Taylorcraft 450 ARF Assembly Manual Specifications Wingspan: Length: Wing Area: Weight w/o Battery: Battery: 46 in (1170mm) 36 in (915mm) 370 sq in (23.
Table of Contents Specifications....................................................................... 1 Introduction.......................................................................... 2 Using the Manual................................................................. 3 Contents of Kit/Parts Layout.................................................. 3 Required Radio Equipment.................................................... 3 Important Information About Motor Selection.........................
Using the Manual This manual is divided into sections to help make assembly easier to understand, and to provide breaks between each major section. In addition, check boxes have been placed next to each step to keep track of each step completed. Steps with a single circle () are performed once, while steps with two circles ( ) indicate that the step will require repeating, such as for a right or left wing panel, two servos, etc. Remember to take your time and follow the directions.
Important Information About Motor Selection We recommend the E-flite® Park 450 Brushless Outrunner, 890Kv (EFLM1400) to provide you with excellent sport and aerobatic power and a worry-free outrunner motor. The Taylorcraft does not include a propeller, but we recommend our 10X8 Electric Prop (EFLP1080E). Sport Outrunner Setup EFLM1400 EFLA1025 EFLB21003S THP21003SPL EFLP1080E EFLC3005 P ark 450 Brushless Outrunner Motor, 890Kv 25-Amp Pro Brushless ESC 11.1V 2100mAh 3-Cell Li-Po, 16GA 2100mAh 3-Cell 11.
Notes Regarding Servos and ESC Limited Warranty WARNING: Use of servos other than those we recommend may overload the BEC of the recommended Electronic Speed Control (ESC). We suggest the use of only the servos we recommend when utilizing the recommended ESC’s BEC, or the use of a separate BEC (like the UBEC) or receiver battery pack when using other servos. (a) This warranty is limited to the original Purchaser ("Purchaser") and is not transferable.
Damage Limits Questions, Assistance, and Repairs HORIZON SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSS OF PROFITS OR PRODUCTION OR COMMERCIAL LOSS IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE PRODUCT, WHETHER SUCH CLAIM IS BASED IN CONTRACT, WARRANTY, NEGLIGENCE, OR STRICT LIABILITY. Further, in no event shall the liability of Horizon exceed the individual price of the Product on which liability is asserted.
Non-Warranty Repairs Should your repair not be covered by warranty the repair will be completed and payment will be required without notification or estimate of the expense unless the expense exceeds 50% of the retail purchase cost. By submitting the item for repair you are agreeing to payment of the repair without notification. Repair estimates are available upon request. You must include this request with your repair. Non-warranty repair estimates will be billed a minimum of ½ hour of labor.
Aileron Servo Installation Required Parts Wing w/ailerons (R&L) Servo arm (medium length) Micro pushrod connector (2) Pushrod connector backplate (2) Servo mounting plate (R&L) Control horn (2) Sub-micro servo (2) Y-harness 6-inch (152mm) servo extension (2) 2mm x 4mm machine screw (2) 2mm x 6mm sheet metal screw (8) Pushrod wire, 3 3/4-inch (95mm) (2) 5/16 x 5/16 x 1/2-inch (8 x 8 x 12mm) mounting block (4) Required Tools and Adhesives Pin drill Side cutters Pencil #1 Phillips screwdriver Drill bit: 1/16-
5. Turn on the transmitter and center the aileron stick and trim. Check that any programming has been cleared if you are using a programmable radio. Plug the aileron servos into a Y-harness, then into the receiver and check the operation of the servos. Attach the arm perpendicular to the servo. 7. Locate the correct servo mounting plate for your wing. The notch in the correct plate will align with the notch in the wing as shown below. 6.
8. Position the servo on the mounting plate so the arm is centered in the notch. 10. Use 6-minute epoxy to glue the 5/16 x 5/16 x 1/2inch (8 x 8 x 12mm) mounting blocks on the plate. 9. Use a pencil to mark the location of the servo mounting tabs on the plate. 11. Use a pin drill and 1/16-inch (1.5mm) drill bit to drill the two mounting holes for the servo in the blocks.
12. Use the hardware provided with the servo to secure it to the blocks using a #1 Phillips screwdriver. 14. Tip the wing up and allow the weight to drop to the center of the wing. 13. Attach a weight to a piece of string. Lower the string into the opening in the wing for the servo.
15. Tie the string to the servo extension and pull it through the wing to the center section. 16. Attach the servo mounting plate to the wing using four 2mm x 6mm sheet metal screws using a #1 Phillips screwdriver. 17. Use 6-minute epoxy to glue the aileron servo horn in position. Make sure to press the horn fully into the slot in the aileron.
