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GREATPLANES RV-4 Manual

1. Lilie L A L a o GALAR MM GGU nie 0 UM lll A a L LK f LLL wa g AA Vj 3 RV44F06 RV44 ve X 4 X 30 BALSA 6 BUILD THE TAIL SURFACES Build the Stab amp Elevator m 1 Unroll the plan sheets Roll them inside out so they will lie flat X12 Position the wing plan so the stab plan is over your flat building board Cover the plan with Great Planes Plan Protector or wax paper so glue will not adhere T 3 Locate the two die cut 1 8 3mm balsa stab braces SBR and two die cut 1 8 3mm balsa stab centers SC Glue the parts together to form the 1 4 6mm balsa stab brace and the 1 4 6mm stab center 4 m i Sn T 4 Pin the balsa stab brace SBR over the plans Glue the stab center SC to the balsa stab brace SBR T 5 Locate the 1 4 x 1 2 x 30 6 x 13 x 750mm balsa sticks Cut them to size as shown on the plan to form the stab 7 outer structure Pin them to the building board over the plans Glue them together forming the stab outer structure T 6 Locate the 1 4 x 1 4 x 30 6 x 6 x 750mm balsa sticks Cut them to size as shown on the plan Then glue them in place to form the stab inner structure T 7 Cut the 1 4 x 1 2 x 30 6 x 13 x 750mm balsa sticks to size as shown on the plan Then glue them in place to form the elev
2. 4 13 Remove the rudder from the fin Measure up from the bottom of the rudder 1 25mm and make a mark on the leading edge of the rudder T 14 On the mark drill a 1 8 8mm hole 3 4 19mm deep into the leading edge of the rudder From the bottom of the rudder up to the hole you have drilled cut a groove 1 8 8mm wide Hint A perfect tool for this is the Great Planes Groove Tube GPMR8140 1 15 Locate the tailwheel wire assembly Trial fit it into the hole and slot When you are satisfied with the fit mark the location for the nylon bushing on the fin Cut a slot in the fin to accept the bushing Trial fit the rudder with the tailwheel wire into the fin Do not glue the nylon bushing in place This will be done after the model has been covered 10 BUILD THE WING Build the Wing Panels 111 Unroll the plan sheets Roll them inside out so they will lie flat m 2 Locate the left wing panel on the plan You may find it helpful to cut the plans in half making them a more manageable size to pin to your building board T 3 Position the left wing plan flat on the building board Cover the plan with Great Planes Plan Protector or wax paper so glue will not adhere to it T 0 4 Locate the die cut 1 8 8mm balsa wing shear web WSW three die cut 3 32 2 4mm balsa W2 ribs five die cut 3 32 balsa W3 ribs and one die cut 3 32 2 4mm W1 rib Note In the following steps it is import
3. Takeoff For your first flight we recommend that you begin with your radio on low rates Before you get ready to takeoff see how the model handles on the ground by doing a few practice runs at low speeds on the runway Hold up elevator to keep the tail wheel on the ground If necessary adjust the tail wheel so the model will roll straight down the runway If you need to calm your nerves before the maiden flight shut the engine down and bring the model back into the pits Top off the fuel then check all fasteners and control linkages for peace of mind Remember to takeoff into the wind When you re ready point the model straight down the runway hold a bit of up elevator to keep the tail on the ground to maintain tail wheel steering then gradually advance the throttle As the model gains speed decrease up elevator allowing the tail to come off the ground One of the most important things to remember with a tail dragger is to always be ready to apply right rudder to counteract engine torque Gain as much speed as your runway and flying site will practically allow before gently applying up elevator lifting the model into the air At this moment it is likely that you will need to apply more right rudder to counteract engine torque Be smooth on the elevator stick allowing the model to establish a gentle climb to a safe altitude before turning into the traffic pattern Flight For reassurance and to keep an eye on
4. It is assumed that you have already covered a couple of models in the past so we won t go into many details on covering techniques but here are some tips you should consider 1 NEVER CUT THE COVERING DIRECTLY ON THE SHEETING The RV 4 depends on the sheeting for some of its strength Modelers who cut through the covering tend to cut the sheeting and this will weaken the structure 2 Use a Top Flite Hot Sock to minimize dents in the wood from your covering iron 3 When you cover large sheeted surfaces such as the wing bond the covering in the middle and work outward pushing out air as you proceed Do not move the iron in a circular motion but move it span wise with the grain of the wood 4 When you cover smaller parts with square edges such as the elevators and ailerons cover the ends first with separate pieces of covering Then all you have to do is wrap the covering around the top and bottom and iron it down 5 When you cover sharp junctions like where the stab meets the fuse cut narrow strips of covering and apply them in the corners before you cover the major surfaces The larger pieces of covering will overlap the smaller pieces This technique also eliminates the need to cut the covering after it has been applied 6 If you want to duplicate the trim scheme pictured on the box you will need the following 2 rolls of MonoKote White TOPQ0204 1 roll of MonoKote Black TOPQ0208 1 roll of MonoKote Royal Blue TO
5. 20 Hinge Slot T O 4 Cut the slots for the hinges using the same procedure used for the aileron except the slot needs to be cut into the wing and the flap at an angle as shown 415 Trial fit the aileron and flap with the hinges to the wing making sure that you have at least a 1 16 1 6mm clearance between the control surfaces MO 6 Attach the control horn to the bottom of the flap following the same procedure used for mounting the control horn to the elevator T 7 This completes the construction of the left wing panel The sheeting and servo trays that have not yet been installed will be completed after the two wing halves are joined together Go back and repeat the wing assembly procedure for the right wing panel Join the Wing Halves T 1 Locate the die cut 1 8 8mm plywood dihedral brace DB and dihedral brace doubler DBD Use 6 minute epoxy to glue the dihedral brace doubler to the dihedral brace centering the doubler on the brace T 2 Trial fit the dihedral brace into the wing by inserting it into the left wing panel and then twisting it into position between the wing spars T 3 Slide and twist the right wing panel onto the other end of the dihedral brace to check the fit of the two wing panels m 4 When you are satisfied with the fit glue the dihedral brace to both wing panels with 30 minute epoxy Be sure to apply glue to the root ribs of both wing panels as well Clamp the ent
6. INSTRUCTION MANUAL Wingspan 54 5 8 in 1388mm i Wing Area 628 8 sq in 40 56dm a idi Weight 5 3 4 Ibs to 6 1 4 lbs 2610g 28509 E Length 49 5 8 in 1260mm Wing Loading 21 oz per sq ft to 22 9 oz per sq ft 64 4 grams per dm 70 3 grams per dm WARRANTY Great Planes Model Manufacturing Co guarantees this kit to be free from defects in both material and workmanship at the date of purchase This warranty does not cover any component parts damaged by use or modification In no case shall Great Planes liability exceed the original cost of the purchased kit Further Great Planes reserves the right to change or modify this warranty without notice In that Great Planes has no control over the final assembly or material used for final assembly no liability shall be assumed nor accepted for any damage resulting from the use by the user of the final user assembled product By the act of using the user assembled product the user accepts all resulting liability If the buyer is not prepared to accept the liability associated with the use of this product the buyer is advised to return this kit immediately in new and unused condition to the place of purchase READ THROUGH THIS MANUAL BEFORE STARTING CONSTRUCTION IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND USE OF THIS MODEL E productsupport greatplanes com RV44P03 for GPMA0180 V1 0 Printed In USA Entire Contents Copyright 2
7. 4 1 Cut out the two halves of the ABS cowl Cut the cowl halves on the cut lines When cut properly there will be interlocking tabs to glue the sides of the two halves together 1 2 Glue the two halves of the cowl together with medium CA Work on one side first applying glue to a small section at a time Use CA accelerator sparingly or not at all as it can cause the ABS plastic to get brittle Work your way around the cowl until it is completely glued together Use pieces of leftover ABS plastic to reinforce the cowl in the front 13 Apply a plastic filler such as Bondo to fill the seam where the cowl halves are joined After the filler has cured sand the seam until the two cowl halves blend smoothly together 4 4 Cut the openings in the front of the cowl Wet sand the entire cowl with 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper The cowl is now ready to be primed Assemble the Wheel Pants 41 1 Cut out the left and right half of the wheel pants along the cut line molded in the pants When cut properly there will be interlocking tabs to glue the two halves together T O 2 Glue the two halves of the pants together with medium CA Work a small section at a time Use CA accelerator sparingly or not at all as it can cause the ABS plastic to get brittle Work your way around the wheel pant until it is completely glued together 4103 Use a filler like you did with the cowl to fill the seam After the filler has cured
8. a By 1 22 Following the radio manufacturer s instructions install the radio switch harness on the side of the fuselage 4 23 Referring to this sketch and the plan install the receiver and battery pack into the front lower half of the fuselage Connect all of the servos and servo extensions for the flaps and ailerons following the radio manufacturer s instructions Install the Fuel Tank Fitting gt Fuel Pick up Line Rubber Stopper Clunk 4 1 1 We are now going to break away from the radio installation to install the fuel tank As you can see in the previous sketch the foam wrapped receiver and battery are going to support the fuel tank Assemble the components of the fuel tank as shown T 2 Now is the time to decide if you are going to fill the tank through a fuel filling valve or whether you are going to use a third line as a fill line If you choose to use a fill valve insert two 12 305mm lengths of silicone fuel tubing through the holes in the firewall Pull the tubing into the radio compartment of the fuselage If you are going to use a third line for filling drill 1 16 1 6mm hole in the center of the third nipple on the fuel tank Clean any debris from inside of the tank Then insert three 12 305mm lengths of silicone fuel tubing through the holes in the firewall Attach the lines to the fuel tank following t
9. m 10 oz Fuel tank GPMQ4104 Adhesives amp Building Supplies In addition to common household tools screwdrivers drill etc this is the short list of the most important items required to build the RV 4 We recommend Great Planes Pro CA and Epoxy glue 1 1 oz Thin Pro CA GPMR6002 T 4 oz Medium Pro CA GPMR6010 T 6 Minute Epoxy GPMR6045 1 30 Minute Epoxy GPMR6047 T Hobby knife HCARO105 1 11 blades HCAR0211 1 Single edge razor blades HCAR0212 m Small T pins HCAR5100 T Builder s triangle HCAR0480 q Electric drill and 1 16 1 6mm 5 64 2mm 3 32 2 4mm 1 8 3mm 9 64 3 6mm 5 32 4mm 17 64 6 7mm and 1 4 6mm drill bits T Small Phillips and flat blade screwdrivers HCAR1040 T Wire cutter HCAR0630 T Great Planes Plan Protector GPMR6167 or wax paper T Sanding tools and sandpaper assortment see Easy Touch Bar Sander section T Sealing Iron TOPR2100 i Heat Gun TOPR2000 A Great Planes tap and drill set GPMR8108 m 2 Rolls MonoKote covering See page 44 A Trim sheets Optional Supplies amp Tools Here is a list of optional tools and accessories mentioned in the manual that will help you build the RV 4 A Bisson Muffler BISG4046 T Pilot Figure 1 5th scale q Fuel Valve GPMQ4160 A Great Planes CG Machine GPMR2400 A Top Flite Precision Magnetic Prop Balancer TOPQ5700 A Top Flite Hot Sock iron cover TOPR21
