7/F-8 former inplace at the top of the
fuselage where the leading edge of the wing willbe.
18.Locate and accurately pininplace the wing center
section to the top of the fuselage—takeyour time
and locate itasaccurately as possible. Use a 1/4"
dia.drill to drill through F-7,F-8,the leading edge
and dihedral brace of the center section—backup
the dihedral brace witha piece of scrap wood to
avoid splintering asthe drill bitpasses through it.
Remove the center section andset aside fornow.
Once again stand the fuselage on it's nose, flaton
thework surfaceand gluethetop F-3formerinplace
on top of the firewalland flushwithit's frontface.
19.Measure, cutand glue inplacethetop 1/4" sq.balsa
cowl longeron from F-7through F-3and out pastthe
firewallasshown ontheplanstopick-up F-2.Cut, fit
andglue the twoside 1/4" sq. balsa cowllongerons
to the slots inthe F-4's. Now fitinplace cowl former
F-2,don't glueyet. Observe howthis former isfitting
inplace, makesurethat itisparallel withthefirewall
and that when viewed fromthe side itisalso parallel
withthe firewall.Once satisfied,glue itto the three
1/4" sq.balsa longeron ends. Now glue the twoF-1
cowl pieces to the frontfaceof F-2,leaving a 3/32"
"shelf" formounting the cowling sheet.
20.You are now going to sheet the noseofthe fuselage
asfollows:Start by sheeting the top of the fuselage
from F-7out to F-2.Dothisintwopieces withthe
seam on the centerline of the top 1/4" sq. balsa
longeron. Wettingthe top of the sheet (3/32" balsa
through-out) willhelp conform itto the formers. Use
thickCA adhesive forthisoperation; inthat way no
pins ortapewillbeneeded. Next, cut and fita piece
of sheeting that willfitagainst the edge of the top
sheet, extend down tothe centerlineof the side 1/4"
sq. balsa cowlinglongeron and fitbetween F-1(on
thetopof F-2)and halfthethicknessof F-4.The next
piece butts up againstthe edge ofthe last piecejust
installed, down to the bottom of F-1,angling back to
the bottom of F-4.This then leaves onlythesides of
the fuselage open at the tank compartment. This
area isdone intwopieces also. One from the
7

centerline of F-5uptothetop sheeting and theother
fromthecenterlineof F-5downtothebottomedgeof
the fuselage. This completes the sheeting of the
front end of the airplane. Ifyou have taken yourtime
and fittedthese pieces witha minimum amount of
gaps, all that remains issanding to shape.
21.Use a sanding block to bevel the inside ends of the
spruce fuselage framework at the tailpost—see
plans. Once satisfied, glue these ends accurately
together providing equal bends to each side of the
fuselage. Now accuratelycut and glue inplace all of
the remaining spruce andbalsa cross braces as
shown.
22.Onceagain, accuratelyposition thewingcentersec-
tion inplaceon the fuselage. Using thetrailingedge
asyourmark, finishsheeting thetop ofthe fuselage,
cross grain, back to the point where the fuselage
sides end. Remove the center section from the
fuselage.
23.With the exception of finalsanding and rounding as
shown on the plans,the fuselage isnow complete.
LANDING GEAR AND TAILSKID ASSEMBLY
Note that the frontand rear 1/8"dia. M.W.landing gear
formsare supplied to you pre-bent. Note on the plans
that they must bejoined togetherat the bottom, towards
the wheels. We recommend softcopper wireforfirst
firmlywrapping the twopieces together followedby
soldering the legs together. We would highly recom-
mendtheuseofHARRIS'SSTAY-CLEANFLUXandtheir
silversolderforthisoperation. Although a soldering iron
willwork withpatience, these jointscan bequickly and
permanently made withthe use of a small hobby-type
gastorch.
1.Locate the position of the rear"crossed-axle" wire
to the bottom rear ply L/Gplate on the fuselage bot-
tom. While holding the wireinplace, slip the two
formed metal clips onto the wire. Using a pencil to
mark the hole locations of these clips onto the ply
base, removethewireand clips. Drill shallow, small
diameter "guide holes" forthe clip'sscrews. Now
attach the landing gearwiretothe fuselagewiththe
clipsandthe#2x3/8"screwsprovided—thereisno
need to overtighten them. Repeat this process with
the forwardlanding gearwire.
