GREAT PLANES F-14 TOMCAT - User Manual

INSTRUCTION BOOK
WARRANTY
Great Planes Model Manufacturing Co , Inc guarantees this kit to be free of 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, he is
advised to immediately return this kit in new and unused condition to the place of purchase.
READ THROUGH THIS INSTRUCTION BOOK FIRST.
IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS AND
WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND
USE OF THIS MODEL.
P 0 BOX 788 URBANA ILL NOIS 61801 (217) 398-8970
Entire Contents ©1992 Hobbico, Inc F146P03 V1 1

Summary

Warranty

INTRODUCTION

PRECAUTIONS

Important warnings and advice for building the model.

OTHER ITEMS REQUIRED

SUPPLIES AND TOOLS NEEDED

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE NOW

ENGINE, MOUNT AND MUFFLER SELECTION

Guides engine and mount selection based on model requirements.

SELECTION OF WHEELS

Advises on selecting appropriate wheel sizes for different flying surfaces.

POSSIBLE RADIO INSTALLATIONS

Discusses various radio setup options for the aircraft.

RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR (optional)

Explains the option of installing retractable landing gear.

GET READY TO BUILD

TAIL FEATHERS

BUILD THE FINS AND RUDDERS

Detailed steps for constructing the fins and rudders.

BUILD THE STABILIZERS AND ELEVATORS

Instructions for building the stabilizers and elevators for the tail.

TEMPORARILY INSTALL HINGES AND TORQUE RODS

WING

SPARS

Details the selection and preparation of wing spars.

BUILD THE WING PANELS

Step-by-step guide to building the individual wing panels.

ASSEMBLE THE TWO PANELS

Instructions for joining the two wing panels together.

INSTALL THE WING SHEETING

Guides the process of applying sheeting to the wing structure.

INSTALL AILERON TORQUE RODS

FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY

PREPARE FUSE SIDES

Guides the preparation and assembly of the fuselage sides.

PREPARE THE FIREWALL (F1)

Instructions for preparing and installing the firewall.

ASSEMBLE FUSELAGE

Steps for assembling the main fuselage structure.

LANDING GEAR

Instructions for installing the landing gear system.

GENERAL FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY

Further assembly steps for the fuselage structure.

INSTALL NOSE GEAR RETRACT

Instructions for installing the nose gear retract unit.

INSTALL RADIO

Guides the installation of the radio control system components.

RETRACT PUSHRODS

Details the setup and installation of pushrods for retracts.

DRILL ENGINE MOUNT

Instructions for preparing the engine mount.

INSTALL FUEL TANK

Guides the installation of the fuel tank.

FINAL FUSELAGE CONSTRUCTION

Completes the main fuselage structure.

BUILD THE WING TURTLE DECK

Instructions for building the turtle deck section of the fuselage.

ENGINE COMPARTMENT

Details the assembly and preparation of the engine compartment.

FINAL ASSEMBLY

INSTALL CAP STRIPS

How to install cap strips on the wing.

INSTALL WING TIPS

Guides the installation of the wing tips.

INSTALL AILERONS

Instructions for attaching the ailerons to the wing.

INSTALL AILERON SERVO

Guides the installation of the aileron servo.

INSTALL EXHAUST NOZZLES

Instructions for fitting and installing the exhaust nozzles.

CUT THE MAIN GEAR RETRACT OPENINGS

How to cut openings for the main gear retracts.

FINISHING

BLEND WING TO FUSE

Instructions for smoothly blending the wing into the fuselage.

INSTRUMENT CONSOLE & SEATS

Guides the assembly and painting of the cockpit components.

PREPARE THE CANOPY

Instructions for preparing the aircraft canopy.

BALANCE THE AIRPLANE LATERALLY

How to ensure the aircraft is balanced side-to-side.

FINAL SANDING

Final sanding of the entire structure before covering.

COVERING

General guidance on covering the model.

GLUE FINS AND STABS IN PLACE

How to glue the tail surfaces securely into place.

GLUE THE AILERON HINGES

Attaching the ailerons using hinges.

GLUE ELEVATOR AND RUDDER HINGES

Attaching the elevators and rudders using hinges.

INSTALL COCKPIT

Installing the pilot figures, seats, and consoles.

GLUE CANOPY IN PLACE

Securing the canopy to the fuselage.

DECALS AND TRIM

Applying decals and trim for the model's appearance.

SYSTEMS AND CHECKS

RE-INSTALL ENGINE & RADIO

Reinstalling the engine and radio components.

WING SEATING

Ensuring the wing fits correctly onto the fuselage.

BALANCE YOUR MODEL

Procedures for balancing the model for stable flight.

FINAL HOOKUPS AND CHECKS

Performing final connections and checks before flight.

PRE-FLIGHT

CHARGE THE BATTERIES

Instructions for charging transmitter and receiver batteries.

FIND A SAFE PLACE TO FLY

Guidance on selecting a suitable flying location.

GROUND CHECK THE MODEL

Performing checks on the model before starting the engine.

ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Safety measures related to engine operation.

AMA SAFETY CODE

GENERAL

General rules for flying model aircraft.

RADIO CONTROL

Guidelines for radio control operation.

TAKEOFF

Specific advice for performing takeoffs.

FLYING

Advice for general flight characteristics and maneuvers.

CAUTION (THIS APPLIES TO ALL R;C AIRPLANES)

LANDING

CONTROL SURFACE THROWS

GREAT PLANES F-14 TOMCAT Specifications

General

Brand	Great Planes
Model	F-14 Tomcat
Category	Toy
Type	Airplane
Material	Wood
Skill Level	Advanced/Expert