18. Attach the 3 3/4-inch (95mm) aileron pushrod to the middle hole of the control horn. 19. Slide the opposite end of the pushrod through the connector on the servo arm. 20. Use a piece of low-tack tape to hold the aileron in neutral. You can leave the tape in place until you are ready to set the control throws to help prevent moving the aileron and possibly stripping the servo gears. 21. With the radio on, check the operation of the aileron servo again.
Joining the Wing Panels 2. Slide the wing joiner into the wing panel. It may be necessary to sand it lightly for the best fit. 3. Use a pencil to draw a line on the joiner against the wing.
4. Slide the joiner into the other wing panel. It should slide in the panel up to or farther than the line drawn in the previous step. If not, sand the end of the joiner so it will slide in at least up to the line. 6. Mix around 1/2 oz (15ml) of 30-minute epoxy. Apply epoxy to the joiner, including any edges that will come in contact with the wing panel when it is installed. 7. Apply epoxy inside the opening in the wing as well. 5. Fit the two panels together.
8. Finally, apply epoxy to the root ribs that will come in contact with each other. Slide the panels together and use low-tack tape to hold the two panels together until the epoxy has fully cured. 9. Use medium CA to glue the wing dowels in position. They will slide in the wing until they are flush with the back side of the wing center section. 10. Attach the skylight to the wing using eight 2mm x 6mm sheet metal screws using a #1 Phillips screwdriver.
12. Position the brace on the trailing edge of the wing. Use a felt-tipped pen to trace the outline of the brace on the wing. Hint: Use two of the 4-40 bolts through the holes in the brace and wing to keep it in position while tracing it with the pen. E-flite Taylorcraft ARF Assembly Manual 13. Use a hobby knife with a new #11 blade to remove the covering 1/16-inch (1.5mm) inside the line drawn in the previous step. Note: Use light pressure to avoid cutting into the underlying structure.
14. Remove the covering, exposing the underlying wood. 15. Use a paper towel and rubbing alcohol to remove the lines drawn on the wing. 16. Use medium CA to glue the brace to the wing. Hold the brace tightly against the wing until the CA cures.
Tail Installation Required Parts Fin/rudder Stabilizer/elevator Fuselage Assembled wing #4 washer (2) 4-40 x 1-inch socket head bolt (2) Required Tools and Adhesives 30-minute epoxy Square Hobby knife w/#11 blade Hex wrench: 3/32-inch 2. Use 30-minute epoxy to glue the tab from the fin into the stabilizer. Check that the fin and stabilizer are square while the epoxy cures. Mixing stick Epoxy brush Felt-tipped pen 1.
20 3. Position the tail assembly onto the fuselage. The tab on the fin will extend slightly, locking into the slot in the fuselage. Make sure the fin is straight with the center line of the fuselage. 4. Trace the outline of the fuselage on the bottom of the stabilizer using a felt-tipped pen.
5. Use a hobby knife to remove the covering from inside the lines on the bottom of the stabilizer. Again, be careful not to cut into the stabilizer. E-flite Taylorcraft ARF Assembly Manual 6. Slide the dowels in the wing in the holes of the fuselage. 7. Secure the wing to the fuselage using two 4-40 x 1-inch socket head screws and two #4 washers.
8. Stand back from the aircraft about 6–8 feet (2–3 meters) and check that the wing and stabilizer are parallel. If not, lightly sand the fuselage where the stabilizer rests to correct any alignment issues. 9. Apply 30-minute epoxy to the exposed wood of the stabilizer and to the fuselage where the stabilizer will rest. Place the tail assembly on the fuselage and doublecheck all alignments made. Allow the epoxy to fully cure before moving your airframe.
Servo Installation Required Parts Control horn (2) Control horn backplate (2) Micro pushrod connector (2) Connector backplate (2) 2mm x 4mm machine screw (2) Pushrod wire, 24-inch (610mm) (2) Required Tools and Adhesives Medium CA #1 Phillips screwdriver 2. Slide the pushrod wire into the pre-installed pushrod tube in the fuselage. Low-tack masking tape Side cutters 1. Pass the bend in the 24-inch (610mm) pushrod wire through the center hole of the control horn. 3.
4. Snap the control horn backplate on the control horn. Hold the horn while pressing the backplate tight against the rudder. 6. Attach the micro pushrod connector to the servo arm using the same technique used for the aileron servo. Mount the rudder servo using the hardware provided with the servo. After centering the servo, secure the pushrod using a 2mm x 4mm machine screw and #1 phillips. Use side cutters to trim the pushrod wire to the correct length. 5.