2.Pull thetwocomponents together until they touch.
Thetwoshort bent "arms" onthe forwardleg should
line-up withthe legs of the rear L/Gwire. Ifneeded,
use pliers to adjust thesearms until they neatly fit.
3.Usesoftcopperwireto now neatlywraptheforward
short arms to the rear L/Gwireas shown on the
plans.ApplysomeSTAY-CLEANfluxtothejointand
solder.Repeattheprocessontheotherside.Beneat
and try and besure that the jointisat once solid
without a lot of excess solder. Once satisfied,com-
pletely clean the solder jointsof any flux.
4.Asshown, the crossed-axle landing gear system
derives its ability to accept landing loads and shock
from the two (2)independent axle legs.These need
to bejoined attwopoints, each 2-1/2" infrom the
wheels. This distance hasshown very good shock-
absorbing ability forEldersweighing 3-3-1/2lbs.Join
these axles byfirstmeasuring the2-1/2"distance re-
quired, wrapping withsoft wire (about 3/8") and
soldering. Again, clean the solderjoints completely.
5.The same process isnow used to make the rear
tailskid assembly. First bend the1/16"dia.M.W.pro-
vided to the shape shown using pliers. Wrap the tip
of the skid with softcopper wireand solder. Now
tapethe main skid wireinplaceto the bottom'rearof
the fuselage. Locate the pre-bent tailskid support
wire and wrap itinplacetothetailskidwithsoft wire.
Solder itinplace to the skid. Remove the assembly
from the fuselageandagain,cleanthesolderjoints
completely.
6.Remove the main landing gear from the fuselage.
The landing gear and tailskid are now complete and
can be used as isor painted flatblack or aluminum
(we use K&B epoxy paints for this as wellas other
painting needs on this airplane). Aswe did on some
of our prototypes, you may wish to add wood back-
ingtothewires, sandthesetoairfoilshapeand paint
themawoodcolor—looksgreat!Weused1/8"x1/4"
hard balsawitha 1/8"dia. "groove" sanded into one
edge, carefullyfittingthe piece inplace. We glued
the wood to the metal withthick CA adhesive and
sandedthewholeaffairsmooth.Thenweusedclear,
paintable Monokote to cover the "wooded" parts of
the landing gearto provide a one-piece lookand air-
brushed wood-colored epoxy paint on the whole
thing.
FINAL ASSEMBLY
1.Locateoneofthe1/4"dia.by3-1/2"dowels. Insertthe
dowel into the hole previously drilled inthe leading
edge of the wing center section. Asshown on the
plans, itextends all the way back to the main wing
dihedral brace withabout 1/4"- 3/8"of itextending
out to connect withthe F-7/F-8 formers; trim the
length as needed. Now install the center section to
the wing withthe forward dowel inplace. Liberally
8

apply epoxy around and beneath this dowel. Then
glue inplace the tworemaining W-1A half ribs into
position on each side of the dowel. Fill the resulting
cavityabove the dowel with more epoxy andallow
the structureto cure.
2.The top of the wingcenter sectioncan now becom-
pletely sheeted, cross grain. Aswiththe wing
panels, slightlybevel orchamferthe trailingedge of
this part to allow proper seating of the top sheet.
When dry, use a small sanding block to clean the
edges of the topsheeting flushwiththe outer sur-
facesofthe W-1A and W-1B ribs.
3.Carve and sand the short leading edge of the center
section to shape, matching the twowingpanels.
4.Once again, accuratelypin and/or tape the wing
center section in place to the fuselage. Use the
plansforreferenceto nowdrill two1/8"dia.wingbolt
holes through the top rear of the center sectionand
through the 1/4 "x1"x3"plyformerdirectlybeneath
it—notetheangle that these twoholes are drilledat
to take into account the slope ofthe top airfoilatthat
point. Remove the center section from the fuselage.
Tapthetwoholes intheplyformerwitheitheran8-32
taporan8-32metalbolt.Oncethethreadshavebeen
established use a littlethin CA adhesive to "coat"
them and then run the tap into the holes once again;
thistoughens-up the threads. Itmay benecessary to
run thetap or bolt through these threadsseveral
timestoallowthenylon8-32boltstoclear.Usea3/16"
drillbit tonow "clear-out"the two1/8" holes inthe
wingcenter section forclear passage of the wing
bolts. Now bolt the center section inplace on the
fuselage.