10. 1 2 DEEP INCENTER OF HINGE SLOT T 14 Drill a 3 32 2 4mm hole 1 2 13mm deep in the center of the hinge slot This will help the glue to better saturate the hinge and the wood when the hinges are installed Wa WZ WASSER If you are like most modelers cutting slots for the hinges is time consuming and tedious A really great time saver and accurate tool to make this job very simple is the Great Planes Slot Machine This tool is available in a corded 110V AC GPMR4010 as well as a cordless version GPMR4011 With this tool you can cut hinge slots in a matter of seconds eE m 1 After marking the location for the hinge place the edge of the cutting blade on the mark and use a little pressure to set the teeth into the wood 2 Squeeze the trigger on the Slot Machine and the teeth will cut a perfectly sized width and depth for today s CA type hinges Optional blades GPMR4016 are available to cut slots for the nylon type hinges as well T 15 Bevel the L E of the elevator halves as shown on the plan cross section m 16 Trial fit the stab hinges and elevator halves together Important Do not glue the hinges in place This will be done after the model has been covered Build the Fin amp Rudder 11 1 Locate the two die cut 1 8 3mm balsa fin tops FT Glue them together forming the 1 4 6mm balsa fin top Sr 1 2 Pin the fin top over the plan Assemble t
11. 3 8 x 24 3 x9 5 x 610mm balsa sticks These make up the fuselage side Glue them in place at the rear of the forward fuselage side FFS 23 40 10 Glue the die cut 1 8 3mm balsa aft fuselage side AFS to the balsa sticks at the rear of the fuselage as shown on the plan Cut the balsa sticks flush with AFS s i 40 11 Locate the 3 32 2 4mm die cut balsa stab doubler SD Glue it in place onto the balsa aft fuselage side AFS aligning it with the bottom and rear of the fuselage side 1 12 Repeat steps 8 10 for the right fuselage side Remember the right side mirrors the left side of the fuselage Be sure not to build two left fuselage sides T 13 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm plywood forward right fuselage top RFT and the forward left fuselage top LFT Glue RFT and LFT together as shown m 14 Locate the two die cut 1 8 8mm plywood aft fuselage tops AFT Glue them together the same way you did the forward right and left fuselage top 1 15 Glue the forward fuselage top to the aft fuselage top as shown This forms the fuselage top and will be referred to as the fuselage top throughout the construction process 1 16 Locate the two die cut 1 8 3mm balsa aft fuselage bottoms AFB Glue them together the same way as the fuselage tops 24 1 17 Pin the fuselage top over the plans Important The fuselage will be assembled on the plans upside down When you a
12. 4 x 15 9 x 762mm balsa wing trailing edge sheet in place on the bottom of the wing 12 40 18 Locate the 3 32 x 5 16 x 24 2 4 x 7 9 x 610mm balsa cap strips Cut the cap strips to fit between the forward sheeting and the trailing edge sheeting Use the plan as your guide to identify the ribs that should be cap stripped Cap strip both the top and the bottom of the wing TA 19 Sheet the bottom of the wing between the outboard W2 ribs from leftover 3 32 x 4 x 30 2 4 x 102 x 762mm balsa sheet Extend the sheeting 3 4 19mm beyond the end of the ribs 42 20 After the sheeting is glued in place make a line across the sheet 1 2 13mm from the trailing edge of the W2 ribs m 4 21 Using a sanding bar bevel the end of the balsa sheeting to match the wing rib Sand from the end of the sheeting up to the line you drew LJ 11 22 Sheet the top of the wing between the outboard W2 ribs from leftover 3 32 x 4 x 30 2 4 x 102 x 762mm balsa sheet OO 23 Locate the 5 8 x 1 3 4 x 7 15 9 x 44 x 178mm balsa block Cut it into two 3 1 2 89mm long pieces 0 24 Fit one of the balsa blocks between rib W1 and W2 at the trailing edge of the rib T g 25 On the block make a mark 1 8 8mm from the end Draw a line from that mark to the corner as shown in the photograph T 2 26 Sand the end of the block to the line you just made 13 T 0 27 From the end of the block where y
13. 75 T Straightedge with scale HCAR0475 A Cutting mat HCAR0456 1 Masking Tape TOPR8018 1 CA Debonder GPMR6039 OCA Applicator tips GPMR6033 A CA Accelerator GPMR6034 1 R C 56 Canopy Glue JOZR5007 C1 Epoxy Brushes GPMR8060 T Mixing Sticks GPMR8055 A Threadlocker GPMR6060 A Denatured Alcohol for epoxy clean up 0 Felt Tip Marker TOPQ2510 A Small metal file T Rotary tool such as Dremel 1 Rotary tool reinforced cut off wheel GPMR8200 T Curved Tip Canopy Scissors for Trimming Plastic Parts HCAR0667 1 Hook and Loop Material GPMQ4480 A Dead Center Engine Mount Hole Locator GPMR8130 Great Planes AccuThrow Deflection Gauge for measuring control throws GPMR2405 T Great Planes Groove Tube GPMR8140 ra E THEA LNs A flat durable easy to handle sanding tool is a necessity for building a well finished model Great Planes makes a complete range of Easy Touch Bar Sanders and replaceable Easy Touch Adhesive backed Sandpaper While building the RV 4 we used two 5 1 2 Bar Sanders and two 11 Bar Sanders equipped with 80 grit and 150 grit Adhesive backed Sandpaper Here s the complete list of Easy Touch Bar Sanders and Adhesive Backed Sandpaper 5 1 2 Bar Sander GPMR6169 11 Bar Sander GPMR6170 22 Bar Sander GPMR6172 33 Bar Sander GPMR6174 44 Bar Sander GPMR6176 11 Contour Multi Sander GPMR6190 12 roll of Adhesive backed 80 gri
14. edge in place on the balsa sub leading edge The notch you just cut from the leading edge should fit around the tab extending from W1 Once you are satisfied with the fit glue the leading edge to the balsa sub leading edge on the front of the wing T d 42 Trim the ends of the leading edge to be flush with the ends of the wing amp 11 O 43 Locate the left ABS plastic wing tip Trim it on the cut lines When cutting the trailing edge of the wig tip there is a cut between the top and bottom of the wingtip 16 T 44 Locate rib W5 and insert it into the plastic wing tip Position the rib to be flush with the end of the wing tip then glue it in place with thin CA At the trailing edge of the plastic wing tip the top and bottom of the plastic wing tip will need to be glued together with thin CA T 4 45 Place the wing tip onto the end of the wing The notches in W5 should fit onto the wing spars that are extending from the wing Important You now need to make a decision on how you wish to do the final installation of the wing tip You can permanently glue the wing tip in place on the end of the wing or you can tack glue it in place by applying a drop of CA to a few spots on the wing tip and the wing If you choose to tack glue the wing tip in place it can be removed making it easier to apply your covering This will also allow you to paint the wing tip without it being attached to the wing After the covering is applied
15. other traffic it is a good idea to have an assistant on the flight line with you Tell him to remind you to throttle back once the plane gets to a comfortable altitude While full throttle is usually desirable for takeoff most models fly more smoothly at reduced speeds Take it easy with the RV 4 for the first few flights gradually getting acquainted with it as you gain confidence Adjust the trims to maintain straight and level flight After flying around for a while and while still at a safe altitude with plenty of fuel practice slow flight and execute practice landing approaches by reducing the throttle to see how the model handles at slower speeds Add power to see how she climbs as well Continue to fly around executing various maneuvers and making mental notes or having your assistant write them down of what trim or C G changes may be required to fine tune the model so it flies the way you like Mind your fuel level but use this first flight to become familiar with your model before landing 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 linkage
16. tank place the model upside down on a Great Planes CG Machine or lift it at the balance point you marked T 3 If the tail drops the model is tail heavy and weight must be added to the nose to balance If the nose drops the model is nose heavy and the battery pack and or receiver must be shifted aft or weight must be added to the tail to balance If possible relocate the battery pack and receiver to minimize or eliminate any additional ballast required If additional weight is required nose weight may be easily added by using a spinner weight GPMQ4645 for the 1 oz weight or GPMQ4646 for the 2 oz weight If spinner weight is not practical or is not enough use Great Planes GPMQ4485 stick on lead A good place to add stick on nose weight is to the firewall don t attach weight to the cowl it is not intended to support weight Begin by placing incrementally increasing amounts of weight on the bottom of the fuse over the firewall until the model balances Once you have determined the amount of weight required it can be permanently attached If required tail weight may be added by cutting open the bottom of the fuse and gluing it permanently inside Note Do not rely upon the adhesive on the back of the lead weight to permanently hold it in place Over time fuel and exhaust residue may soften the adhesive and cause the weight to fall off Use 2 sheet metal screws RTV silicone or epoxy to permanently hold
17. the weight in place T 4 IMPORTANT If you found it necessary to add any weight recheck the C G after the weight has been installed PREFLIGHT Balance Propellers Carefully balance your propeller and spare propellers before you fly An unbalanced prop can be the single most significant cause of vibration that can damage your model Not only will engine mounting screws and bolts loosen possibly with disastrous effect but vibration may also damage your radio receiver and battery Vibration can also cause your fuel to foam which will in turn cause your engine to run hot or quit We use a Top Flite Precision Magnetic Prop Balancer TOPQ5700 in the workshop and keep a Great Planes Fingertip Prop Balancer GPMQ5000 in our flight box Identify Your Model Ground Check No matter if you fly at an AMA sanctioned R C club site or if you fly somewhere on your own you should always have your name address telephone number and AMA number on or inside your model It is required at all AMA R C club flying sites and AMA sanctioned flying events Charge the Batteries Follow the battery charging instructions that came with your radio control system to charge the batteries You should always charge your transmitter and receiver batteries the night before you go flying and at other times as recommended by the radio manufacturer NOTE Checking the condition of your receiver battery
18. you should be drilling into the plywood control horn plate If you do not hit the plate check to make sure you are drilling into the bottom of the aileron which is where the plate is located Attach the control horn with two 2 x 3 8 9 5mm sheet metal screws Flap Installation You now have to decide if you want to build the wing with or without the flap option If you decide to build it with the flap you will need two additional standard 40 oz servos and a 5th channel available on your radio system The use of flaps allows the plane to fly markedly slower than without the flap option This allows you to fly slower land slower and take off in a much shorter distance If you have a computer radio with flap to elevator mixing you can also program the plane to do very tight loops with flap elevator coupling If you are not installing operational flaps proceed with the next two steps If you are installing operational flaps proceed to step 3 NON FUNCTIONAL FLAP INSTALLATION LJ A 1 Glue the flap leading edge to the wing trailing edge and the root rib of the flap to the rib W2 m 4 2 Sand the flap to match the contour of the top and bottom of the wing FUNCTIONAL FLAP INSTALLATION 1 1 3 Mark the location for the flap hinges on the wing trailing edge and the leading edge of the flap The slot for the hinge needs to be 1 16 from the bottom of the wing Do not mark the hinge location on a centerline
