Top Flite TOPA0120 - Manual (Page 38)

❑ 5. Sand the fuselage sides and the Aft
Fuselage Bottom at an angle that matches the
formers to provide a flat surface for the corner
blocks to set on.
❑ 6. Cut the Corner Blocks from the 1/4” x 2-
1/2” x 24” balsa blocks. Use the pattern furnished
on the plans.
❑ 7. Fit the Corner Blocks and glue them in
place. Use a razor plane and a sanding block to
shape the bottom of the fuselage. Check the plans
for the proper contour.
BUILD THE TOP COWLING
NOTE: The sequence below shows the
installation of an O.S. 1.20 Surpass
4-cycle engine with pump on a J-Tec
JT-122SV shock absorbing mount. See
fuselage plan for an alternate engine
installation.
❑ 1. Measure the hatched area on the plans for
the dimensions of the notched area of the fuselage
sides to be removed. NOTE: The hatched
sections of balsa must be removed from both sides
of the fuselage to allow proper alignment between
the fuselage sides and the cowl sides.
❑ 2. Bolt the Engine Mount to the firewall. If the
mount you are are using is different than the J-Tec
JT-122(SV), please refer to the bottom view of the
plans for an optional installation. NOTE: All
engines must be positioned so the thrust backplate
is 6-1/4" from the centerline marked on the firewall.
❑ 3. Draw a line between the “punch marks”
on the die-cut 1/16” plywood Spinner Ring. This
is the center line of the spinner.
❑ 4. Glue scraps of 1/16” ( or 3/32” for soft
mounted engines) balsa to the spinner ring to act
as a spacer for the spinner.
❑ 5. Tack glue the spacers on the spinner ring to
the Backplate of the spinner. Mount the spinner
backplate to the engine.
❑ 6. Align the Spinner Ring bottom level with the
fuselage structure as shown in photo.
❑ 7. Trim the shaped 1/2” balsa Cowl Sides so
they fit between the fuselage sides and the spinner
ring. The bottom of the sides should be aligned
with the fuselage sides and the bottom of the
spinner ring. Notice on the top view of the
fuselage plans how the cowl sides protrude
outward from the structure about 1/8” at the
spinner ring and at the firewall to allow for shaping.
Note: Make sure that you do not get the cowl sides
mixed up with the cowl corners, used in
step 11 on page 39. The cowl corners are
symmetrical, the cowl sides are not. If the bottom
edges do not line-up properly, as shown in the
photo, you are most likely using the wrong part.
❑ 8. Tack glue both of the Cowl Sides in place.
View the cowl sides and the spinner ring from the
front to make sure they are on straight. Securely
glue the Cowl Sides in place.
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