5.Locate die cut former F-9(balsa).As you can see
fromthe plans thisformer is trimmedat thebottom
(sanding block) to fitontothetop of thecenter sec-
tion'sleading edge whereit becomes the"shelf"for
the3/32" x 1/4"fuselagefairingstrips.Applyglueto
the bottom of thispart and position itaccuratelyin
placeon thecentersection, flatagainsttherearface
of F-8—don't get glue on F-8.Start making the
fuselage/wingfairingby firstcuttingto length the
topcenter3/32"x1/4"balsastrip(thecenteronewhen
viewedfromthe top). Sand itsrear bottom edge to
match thecontour of the center section'ssheeting.
Once satisfied,carefullyglue inplace to the top of
F-9and thecentersection sheeting. Repeatthispro-
cess to theleftand rightof thiscenterstripuntilthe
rough fairingis complete. Withthe center section
stillin place, useyour sanding block and sandpaper
to now smooth the fuselage/wingjointtoa one-
piecelook.Anysmallgapsorroughedgescanbefill-
edwitha fillersuch as DAP WhiteVinylSpackling
compound and sanded smooth again. Remove the
center sectionfromthe fuselage.
6.You can now make the cockpit cut-out inthe wing
centersection.The patternforthisisprovidedonthe
plans and it can either betracedorthepattern itself
cut-outoftheplanstoserveasacuttingguide.Usea
#11 X-actoknifeforthispurposeandtrytobeasneat
as possible.
7.Locate the four remaining 1/4" dia.by3-1/2" dowels.
These willbeused to now make the "king post" that
fitsto the wingcenter section. This ismost easily
made by firstconstructingtwoseparate
"triangular" pieces and then joiningthetwopieces
at the top. Chamfer the top ends to fitas shown on
the plans and epoxy. The bottom ends of the "king
post" must also bechamfered to sit squarely on the
top surfaceof the center section, ahead of the
cockpit. Don't attachthisstructureyet, itwillbe
assembled to the wing aftercovering.
8.The twowing panels can now bepermanently at-
tached to the wing center section. We recommend
that you use epoxy forthisoperation. Withthe
centersectionflatonyourbuilding surface,slidethe
two panels inposition onto the exposed arms of the
front,centerand rear dihedral braces. The fitshould
beaccurate; thefrontbrace fitsagainst theback
faceof the panel's leading edge; thecenter brace is
incontactwithboth the top and bottom spars; and
the rear brace is inside of the topand bottom rear
trailingedge sheet strips. The panel's spars, leading
edgesand trailingedgesshould also becleanlycon-
tactingtheoutside surfaceof the center section's
sides. Take your timehere toensure that thisisthe
case before committingto actual attachment.
Locate or make a couple of 1-3/4" high supports for
the wingtipsto provide the required dihedral angle.
Now epoxy thepanels inplace to the center sec-
tion—don't useso much gluethatit runsordrips but
enoughto provide agoodgluejoint.One-hourepoxy
isbest forthisstep. Allowthe structureto cure com-
pletely.
9.Remove the completed wingfromthe bench and
take some timeto now go over itcompletely.Check
the jointsforgaps, etc.Use more epoxyto now go
overthe joints,making surethat everycontactpoint
has adhesive. When you are satisfied,use light
sandpaper to smooth the wingpanel/wing center
section jointsto match.
10.Locatethetworequired rearfuselagepushrod exits
(die-cut,ply). Note on the plans where these fit
beneath the stab location—gluein place.
11.A1/16"x3/8"x12"plystripisprovidedforthefuselage
frame "jointcaps". These can be drawn withpencil
onthestripofplyand scissorsorshearscan then be
used tocut them out. These are glued inplace to
each of the exposed fuselageupright and cross
brace joint,as shown. Once these are inplace, use
sandpaper to lightlysmooth theiredges.
COVERING&FINISH
Now thatalI of thevarious components of yourElderare
completelyassembled and sanded totheirfinalshapes,
you can turnyourattention to covering.This isthepoint
thatcan separate your model fromanyone else's. You
must decide what you wantthefinishedairplane tolook
like.Wehavefinishedourprototypesinawidevarietyof
color schemes representing everythingfroman R.A.F.