19. 001 MODEL MANUFACTURING COMPANY Urbana IL 61801 217 398 8970 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 0000s 2 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 0000 eee ee eee 2 DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE 0055 3 Radio Equipment 00 00 eee ee eee 3 Engine Recommendations 3 ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED 3 Hardware and Accessories 0 3 Adhesives and Building Supplies 3 Optional Supplies and Tools 4 IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES 055 4 Common Abbreviations 2 005 5 Types of Wood 1 er eee 5 Metric Conversions 0000 cence ees 5 DIE CUT PATTERNS 220000eeeeeee 5 6 BUILD THE TAIL SURFACES 2000005s 7 Build the Stabilizer and Elevator 7 Build the Fin and Rudder 9 BUILD THE WING 2 002 c eee ee 10 Build the Wing Panels 04 10 Build the Aileron and Flaps 17 Aileron Installation 000055 19 Flap Installation 2 2 eee eee ee 20 Join the Wing Halves 000 00s 20 BUILD THE FUSELAGE 000 eee neues 22 Mount the Wing to the Fuselage 30 Finish the Fuselage 000 eee eee 31 Mount the Landing Gear 4 33 Mount the Engine 0 02 eee 34 Install the Fuselage Components 36 Install the Fuel
20. 1A on the right side of the fuselage and glue the fuel tank left cover into the notches in F2A and F1A on the left side of the fuselage T 44 From a leftover piece of 1 8 3mm plywood cut a piece 1 2 x 3 13 x 76mm Draw a center line across the length of this piece T 45 Locate the die cut 1 8 8mm plywood fuel tank top cover FTC Trial fit the fuel tank cover into the notches in FRC FLC and the firewall When satisfied with the fit remove FTC and glue the 1 8 x 1 2 x 3 3 x 13 x 76mm plywood piece from the previous step to the bottom of the fuel tank cover using the line as the reference for gluing it to FTC 28 4 46 Place FTC back into the notches in FRC FLC and the firewall The tab that you have glued to the botom of FTC should fit under the opening in F2 A 1 47 When you are satisfied with the fit make a mark on the center of the tab on the front of FTC and center it over the 1 4 6mm firewall Drill a 1 16 1 6mm hole on this mark through FTC and the firewall Hold the FTC in place with a 2 x 5 8 15 9mm sheet metal screw and a 2 washer 4 48 Locate the 1 8 x 1 4 x 24 3 x 6 x 610mm basswood turtledeck stringer Cut it to fit on top of formers F2A through F4A Cut the remaining piece to fit on top of formers F5A through F7A 4 49 Locate the 1 8 x 1 8 x 24 3 x 3 x 610mm balsa stick Glue it in place on top of the basswood turtledeck stringer making sure that it is glue
21. 4 T 1 Mark a line down the center of the landing gear plate ear ae T 2 Measure 1 1 4 forward from fuselage former F3 and mark a line perpendicular to the line you have drawn 4 3 Place the aluminum landing gear so the center hole is at the intersection of the two lines Make sure that the landing gear is parallel to former F3 L_ s Mi Vi 11 4 Use a pen to mark the location of each of the three landing gear mounting holes T 5 Drill a 5 32 4mm hole through each of the locations you marked on the landing gear plate 1 6 Locate three 6 32 blind nuts Apply a drop of medium CA on the flange being careful not to get any glue onto the threads Then press them into the holes from inside the fuselage Position the landing gear over the mounting holes Insert a 6 32 x 3 4 19mm socket head cap screw and 6 washer through the landing gear and into the blind nut Tighten the screw against the landing gear pulling the blind nut into place tightly to the underside of the landing gear plate Do this for each of the three landing gear mounting screws 34 Mount the Engine 1 1 Cut the spreader bars from the supplied Great Planes motor mount then use a hobby knife to remove any flashing leftover from the molding process so the halves fit together well M4 2 Draw an angled line from the corner of each of the engine mounting holes across the firewall Where
22. 45 minute epoxy because you will need the working time and or the additional strength Photos and sketches are placed before the step they Types of Wood refer to Frequently you can study photos in following steps to get another view of the same parts Not all die cut parts have a name or their complete name stamped on them so refer to the die drawings on page 5 and 6 for identification When it s time to remove the parts from their die sheets if they are difficult to remove do not force them out Instead use a sharp 11 blade to carefully cut the part from the i i Balsa Basswood Plyw sheet then lightly sand the edges to remove any slivers or y ood irregularities Save some of the larger leftover pieces of wood Metric Conversions 1 4 6 4 mm 6 152 4 mm 1 64 4mm 3 3 9 5 mm 12 304 8 mm 1 32 8 mm 1 2 12 7 mm 18 457 2 mm 1 16 1 6 mm 5 3 15 9 mm 21 533 4 mm 3 32 2 4 mm 3 4 19 0 mm 24 609 6 mm 1 8 3 2 mm 1 25 4 mm 30 762 0 mm 5 32 4 0 mm 2 50 8 mm 36 914 4 mm 3 16 4 8 mm 3 76 2 mm Inch Scale n u p 3 4 5 6 7 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 Metric Scale DIE CUT PATTERNS RV44F OI 2 PER KIT 1 8 X 5 1 8 X 23 3 4 LITE PLY DIE CUT PATTERNS 4 Mss e Vi 7 N N WNE meos 2 PER KIT p
23. FROM THE SLOT 111 Start with the stab and elevators Remove a small strip of covering from the hinge slot 1 2 Fit the hinges in the stab and elevator without glue TEMPORARY PIN _Z TO KEEP HINGE 11 3 Join the elevators to the stab with the hinges If the hinges do not remain centered as you join the elevators to the stab remove the stab and insert a pin in the center of the hinge to keep them centered Make sure there is approximately a 1 64 4mm gap between the elevators and the stab so you do not glue them together Do not use CA accelerator on any of the hinges and do not glue the hinges with anything but thin CA Do not attempt to glue one half of the hinge at a time The hinges will not be properly secured and could come out while the model is in flight ASSEMBLE THEN APPLY 6 DROPS OF THIN CA TO CENTER OF HINGE ON BOTH SIDES THE CA WICKS ALONG THE TUNNELS TO THE ENTIRE HINGE SURFACE 114 Add six drops of thin CA to the center of the hinges on both the top and bottom The holes you drilled in the hinge slot will wick the CA into the entire hinge surface Use a paper towel to absorb excess CA from the hinge gap before it cures 11 5 Use the same hinging method to join the rudder to the fin the ailerons to the wing and the flaps to the wing 1 6 Reinstall the pushrods you disconnected before covering and mount the control horns to the ailerons flaps elevator and rudder Reinstall an
24. PQ0221 and 1 roll MonoKote Aluminum TOPQ0205 Trim Sheets will also work well over the white base color Covering Sequence FUSELAGE 11 1 Tail junctions strips as described previously m 2 Stab tops then bottoms L 3 Fin right then left side L 4 Fuse bottom aft then front LI 5 Fuse sides 14 6 Turtle deck may be done in one or two pieces L 7 Front deck aft of cowl WING 1 1 Hidden areas and corners such as the trailing edge on the flap and aileron area 11 2 Bottom of one then the other half of the wing 11 3 Top of one then the other half of the wing CONTROL SURFACES AND DETAILS 111 Ends bottoms then tops of elevators ailerons and flaps L 2 One then the other side of the rudder Install the Stab and Fin Once you have the stab fin and fuselage covered you can permanently install the stab and fin to the fuselage 14 1 Mount the wing to the fuselage Then insert the stab into the slots in the fuselage Measure the distance from the tip of the stab to the tip of the wing on the right side of the fuselage Measure the same point on the left side of the fuselage Adjust the stab until both sides measure the same 1 2 If you covered the center section of the stab mark the outline of the fuselage on the stab with a felt tip marker Then cut away the covering in the center section so that you can achieve a good glue jo
25. Tank 22 005 38 Finish the Radio Installation 39 Finish the Servo Installation 40 Assemble the Cowl 220e ee eee 41 Assemble the Wheel Pants 42 Install the Cowl 0 ee 42 Install the Wheel Pants 43 PREPARE THE MODEL FOR COVERING 44 BALANCE THE MODEL LATERALLY 44 FINISH THE COCKPIT 0000 c eee 44 COVER THE MODEL WITH MONOKOTE 44 Covering Sequence 20 eee eee 44 Install the Stab and Fin 4 45 PAINTING oaaae fect eek arene tare eee eee 45 JOIN THE CONTROL SURFACES 45 CANOPY INSTALLATION 00000 eee eee 46 GET THE MODEL READY TOFLY 46 Check the Control Directions 46 Set the Control Throws 20055 47 Balance the Model C G 0005 47 PREFLIGHT 23 e etek oe aerate eee ett ee 48 Identify Your Model 0000 e ee eee 48 Charge the Batteries 0 00005 48 Balance Propellers 0 000000 ee 48 Ground Gheck Taaie cee wo dada wd ew wees 48 Range Check 000 cece eee eee 48 ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 49 AMA SAFETY CODE 2000e cece eee 49 CHECK LIST cctv e werent bed Oe ed 49 FLYING Sol Ot A dered Tt hg 50 Fuel Mixture Adjustments 50 Takeoff saaara utet tot f 4 Bobet BAG eens ada tan
26. a ha eh 50 Pign se tec tara atte tein ha at EE E keane 50 LaANGING eaae ta whee ace Lei ev aretins 51 2 VIEW DRAWING Back Cover INTRODUCTION The RV 4 is a great flying semi scale model that you will be proud to take to the local flying field This plane has great ground handling characteristics performs most aerobatic maneuvers with ease and with the addition of the flap option crawls in very slowly on landing Take your time and enjoy the building process You will be rewarded from the very first flight PROTECT YOUR MODEL YOURSELF amp OTHERS FOLLOW THESE IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS 1 Your RV 4 should not be considered as a toy but rather a sophisticated working model that functions very much like a full size airplane Because of its performance capabilities the RV 4 if not assembled and operated correctly could possibly cause injury to yourself or spectators and damage property 2 You must assemble the model according to the instructions Do not alter or modify the model as doing so may result in an unsafe or unflyable model In a few cases the instructions may differ slightly from the photos In those instances the written instructions should be considered as correct 3 You must take time to build straight true and strong 4 You must use an R C radio system that is in first class condition and a correctly sized engine and components fuel tank wheels etc throughout the build
27. and the wing tip is painted you can permanently glue the wing tip in position Either way will work The choice is left to your personal preference T O 46 Sand the leading edge of the wing to shape as shown on the wing cross section of your plan Sand the wing top and bottom to match the ABS wing tip Build the Ailerons amp Flaps T 1 Locate a 3 32 x 4 x 24 2 4 x 102 x 610mm balsa sheet Cut it into two pieces 2 wide and cut each piece to a length of 21 3 16 537 8mm These will become the top and bottom aileron flap sheeting 1 O 2 Using the plan as your guide mark the location of each of the W4 ribs onto one of the aileron flap sheets 14 3 On one edge of the sheeting draw a line the length of the sheeting 1 8 3mm from the edge of the sheet T 0 4 Locate the wing plan On the wing plan there is a pattern of the W4 ribs with the top of the rib being shown on this drawing Find the die cut ribs and mark each of the ribs with a T to indicate the top of the rib 17 110 5 Glue eight W4 ribs onto the marks you have made on the sheeting The front edge of each W4 rib should be placed on the line 1 8 3mm from the edge of the sheeting Be sure that each of the ribs is glued onto the sheeting with the top of the ribs perpendicular to the sheeting as shown in the photograph 4 6 Locate the 1 8 x 1 2 x 24 3 x 13 x 610mm balsa aileron flap sub leading edge Position
28. ant to pay careful attention to assemble the parts exactly as instructed Failure to do so will result in a wing that is not straight 10 5 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm balsa wing shear web WSW Insert the end of WSW into one of the W3 ribs Position the rib over the third set of notches and then twist it into the notch Do not glue them to each other at this time 4 6 Using your plan as your guide install the remaining W3 ribs into the proper notches Do not glue them in place at this time 4107 Install two W2 ribs at the location shown on the plan Do not glue them at this time 4 O 8 Locate two 1 8 x 1 4 x 30 3 x 6 x 762mm basswood wing spars Cut them to a length of 26 1 4 667mm Place one of the spars at the location shown on the plan With all of the ribs now positioned on the wing shear web WSW place WSW and the ribs onto the basswood wing spar Then place the top wing spar into the notches Do not glue the assembly together at this time 1 2 9 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm balsa wing trailing edge WTE Insert it into the notches at the trailing edge of each of the ribs Be sure that the tab end of WTE is at the wingtip Do not glue them in place at this time 11 40 10 Position the remaining W2 rib at the wingtip and the W1 rib at the wing root Note Refer to the wing root detail cross section for proper orientation of the W1 rib When you are satisf
