Top Flite TOPA0305 Part 1 - Manual (Page 26)

Hint: Temporarily place a shim made from 1/16"
leftover plywood between the ribs for perfect
alignment.
3. Stick a pin through the wing sheeting in a
few places along the space between W8A and
W9A, along the space between W2A and W2A,
and along the space between W14A and W14.
These pin points will indicate where to cut the
sheeting to separate the ends of the flap and
aileron from each other and the wing.
3/32"
3-3/16"
11/32"
4. Cut a shaped 18" balsa flap spar to fit
between flap ribs W2A and W8A. Test fit, then glue
the flap spar in the notches of the flap ribs.
5. Starting with 80-grit sandpaper on a large
sanding block or your bar sander, sand the
remainder of the jig tabs from the ribs and blend
the bottoms of the aft spars and the aileron spar to
the contour of the ribs.
APPROXIMATELY
1/32"
BEVEL
6. Use a bar sander and 150-grit sandpaper
to bevel the trailing edge of the top wing skin so it
will accommodate the bottom skin. While you sand,
apply pressure only to the sheeting and use the
ribs to set your sander at the correct angle.
Do not
bevel the trailing edge to a sharp edge but leave
about 1/32" squared off. Hint: Support the TE with
the edge of your workbench or a platform while
you sand.
Perform steps 7-13 if you are installing
retractable landing gear.
rail brace
7. Cut the 1/2" x 3/4" x 6-3/4" grooved
basswood aft landing gear rail to a length of 6-
1/8". Test fit and glue the rail in position with 30-
minute epoxy (with the groove facing the top
sheeting). Test fit, then glue the 1/4" x 1/2" x 9"
plywood forward landing gear rail in position
with 30- minute epoxy. Immediately proceed to
the next step before the epoxy cures.
8. From a 1/4" x 3/8" x 24" basswood stick,
cut a piece that is 1-1/2" long. Glue this landing
gear rail brace to rib doubler W5R and the
bottom of the forward landing gear rail with 30-
minute epoxy.
9. Test fit your retract unit with only the strut
but not the wheel. If necessary, enlarge the
clearance holes in the ribs and doublers so the air
cylinder and the strut do not interfere with the ribs.
10. Cut along the line you started earlier on
rib W3 for the wheel cutout and remove the
section of balsa for the wheel.
11. Mount a wheel to your landing gear
strut. Place your retract unit on the landing gear
rails in the location shown on the plan (by the
way, the
oleo scissors face forward). Retract the
wheel by hand to check the operation and make
sure your retract is mounted in the correct
location. Now is the time to plan your installation
and make sure everything fits. It will be more
difficult to make corrections after the bottom
sheeting is in place.
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