Top Flite TOPA0415 - Manual (Page 62)

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1. Fuelproof all areas exposed to fuel or exhaust
residue such as the firewall/engine compartment,
fuel tank compartment, wing saddle area,
trailing edge of the wing, the flap area and
wheel wells, etc.
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2. Check the C.G. according to the measurements
provided in the manual.
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3. Secure the battery and receiver with a strip of
balsa or plywood. Simply stuffing them into
place with foam rubber is not sufficient.
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4. Extend your receiver antenna and make sure it
has a strain relief inside the fuselage to keep
tension off the solder joint inside the receiver.
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5. Balance your model laterally as explained in
the instructions.
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6. If you haven’t already done so, glue the wing
dowels into the wing with epoxy.
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7. File flat spots on the tail gear axle and steering
shaft for the set screws to lock onto.
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8. Use threadlocking compound to secure critical
fasteners such as the nuts that hold the main
gear axles in place, screws that hold the
carburetor arm (if applicable), set screws,
screw-lock pushrod connectors if used, etc.
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9. Add a drop of oil to the axles so the wheels will
turn freely.
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10. Make sure all hinges are securely glued in place.
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11. Reinforce holes for wood screws with thin CA
where appropriate (control horns, servo
hatches, servo mounting screws, etc.).
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12. Confirm that all controls operate in the correct
direction and the throws are set up according
to the manual. Make sure there are silicone
retainers on all the clevises and that all servo
arms are secured to the servos with the
screws included with your radio.
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13. Make sure the jam nuts are present and
tightened on all thread-on metal clevises.
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14. Secure connections between servo wires and
Y-connectors or servo extensions, and the
connection between your battery pack and the
on/off switch with vinyl tape, heat shrink tubing or
special clips suitable for that purpose.
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15. Make sure any servo extension cords you may
have used do not interfere with other systems
(servo arms, landing gear, pushrods, etc.).
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16. Secure the pressure tap (if used) to the
muffler with high temp RTV silicone,
threadlocking compound or J.B. Weld.
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17. Make sure all fuel lines are connected and are
not kinked.
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18. Use a Great Planes AccuPoint Laser incidence
meter (GPMR4020) to check the wing for twists and
attempt to correct before flying.
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19. Balance your propeller (and spare propellers).
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20. Tighten the propeller nut and spinner.
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21. Place your name, address, AMA number and
telephone number on or inside your model.
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22. Cycle your receiver battery pack (if
necessary) and make sure it is fully charged.
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23. If you wish to photograph your model, do this
before your first flight.
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24. Range check your radio when you get to the
flying field.
FLYING
The Top Flite Giant P-47 is a great-flying scale warbird that
flies smoothly and predictably.It does not, however, possess
the self-recovery characteristics of a primary R/C trainer and
should be flown only by experienced R/C pilots.
CAUTION
(THIS APPLIES TO ALL R/C AIRPLANES): If,
while flying, you notice any unusual sounds, such
as a low-pitched “buzz,” this may indicate control
surface
flutter. Because flutter can quickly destroy
components of your airplane, any time you detect
flutter you must immediately cut the throttle and
land the airplane! Check all servo grommets for
deterioration (this may indicate which surface
fluttered) and make sure all pushrod linkages are
secure and free of play. If the control surface
fluttered once, it probably will flutter again under
similar circumstances unless you can eliminate
the free-play or flexing in the linkages. Here are
some things which can cause flutter: Excessive
hinge gap; Not mounting control horns solidly;
Poor fit of clevis pin in horn; Side-play of pushrod
in guide tube caused by tight bends; Poor fit of Z-
bend in servo arm; Insufficient glue used when
gluing in the elevator joiner wire; Excessive
play or
backlash in servo gears; and Insecure servo mounting.
One might question the selection of an older
technology, bulkier radial engine vs. a more modern
and streamlined “V” engine for the P-47. A problem
of “V” engines is their liquid cooling systems
(including a radiator) which is susceptible to gun fire.
Before Glycol became available, liquid cooled
engines also featured extremely large radiators
adversely affecting aerodynamics. Early P-47
design team members were not willing to “put all
their eggs in one basket” and utilized “V” engines for
some of their other projects.
During the last few moments of preparation your
mind may be elsewhere anticipating the excitement
of your first flight. Because of this, you may be more
likely to overlook certain checks and procedures
that should be performed after your model is built.
To help avoid this, we’ve provided a checklist to
make sure you don’t overlook these important
areas. Many are covered in the instruction manual,
so where appropriate, refer to the manual for
complete instructions. Be sure to check the items off
as you complete them (that’s why we call it a
check list!).
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