29. are and check again to be sure that the firewall is 90 degrees to the fuselage top once the firewall is glued into place 26 T 34 Cut off the fuselage side that extends beyond the firewall and sand the sides flush with the firewall h e T 35 Glue the 1 8 3mm die cut plywood F5B to F5 as shown on the plan 11 36 Locate the two die cut 1 8 3mm plywood wing mounting plates WMP Glue them together to form one 1 4 6mm plate 1 37 From former F5B measure forward 1 2 13mm and make a mark on each side of the fuselage With 6 minute epoxy glue the wing mounting plate to the fuselage sides over the wing saddle doubler at the the mark you made T 39 Locate two die cut 1 8 3mm balsa stab braces SB Glue them together to form the stab brace T 40 Turn the fuselage over and glue the stab brace in place on top of the fuselage at the aft of the fuselage 4 38 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm plywood wing mounting plate doubler WMD Glue the wing mounting plate doubler to the wing mounting plate with 6 minute epoxy T 41 Sand the fuselage sides flush with the stab brace 27 T 42 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm balsa formers F7A F6A F5A F4A F3A and F2A Glue them in place at the location and angles as shown on the plan T 48 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm plywood fuel tank right cover FRC and fuel tank left cover FLC Glue the fuel tank right cover into the notches in F2A and F
30. ator outer structure 48 Locate four die cut 1 8 3mm balsa elevator roots ER Glue them together to form two 1 4 6mm elevator roots Glue one in place in each elevator half as shown on the plan T 9 Cut the 1 4 x 1 4 x 30 6 x 6 x 750mm balsa sticks to size as shown on the plan Then glue them in place to form the elevator inner structure 1 10 Remove the parts from the plan Sand the control surfaces smooth and shape the L E of the stab and the T E of the two elevator halves to match the cross section shown on the plan Do not shape the L E of the two elevator halves 41 11 Locate the center of the T E of the stab Place a T pin on the center at each end of the stab Lay a straight edge against the pins and draw a center line on the T E of the stab Repeat this procedure for each elevator half 1 12 Using the plans as your reference mark the location for the hinges on the T E of the stab and the L E of the two elevator halves CUT HINGE SLOT WITH HOBBY KNIFE AND 11 BLADE 4 13 Cut the hinge slot in the stab and elevator using a 11 blade inserted in your hobby knife Begin by carefully cutting a very shallow slit at the hinge location to accurately establish the hinge slot Make three or four more cuts going a little deeper each time As you cut slide the knife from side to side until the slot has reached the proper depth and width for the hinge 8 DRILL A 3 32 HOLE
31. cate a 2 56 x 12 305mm wire pushrod Cut the pushrod to a length of 4 3 4 121mm On the threaded end of the pushrod attach a clevis retainer and clevis by turning it onto the threaded end approximately 25 turns 4 2 9 Attach the clevis to the control horn Then slide the clevis retainer in position on the clevis Center the aileron and make a mark on the wire pushrod where it meets the outer hole in the servo arm Make a 90 degree bend in the wire on the mark you have made Li 1 10 Insert the wire into the servo horn and retain it in place with a nylon FasLink d 4 11 Attach a 6 152mm servo extension to the flap servo Apply a piece of heat shrink tubing or tape to the connectors to be sure they cannot pull apart 40 12 Attach a 12 305mm servo extension to the aileron servo Apply a piece of heat shrink tubing or tape to the connectors to be sure they cannot pull apart 410 13 Route each of the leads through the wing The leads should exit the wing through the hole in the top of the wing center section 11 14 Repeat steps 1 14 for the left wing panel d 15 The leads for the flap and ailerons need to be connected together with a Y harness If you are using an 8 or 9 channel radio you may have the ability to plug each of the lines into separate channels in your receiver See the radio instruction manual before deciding which way you will proceed 41 Assemble the Cowl
32. d in the center of the turtledeck stringer Do this for both the front and rear turtledeck stringer T 50 Locate three 3 16 x 3 16 x 30 4 8 x 4 8 x 762mm balsa sticks Cut them to fit at the base of the turtledeck on both the front and rear turtledeck on both sides of the fuselage 1 51 On the fuselage plan is the turtledeck sheeting template From a 3 32 x 4 x 24 2 4 x 102 x 610mm balsa sheet cut two turtledeck sheets 4 52 Sheet the turtledeck with the sheets you cut This is a fairly tight bend so we recommend that you soak one side of the wood with water or isopropyl alcohol allowing the balsa to soften and become more flexible When the balsa is sufficiently softened glue the sheeting to F5 A F6 A F7 A and the turtledeck stringers After the wood has dried sand the turtledeck to match the fuselage sides and the balsa turtledeck stringer to match the shape of the turtledeck 153 From the remaining 3 32 x 4 x 24 2 4 x 102 x 610mm balsa sheet cut the deck sheeting for the front of the airplane Locate the deck patterns on the plan and use them to make the sheets 4 54 Glue the forward deck sheeting between F2A and F3A and the deck stringers Glue the rear deck sheeting between 29 F3A and F4A and the deck stringers Sand the sheeting to match the fuselage sides and sand the balsa deck stringers to match the deck sheeting M1 55 From leftover 3 16 4 8mm square balsa stick cut four st
33. desired rates high low rates A flight plan greatly reduces the chances of crashing your model just because of poor planning and impulsive moves Remember to think Have a ball But always stay in control and fly in a safe manner GOOD LUCK AND GREAT FLYING 2 View Use the 2 view or photocopy it and use the copy to design your trim scheme
34. e fuselage and use a small amount of 6 minute epoxy to glue the tubes to the fuselage formers 36 T 3 Cut the tubes at an angle where they exit the fuselage Fill the slots where the tubes exit the fuselage with a 50 50 mix of 6 minute epoxy and micro balloons The addition of the micro balloons thickens the epoxy preventing it from running and making it sand easier Do this for both the left and right side of the fuselage 1 4 After the epoxy is fully cured use a sanding bar to sand the pushrod exits flush with the fuselage on both sides of the fuselage Incorrect Correct 1 5 Refer to your plan for the proper position of the elevator control horns Position the control horn on the bottom of the elevator Using a felt tip pen mark the drilling locations for the screws Drill a 1 16 1 6mm hole through the marks Attach a control horn to one of the elevator halves by inserting two 2 56 x 5 8 15 9mm machine screws through the control horn and elevator attaching it to the nylon control horn plate Do this for both elevator halves T 6 Install a control horn to the right side of the rudder following the same procedure used for the elevator T 7 Locate two die cut 1 8 3mm plywood servo rails SR Glue them into the servo bay in the fuselage at the location shown on the plan 18 From a leftover piece of the 36 914mm plastic flexible outer pushrod cut a piece to a length of 5 3 4 146m
35. e hobby shop to purchase one 1 T 34 Sheet the top of the wing between W1 and W2 Sheet the area from the wing trailing edge WTE to 1 25mm beyond the end of the ribs m 2 35 Turn the wing over on the bench so that you are looking at the bottom of the wing From the end of each of the ribs measure back 1 2 13mm and draw a line across the sheeting Cut the sheeting on this line Bevel ta Match Ribs T O 36 Using a sanding bar bevel the sheeting to match the ribs Cross Grain the Sheeting in this Area T O 37 From leftover 3 32 2 4mm balsa sheeting apply balsa onto the upper wing skin from the root of the wing up to WBS When applying the balsa sheet it must be installed cross grain This will provide much more strength to the trailing edge of the wing 15 11 O 38 Sheet the area between WTE and WBS gluing 3 32 2 4mm balsa sheet to the balsa block a O 39 Locate the 5 8 x 1 4 x 18 15 9 x 6 x 457mm balsa stick that is used for the CA hinge blocks From the 18 stick cut six blocks 1 1 2 388mm long Glue each of the blocks in place inside the wing on the backside of the wing trailing edge Refer to your plan for the proper placement of each of the blocks 10 40 Locate the 1 4 x 3 4 x 30 6 x 19 x 762mm balsa leading edge On one end make a line 1 8 3mm from the end extending 3 8 9mm from the edge of the leading edge Cut this area away T O 41 Fit the leading
36. ea with a wet tissue This will swell the wood allowing you to sand it smooth after the balsa wood has dried 11 2 Sand the entire model with progressively finer grits of sandpaper finishing with 320 or 400 grit sandpaper 113 Use a Top Flite Tack Cloth to remove sanding dust from the model BALANCE THE MODEL LATERALLY 11 1 Mount your wing to the fuselage Temporarily remove the stab and fin fixture from the rear of the fuselage and temporarily insert the stab and fin into the slots d 2 With the wing level carefully lift the model by the engine propeller shaft and the aft end of the fuselage at the bottom of the fin trailing edge this may require two people Do this several times 14 3 If one wing always drops when you lift the model that side is heavy Balance the airplane by gluing weight inside the other wing tip Glue the weight in place with epoxy An airplane that has been balanced laterally will track better in loops and other maneuvers m 4 Remove the stab and fin Then reinstall the fixture in the rear of the fuselage FINISH THE COCKPIT 11 1 Now is the time to finish the cockpit area We painted our entire cockpit with flat black paint then installed the instrument panel decal We also chose to install a pilot and a rollover bar Should you decide to install the rollover bar refer to the drawing on the plan This can be made from the two 5 16 x 4 1 2 7 9 x 115mm wood dowels 44 WITH MONOKOTE
37. ed hold up elevator to place the tail on the ground regaining tail wheel control If you have installed the functional flaps the landing approach is very similar Lower the throttle while on the downwind leg Then lower the flaps approximately 1 2 13mm The nose will most likely pitch up slightly When it does continue lowering the throttle until the nose levels 51 Continue to lose altitude as you turn onto the downwind leg Line up with the runway allowing the nose to come down but maintaining airspeed and control Fly the airplane to two or three feet above the runway and then drop the throttle to idle Add elevator to flare the airplane to touchdown One final note about flying your model Have a goal or flight plan in mind for every flight This can be learning a new maneuver s improving a maneuver s you already know or learning how the model behaves in certain conditions such as on high or low rates This is not necessarily to improve your skills though it is never a bad idea but more importantly so you do not surprise yourself by impulsively attempting a maneuver and suddenly finding that you ve run out of time altitude or airspeed Every maneuver should be deliberate not impulsive For example if you re going to do a loop check your altitude mind the wind direction anticipating rudder corrections that will be required to maintain heading remember to throttle back at the top and make certain you are on the
38. ed with each other Remove the wing when everything is aligned 411 From the 1 4 x 1 2 x 6 6 x 63 x 152mm balsa stab block make a plate that is the same size as the stab saddle When you have it done draw a line down the center of the stab plate 32 4 12 Glue an additional 1 4 x 3 4 6 x 19mm balsa stick to the base centered on the line you have drawn The stick needs to be perpendicular to the base Sand the top of the stick to match the rear turtledeck 11 14 Locate the 3 4 x 3 4 x 12 19 x 19 x 305mm balsa block Cut it into two 6 152mm lengths Glue the end of the block to fuselage former F7A IMPORTANT Glue only the end of the balsa blocks to F7A Do not glue the balsa blocks to the fixture The fixture will be removed later and it must be able to slide out from under the blocks 1 15 Using a razor plane and sanding block shape the balsa blocks to match the fuselage 1 16 Remove the fixture you ve made to be sure that it slides out of the fuselage freely and that no glue is holding itin place The slots in the blocks will now fit the stab and fin when we install them later in the manual 4 17 Put the fixture back into the slots Wrap masking tape around the tail to keep the fixture in place This will help prevent accidentally knocking the shaped blocks out of place before gluing the stab and fin in place 33 Mount the Landing Gear phi AAT 3 A i