7. Repeat Steps 1 through 6 to install the elevator pushrod and servo.
2. Attach the landing gear to the fuselage using two 4-40 x 3/8-inch socket head screws and two #4 washers. Use threadlock on the screws to prevent them from vibrating loose in flight. 3. Slide a 4-40 x 1 1/4-inch-inch socket head screw through the wheel. Place a washer on the screw and thread a 4-40 locknut onto the screw. A 4-40 nut is then tightened against the locknut. Check that the wheel can spin freely on the screw. 4. Pass the screw into the lower hole in the landing gear.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to install the remaining wheel. 8. Drill the location marked in the previous step using a pin drill and 1/16-inch (1.5mm) drill bit. 6. Rest your model on a flat surface. Slide the wheel pant over the wheel and position it so there is ground clearance for the wheel pant. 9. Position the wheel pant back on the gear and secure it using a 2mm x 6mm sheet metal screw. 7. Use a felt-tipped pen to mark the location for the wheel pant screw.
Motor and Cowling Installation 1. Attach the X-mount to the motor using the hardware provided with the motor. Use threadlock to prevent the screws from vibrating loose during flight. 2. Attach the motor to the motor box using four 4-40 x 3/8-inch socket head screws. Use threadlock to prevent the screws from vibrating loose during flight.
3. Plug the motor wires into the speed control. Secure the speed control to the bottom of the motor box using hook and loop tape. 4. This photo shows the installation of the 480 motor. Simply follow Steps 1 through 3, only using the 480 motor instead of the 450 motor. 5. Turn on the radio system and plug the battery into the speed control. Use the throttle to check that the motor rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front.
6. Cut and tape a piece of card stock on both sides of the fuselage to indicate the front edge of the fuselage. 7. Slide the cowling onto the fuselage. 8. Attach the propeller to the adapter and slide the assembly onto the motor shaft. Important Information About Your Propeller It is very important to check to be sure the propeller is balanced before installing onto the shaft. An unbalanced propeller may strip the gears or cause poor flight characteristics.
9. Position the cowling so the hole for the propeller is centered with the propeller adapter, and so the propeller will not rub against the cowling. Use low-tack tape to hold the cowl in position for the following step. 10. Use a pin drill and 1/16-inch (1.5mm) drill bit to drill four locations (two each side) for the cowl mounting screws. 11. Use a 3-32-inch (2mm) drill bit to enlarge the holes in the cowling ONLY. 12.
32 13. Secure the cowl to the fuselage using four 2mm x 8mm sheet metal screws. Final Radio Installation Required Parts Fuselage assembly Receiver Y-harness Hook and loop tape 8-inch (204mm) hook and loop strap 1. Plug the speed control, rudder and elevator leads to the appropriate connectors of your receiver. Plug a Y-harness to the connector for the ailerons. 2. Use hook and loop tape to secure the receiver under the radio tray inside the fuselage. 14. Secure the propeller to the motor.
3. Remove the battery hatch from the fuselage. 4. Install the battery in the fuselage using the 8-inch (204mm) hook and loop strap. Replace the battery door once the battery has been installed.
Window and Strut Installation Required Parts Fuselage Wing strut (2) Side window (R&L) Molded seats (2) Required Tools and Adhesives Canopy glue Hobby scissors 34 2. Use canopy glue to glue the window in from the inside of the fuselage. Use low-tack masking tape to hold the windows in position until the glue fully cures. 3. Use canopy glue to glue the windshield to the fuselage. Use low-tack masking tape to hold the windshield in position until the glue fully cures.
4. Use canopy glue to secure the seats inside the fuselage. Allow the fuselage to rest on its wheels until the glue fully cures. E-flite Taylorcraft ARF Assembly Manual 5. Test fit the struts between the fuselage and wing. The strut end will slide under the landing gear covers as shown. They can be turned over (top to bottom) if they do not align with the holes in the wing and fuselage. Secure the strut to the fuselage using a 2mm x 8mm sheet metal screw.
6. Secure the struts to the wing using two 2mm x 8mm sheet metal screws. Control Throws Use a ruler to adjust the throw of the elevator, ailerons and rudder. This measurement is taken at the widest part of the control surface. Adjust the position of the pushrod at the control horn to achieve the following measurements when moving the sticks to their endpoints. Note: Measurements are taken at the widest point on the surface.
Center of Gravity An important part of preparing the aircraft for flight is properly balancing the model. Caution: Do not inadvertently skip this step! The recommended Center of Gravity (CG) location for the Taylorcraft is 2 3/8–2 7/8-inch (60–73mm) back from the leading edge of the wing. Mark the location for the Center of Gravity on the bottom of the wing as shown.
Preflight Check Your Radio Before going to the field, be sure that your batteries are fully charged per the instructions included with your radio. Charge both the transmitter and receiver pack for your airplane. Use the recommended charger supplied with your particular radio system, following the instructions provided with the radio. In most cases, the radio should be charged the night before going out flying. Before each flying session, be sure to range check your radio.
2007 Official AMA National Model Aircraft Safety Code GENERAL 1) I 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. 2) I will not fly my model higher than approximately 400 feet within 3 miles of an airport without notifying the airport operator. I will give right-of-way and avoid flying in the proximity of full-scale aircraft.
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