Top Flite GIANT SCALE GOLD EDITION ZERO, Instruction Manual

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INTRODUCTION
Top Flite is very proud to bring you the Mitsubishi Zero.
The Zero became one of the most important fi ghters
of World War II for the Japanese. This is a great fl ying
model that you will enjoy and will turn heads at the
fl ying fi eld. We have made a realistic airplane that has
no bad fl ight characteristics. We believe you will be very
pleased with the fi nal product.
For the latest technical updates or manual corrections
to the Giant Scale Zero ARF visit the Top Flite web site
at www.top-fl ite.com. Open the “Airplanes” link, then
select the Giant Scale Zero ARF. If there is new technical
information or changes to this model a “tech notice” box
will appear in the upper left corner of the page.
ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICS
If you are not already a member of the AMA, please
join! The AMA is the governing body of model aviation
and membership provides liability insurance coverage,
protects modelers’ rights and interests and is required
to fl y at most R/C sites.
Academy of Model Aeronautics
5151 East Memorial Drive
Muncie, IN 47302-9252
Ph. (800) 435-9262 Or via the Internet at:
Fax (765) 741-0057 http://www.modelaircraft.org
IMPORTANT!!! Two of the most important things you
can do to preserve the radio controlled aircraft hobby
are to avoid fl ying near full-scale aircraft and avoid
fl ying near or over groups of people.
IMAA
The Top Flite Giant Scale Zero ARF is an excellent
sport-scale model and is eligible to fl y in IMAA events.
The IMAA (International Miniature Aircraft Association)
is an organization that promotes non-competitive fl ying
of giant-scale models. If you plan to attend an IMAA
event, obtain a copy of the
IMAA Safety Code by
contacting the IMAA at the address or telephone number
below, or by logging on to their web site at: www.fl y-
imaa.org/imaa/sanction.html.
IMAA
205 S. Hilldale Road
Salina, KS 67401
(913) 823-5569
SCALE COMPETITION
Though the Top Flite Zero is an ARF and may not have
the same level of detail as an “all-out” scratch-built
competition model, it is a scale model nonetheless
and is therefore eligible to compete in the
Fun Scale
class in AMA competition (we receive many favorable
reports of Top Flite ARFs in scale competition!). In Fun
Scale, the “builder of the model” rule does not apply. To
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Academy of Model Aeronautics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
International Miniature Aircraft Association . . . . 2
SCALE COMPETITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . 3
DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Radio Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Recommended Servos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
What Does the S.Bus System Do? . . . . . . . . . . 3
How Do You Install the S.Bus System? . . . . . . . 4
Engine Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Robart Retractable Landing Gear . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Robart Scale Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Optional Drop Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Pilot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
ADDITIONAL ITEMS REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Required Hardware and Accessories . . . . . . . . 5
Optional Supplies and Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
KIT INSPECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
ORDERING REPLACEMENT PARTS . . . . . . . . . . . 6
KIT CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
PREPARATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Note About the Airframe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
ASSEMBLE THE WING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
INSTALL THE RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR
AND LANDING GEAR DOORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
JOIN THE WING HALVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
ASSEMBLE THE FUSELAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Install the Stabilizer and Rudder . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Mount the Retractable Tail Gear. . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Install the Elevator and Rudder Servos . . . . . . 18
INSTALL THE ENGINE, THROTTLE/CHOKE
SERVOS AND IGNITION SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Decision You Must Make . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
INSTALL THE COWL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
COMPLETE THE INSTALLATION OF THE RADIO
SYSTEM, AIR VALVE AND AIR TANK
. . . . . . . . 28
INSTALL THE COCKPIT, PILOT & CANOPY . . . . 30
APPLY THE DECALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
INSTALL THE PROP AND SPINNER . . . . . . . . . . 33
GET THE MODEL READY TO FLY . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Check the Control Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Set the Control Throws. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Balance the Model (C.G.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Balance the Model Laterally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
PREFLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Identify Your Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Charge the Batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Balance Propellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Ground Check and Range Check . . . . . . . . . . 35
ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
AMA SAFETY CODE EXCERPTS . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Radio Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
CHECK LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
FLYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Fuel Mixture Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Takeoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
TABLE OF CONTENTS