39. enience Radio Equipment A quality five channel if you do not plan on flaps you can use a four channel radio or greater radio system Seven servos with an output of at least 40 ounce inches five servos if you omit the flap option Two 12 servo extensions HCAM2100 for the ailerons four 6 servo extensions HCAM2000 for the flaps and receiver and two Y connectors HCAM250 for the flaps and ailerons Engine Recommendations There are several engines that will work well in the RV 4 Our official engine size recommendation range is 40 to 52 two stroke or 52 to 70 four stroke Engines such as the O S 40 FX OSMG0540 O S 46 FX OSMG0546 O S FS 52 OSMG0852 O S FS 70 OSMG0870 Super Tigre GS 40 SUPG0125 GS 45 ABC SUPG0150 and the G 51 SUPG0154 are all excellent choices for the RV 4 If you select an engine in the upper end of the size range remember that this is supposed to be a scale model that is intended to fly at scale like speeds so prudent throttle management should be practiced ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED Hardware amp Accessories In addition to the items listed in the Decisions You Must Make section the following is a list of hardware and accessories required to finish the RV 4 T 2 Wheels 2 1 2 GPMQ4223 T 1 Tail wheel GPMQ4241 T Spinner 2 1 4 T Propellers See engine manufacturer s recommendation T Fuel line 3 914mm silicone GPMQ4131
40. er factor the C G Center of Gravity can have the greatest effect on how a model flies and may determine whether or not your first flight will be successful If you value this model and wish to enjoy it for many flights DO NOT OVERLOOK THIS IMPORTANT PROCEDURE A model that is not properly balanced will be unstable and possibly unflyable At this stage the model should be in ready to fly condition with all of the systems in place including the engine landing gear covering and paint and the radio system 3 3 4 41 Use a felt tip pen or 1 8 3mm wide tape to accurately mark the C G on the bottom of the wing on both sides of the fuselage The C G is located 3 3 4 95mm back from the leading edge of the wing This is where your model should balance for your first flights Later you may wish to experiment by shifting the C G up to 1 25mm forward or 3 8 9 5mm back to change the flying characteristics Moving the C G forward may improve the smoothness and stability but it may then require more speed for takeoff and make it more difficult to slow down for landing Moving the C G aft makes the model more maneuverable but could also cause it to become too difficult for you to control In any case start at the location we recommend and do not at any time balance your model outside the recommended range T 2 With the wing attached to the fuselage all parts of the model installed ready to fly and an empty fuel
41. g or special clips suitable for that purpose 11 13 Make sure any servo extension cords you may have used do not interfere with other systems servo arms pushrods etc 11 14 Secure the pressure tap if used to the muffler with high temp RTV silicone thread locking compound or J B Weld q 15 Make sure the fuel lines are connected and are not kinked 1 16 Use an incidence meter to check the wing for twists and attempt to correct before flying 11 17 Balance your propeller and spare propellers 11 18 Tighten the propeller nut and spinner m 19 Place your name address AMA number and telephone number on or inside your model L 20 Cycle your receiver battery pack if necessary and make sure it is fully charged 1 21 If you wish to photograph your model do so before your first flight m 22 Range check your radio when you get to the flying field 50 FLYING The RV 4 is a great flying model that flies smoothly and predictably The RV 4 does not however posses the self recovery characteristics of a primary R C trainer and should be flown only be experienced R C pilots Fuel Mixture Adjustments A fully cowled engine may run at a higher temperature than an un cowled engine For this reason the fuel mixture should be richened so the engine runs at about 200 rpm below peak speed By running the engine slightly rich you will help prevent dead stick landings caused by overheating
42. he fin using the 1 4 x 1 2 x 30 6 x 13 x 750mm balsa sticks cuttting them to size as shown on the plan to size as shown on the plan Then glue them in place to form the fin inner structure 9 LI 4 Locate the two die cut 1 8 balsa rudder bases RB Glue them together forming the 1 4 balsa rudder base 11 5 Pin the rudder base over the plan Construct the rudder outer structure using the 1 4 x 1 2 x 30 6 x 13 x 750mm balsa sticks Cut them to size as shown on the plan Then glue them in place E i A 6 Cut the 1 4 x 1 4 x 30 6 x 6 x 750mm balsa sticks to size as shown on the plan to form the rudder inner structure d 7 Remove the parts from the plan Sand the control surfaces smooth and shape the L E of the fin and the T E of the rudder to match the cross section shown on the plan Do not shape the L E of the rudder 1 8 Locate a center line on the T E of the fin Follow the same procedure used for doing this on the stab and elevator m 9 Using the plans as your reference mark the location for the hinges on the T E of the fin and the L E of the rudder 14 10 Cut the hinge slots using the same procedure used for the stab and elevator d 11 Bevel the L E of the rudder as shown on the plan cross section d 12 Trial fit the fin hinges and rudder halves together Important Do not glue the hinges in place This will be done after the model has been covered
43. he instructions with the fuel tank I 13 Remove the fuel tank top cover from the engine mount box This will assist you as you install the fuel tank Pull the tank into the fuselage by pulling on the fuel lines where they exit from the firewall Position the tank against the firewall by reaching into the top of the engine mount box Re install the engine Attach the vent line to the muffler and the fuel pickup to the carburetor The lines from the fuel tank should be just long enough to reach the carburetor and the muffler Cut the lines as needed When everything is positioned re attach the fuel tank cover 39 Finish the Radio Installation T 1 Locate the 2 56 x 12 305mm wire pushrod Cut it to a length of 10 1 2 267mm On the threaded end of the pushrod attach a clevis retainer and clevis by turning it onto the threaded end approximately 25 turns Slide the wire into the outer pushrod tube in the firewall Attach the clevis to the throttle arm and slide the clevis retainer in place on the clevis RETAINER E lt T 2 Install the brass Screw Lock Set onto the end hole of the servo arm of the throttle servo Assemble it as shown in this sketch T 3 Slide the throttle pushrod into the screw lock set on the servo arm Turn on the transmitter and receiver Advance the throttle servo to the full throttle position Open the carburetor on the engine to the full
44. icks to fit between the 3 16 4 8mm turtledeck stringers as shown in the photograph 11 56 Locate the 1 16 x 3 x 18 balsa sheet Cut the sheet in half and edge glue the sheets together forming a 6 wide sheet Cut the sheet to fit in the cockpit of the plane making sure the sheet fits on top of the 3 16 4 8mm balsa sticks and balsa turtledeck stringers Glue the sheeting to the balsa sticks Mount the Wing to the Fuselage 4 1 Turn the fuselage upside down Hint Position a small box under the cockpit to support the plane on your bench Install the wing onto the wing saddle A A 1 2 Measure from the tip of the tail to a point on the end of the wing The distance from the tip of the wing to the tail needs to be equal on both sides Once the wing is positioned properly make reference marks on the wing and the fuselage i mae S P EAE 43 With the wing still resting in the wing saddle and aligned on the marks you have made mark the location to drill the wing bolt holes From the outer end of the wing bolt plate measure in 2 51mm and draw a line Measure up from the side of the wing bolt plate 1 2 13mm and draw another line Where the two lines intersect is where you will drill the wing bolt holes 30 T 4 At the intersection of the lines on the wing bolt support drill a 9 64 3 6mm or use a 25 drill bit pilot hole perpendicular to the bottom of the wing through the wi
45. ied with the fit of all of the wing components glue them together with thin CA T A 11 Locate the 5 8 x 1 4 x 24 15 9 x 6 x 457mm balsa stick Cut a piece to fit between the two W2 ribs This will be the forward balsa wing tip Glue it in place See Sa 1 t a se pr ai REA i E 410 12 Locate the 1 16 x 1 2 x 30 1 6 x 13 x 762mm balsa sub leading edge Use a butt joint at rib W1 and then glue it in place on the front of each of the ribs After gluing it in place lightly sand the top and bottom of the sub leading edge with a sanding bar making sure it matches the shape of the ribs 110 13 Locate a 3 32 x 4 x 30 2 4 x 102 x 762mm balsa sheet Cut a notch on the end of the sheet 7 8 22 2mm from the L E and 1 8 wide 410 14 Glue the 3 32 x 4 x 30 2 4 x 102 x 762mm balsa sheet in place on the top of the wing Align the sheet with the trailing edge and on top of the wing spar when gluing it to the wing 4 15 Glue the 3 32 x 5 8 x 30 2 4 x 15 9 x 762mm balsa wing trailing edge sheet in place Now would be a good time to add some thin CA to all joints to be sure that everything is glued together well 410 16 Turn the wing over and sheet the bottom of the wing the same way you did the top of the wing NOTE You do not need to cut the notch in the 3 32 x 4 x 30 2 4 x 102 x 762mm balsa sheet as you did for the top of the wing 40117 Glue the 3 32 x 5 8 x 30 2
46. ignals to show you what is happening If the control surfaces do not respond correctly do not fly Find and correct the problem first Look for loose servo connections or broken wires corroded wires on old servo connectors poor solder joints in your battery pack or a defective cell or a damaged receiver crystal from a previous crash ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Failure to follow these safety precautions may result in severe injury to yourself and others Keep all engine fuel in a safe place away from high heat sparks or flames as fuel is very flammable Do not smoke near the engine or fuel and remember that engine exhaust gives off a great deal of deadly carbon monoxide Therefore do not run the engine in a closed room or garage Get help from an experienced pilot when learning to operate engines Use safety glasses when starting or running engines Do not run the engine in an area of loose gravel or sand the propeller may throw such material in your face or eyes Keep your face and body as well as all spectators away from the plane of rotation of the propeller as you start and run the engine Keep these items away from the prop loose clothing shirt sleeves ties scarfs long hair or loose objects such as pencils or screwdrivers that may fall out of shirt or jacket pockets into the prop Use a chicken stick or electric starter to start the engine Do not use your fingers to flip the propeller Make certain the glow pl
47. ing process 5 You must properly install all R C and other components so that the model operates properly on the ground and in the air 6 You must check the operation of the model before every flight to insure that all equipment is operating and that the model has remained structurally sound Be sure to check clevises or other connectors often and replace them if they show any signs of wear or fatigue 7 If you are not already an experienced R C pilot you should fly the model only with the help of a competent experienced R C pilot We as the kit manufacturer provide you with a top quality kit and instructions but ultimately the quality and flyability of your finished model depends on how you build it therefore we cannot in any way guarantee the performance of your completed model and no representations are expressed or implied as to the performance or safety of your completed model Remember Take your time and follow the instructions to end up with a well built model that is straight and true Before starting to build compare the parts in this kit with the Parts List and note any missing parts Also inspect all parts to make sure they are of acceptable quality If any parts are missing broken or defective or if you have any questions about building or flying this airplane please call us at 217 398 8970 or e mail us at productsupport greatplanes com If you are contacting us for replacement parts please be sure t