WWI fighter(as shown on the label; incream Monokote
9

with red,whiteandblueRoundelsandtailtreatment)to
aGerman WWI fighter(all red Monokote withblack Iron
Cross's on a whitebackground) to civilian-type versions
(dove gray fuselages, transparent blue wings and tail-
group and chrome Monokote "cowls!") Interestingly, no
matter what color scheme we used, there was always a
group of people at the flyingsite who would stand there
looking at the Elder,arguing about what real, full-scale
aircraftitrepresented. Just remember that the Elderis
notascale model, you'refreetocoveritinanyconfigura-
tion that strikes your fancy—itwilllook great!
Before covering, itissuggested that the finalfinishbe
applied to the open spruce fuselage structure.This can
bedone several ways. There isa very good product on
the market called Varathane that issold through most
well-stocked hardware and lumber supply outlets. This
material is essentially clear and willleave the spruce
about its same color, maybe a littledarker, and
somewhat shiney. Itisresistant to spent fueland quite
durable inactual use. Epoxy paint, mixed to achieve a
woodish brown colorand brushed orsprayed alsoworks
well. Takeyourtime here, use light sandpaper togo over
the framework, smoothing itfor the finishof your
choice. When applying the finish,besure that all of the
exposed wood, except the top, rear stab glueing area,
receives paint. We then used flatblack paint (again,
epoxy is great) to paint each of the ply "joint-caps", this
really makes the structurecome to life!
Now forthe covering itself.Use the directions that are
supplied witheach roll of Monokote and cover each of
the various components separately; fuselage, wing,
stab,elevators,finand rudder.Someofyoumighthavea
problem withthe wingtipsof theElder,if thisisyour first
venture into the use of Monokote or your firstR/C
airplane.Wetriedamethodon oneofourprototypesthat
worked quite wellforthese tips.First, cover the wing
panels totally,starting withthe bottoms first,including
'the wingtips.Then coverthetops of the wingpanels out
to and including the last outboard W-2 wing rib, but not
the wingtipsthemselves. Next, cut an elongated
triangular piece of Monokote to fitover the space bet-
ween theforward W-2 rib and the forwardW-9 wingtip
former—keepthe edges straight,allow about 1/8"
overlap and iron thispiece inplace. Move now to the
nextexposedtriangularareabetweenW-9andW-10and
repeat theprocess. This method willprovide a much
easier covering situation forthe newcomer and, if done
carefully,givesyou anice looking, wrinkle-freewingtip.
When coveringthe fuselage besure that thebottom
covering—thepiece that you should apply
first—overlapsinto and on the firewallby about 1/4" at
least. Additional informationon how to use Monokote is
now available on video tape. See your dealer orwriteto
Top Flite.
Assumingthatthe airplane is now covered, turnyourat-
tention to fuel-proofingthe engine compartment. We
like to use and highly recommend a liberal coat of
polyesterresin. This material should beappliedtoallex-
posed wood inthe inside ofthe cowlarea and over all of
the Monokote seams that terminatein thecowlitself.
This seals the wood as well as the Monokote seams and
avoids"fuelcreep"lateron.Besuretokeeptheresinout
of the bolt holes inthe firewall.
Use your X-actoknifeto now clear-out all of the hinge
slots in the tailgroup. Dothe same thingforthe wing
hold-down bolt holes, the cockpit, the landinggear
screw holes, etc.
Mount the wing to the fuselage withthe nylon bolts.
Place the stab inposition on thetop rear of the fuselage
and sight down the frontof themodel to observe ifthe
stab issittingflatin relationshiptothewing,withoutany
tilt.Once satisfied,hold thestab firmlyinplace in the
position that itis meant to be;square withthe fuselage
and aligned correctlywiththe wingwhen viewed from
the top—makesure that it is exactlywhere you want it.
Use a sharp pencil and, whileholding the stab inplace,
tracethe outline of theframeworkthat isincontact with
the bottom of the stab onto the stab itself.Remove the
stab fromthefuselage.Use your X-actoknifeto now
lightly cut-out the frameoutlinefromthe bottom of the
stab's Monokote to expose the wood—thiswillbeyour
glueing surface. The stab can now bemounted to the
fuselage; we used a "thick" CAadhesive forthis.
Next,prepare the finformounting tothe stab by making
sure that all covering isremoved fromthe bottom of it,
leaving exposed wood. Hold the fininplace on the stab
inthe position that itissupposed tobe;dead-centerwith
the fuselage centerline.Use the same pencil and mark
the fin'slocation on the top of the stab. Remove the fin
and use your X-actoknifeto remove the coveringfrom
the previously marked location, exposing thewood.
