Top Flite TOPA0400 - Manual (Page 41)

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5. Make a mark on the outside of the fuselage
sides 1-3/4" below the fuse side's top edge. This
mark will designate the bottom of the cowl sides.
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6. Trim the 1/2" x 2-7/8" x 8-1/8" balsa cowl
sides to they fit between the fuse sides and the
spinner ring. The bottom edge of the cowl sides
should align with the bottom edge of the spinner
ring and the mark you made on the fuse sides.
Notice on the top view of the fuse plan how the
cowl sides protrude outward from the fuse and
spinner ring about 1/8" to allow for shaping.
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7. Tack glue both of the cowl sides in place.
View the cowl sides and the spinner ring from the
front to make sure they are on straight and not
touching the engine or engine mount. Securely
glue the parts in place.
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8. Fit the 3/4" x 3-5/8" x 8-1/8" balsa cowl top
in position and glue it in place.
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9. Carefully cut the corners at an angle with a
sharp knife as shown in the photos. Use a bar
sander and coarse sandpaper to finish making a
flat area for the cowl corners to fit.
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10. The cowl corners are made from the
remaining 3/8" x 3" x 24" balsa used for the dorsal
fin. Fit the cowl corners between the spinner ring
and firewall. Once the cowl corners fit properly,
glue them in place.
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11. Use a razor plane and a bar sander to
shape the nose. Apply masking tape to the spinner
to prevent scratching it while blending the nose
into the spinner.
ASSEMBLE THE COWL
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1. Trim the left and right cowl halves along the
molded cut lines. Note that the right cowl half has
a tab along the joint that the left cowl half fits over.
You can use a hobby knife to carefully score
along the cut lines and flex the plastic until it
breaks free, or use small scissors to cut along the
lines. Hobbico® Curved Tip Canopy Scissors
(HCAR0776) work extremely well for this.
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2. Use your bar sander to carefully true the
edge of the overlap so when you glue them
together the seam will be as small and straight as
possible. Thoroughly roughen with 80-grit
sandpaper, all areas that are to be glued. Also,
roughen the area inside the cowl at the front joint.
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