48. int between the balsa stab center section and the stab base on the fuselage When cutting the covering away be careful not to cut the balsa wood Cutting the balsa wood can weaken the structure 11 3 Glue the stab to the fuselage with 6 minute epoxy checking the distance from the stab to the wing before the glue cures 1 4 After the glue has cured on the stab insert the fin into the slots in the fuselage Mark the outline of the fuselage onto both sides of the fin Remove the fin and cut the covering being careful not to cut into the balsa wood structure 115 Be sure the fin is 90 degrees to the stab Then glue the fin to the fuselage with 6 minute epoxy 45 PAINTING At this stage all of your plastic pieces should have the seams filled with Bondo or putty If you haven t already done so wet sand the plastic parts with 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper so the paint will adhere Spray the cowling and wheel pants with at least one coat of Top Flite LustreKote primer Wet sand the the plastic parts between coats with 400 grit sandpaper Use Great Planes 1 8 3mm EZ Mask Flexible Masking Tape GPMR1000 for masking sharp lines A Top Flite Tack Cloth TOPR2185 is useful to remove dust before you paint LustreKote paint gives a matching finish to your MonoKote finish JOIN THE CONTROL SURFACES After the control surfaces are covered you can permanently install the hinges into the control surfaces CUT THE COVERING AWAY
49. ire wing assembly together and allow the glue to cure 11 5 Now that the wing panels have been joined use the leftover 3 32 x 4 x 24 2 4 x 102 x 610mm balsa sheeting to sheet the top and bottom center section of the wing 21 1 6 At the location shown on the plans cut two 1 2 13mm holes in the top of the wing for the aileron and flap servo leads to exit the wing T 7 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm plywood servo tray support STS and the die cut 1 8 3mm plywood servo tray ST 11 8 Assemble the servo tray as shown If you are using flaps in your model you will need to assemble four servo trays If you are only going to have ailerons on your airplane you will need to assemble two 1 9 Working from the bottom of the wing trial fit the aileron servo trays in place at the location on the plan When you are satisfied with the fit glue it in place to the rib and the wing shear web WSW Note If you did not choose to install the flaps skip step 10 4 10 Trial fit the flap servo trays in place at the location on the plan When you are satisfied with the fit glue it in place to the rib and the wing shear web WSW T 11 Glue left over 1 8 8mm balsa stick around the two sides of the trays This will give you a surface to attach the covering to when you finish the model m 12 Use a sanding bar to do the final sanding of the wing 22 1 13 This completes the const
50. ly they should fit the outer edge of F4A 31 T 3 Glue the CDB doublers to F5A Position them the same way as you did for CDF m 4 Using your plan as the reference mark the location of BK and IP by drawing lines across the floor of the cockpit 4 5 Locate die cut 1 8 8mm balsa formers IP instrument panel and BK back seat Glue former BK on the forward most line on the cockpit floor and glue IP on the rearward line 11 6 On the plan you will find the paper cockpit sheeting template Use this as the pattern and cut two cockpit sides from 3 32 x 4 x 24 2 4 x 102 x 610mm balsa sheet 1 2 7 Trial fit the cockpit sides to one side of the fuselage between F4A and F5A Sand the cockpit sheeting as needed to fit Once you are satisfied with the fit glue the cockpit sides to F4A F5A IP and BK Hint You may need to wet the balsa wood to bend it without cracking 1 8 Repeat step 7 for the opposite side of the cockpit i s _ 2 T 9 From leftover 3 32 2 4mm balsa sheet cut a piece to fit on top of BK and IP as shown 4 10 Attach the wing to the fuselage Place the stab in place on the stab base at the back of the fuselage Stand back 9 to 15 3 to 5m and view the airplane from the rear The distance between the wing and the stab must be equal on both sides of the stab If the stab is not in line with the wing sand the high side of the stab base until the wing and stab are align
51. m and install it through the remaining hole in the firewall and former F3 for the throttle pushrod Mark where the tube contacts the firewall and former roughen that area with sandpaper and then glue the tube in position 1 9 Following the radio manufacturer s instructions for mounting servos install three servos onto the servo mounting rails at the locations shown on the plan Center the servos Then position the servo arm as shown in the photo 4 10 Locate two 2 56 x 36 914mm wire pushrods Cut one to a length of 30 1 2 775mm and the other to a length of 27 1 2 699mm Insert the wires into the two elevator outer pushrods The threaded end should be at the rear of the fuselage The longer wire should be in the tube on the left side of the fuselage the shorter on the right as shown in the photo T 12 Locate two 5 32 4mm wheel collars and two 6 32 x 1 2 18mm socket head cap screws Install the screws into the wheel collars Slide both wheel collars over the two elevator pushrods Do not tighten the set screws yet 37 4 13 On the threaded end of both elevator pushrods attach a clevis retainer and then a clevis by turning it onto the threaded end approximately 25 turns 11 14 In the Finishing the Fuselage section of the manual you made a balsa fixture to help in shaping the tail block If you followed our recommendations you did not install the stab eleva
52. mm hole through the marks Saturate the holes with thin CA After it has cured attach the control horn to the aileron with two 2 x 5 8 15 9mm sheet metal screws 10 4 Locate a 2 56 x 12 305mm wire pushrod Cut the pushrod to a length of 4 3 4 121mm On the threaded end of the pushrod attach a clevis retainer and clevis by turning it onto the threaded end approximately 25 turns T 5 Attach the clevis to the control horn Then slide the clevis retainer in position on the clevis Center the aileron and then make a mark on the wire pushrod where it meets the outer hole in the servo arm Make a 90 degree bend in the wire on the mark you have made Lj A 6 Insert the wire into the servo horn and retain it in place with a nylon FasLink 40 Skip steps 7 11 If you did not install functional flaps 117 Install a servo into the flap servo bay in the right wing following the radio manufacturer s instructions Temporarily plug the flap servo into the receiver and then turn on the radio and transmitter Activate the switch that will be used for the flaps so that the servo is in the position for the flaps retracted Install a servo arm onto the servo The servo arm should be installed at approximately 45 degrees to the servo case and the arm should be pointing toward the center of the wing Enlarge the end hole in the servo arm of the elevator and rudder servo with a 1 16 1 6mm drill bit 110 8 Lo
53. ng and the wing bolt mounting plate in the fuselage 1 5 Remove the wing Tap the holes in the wing bolt mounting plate with a 1 4 20 tap After they have been tapped apply a small amount of thin CA to the threads Once the glue has cured run the tap through the threads once more to clean out any excess glue 1 6 Enlarge the wing bolt holes in the wing by drilling a 17 64 6 7mm hole through the 9 64 3 6mm holes you drilled in Step 4 This will provide clearance for the nylon wing bolts Be sure you only drill the hole in the wing not the wing bolt mounting plate 11 7 Attach the wing to the fuselage with the nylon wing mounting bolts checking to be sure the wing fits well 1 8 Locate two die cut 1 8 3mm balsa wing fairings WF Glue them to the leading edge of the wing flush with the top of the fuselage Remove the wing T 9 From left over 3 32 2 4mm balsa sheet cut a piece to fit between the two wing fairings and a piece to fill the front of the fairing at the leading edge of the wing Glue them in place Then sand the wing fairing to blend into the wing Finish the Fuselage T 1 Locate the 3 32 2 4mm die cut balsa cockpit doublers 2 CDB and 2 CDF Note Doublers CDF are shorter than CDB 11 2 Glue the CDF doublers to F4A Be sure to set them back from the edge of the fuselage 3 32 2 4mm the width of the fuselage sheeting When positioned proper
54. o provide the full kit name RV 4 and the part numbers as listed in the Parts List For the latest RV 4 updates you can also check our web site at www greatplanes com If you have not flown this type of model before we recommend that you get the assistance of an experienced pilot in your R C club for your first flights If you re not a member of a club your local hobby shop has information about clubs in your area whose membership includes experienced pilots In addition to joining an R C club we strongly recommend you join the AMA Academy of Model Aeronautics AMA membership is required to fly at AMA sanctioned clubs There are over 2 500 AMA chartered clubs across the country Among other benefits the AMA provides insurance to its members who fly at sanctioned sites and events Additionally training programs and instructors are available at AMA club sites to help you get started the right way Contact the AMA at the address or toll free phone number below SINCE 1936 Academy of Model Aeronautics 5151 East Memorial Drive Muncie IN 47302 9252 Tele 800 435 9262 Fax 765 741 0057 or via the Internet at http Awww modelaircraft org 3 DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE This is a list of items required to finish the RV 4 that must be purchased separately For some of these items there is more than one option which will require a bit of decision making ahead of time Order numbers in parentheses are provided for your conv
55. ou sanded the taper into the block measure forward 3 4 19mm from the leading edge and draw a line across the block 40 28 Locate the die cut 1 8 plywood WBS On each end measure in 1 8 3mm and draw a line across WBS ae T 4 29 From the line out to the edge sand the plywood to a thickness of 3 32 2 4mm T 2 30 Glue WBS to the balsa block between the end of the block and the line you have made on the balsa block Position WBS so that it extends equally over each end of the balsa block 41 O 31 Trial fit WBS and the balsa block in place between the W2 ribs at the inboard of the wing Using a leftover piece of 3 32 2 4mm sheet lay it in place across the W2 ribs and the balsa block Check to be sure the sheeting and WBS match in thickness If WBS is slightly high sand a bit more from the sheeting as indicated in step 29 Note Make sure you work from the bottom of the wing 4 d 32 One you are satisfied with the fit of the balsa block and WBS glue it in place between the W1 and W2 ribs 14 T 4 33 When the balsa block is glued in place you will see that the block extends well beyond the W2 rib Use a razor plane to shape the block to match the shape of the W2 rib If you do not have a hobby razor plane you can cut this block down with a long bladed knife or a sanding block Hint If you do not currently own a hobby plane it really is one of the most worthwhile tools you can own It is worth a trip to th