Before glueing thefinto the stab, use a pin to make lots
of small holes inthe exposed wood of both the stab and
finbottom, these need not be deep. Use a slowerdrying
adhesive (Titebond, 1-hour epoxy, etc.) to now glue the
fininplaceon thestab. Usea lengthof lighttapeoverthe
top of the finand on each tipof the stab to hold the finin
place, at right angles, and allowtodry. Check periodical-
lywhilethisstructureisdrying to besure thatthefinhas
not shiftedand isinplace at right anglesto thestab and
on thecenterlineof the fuselage;we wanteverything
"square." When thisstructureis dry, remove the tape.
Threada lengthof20#fishingline(used forrigging thru-
out, if desired) through the hole at thetop of the finand
glue each end of the line into theholes at each tipof the
stab—carefullyapplied "thick"CA adhesive willwork
well.The finshould now bequiteimmobile on the stab.
Use1-hourepoxytonowgluethefourhingesrequiredin-
to the trailingedge of the stab and the twohinges re-
quired into thefin.Next, mount theelevatorsto their
hingesfollowedbytherudder,againusing 1-hourepoxy.
Alittleacetone or CA debonder on a cleanpaper towel
can beused to clean-offany glue that has oozed out of
the hinge slots.
Mount the landing gear assembly to the fuselage with
the screwsand clipsprovided. Mount the clips securely
butdo not over-tighten.
Install themotormount to thefirewallandyourengineto
the motormount.Wewouldsuggestthatyou mountyour
engineusing4-40Alien-headbolts intopre-tapped holes
inthe motor mount. Cut a couple of 10"-12"lengths of
10

mediumfuel tubing. Use a razor bladeto cut a sharp
angle on one end of each of these lengths. Insert these
angled ends into the holes you drilled earlier inthe
firewall.Useapairof pliers, long-nosed,to reach infrom
the wing opening and pull the tubing ends through the
tank compartment, out into open view,withoutpulling
them all the way through the firewall.Trim the ends
square and attach them to the correct tank tubes. Now
pull the tubes back out fromthe firewallwhilemoving
the tank into the fuselage. Trim the tubing to length and
attach the ends to the engine and pressure tap.
The triangular-shaped "flying-wirepost" that isshown
sittinginfrontofthe cockpit can now beglued (epoxy) in
place by firstpositioning it on the top of the wing to
determine it'sfinalposition. Once satisfied,press on
the top of it,indenting the covering slightly.Remove the
covering material inthese indentations, exposing wood
and gluethe post inplace. Ifyou havedecidedtoaddthe
optional flyingwires(20#-test fishing line), drill small
holes (1/32" dia.) into the tops of the spruce upright posts
that you installed during wingconstruction. We used
very small cotterpins forthe flyingwireanchor points,
these can now beepoxied into the holes. Before adding
the flyingwires, apply any decoration or markings to the
wingsthatyou havedecided upon,thenaddthesewires.
As shown on plans, the exposed framework of the aft
fuselage is shown withbracing wiresand tubes ineach
jointcorner fortheir attachment, if you have decided on
this as anoption, now is the time to add them.
The1"x1-3/4"windscreenisnowtrimmedtoshapeusing
the outline provided on your plans and glued inplace
justahead of the cockpitopening. Position thebottom
edgeof the windscreenin placeon thewingcentersec-
tionand pressdowntoleavean indention. UseanX-acto
knifeto cut through the indention and wood beneath it.
Thewindscreencannowbeinsertedintothis"slot"and
held inplace withasmall amount ofadhesive. Ifyou are
using a "pilot,"heshould now beepoxiedinplace inthe
cockpit(assuming that he's all painted and readytofly).
Atthispoint you might well beconsidering detailing
your Elderwitha few"goodies." We have used a few
items that were "off-the-shelf"inmost well-stocked
hobby shops. WilliamsBros. makes some nice 2-1/2"
scale machine guns, WW I type, both German and
British.We usedoneoftheirVicker'sgunsonthe model
shown on yourbox label. Simplyglue a coupleofdowels
into the bottom of the gun and it can then be glued right
into thecenter sectionof the wing, beneath the "king
post." Asshown on the plans, we also used a Williams
Bros. "vintage" pilot (the one withthe leather flyingcap
&goggles) as wellas their wheels. On a couple of the
prototypes we detailed the cockpitswithinstruments
fromLouProctor and a genuine hardwood, stainedin-
strument panel (veneer). Allkinds of neat looking flying
wireclipsand littlemetal partscan beeasilymadefrom
light aluminum. DetailingtheElderisupto you; any way
you choose, it'll lookgreat.
