Top Flite TOPA0405 - Manual (Page 25)

together edgewise to make two flap skins 3/32" x
4-1/2" x 30". Trim the flap skins following the
drawing. Save the excess balsa sheet to make the
flap end caps.
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4. Fit the top flap skin flush with the front of
the 1/4" flap LE and slightly overhanging flap ribs
FL-1 and FL-3. Glue the top skin to the flap LE and
the top of the ribs.
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5. Turn the wing over and carefully cut the
flap loose from the wing.
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6. Set the flap on the edge of a table and
carefully sand the ribs flush with the 1/4" balsa flap
LE. Sand the TE of the top skin to match the angle
of the ribs.
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7. Place the flap on your flat building surface
with the top skin down. Glue the bottom skin to the
LE, rib edges and the TE of the top skin.
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8. Sand the ends of the 1/4" LE’s and the top
and bottom flap skins flush with ribs FL-1 and FL-3.
Also, sand the forward edge of the 1/4" LE’s flat.
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9. Mark the bottom of the flap. Glue the 1/4" x
1-1/4" x 24" balsa flap LE cap centered on the
forward edge of the flap. Sand the LE cap flush with
the top and bottom skins and ribs FL-1 and FL-3.
❏ ❏
10. Glue leftover 3/32" balsa sheeting to the
ends of the flap to make end caps. Sand the end
caps flush with the LE and the flap skins.
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11. Use a Dremel ® MultiPro ™ with a drum
sander or sandpaper wrapped around a dowel to
sand the ribs flush with the shear webs inside the
1/4" TE spars. Use a sanding bar to true up the aft
edge of the wing sheeting at the flap.
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12. Study the flap cross-section on the plan.
Notice the concave shape of the trailing edge of
the wing. Use dowels of appropriate diameters to
sand the proper hemispherical shape into the TE
of the wing. Be careful not to sand into the TE
shear webs.
❏ ❏
13. Cut out the flap cross-section patterns
from the plan and attach them to the end of the
flaps. Sand the LE to the shape of the flap pattern.
Test fit the flap to the wing frequently to check the
fit. You should be able to align the flap TE with the
aileron TE and have a slight gap at the hinge line.
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