56. pack is highly recommended All battery packs whether it s a trusty pack you ve just taken out of another model or a new battery pack you just purchased should be cycled noting the discharge capacity Oftentimes a weak battery pack can be identified and a valuable model saved by comparing its actual capacity to its rated capacity Refer to the instructions and recommendations that come with your cycler If you don t own a battery cycler perhaps you can have a friend cycle your pack and note the capacity for you 48 If the engine is new follow the engine manufacturer s instructions to break in the engine After break in confirm that the engine idles reliably transitions smoothly and rapidly to full power and maintains full power indefinitely After you run the engine on the model inspect the model closely to make sure all screws remained tight the hinges are secure the prop is secure and all pushrods and connectors are secure Range Check Ground check the operational range of your radio before the first flight of the day With the transmitter antenna collapsed and the receiver and transmitter on you should be able to walk at least 100 feet away from the model and still have control Have an assistant stand by your model and while you work the controls tell you what the control surfaces are doing Repeat this test with the engine running at various speeds with an assistant holding the model using hand s
57. re assembling components that reference the right or left side of the fuselage take the time to be sure you are working with the correct side of the fuselage 4 18 On the inside of the left and right side of the fuselage glue the die cut 1 8 3mm plywood wing saddle doubler WSD in place as shown on the plan T 19 Locate die cut 1 8 3mm plywood formers F3 F4 and F5 as well as die cut 1 8 3mm balsa formers F6 and F7 Test fit formers F3 through F7 onto the fuselage top at the location shown on the plans When you are satisfied with the fit glue the formers in place to the fuselage top Use a small modeling square to assure that the formers are perpendicular to the fuselage top 1 20 Glue the right side of the fuselage to the fuselage top When completed glue the left side in place d 21 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm plywood left fuselage doubler LFD and the right fuselage doubler RFD l to the inside of m 22 Glue the right fuselage doubler RFD the right fuselage side between F1 and F3 m 23 Glue the left fuselage doubler LFD to the inside of the left fuselage side between F1 and F3 T 24 Glue the aft fuselage bottom in place at the rear of the fuselage It should fit into the notches at F5 F7 T 25 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm plywood bottom firewall BF and F2 B 4 26 Sand a 45 degree bevel on the top and bottom of F2 B 25 Se T 27 Glue
58. ruction of the wing Take the time to get your bench cleaned up so you can get started on the fuselage BUILD THE FUSELAGE T 1 Locate the two die cut 1 8 8mm plywood forward fuselage sides FFS At the front of FFS there is a notch with two additional slits L1 2 On one FFS only draw a line from the end of each slit m 3 Using a hobby knife cut on the line This will provide you with one FFS that has a deeper notch than the other T 4 The forward fuselage side FFS with the deeper notch is the right side of the fuselage This is important Somewhere on the part mark right to make sure that there is no confusion as you proceed to the next few steps The deeper notch on the right side of the fuselage is what builds in the right thrust so it is important to install the left and right side correctly C15 Unroll the plan sheets Roll them inside out so they will lie flat LI 6 Locate the fuselage on the plan You may find it helpful to cut the plans and separate the fuselage side view from the fuselage top view making them a more manageable size to pin to your building board 11 7 Position the fuselage side view on the building board Cover the plan with Great Planes Plan Protector or wax paper so glue will not adhere to it 10 8 Pin the left forward fuselage side FFS over the plan Remember the left side is the one that has the shallow notch cut into the front 4 9 Locate two 1 8 x
59. s 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 the clevis pin in a horn Side play of pushrod in guide tube caused by tight bends Poor fit of Z bend in a servo arm Insufficient glue used when gluing in the elevator joiner wire Excessive play or backlash in servo gears and insecure servo mounting Landing To initiate a landing approach lower the throttle while on the downwind leg Allow the nose of the model to pitch downward to gradually bleed off altitude Continue to lose altitude but maintain airspeed by keeping the nose down as you turn onto the crosswind leg Make your final turn toward the runway into the wind keeping the nose down to maintain airspeed and control Level the attitude when the model reaches the runway threshold modulating the throttle as necessary to maintain your glide path and airspeed If you are going to overshoot smoothly advance the throttle always ready on the right rudder to counteract torque and climb out to make another attempt When you re ready to make your landing flare and the model is a foot or so off the deck smoothly increase up elevator until it gently touches down Once the model is on the runway and has lost flying spe
60. s will eliminate confusion and insure that you install the aileron and flap properly so that the control horn plates are located on the bottom of the control surfaces T 4 16 Sand the top and bottom of the flap and aileron making the leading edge match the control surfaces 4 17 Cut off the top and bottom of the wing trailing edge that extends above and below the surface of the wing Sand the wing trailing edge to match the wing surface Aileron Installation 44 1 Mark a center line the length of the aileron 4 2 Using the plan as your guide mark the location of the hinges on the center line of the aileron 19 T O 3 Shape the leading edge of the aileron to match the shape shown on the aileron cross section on the plan T O 4 Draw a center line on the trailing edge of the wing where the aileron will be installed Place the aileron in position at the trailing edge of the wing making sure that you leave at least 1 16 1 6mm clearance between the end of the aileron and the outboard end of the wing Transfer the location of the hinge slots from the aileron to the trailing edge of the wing 1 1 5 Refer to your plans for the location of the aileron control horn The aileron cross section shows where the clevis needs to be positioned in relation to the hinge line Mark the location for the mounting screws Drill 1 16 1 6mm pilot holes in the aileron Important When you drill the holes
61. sand the seam with 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper until the wheel pant halves blend smoothly together m 2 4 Cut the opening in the bottom of the wheel pant for the wheel L1 5 Repeat steps 1 4 for the remaining wheel pant 42 Install the Cowl T 1 When you installed the engine we showed the engine with the stock muffler The Bisson Custom Muffler Pitts style for the O S 40 46FX BISG4046 is an alternative muffler you may consider if you would like to hide most of the muffler inside of the cowl Before making the cut outs in the cowl for the engine and muffler you need to decide which muffler you are going to use 42 Mark an arc on the cowl similar to the sketch Cut away the cowl on the arc you have made This is a good starting point for cutting some clearance for the landing gear and muffler 1 3 Remove the muffler from the engine Slide the cowl over the engine onto the front of the fuselage 1 4 Position the cowling so that there is approximately 3 32 2 4mm between the back of the spinner plate and the front of the cowl 11 5 Mark the position for the cowl on the fuselage Drill three 1 16 mounting holes in the cowl and into the fuselage One hole should be located in the top of the cowl The other two should be drilled on the side at the bottom of the fuselage Remove the cowl and drill a 3 32 2 4mm clearance hole through the three mounting holes
62. ss and or dangerous manner 7 will not fly my model unless it is identified with my name and address or AMA number on or in the model 9 will not operate models with pyrotechnics any device that explodes burns or propels a projectile of any kind Radio Control 1 will have completed a successful radio equipment ground check before the first flight of a new or repaired model 2 will not fly my model aircraft in the presence of spectators until become a qualified flier unless assisted by an experienced helper 3 I will perform my initial turn after takeoff away from the pit or spectator areas and will not thereafter fly over pit or spectator areas unless beyond my control 4 will operate my model using only radio control frequencies currently allowed by the Federal Communications Commission CHECK LIST 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 L 1 Fuelproof all areas exposed to f
63. t sandpaper GPMR6180 150 grit GPMR6183 180 grit GPMR6184 220 grit GPMR6185 Assortment pack of 5 1 2 strips GPMR6189 We also use Top Flite 320 grit TOPR8030 4 sheets and 400 grit TOPR8032 4 sheets wet or dry sandpaper for finish sanding IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES There are two types of screws used in this kit Sheet metal screws are designated by a number and a length For example 6 x 3 4 munun This is a number six screw that is 3 4 long Machine screws are designated by a number threads per inch and a length For example 4 40 x 3 4 This is a number four screw that is 3 4 long with forty threads per inch When you see the term test fit in the instructions it C Abb AEAF means that you should first position the part on the ommon reviations assembly without using any glue then slightly modify or custom fit the part as necessary for the best fit Fuse Fuselage LE Leading Edge front Whenever the term glue is written you should rely upon TE Trailing Edge rear your experience to decide what type of glue to use When a Stab Stabilizer specific type of adhesive works best for that step the Inches instructions will make a recommendation Elev Elevator LG Landing Gear Whenever just epoxy is specified you may use either 30 Ply Plywood minute or 45 minute epoxy or 6 minute epoxy When 30 minute epoxy is specified it is highly recommended that you use only 30 minute or
64. the die cut 1 8 8mm plywood bottom firewall BF to the fuselage sides at the front of the fuselage After BF is in place glue F2 B to the fuselage sides and the top of BF T 28 Locate the die cut 1 8 3mm plywood F3 B doubler Glue it in place onto F3 fitting it into the notches between LFD and RFD T 29 Locate the 1 4 x 2 3 4 x 5 1 2 6 x 64 x 140mm birch plywood landing gear mount Cut the landing gear plate to fit at the location shown on the plan between F3 the firewall and the fuselage sides Glue the plate in place using 30 minute epoxy 4 30 Locate the two die cut 1 8 3mm plywood F1 firewalls Glue the two F1 s together to form one 1 4 6mm firewall 4 31 Drill a 5 82 4mm through each of the punch marks on the firewall 11 32 Remove the fuselage from the plan and turn it over Test fit the firewall to the fuselage The firewall needs to be 90 degrees to the fuselage top If it is not sand the fuselage to adjust until the firewall is 90 degrees to the fuselage top When you are satisfied with the fit apply a small drop of medium CA to the flange of each of the 6 32 blind nuts being careful not to get any of the glue into the threads Then insert the 6 32 blind nuts into the holes you have drilled on the backside of the firewall 433 Using 30 minute epoxy glue the firewall in place to the fuselage sides the fuselage top and the bottom firewall BF Use a small builders squ
65. the lines intersect is the center of the engine mount At the point the lines intersect draw a vertical line From the point the lines intersect draw a horizontal line 1 4 6mm above and below the center as shown in the photograph These points are where you will drill two holes for the fuel line to pass through the firewall T 3 Drill a 17 64 6 7mm hole on each of the two marks you have made on the firewall These holes will accommodate the fuel line and the pressure line Note A two line fuel system will require the use of a fueling valve We mounted ours to the firewall in the cowl opening If you prefer to have a third line for the fill line you will have to drill a third hole in the firewall Pa gt M1 4 Attach the engine mount to the firewall Insert a 6 32 x 1 25mm socket head cap screw and 6 washer into each corner of the engine mount screwing the screw into each of the four blind nuts that were previously installed on the back side of the firewall but do not overtighten Note The engine installation is a side mount so be sure that engine mount is installed for a side mount installation bench so that you can place the engine onto the engine mount Position the engine so that the distance from the firewall to the front of the thrust washer is 4 1 2 115mm and that the engine mount is centered on the firewall When satisfied with the positioning tighten the engine mounting bolts to the fire
