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INTRODUCTION
The Elder Biplane is the third
design based on the popular
Elder-series
of
models.
design is a direct result of popular
demand and it surely is the
largest model of the three. Your
Elder Biplane packs a huge wing
area of 1492 square inches, that's
10.3 square feet of lifting surface!
This means that when the model
is built within the expected
weight range of 7-1/2-8-1/2 pounds,
the resulting wing loading range
would be 11.6 - 13.1 ounces per
square foot! It also means that if
you went with the heaviest engine
available and went crazy in the
detailing and finishing aspects of this model and manag-
ed to get the weight up to 10 pounds, the wing loading
would still only be 15.4 ounces per square foot!
All of the above allows your Elder Biplane to be powered
by a very wide range of engines. This design has been
tested quite successfully using 2-stroke engines as small
as .45 and on up to .75's. For 4-stroke work, we suggest
engine sizes of .60 to .90 in displacement. Like its smaller
counterparts, the real "kick" of this design is its extreme-
ly realistic flight characteristics. Slow fly-bys are breath-
taking without the fear of losing aileron authority. Land-
ings and take-offs are absolutely effortless. In the airyour
Elder Biplane is fully capable of some of the most realistic
aerobatics you've ever seen! You can expect beautiful
loops, stall turns and snap rolls, all at speeds that actual-
ly allow you to watch the airplane instead of a "blur".
Your Elder Biplane is a rugged design that will operate
Biplane
RC-37 INSTRUCTION MANUAL
This
TOP FLITE MODELS INC.
2635 S. WABASH AVENUE • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60616
very nicely out of dirt, grass or paved flying fields. The uni-
que, shock-absorbing landing gear, proto-typical of the
Elders era, really works to smooth out even the bumpiest
of fields. With its thick airfoil section and generous wing
area, your Elder Biplane will not tend to build-up ex-
cessive airspeed. This characteristic keeps the relative
inertia low and means that crash damage is kept to a
minimum.
Like otherEIders, the Elder Biplane lends itself to all kinds
of detailing, if you're so inclined. For the beginner,
nothing fancy is needed; just fly it and enjoy. For the
builder with an imagination, the Elder Biplane can be
detailed to such a degree that other pilots at your field will
swear the airplane is a scale model! In the COVERING &
FINISHING section of these instructions there are some
ideas for detailing that might be of interest, please take
the time to read them.

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Summary of Contents for Top Flite Elder Biplane RC-37

  • Page 1 "blur". ideas for detailing that might be of interest, please take Your Elder Biplane is a rugged design that will operate the time to read them. TOP FLITE MODELS INC. 2635 S. WABASH AVENUE • CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60616...
  • Page 2: Pre-Construction Notes

    PRE-CONSTRUCTION NOTES has proven to be the most straight-forward and provides The Elder Biplane, like other Top Flite kits employs the the finished components in the order in which you will use of die-cut wood to ease the task of construction, need them to progress to the next assembly phase.
  • Page 3: Upperwing Assembly

    place the 3/8" x 1/2" upper leading edge. Glue one of Spread the plans out on your work surface, cover them the W-11 ply dihedral braces in place against the with a clear plastic material, such as the backing from inside surface of the leading edge—be sure that it's a roll of MonoKote®...
  • Page 4 upper wing, the location of these horns is shown on 6. Internally, the center section is done and all that the lower left side of plan sheet #5. Route or cut a remains is the addition of the top 3/32" balsa slot between the two lower sets of front and rear sheeting—note grain.
  • Page 5: Lower Wing Assembly

    these with a #11 X-acto knife. Tape or hold the two Using the plans as a guide; measure, cut and butt- wing panels together with the bottoms of each glue the 1/4" x 1-1/2" lower leading edge, 3/32" balsa facing the other—align carefully. Use your sanding sheet and the 3/32"...
  • Page 6 BOTTOM WING CENTER SECTION 6. In this step you are going to assemble the 5" length Start by glueing W-14A to the front face of the of shaped hardwood trailing edge stock and the tapered hardwood trailing edge piece. Make sure aileron torque tubes and wires to the wing center W-14A is centered and that the bottom edge of the part coincides with the bottom surf ace of the trail ing...
  • Page 7: Tailgroup

