Top Flite TOPA0145 - Manual (Page 42)

you join the elevators to the stab, remove the stab
and insert a pin in the center of the hinges to keep
them centered. Use a tissue dampened with alcohol
to remove excess epoxy that comes out of the
elevators. Make sure there is approximately a 1/64"
[0.4mm] gap between the elevators and the stab so
you do not glue them together.
❏ 4. Cut a paper towel into approximately 2" [51mm]
squares. Add six drops of thin CA to the center of the
hinges on both the top and bottom. The tunnels you
drilled will wick the CA into the entire hinge surface.
Use the paper towel squares to absorb excess CA
from the hinge gap before it cures.
❏ 5. Use the same hinging method to join the rudder
to the fin and the ailerons to the wing.
❏ 6. If you've built working flaps, use a toothpick to
apply a small amount of petroleum jelly to the pivot
points of the hinges to keep epoxy out.
❏ 7. Use a piece of wire or a toothpick to thoroughly
coat the holes for the flap hinges in the wing and the
flap with the epoxy. Coat one side of the flap hinges with
epoxy and insert them into the wing. Coat the other side
of the hinges with epoxy and join the flaps to the wing.
Wipe away excess epoxy before it cures.
❏ 8. Tape the flaps in place to hold the flaps aligned
with the TE spar until the epoxy has fully cured.
❏ 9. Reinstall all the pushrods and mount the control
horns to the ailerons and flaps. Reinstall any
hardware and other components you may not
already have in place such as the engine and
muffler, retract, fuel tank, servos, on/off switch, fuel
filler valve, air filler valve, etc.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Decals
1. Study the photos on the box to decide where to
place the decals.
2. Thoroughly clean your airplane before you apply
the decals.
3. Trim the decals as close as practical and carefully
apply them to your model. You can float the decals
into position by first applying soapy water to the
model's surface (just a teaspoon of dish detergent to
a quart of water), then squeegeeing out the water
and soap with a piece of soft balsa or a credit card
wrapped with a tissue. Blot the surface dry and let
the decal adhesive cure for at least 12 hours before
running the engines.
Panel lines
No scale model is complete without panel lines.
Panel lines really finish the job and set your model
apart from others (besides, they tend to distract the
eye from any building imperfections and uneven
surfaces–not that your model has any!). Study the
photos and documentation you have gathered and
decide which panel lines to add. There are two
methods for adding panel lines. The first method is to
use a Top Flite Panel Line Pen (TOPQ2510) with a
flexible straightedge. We used a piece of thin plastic
so we could curve it around the fuselage. Apply a
few strips of masking tape to the back of your
straightedge about 1/8" [3.2mm] from the edge to
raise it off the surface so the ink won't bleed
underneath. Place the straightedge directly on your
model and use it as a guide to mark your panel lines.
Use the Top Flite Scale Template (TOPR2187) for
rivets, hatches, fuel caps and other details. You can
make your own templates from thin plastic or
cardboard for special areas like the exit door or other
hatches. Some cleaners will remove the ink lines, so
test your cleaner on the ink before spraying the
cleaner on your model. The inked-on panel lines stay
well but have to be "freshened up" from time to time
due to spilled fuel or exhaust residue.
The second method for applying panel lines is to use
a Top Flite Smart Stripe
™ to cut narrow strips of
MonoKote film. Iron the panel lines in position. Black
or Charcoal MonoKote film is recommended.
GET YOUR MODEL READY TO FLY
Balance your model
NOTE: This section is VERY important and must
NOT be omitted! A model that is not properly
balanced will be unstable and possibly unflyable.
❏ 1. Accurately mark the balance point on the top of
the wing on both sides of the fuselage. The balance
point is shown on the plan (CG) and is located 4-3/16"
[106mm] back from the leading edge of the center
section of the wing as shown in the sketch and on the
plan. This is the balance point at which your model
should be balanced for your first flights. Later, you
may experiment by shifting the balance up to 3/8"
[10mm] forward or back to change the flying
characteristics. If you move the balance point forward
it may improve the smoothness and tracking, but your
P-39 may then require more speed for takeoff and
become more difficult to slow for landing. If you move
the balance aft it may make your P-39 more agile with
a lighter feel and allow you to slow the model more for
landing. In any case, please start at the location we
recommend and do not at any time balance your
model outside the recommended range.
❏ 2. All components should be in the model and it
should be ready to fly but with an empty fuel tank.
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