With the possible exceptionof additional finaldetailing
such as outlined above, your Elderis now essentially
finished, needing only the installationof the radio.
RADIO INSTALLATION
The method of installing your radio inthe Elderisshown
ontheplans. Notethatwehaveprovidedyouwitha1/8"x
2-7/8" x 4-7/8" ply servotray. Use a pencil and straight edge
to lay-out the positions of your servos on thistray. Note
that we are showing the rudder and elevator servos at
the rear, side-by-side withthe throttleservo justahead,
mounted sideways. Drill a 1/4" dia. hole into each of the
servo pencil marksand use a Dremel saworajig-sawto
remove the servo cut-out's(3)required. Test-fitthe ser-
vos into the tray and the tray into the fuselage—itis
meant to rest atop the two1/4" x 1/2" balsa bearers that
were built into the fuselage frame earlier. Note that the
traycan beslid foreand afta littleto provide some C.G.
(Centerof Gravity)change, if needed.Later,itwill beper-
manently glued inplace.
The receiver and battery pack are meant to beinstalled
forwardofthe servotray, as shown. These components
should beinstalled using foam rubber. The receiver
antenna on our prototypes was simply routed out
through the fuselage, internally, and tied-offat the tail
postoftherearfuselageframework.Theswitchharness
may beattached directlytothefuselageside, awayfrom
engine exhaust.
Next make the rudder and elevator pushrods. You have
been provided witha 36" length of 1/4" dia. dowel. Cut
thisinhalf to make two18" pushrods. Asshown on the
plans, attach the non-threaded end of the 6"(threaded
one-end) control wiresto the ends of each dowel with
epoxyand tightlywrapped thread. From the insideofthe
fuselage, slipthe pushrods inplace through the
fuselageand outthe plypushrod guides atthe rearofthe
fuselage.Some small amount of bending of the control
wireswillbeneeded to provide free,unbinding move-
ment. Make sure whiledoing thisthatthe bendsyou put
into the wiresare as minimal as possible—avoid any
hard bends.
Locatethetwonylon horns provided forthe elevatorand
rudder. Markthe locationsand drillthetwoholes ineach
of these surfacesfortheirmounting. Mount the horns in
place.Threadtheclevisesontothethreadedendofeach
of the pushrods and attach the clevisesto thehorns.
Now test the movement and action of the rudder and
elevatorwhilemoving the pushrods byhand. Itisessen-
tialthatthe movement besmooth, non-binding and easy
—notsloppy. Use1/16"dia. M.W.,epoxied andwrapped
as beforeat the other end of each pushrod to make the
connectiontothe servos. Asimple"Z"-bend isall that is
needed forthe servo connection.
Adjustthe wholesystem forneutral and test the move-
ment of thesurfaceswhen actuatedby your radio. The
plans show the recommended movement of the rudder
and elevator and thiscan beadjustedbymoving the
clevisesin orout on the horns. Inwouldbemore move-
ment or throw and out wouldbeless.
Make the connectionfromthe throttleservo to the
engine by screwingat least 1/4" of the 1" threaded stud
intoone end oftheinner plastictube provided. Thread a
clevisonto the studand connectto the throttleservo.
Again, testthe operation of this connection to besure
11

that isisfree andnon-binding.
Since the pushrods are exposed, you maywish to give
them a coat of the same material that you used forthe
fuselage framework to protect them from spent fuel.
PRE-FLIGHT INSTRUCTIONS
This section assumes that your Elderiscompletely
done,covered,paintedasneeded,etc.Wearenowgoing
to establish the correct C.G.(CenterofGravity). Start by
completely assembling the airplane. Note on the plans
thatthe markshown fortheC.G.point isdirectlyoverthe
spars and directlybeneath the top mating point of the
"king-post". Slip a length of string under the kingpost
and lifttheairplaneoffyourbench.Theairplane, ideally,
should hang suspended either level or slightly nose-
down. This would mean that the C.G.iswhere itshould
beto provide you witha stable flyingairplane.