    tubes into their appropriate locations—DO NOT braces (W-7, W-8, W-9, W-10, and W-15) in place on the W-6 wingtips. Note that W-7, W-9 and W-10 need GET GLUE ON THE WIRE TORQUE ROD ARMS. Carefully wipe off any excess glue. This completed to have their inboard ends chamfered with a sanding assembly can now be carefully glued directly to the block to fit flush to the outer face of W-3.
  • Page 8: Fuselageassembly

    tips in place and the center S-2 as well; pin. From the fuselage can only be ruined in one way; building it crook- 1/4" x 1/2" balsa stock provided, cut, fit and glue in ed. This can be done by not making the fuselage side place the two leading edges and the trailing edge.
  • Page 9 Remove the two completed frames from your work square. While waiting for the glue to cure, measure surface and again use your sanding block to lightly and cut the six required identical lengths of 1/4" x sand both sides of the newly completed frame. Pin 1/2"...
  • Page 10 molded fiber-filled motor mount. Using the plans point shown on the plans. The top of the fuselage is and the motor mount, you must now carefully mark now sheeted, as shown on the plans and illustra- the location of the four mounting holes required for tions.
  • Page 11 17. You are now going to sheet the top turtle deck back sq. pieces extending out from the cowl. Viewed from from F-6 to the rear of the fuselage with the 1/8" x 3" the side and top, F-2 is parallel with the firewall. Use a ruler to be sure and trim the ends of the 1/4"...
  • Page 12: Wire Parts Assembly

    adhesive works very well here, eliminating the need towards the wheels. We recommend soft copper wire for for pins. If you've taken your time and fitted these firmly and neatly wrapping the two pieces together prior pieces in place with a minimum of gaps, all that re- to soldering.
  • Page 13: Tailskid

    5 . The wheels can be retained in one of two ways. As bottom rear of the fuselage, at the cross brace, just shown, simply soldering 1/8" I.D. washers in place behind D-D. Use tape to now locate the pre-bent skid will do the job.
  • Page 14: Interplanestruts

    rear end of the brace in place, while you're working) III. INTERPLANE STRUTS with soft copper wire. Apply a little flux and carefully 1 . YourElderBiplanerequirestheuseoftwointerplane solder this joint. strut assemblies. The pattern for their assembly and Now carefully slide the assembly out of the tubes the illustration showing the method of connection about 1".
  • Page 15 The last observation to make is the relationship of the now-tapped holes. They should work smoothly, the tops of the wire cabane stubs to the 1/2" x 5/8'' x without binding. Now use a 3/16" dia. bit and your 1-1/2" hardwood blocks, just above them.
  • Page 16: Covering&Finish

    rudder now needs to be made to allow clearence of go over the framework, smooth ing it for the finish of your the dowel elevator joiner and full movement of the choice. When applying the finish, be sure that all of the rudder.
  • Page 17: Radio Installation

    Next, prepare the fin for mounting to the stab by making machine gun kits which would work well with this sure that all covering is removed from the bottom of it, model. These are available in WWI vintage, both British leaving exposed wood.
  • Page 18: Pre-Flight

    Locate the two nylon horns provided for the elevator and PRE-FLIGHT INSTRUCTIONS rudder. Mark the locations of these on the rudder and This section assumes the yourEIder Biplane is completley elevator and drill the two requird holes for each. Mount done, covered, painted as needed, etc.
  • Page 19: Table Of Contents

    We at Top Flite Models, Inc. and Hal Parenti, sincerely hope that this has been a rewarding project for you and that the time spent at the building board will be reward-...
  • Page 20 150029...

Table of Contents