Top Flite TOPA0140 - Manual (Page 18)

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4. Remove the T-pins from the spar and glue
the ribs to it. As you glue each rib, simultaneously
pull the spar up into the notch in the rib and push
the rib down to your building board. This will
ensure that the spar is fully
seated in the rib
notches. Glue the outer spar, the tip spar and the
tip brace to the ribs.
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5. Cut 1-7/8" [48mm] from a 1/4" x 3/8" x 24"
[6.4 x 9.5 x 610mm] basswood top main spar. Fit
the spar in the notches in the top of the ribs and
glue it only to ribs 11 and 12. Notice that the top
spar
ends at the outboard edge of rib 12.
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6. Test fit ribs 4 and 5 and the 1/4" x 7/16" x
3-1/2" [6.4 x 11.1 x 89mm] plywood landing gear
rails to the wing panel (if you are not installing
retracts, disregard the landing gear rails). Use the
die-cut 1/8" [3.2mm] plywood dihedral gauge to
set rib 4 at the correct angle. Make sure the
notches in the ribs for the landing gear rails allow
the rails to go in at an angle as indicated on the
plan. Enlarge the notches if necessary.
Use this photo for the next four steps.
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7. After you are satisfied with the way the
landing gear rails and ribs 4 and 5 fit together, pin
rib 5 to your building board over the plan and add
the die-cut 1/8" [3.2mm] balsa inner trailing edge
to the assembly. Glue rib 5 to the bottom spar and
glue the inner trailing edge to ribs 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Glue the top spar to all the ribs except rib 4.
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8. Confirm that rib 4 aligns with its location
over the plan and set it at the correct angle with
the dihedral gauge. Leave the landing gear rails in
position but do not glue them in place until
instructed to do so. Glue rib 4 to the inner trailing
edge and the top and bottom spars.
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9. Cut the 1/8" x 1" x 36" [3.2 x 25.4 x
914mm] balsa sub leading edge to a length of
24-1/2" [623mm]. Save the short piece for the sub
leading edge when you build the center section.
Carefully sand a bevel on the fronts of the ribs for
a better glue joint to the sub leading edge. Glue
the sub LE to the front of ribs 4 through 13 as
shown on the plan.
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10. Test-fit, then glue the precut 1/16"
[1.6mm] shear webs to the spars where shown on
the plan.
Note: The spars are slightly tilted to match the
airfoil of the wing so the shear webs do not fully
contact them. This presents no problems because
we will remind you to reinforce the glue joints
before you sheet the wing.
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11. Trim the top of the sub leading edge so it
is even with the ribs to accommodate the top
sheeting. Sand the top spar and the outer and
inner TE’s even with the ribs.
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12. Remove the wing panel from your building
board. Make sure the shear webs are securely
glued to the spars. Add CA where necessary.
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13. Carefully cut the jig tabs from the bottom
of the ribs. Trim the bottom of the sub leading
edge so it is even with the ribs. Sand the bottom
spar and outer and inner TE’s even with the ribs.
Sand the ends of the spars and the LE even with
tip rib 13 and root rib 4.
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14. Return to step one and build the right wing
panel the same way.
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