Top Flite TOPA0305 Part 2 - Manual

BUILD THE BOTTOM OF THE
FUSELAGE
1. Cut a 45 degree angle at the aft end of two
1/4" x 3/8" x 36" stepped balsa side stringers so
you can splice them onto another stringer later.
"
S TEP"
.
2. Pin the stringers over their location on the
plan so the step is on the bottom and faces the
outside of the fuselage. The front end of the
stringers should align with the
dashed lines near
the front and extend past the firewall by 1/8". Use
plenty of T-pins to hold the stringers down so they
conform to the curvature of the plan.
3. Cut another 1/4" x 3/8" x 36" stepped balsa
side stringer in half. Bevel one end of both stringers
to match the angles you cut on the stringers
already pinned to the plan. Pin the stringers to
the plan and glue them to the front stringers with
thin CA. Trim the ends so they extend past former
F11 by approximately 1/8". You can see the splice
in the following photo.
4. Position but do not glue formers F1 through
F11 on the side stringers so the embossed names
on the formers face forward. Are your 3/76"
pushrod holes drilled?
5. Glue formers F2 through F11 to the side
stringers, holding them vertical with a 90 degree
triangle. Don't be concerned about formers that are
slightly warped or twisted-that is normal. You will
be able to straighten these formers when you glue
the 3/16" stringers to them.
6. Glue the firewall to the side stringers using
the die-cut 1/8" plywood firewall angle gauge to
hold the firewall at the correct angle.
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37
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I
7. Test fit, then glue the die-cut 1/8" plywood
fuse side doublers to formers F2 through F6 only
and to the side stringers. Do
not glue the doublers
to the firewall until the next step. You may have to
reposition some of your T-pins so they do not
interfere with the side doublers. Use your 90"
triangle to hold the formers vertical while you glue
the doublers to them.
8. Glue the fu e side doublers to the firewall with
30-minute epoxy using the firewall angle gauge to
make sure the firewall is set at the correct angle.
Use a large C-clamp or masking tape to securely
hold the doublers to the firewall until the epoxy fully
cures. Cut one 3" long piece from each of the (2)
1/2" x 36" balsa tri stock pieces. Shape the pieces
so they fit between the firewall and the fuse sides
on both the left and right sides behind the firewall.
Glue them in place with 30-minute epoxy.
9. Locate two of the 24" pushrod tubes. Sand
the outside of the tubes so glue will stick. Slide
them through the holes in formers F6 through F10
so they extend forward of former F6 by Do not
glue the pushrod tubes in place until instructed to
do
so.