66. this on the lower skin and against the front of each of the W4 ribs Glue them in place with thin CA 407 Sand the balsa aileron flap sub leading edge with a sanding bar to match the shape of the W4 ribs 1 2 8 Draw a line the length of the aileron flap 1 4 6mm from the trailing edge of the sheeting 11 0 9 Bevel the sheeting to match the top of the W4 ribs When sanded properly the bevel should meet the line you have just drawn T 4 10 Locate two die cut 1 8 3mm plywood control horn plates CHP Glue one in the flap and one in the aileron at the location shown on the plan 4 T 11 Use a T pin and punch two holes through the flap aileron skin between the two W4 ribs This will identify where to cut the flap and aileron apart in a later step 18 110 12 Glue the remaining 3 32 x 2 x 21 3 16 2 4 x 102 537 8mm balsa aileron flap sheeting to the top of the aileron flap 10 13 Locate the 1 4 x 3 4 x 24 6 x 19 x 610mm balsa aileron flap leading edge Glue it in place on the front of the aileron flap sub leading edge 4 O 14 Turn the aileron flap over Mark a line through the pin holes that you pierced through the skin 44 15 Cut the aileron and flap apart by cutting on the line you have drawn Now would be a good time to mark which one is the flap and which is the aileron Be sure to indicate which is the top and bottom of each control surface Referencing the control surface
67. tor and fin rudder to the fuselage If you have not installed them temporarily remove the fixture and then slide the stab elevator and fin rudder into the slots Do not glue them in place 4 15 Snap the clevis onto the bottom hole of the control horn on each elevator half Position both halves of the elevator at neutral Once they are set tighten both set screws in the wheel collars onto the two pushrod wires 4 16 Cut another 2 56 x 36 914mm wire pushrod to a length of 31 1 2 800mm for the rudder Attach the clevis and clevis retainer in the same way you installed them on the elevator Then install the clevis onto the rudder control horn 4 17 Enlarge the end hole in the servo arm of the elevator and rudder servo with a 1 16 1 6mm drill bit Position the elevator to be neutral Then make a mark on the pushrod wire with a felt tip pen where it meets the end hole in the servo arm 1 18 Position the rudder to be neutral Then make a mark on the rudder pushrod wire with a felt tip pen where it meets the end hole in the servo arm Servo Horn 2 56 074 Pushi Wire 4 19 Make a 90 degree bend on the mark for both wire pushrods Cut off any pushrod wire extending above the FasLink 14 20 Insert the wire through the hole in the servo arm and retain it with a nylon FasLink 38 L121 Remove the stab and fin from the fuse Put the fixture in place at the rear of the fuse E _
68. uel or exhaust residue such as the firewall wing saddle area etc d 2 Check the C G according to the measurements provided in the manual page 47 11 3 Be certain the battery and receiver are securely mounted in the fuse Simply stuffing them into place with foam rubber is not sufficient 14 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 m 5 Balance your model laterally as explained in the instructions 11 6 Use threadlocking compound to secure critical fasteners such as the set screws that hold the wheel axles to the struts screws that hold the carburetor arm if applicable screw lock pushrod connectors etc 47 Add a drop of oil to the axles so the wheels will turn freely 11 8 Make sure all hinges are securely glued in place d 9 Reinforce holes for wood screws with thin CA where appropriate servo mounting screws cowl mounting screws etc 1 10 Confirm that all controls operate in the correct direction and the throws are set up according to the manual 1 11 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 T 12 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 tubin
69. ug clip or connector is secure so that it will not pop off or otherwise get into the running propeller Make all engine adjustments from behind the rotating propeller The engine gets hot Do not touch it during or right after operation Make sure fuel lines are in good condition so fuel will not leak onto a hot engine causing a fire To stop a glow engine cut off the fuel supply by closing off the fuel line or following the engine manufacturer s recommendations Do not use hands fingers or any other body part to try to stop the engine Do not throw anything into the propeller of a running engine AMA SAFETY CODE EXCERPT Read and abide by the following Academy of Model Aeronautics Official Safety Code General 1 will not fly my model aircraft in sanctioned events air shows or model flying demonstrations until it has been proven to be airworthy by having been previously successfully flight tested 49 2 will not fly my model aircraft higher than approximately 400 feet within 3 miles of an airport without notifying the airport operator will give right of way to and avoid flying in the proximity of full scale aircraft Where necessary an observer shall be used to supervise flying to avoid having models fly in the proximity of full scale aircraft 3 Where established will abide by the safety rules for the flying site use and will not willfully and deliberately fly my models in a careless reckle
70. versing in the transmitter to reverse the servos connected to those controls Be certain the control surfaces have remained centered Adjust if necessary Set the Control Throws Balance the Model C G Use a Great Planes AccuThrow or a ruler to accurately measure and set the control throw of each control surface as indicated in the chart that follows If your radio does not have dual rates we recommend setting the throws at the low rate setting for the first flights NOTE The throws are measured at the widest part of the elevators rudder and ailerons These are the recommend conirol surface throws Low rate 1 4 7mm up 1 4 7mm down High rate 5 8 16mm up 5 8 16mm down Elevator Rudder 1 1 16 27mm right 1 1 16 27mm left 7 8 22mm right 7 8 22mm left Ailerons 3 4 19mm up 3 4 19mm down 1 2 13mm up 1 2 13mm down Flaps 1 25mm down 1 2 13mm down IMPORTANT The RV 4 has been extensively flown and tested to arrive at the throws at which it flies best Flying your model at these throws will provide you with the greatest chance for successful first flights If after you have become accustomed to the way the RV 4 flies you would like to change the throws to suit your taste that is fine However too much control throw could make the model difficult to control so remember more is not always better 47 More than any oth
71. wall the engine mount Hint The Great Planes Dead Center Tool GPMR8130 works fast and easy for marking these holes 1 7 On the marks you made on the engine mount drill a 7 64 2 8mm hole into the engine mount After drilling the hole tap each hole with a 6 32 tap Once tapped mount the engine to the engine mount with four 6 32 x 3 4 19mm socket head cap screws and 6 washers 35 11 8 Remove the engine from the firewall Mix 1 4 ounce of 6 minute epoxy Using an epoxy brush apply a coating of epoxy to the entire firewall and the area under the firewall where the engine muffler will exit the cowl Do not get any glue into the threads of the blind nuts A dab of Vaseline applied into the threads of the blind nut will prevent any epoxy from sticking to the threads You may want to remove the fuel tank cover so that it does not get glued in place If you chose to leave it in place you may need to cut the glue to remove the hatch cover Install the Fuselage Components m 1 Locate three 36 914mm plastic flexible outer pushrod tubes Using the plan as your guide install the outer pushrods into the holes in fuselage formers exiting the slots in the rear of the fuselage m 2 Make a mark on the tubes where they contact the fuselage and fuselage formers Remove the tubes Then roughen the tubes with sandpaper at the marks you have made Reinstall the outer pushrods tubes back into th
72. y hardware and other components you may not already have in place such as the fuel valve fuel lines servos on off switch etc CANOPY INSTALLATION T 1 Cut the canopy on the cut line Position the canopy in place on the top of the fuselage after the covering of the fuselage is complete 46 4 2 When you are satisfied with the fit apply a small bead of Z 56 canopy glue to the bottom of the canopy where it comes in contact with the fuselage We recommend this glue because it dries virtually clear Hold the canopy in place with masking tape until the glue is fully cured overnight GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY Check the Control Directions 4 1 Turn on the transmitter and receiver and center the trims If necessary remove the servo arms from the servos and reposition them so they are centered Reinstall the screws that hold on the servo arms m 2 With the transmitter and receiver still on check all the control surfaces to see if they are centered If necessary adjust the clevises on the pushrods to center the control surfaces 4 CHANNEL RADIO SETUP STANDARD MODE 2 ELEVATOR MOVES UP RIGHT AILERON MOVES UP LEFT AILERON MOVES DOWN RUDDER MOVES RIGHT CARBURETOR WIDE OPEN T 3 Make certain that the control surfaces and the carburetor respond in the correct direction as shown in the diagram If any of the controls respond in the wrong direction use the servo re
73. y opened position Tighten the set screw on the screw lock set onto the throttle pushrod wire Turn the radio system off when finished Finish the Servo Installation T 1 Install a servo into the aileron servo bay in the right wing following the radio manufacturer s instructions Center the servo then install a servo arm onto the servo The servo arm should be installed 90 degrees to the servo case and the arm should be pointing toward the wingtip Enlarge the end hole in the servo arm of the elevator and rudder servo with a 1 16 1 6mm drill bit T O 2 Place a straight edge at the end hole in the servo arm Make a mark on the aileron in line with the end hole in the servo arm Important If you have had the ailerons off and on the wing it would be a good idea to check to make sure that you are working with the correct aileron Press a T pin into the balsa skin of the aileron at the mark you have just made You should feel the pin push into the plywood control horn plate If you do not feel the plywood plate you either have the wrong aileron or you have installed it upside down Do not proceed to the next step until the aileron is correctly installed Incorrect Correct 4 4 3 On the mark on the aileron install the aileron control horn Position the control horn so that it is centered on the mark you made on the aileron Using a felt tip pen mark the drilling locations for the screws Drill a 1 16 1 6
74. your drilled in the cowl Do not drill clearance holes in the fuselage Apply a drop of thin CA into each of the mounting holes in the fuselage This will harden the wood giving a stronger surface for the screws Mount the cowling to the fuselage with three 2 x 5 8 15 9mm sheet metal screws m 6 Cut holes in the cowling to provide access to the muffler glow plug and the needle valve for the engine you have installed 43 Install the Wheel Pants 401 Place a wheel pant onto a leg of the landing gear Be sure you match the slot on one side of the wheel pant to the leg of the landing gear Using a felt tip pen mark the location for the wheel axle onto the wheel pant QO 2 Drill a 5 32 4mm hole through the mark you have made on the inside of the wheel pant Drill through this mark and through the outer side of the wheel pant 6 32 x 1 1 4 6 Washers T A 3 Locate a 6 32 x 1 1 4 32mm socket head cap screw four 6 washers and two 6 32 nuts These are the axle assembly Install the wheel and wheel pant onto the axle assembly and then onto the landing gear following the sketch above 11 4 Repeat steps 1 3 for the other wheel pant PREPARE THE MODEL FOR COVERING COVER THE MODEL 11 1 Inspect all surfaces for uneven glue joints and seams that require filler Apply filler where needed Many small dents or scratches can be repaired by applying a few drops of water or moistening the ar

GREATPLANES RV-4 Manual

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