Wing Seating; Re-Install Engine And Radio; Balance Your Model - GREAT PLANES F-14 TOMCAT Instruction Book

you don't get over spray on it. We used a base coat of
silver, then cut little trapezoids out of masking tape.
These were evenly spaced out around the nozzles and we
then sprayed flat black through an air brush to add the
exhaust leak look. Remove the tape pieces and add a
very light mist of flat black to soften the sharp lines left
from the tape.
D 5. If you wish to add "panel lines," you may try a
"Staedtler Lumocolor 313 Permanent" fine point pen,
which is available from engineering/drafting supply
stores. Although not completely fuelproof. we like using
this pen because it draws very n i c e l y on Super
MonoKote. and the lines may be removed if necessary
with 70% rubbing alcohol. The plane may be cleaned
with most cleaners without affecting the lines, however.

WING SEATING

D 1. Apply 1/16" thick x 1/4" wide foam wing
seating tape to the wing saddle area (outer turbine sides
and front of the inlet) to seal the wing/fuse joints.*
*NOTE: An alternate method of sealing the wing/fuse
joint is to use "silicone bathtub sealer." This is an
excellent method, used by many experts because it
results in a permanent and nearly perfect wing saddle
joint. Briefly, the technique is as follows: 1. Cover the
bottom of the wing center section with waxed paper or
plastic kitchen wrap. Pull out all wrinkles and tape it to
the wing. 2. Squeeze out a bead of silicone sealer onto
the wing saddle area and front of the inlets. 3. Lay the
wing in the saddle and push down gently. The excess
silicone sealer will squeeze out. 4. Allow to dry without
disturbing for at least 24 hours. 5. Remove the tape, then
remove the wing from the saddle (leaving the waxed
paper or plastic wrap in place). 6. Gently pull the waxed
paper or plastic wrap away from the sealer. 7. Using a
new single-edge razor blade, trim the sealer flush with
the wing fillets, and along the inside of the fuselage.
RE-INSTALL ENGINE & RADIO
D 1. Make a switch pushrod by bending a short
length of music wire at a 90 degree angle so its small
"leg" is about 3/8" long. Drill a hole in the switch to
accept the small leg and drill another hole in the side of
the fuse for the pushrod to pass through. Install the
switch so that the pushrod has to be pushed in to turn the
radio on. Hook the pushrod up to the switch and with the
switch in the off position, grasp the wire just outside of
the fuselage and bend it 90 degrees (forwards the tail).
Cut off the excess wire. Now sand the "nose" of a
clothes pin so it will clamp onto the switch pushrod and
fit between the fuselage and the bend. Paint it bright
orange and write "REMOVE BEFORE FLYING" on
it. Use the clothes pin to make sure the radio stays off
when not in use.
D 2. Re-install the engine, propeller, battery, receiver,
and wheels. Hook up the radio and attach the wing to
the fuselage. Route the antenna through the antenna
tube. Check the control surface throws using the chart
on page 55.

BALANCE YOUR MODEL

NOTE: This section is VERY important and must
not be omitted! A model that is not properly balanced
will be unstable and possibly unflyable.
D 1. Accurately mark the balance point on the
BOTTOM of the wing on both sides of the air intakes.
The balance point is shown on the plan (CG), and is
located 8-1/4" inches forward of the aileron trailing
edge at rib W7. This is the balance point at which your
model should balance for your first flights. Later, you
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