Top Flite TOPA0155 - Manual (Page 49)

Join the fin to the fuse
❏
1. Cut a round notch in the fin trailing edge to
accommodate the elevator joiner wire. Test fit the fin
to the stab and fuse with the joiner wire. Make
adjustments to the fit of the fin to the stab and the
fuse for a good fit. Test fit the elevators to the stab
with the joiner wire. Move the elevators up and down
to make sure the notch in the fin is large enough to
allow full movement of the elevators.
❏
2. Once a good fit between the fin and stab has
been achieved, permanently glue the fin to the stab
and fuse with 30-minute epoxy (don’t forget to
position the elevator joiner!). The same as when
gluing the stab to the fuse, add a small amount of
milled glass fibers to the epoxy. Join the fin to the
stab and hold it in position with masking tape, T-pins
or other suitable method until the epoxy hardens. Be
certain the fin TE is centered on the aft end of the
fuse and the fin LE is centered between the front of
the stab saddles. Before the epoxy hardens, hold a
square to the centerline on the fin TE to see if it is
perpendicular to the centerline on the TE of the stab.
If necessary, use masking tape to pull the fin to one
side or the other until the fin is vertical.
❏
3. Trim a 1/4" x 1/4" x 36" [6.4 x 6.4 x 914mm] balsa
stick to fit between former F6A and the fin LE. Glue the
stick into position. Sheet one side, then the other of the
remaining open section on the top of the fuse with a
3/32" x 3" x 36" [2.4 x 76 x 914mm] balsa sheet.
❏
4. Glue the die-cut 1/16" [1.6mm] plywood fin
fillet to the center of the fin and the fuse. Cover both
sides of the fin fillet with leftover 1/8" [3.2mm] balsa,
then add lightweight balsa filler to blend the fin fillet
to the fuse and fin. Sand when dry.
❏
5. Temporarily join the rudder to the fin with the
hinges. Sand the bottom of the fin TE and the rudder
to match the shape of the bottom of the fuselage.
Round the bottom of the rudder.
NOW does it look like a Stuka? No? Good, because
it’s a Sea Fury!
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