Top Flite Elder 40 - Manual (Page 2)

cannot be exceeded. We urge you to:
1. Send for and obtain your AMA (Academy of Model
Aeronautics) membership which will provide in-
surance for your R/C activities — DO NOT RELY ON
HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.
2. Join an AMA sanctioned R/C flying club in your area
where you can obtain competent, professional in-
struction in trimming and learning how to fly this
model.
Check with your favorite local hobby shop for the re-
quired AMA forms or the address where they can be ob-
tained.
WARNING!!!
A radio controlled model is not a "toy." Care and
caution must be taken in properly building the
model, as well as in the installation and use of the
radio control device. It is important to follow all
directions as to the construction of this kit as well
as installation and use of the engine and radio
gear. The advice and assistance of a well ex-
perienced builder and pilot is highly recommend-
ed. Don't take chances! Improper building, opera-
tion, or flying of this model could result in serious
bodily injury to others, yourself, or property
damage.
PRE-CONSTRUCTION NOTES
The Elder 40, like other Top Flite kits employs the use of
die-cut wood to ease the task of construction, parts fit
and identification. The dies used for this kit have been
rigorously checked for absolute accuracy and should
provide you with excellent fit. Die-cut parts should be
carefully removed from their sheets by first lightly san-
ding the back of each sheet of parts and then carefully
removing each part. Use a light garnet paper for the san-
ding and keep a sharp hobby knife with an X-acto #11
blade, or equivalent, handy for assistance in removing
any parts that might not have completely cut-through by
the dies. Parts which oppose one another and must be
precisely uniform—such as fuselage sides, ribs, etc.—
should be carefully "matched" after their removal from
the part sheets. Matching is the process of holding the
opposing pieces together with either pins, tape or spot
gluing and lightly sanding the edges of the parts until
they are identical. A sanding block with light garnet
paper is most useful for this and other phases of con-
struction.
Your building surface should be at least large enough to
accommodate the wing panels. This surface should be
as absolutely flat as possible and yet be able to accept
pins easily. We have found that a product such as
Celotex fiber board works quite well for this purpose.
Another good surface can be found in most well-stocked
hardware stores—a 2' x 4' fiber board ceiling tile. These
are quite inexpensive and can be used for several
airplanes before needing replacement.
As with most R/C kits that are constructed from wood, a
selection of tools—most of which can be found in the
average workshop—are a must to do the job correctly:
Hobby knife and sharp #11 blades
Single-edge razor blades
T-pins
Sanding blocks in assorted sizes
Sandpaper in various grits
Hand-held hobby saw, such as an X-acto
Dremel tool or power drill and assorted drill bits
Straight-edge, preferably metal, at least 36" long
90" triangle
Soldering iron, flux (silver) and solder
Carbide cut-off wheel for wire cutting
Small power jig-saw, such as a Moto-Saw
Razor plane
Tapes, such as masking and cellophane
Our Elders were constructed using a variety of common
hobby adhesives including 5-minute epoxy, Cyano-
acrylates, aliphatic resin (such as Titebond) and 1-hour
epoxy. Since all of us have our own construction techni-
ques and favorite adhesives, stick with the ones that you
are familiar with and prefer. However, in certain areas
there will be callouts for certain types of adhesives, and
we urge you to try not to substitute since doing so could
possibly cause problems structurally.
The last thing we should touch on before we begin ac-
tual construction is the sequence in which the Elder is
assembled. The sequence given to you in this booklet
has been proven to be the most straight-forward and pro-
vides the finished components in the order that you will
need them to progress to the next assembly phase. Try
to stick with the building order presented here to avoid
mistakes.
Spread the plans out on your work surface, cover them
with a clear plastic material, such as the backing from a
roll of Monokote or plastic wrap and commence con-
struction.
WING ASSEMBLY
Wing construction for the Elder consists of building
three separate pieces; the two wing panels and the
center section. These will be joined in the Final
Assembly section of this manual. You will need the
center section, with its top unsheeted, during the
Fuselage Assembly section. In this sequence, be cer-
tain that you are working on a flat work surface. Careful-
ly join the two wing plan sheets, 3 of 4 and 4 of 4, at the
center section and secure with tape. This provides the
full wing plan on which to work. The wing is built directly
over the plans, so cover them with Monokote backing or
clear food wrap.
1. Start with the center section first. Locate the die-cut
sheets containing parts W-11 (2, ply), W-12 (2, ply),
W-13, two of the W-1A's and W-1 B (4, balsa). Remove
these parts from their sheets and clean up any rough
edges before assembly.
2. Using the plans as a guide; measure, cut and butt-
glue the 1/4" x 1-1/2" lower leading edge, 3/32" balsa
sheet and the 3/32" x 1" trailing edge that makes up
the bottom center section. Note desired grain direc-
tion of these pieces. Measure, cut and glue in place
2