Top Flite Elder 20 - Manual (Page 11)

medium fuel tubing. Use a razor blade to cut a sharp
angle on one end of each of these lengths. Insert these
angled ends into the holes you drilled earlier in the
firewall. Use a pair of pliers, long-nosed, to reach in from
the wing opening and pull the tubing ends through the
tank compartment, out into open view, without pulling
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 from the firewall while moving
the tank into the fuselage. Trim the tubing to length and
attach the ends to the engine and pressure tap.
The triangular-shaped "flying-wire post" that is shown
sitting in front of the cockpit can now be glued (epoxy) in
place by first positioning it on the top of the wing to
determine it's final position. Once satisfied, press on
the top of it, indenting the covering slightly. Remove the
covering material in these indentations, exposing wood
and glue the post in place. If you have decided to add the
optional flying wires (20#-test fishing line), drill small
holes (1/32" dia.) into the tops of the spruce upright posts
that you installed during wing construction. We used
very small cotter pins for the flying wire anchor points,
these can now be epoxied into the holes. Before adding
the flying wires, apply any decoration or markings to the
wings that you have decided upon, then add these wires.
As shown on plans, the exposed framework of the aft
fuselage is shown with bracing wires and tubes in each
joint corner for their attachment, if you have decided on
this as an option, now is the time to add them.
The 1" x 1-3/4" windscreen is now trimmed to shape using
the outline provided on your plans and glued in place
just ahead of the cockpit opening. Position the bottom
edge of the windscreen in place on the wing center sec-
tion and press down to leave an indention. Use an X-acto
knife to cut through the indention and wood beneath it.
The windscreen can now be inserted into this "slot" and
held in place with a small amount of adhesive. If you are
using a "pilot,"he should now be epoxied in place in the
cockpit (assuming that he's all painted and ready to fly).
At this point you might well be considering detailing
your Elder with a few "goodies." We have used a few
items that were "off-the-shelf" in most well-stocked
hobby shops. Williams Bros. makes some nice 2-1/2"
scale machine guns, WW I type, both German and
British. We used one of their Vicker's guns on the model
shown on your box label. Simply glue a couple of dowels
into the bottom of the gun and it can then be glued right
into the center section of the wing, beneath the "king
post." As shown on the plans, we also used a Williams
Bros. "vintage" pilot (the one with the leather flying cap
& goggles) as well as their wheels. On a couple of the
prototypes we detailed the cockpits with instruments
from Lou Proctor and a genuine hardwood, stained in-
strument panel (veneer). All kinds of neat looking flying
wire clips and little metal parts can be easily made from
light aluminum. Detailing the Elder is up to you; any way
you choose, it'll look great.
With the possible exception of additional final detailing
such as outlined above, your Elder is now essentially
finished, needing only the installation of the radio.
RADIO INSTALLATION
The method of installing your radio in the Elder is shown
on the plans. Note that we have provided you with a 1/8" x
2-7/8" x 4-7/8" ply servo tray. Use a pencil and straight edge
to lay-out the positions of your servos on this tray. Note
that we are showing the rudder and elevator servos at
the rear, side-by-side with the throttle servo just ahead,
mounted sideways. Drill a 1/4" dia. hole into each of the
servo pencil marks and use a Dremel saw or a jig-saw to
remove the servo cut-out's (3) required. Test-fit the ser-
vos into the tray and the tray into the fuselage—it is
meant to rest atop the two 1/4" x 1/2" balsa bearers that
were built into the fuselage frame earlier. Note that the
tray can be slid fore and aft a little to provide some C.G.
(Center of Gravity) change, if needed. Later, it will be per-
manently glued in place.
The receiver and battery pack are meant to be installed
forward of the servo tray, as shown. These components
should be installed using foam rubber. The receiver
antenna on our prototypes was simply routed out
through the fuselage, internally, and tied-off at the tail
post of the rear fuselage framework. The switch harness
may be attached directly to the fuselage side, away from
engine exhaust.
Next make the rudder and elevator pushrods. You have
been provided with a 36" length of 1/4" dia. dowel. Cut
this in half to make two 18" pushrods. As shown on the
plans, attach the non-threaded end of the 6" (threaded
one-end) control wires to the ends of each dowel with
epoxy and tightly wrapped thread. From the inside of the
fuselage, slip the pushrods in place through the
fuselage and out the ply pushrod guides at the rear of the
fuselage. Some small amount of bending of the control
wires will be needed to provide free, unbinding move-
ment. Make sure while doing this that the bends you put
into the wires are as minimal as possible—avoid any
hard bends.
Locate the two nylon horns provided for the elevator and
rudder. Mark the locations and drill the two holes in each
of these surfaces for their mounting. Mount the horns in
place. Thread the clevises onto the threaded end of each
of the pushrods and attach the clevises to the horns.
Now test the movement and action of the rudder and
elevator while moving the pushrods by hand. It is essen-
tial that the movement be smooth, non-binding and easy
—not sloppy. Use 1/16" dia. M.W., epoxied and wrapped
as before at the other end of each pushrod to make the
connection to the servos. A simple "Z "-bend is all that is
needed for the servo connection.
Adjust the whole system for neutral and test the move-
ment of the surfaces when actuated by your radio. The
plans show the recommended movement of the rudder
and elevator and this can be adjusted by moving the
clevises in or out on the horns. In would be more move-
ment or throw and out would be less.
Make the connection from the throttle servo to the
engine by screwing at least 1/4" of the 1" threaded stud
into one end of the inner plastic tube provided. Thread a
clevis onto the stud and connect to the throttle servo.
Again, test the operation of this connection to be sure
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