Ifthe tailhangs low, some of the equipment has to be
moved forward.Remember, this balance isalways
achieved without fuelinthe tank—that'sburn-off
weight and cannot becounted. The easiest component
to move is the battery pack. Depending on the pack's
configuration,itcanbeinstalled beneaththefueltank. If
you stillneed more weight forward,slide the servo tray
all the way forwardas faras it willgo.Ifmore weightis
needed (highly unlikely) then you willhave to add lead
weight inthe nose, beneath the tank. Ifyou haveto add
lead, don't worry,the Elderwillstillflyquitewell.
Ifthe airplane isnose-heavy, then trymoving the servo
trayback as faras it willgo, etc... Once the airplane
hangssuspendedas itshould,you willhaveto nowglue
theservotraypermanentlyinplaceagainstthe1/4"x1/2"
balsa bearers that itrests on.
Prior to flying,get inthe habit of making a complete
check of the airframe. Istheprop tight?.Batteries in
boththe airplane and transmitterfullycharged? Engine
bolts tight?Allcomponents firmlyattached to each
other? Fuel linesclear?Wheelsrolleasily? Makearadio
system check as well—upis up,down is down and the
throttlemoves intherightdirection.You're readytofly!
FLYING INSTRUCTIONS
Once again, ifthisisyourfirstR/CaircraftDONOTAT-
TEMPT TO FLYITYOURSELF. Go to your local hobby
shopand get informationabout any local flyingclubs in
your area. Itiswithinsuch groups that knowledgeable,
experienced individuals can befoundto assist you.
Assumingthat the radio system (airborne and transmit-
ter)arefullycharged andthatyourengine iscompletely
broken-in and reliable, let'sfly!Fill thetankandturnthe
radio system on. Withthe engine running at idle, point
the Elderdirectlyinto the wind and advance the throttle
slowly.Withmost "tail-draggers"a small amount of
right rudder willbeneeded tokeep the airplane on a
straightheading.Withalittleexperienceyouwillbeable
to keep thetake-offroll quitestraight.Asthe speed
picks-up, the tailwillliftand ina short timethe airplane
willlift-off.Keeptheplaneheadedstraightwiththenose
ina shallow climb—do not"horse" itupwith excess up
elevator,thatisthebeginningofa"snaproll"andatlow
altitude this can quickly become a crash!
Once sufficientaltitude isreached (75'-100'),try some
turns to get used to the handling characteristics. Non-
aileron equipped models react a littleslowerintheturns
andthese turns tend to the "skidding" type. Ifall of the
homework was correctly done on the ground, yourElder
should beflyingquite nicely. While at altitude, try the
throttleand get used to the slow-speed characteristics
of the airplane before setting-up your landing. Use the
transmitter trims to correct for any unwanted climbing,
diving or turning tendencies from straight and level
flightat cruise speeds. Like most aircraftthat have flat-
bottom airfoils, the Elderwillnaturally want to climb at
fullpower and settleat low throttle. A point somewhere
inbetween these twothrottlesettings willprovide the
"cruise" speed. This setting willvary according to a.)the
engine size and b.)the finished weight of yourmodel.
With some flyingtime experience you willfindthat the
Elderis quite aerobatic; loops from level flight,left and
right snap rolls, leftand right spins withalmost instant
recovery. Inverted flightispossible withpractice.
Landings can beas slow and predictable as you'd like,
justmaintain your heading into the wind all the way
through touch-down and roll-out to a stop. We have
found that theEldersteers quite wellon the ground with
deflectedrudder and short bursts of power—besure
you're holding full-upelevator whileyou are doing this.
We sincerely hope that this has been a good project for
you and that the hours on the building board willbe
rewarded with many,manyenjoyable flights.
INDEX
INTRODUCTION ............................ 1
PRE-CONSTRUCTION NOTES ................. 2
WING ASSEMBLY ........................... 2
TAILGROUP................................4
FUSELAGEASSEMBLY. ...................... 5
LANDINGGEARANDTAILSKIDASSEMBLY .....8
FINALASSEMBLY ........................... 8
COVERINGANDFINISH ...................... 9
RADIO INSTALLATION ....................... 11
PRE-FLIGHT................................ 12
FLYING .................................... 12
12
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