Top Flite KittiWake - Manual (Page 4)

5. Starting with tip rib W-8 and working inboard to
W-2, securely pin each rib in place overthe bottom
spar, making sure each is perpendicular to your
bench at 90°. Using the dihedral guage that you
made in Step 4, now accurately and securely pin
both W-1A and B rib sections in place. Note that
W-1A is spaced 1/16" ahead of the spar to compen-
sate for the thickness of W-9 (ply dihedral brace).
Now trial-fit the pre-cut and beveled 3/8"x3/4"
leading edges in place against each rib face and
on each rib's bottom tab. Use a soft pencil to now
mark each ribs location on the leading edge and
remove. Apply glue to the marks made and glue
the leading edge in place, securing with pins.
Glue the top spar in place, W-8 through W-1B
(remember that you need a 1/16" gap for W-9, use a
scrap spacer).
6. As shown on the plans, each wing panel has a
sub-spar system which allows for the cutting and
hinging of the inset ailerons. These sub-spars are
made from 1/8" x 1/4" balsa and the effected ribs
(W-8 through W-3) are slotted for their installation.
Cut, fit and glue the forward sub-spar in place
from W-8 to W-3. Now cut and trial-fit the rear sub-
spar in place at the rear of the slots provided in
ribs W-8through W-5. Note that the inboard end of
this sub-spar extends to and contacts W-4 and
that when in place correctly, there is an approx-
imate 1/8" gap between the front and rear sub-
spars (this allows for 1/16" cap sheeting after the
ailerons are removed from the wing). Glue the rear
sub-spar in place.
7. From your kit, locate the 1/16" x 3" balsa sheet
stock. (Note that whenever you are applying balsa
sheet stock to a structure, it is almost always nec-
essary to "true- up" edges by the use of a sharp
X-acto blade and a long metal straight edge.
These instructions assume that you will be doing
this as you progress.) Cut and fit the 2" wide
lengths of sheet required for the top, rear trailing
edge. Apply a moderate amount of glue to each
rib and glue this sheet in place; weight and/or pin
as needed to secure. Move forward to the top front
sheeting. Cut, fit and glue this piece in place (note
that the rear edge of this sheeting is cut to fit
halfway across the width of the spar). Now cut, fit
and glue the 1/16"x1/4" cap strips in place to the top
of each rib; W-8 through W-4.
8. Remove the wing panels from the work bench and
lay them back down, upside down. Glue the bot-
tom spar in place. Now carefully remove all of the
tabs from the wing ribs. Use a long sanding block
to lightly smooth the bottom wing rib contours
and to bevel the trailing edge sheeting. Again,
with the panel's upside down on your bench,
locate and remove the two W-4A inboard aileron
"riblets". These are now glued in place, 1/16" out-
board of W-4 (use scrap of balsa as a spacer), to
the sub-spar and top sheeting. Use a pencil to
now draw the aileron "cut-out" lines directly onto
the top sheeting. With this out of the way, cut, fit
and glue in place the bottom trailing edge
sheeting; pin and/or weight and allow to dry.
9. From your kit, locate the 10" length of slotted
hardwood tip float trunnion stock; 1/4" x 1/2". As
shown on the plans, you need to cut two 3-1/2"
lengths and six at 7/16"; do this now. Next, drill a
3/32" dia. hole through the 3-1/2" pieces, just out-
board of the W-5 rib. This hole allows passage of
the 3/32" dia. formed main tip float wire. Trial-fit
these wires in place now. Some chamfering of the
slot and hole may be needed to allow the wire to
nest in the slot. Once satisfied, epoxy the two
3-1/2" trunnion blocks in place to the front of the
bottom spar and ribs W-6 and W-5, carefully lining
up the hole just drilled with the outboard face of
W-5. Tape the formed tip float wires in place to
their trunnion blocks. Now carefully glue the 7/16"
lengths of trunnion blocks in place, over the wire
stub end, to W-5 and the top of the already-install-
ed 3-1/2" trunnion block. The resultant positioning
of the formed wire, as shown on the plans, should
be vertical to the bottom surf ace of the wing. Note
that the remaining 7/16" lengths of trunnion stock
should first be trimmed to conform to the bottom
curvature of W-5 and epoxied in place per the
spacing shown in section C-C.
10. The bottom leading edge sheeting is now cut, fit-
ted and glued in place, making sure that the glue
is kept out of the tip float trunnion slots and holes;
weight and/or pin as needed and allow to dry.Cut,
fit and glue the bottom 1/16" sheeting that fits over
W-5 and W-6, between the leading and trailing
edge sheets—bottom of wing only. The bottom
center section sheeting can now be cut, fitted and
glued in place. All of the bottom 1/16" x 1/4" rib cap
strips are now cut and glued in place. The last
thing to do in this step is to locate and clear-out
the tip float trunnion slots and holes.
11. In this step you will be joining the outer panels to
the center section. If you've been careful to this
point, all that is needed is to lightly sand the in-
board faces of the wing panels to render them tru-
ly flat and at the correct angle to achieve the re-
quired 7/8" dihedral. Now carefully trial-fit the
center section to each wing panel (one at a time)
to check fit. Some trimming of W-9 may be need-
ed. Once you've achieved a good fit, prop up each
panel's wing tip 7/8" and check for the proper angle
in each panel, when in placetothecenter section;
sand and trim as needed to achieve this fit. For
joining the wing panels, we suggest an adhesive
like 30-minute epoxy as it gives you plenty of time
to work. Apply a moderate amount of glue to each
side of the center section and the rear face of W-9,
where it contacts the spars. Slide one of the wing
panels in place to the center section and gently
move it up and down a little to disperse the glue
evenly. Slip on the other panel and do the same
thing. Place the wing on your bench with the tips
supported at 7/8" each. Weight the center section
to hold it flat. Use tape and/or pins to maintain the
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