Great Planes P-51D Mustang 40 Kit - GPMA0175 - Manual (Page 32)

D 4. From the 1/4" x 1/4" x 30" balsa sticks, cut two
stringers to run from the dash to F-1T, and glue these
stringers in place.
D 5. Sand the front and rear ends of the stringers flush
with the formers. Lightly sand the stringers flush with the top
and sides of the formers.
D 6. Edge glue the two 1/8" die-cut balsa halves of the
cockpit floor together, and sand the front edge to an angle as
shown on the plan. Trial fit the cockpit floor between the
Dash and the slot in F-4T, sanding a little at a time off the front
edge until the floor is parallel with the top edge of the fuse
sides. Glue the cockpit floor in place.
D 7. Prepare the cockpit floor for the side sheeting by
sanding the sides of the cockpit floor to the same angle as the
Dash and F-4T.
D 8. Prepare the front deck sides by cutting the 3/32" x
2-5/8" x 20" balsa sheets to the shape as shown in the diagram
on the plan.
D 9. Trial fit the bottom edge of the sheeting down onto
the top of the fuse side. Sand the edge of the sheeting for a
good fit.
D 10. Glue the bottom edge of both side sheets to the top
of the fuse sides, and glue the aft edge of the sheeting to match
the aft deck sheeting.
D 11. Wet the outside surface of the sheeting with a damp
rag to permit easier bending. Apply thick CA glue to the
edges of the formers, stringers and cockpit floor, then
immediately bend the sheeting around the formers and onto
the stringers. HINT: Use several long pieces of masking tape
to pull the sheeting together; then, working a small section at
a time, add CA and press the sheeting to the stringers.
D 12. Trim and sand the sheeting flush with the front of
F-1T and the rear of the Dash.
D 13. Using a sanding block with 80-grit sandpaper, sand
the sheeting flush with the top edges of the formers and
stringers.
D 14. Glue the 1/4" x 2-1/4" x 11-1/2" balsa front deck top
block to the tops of the formers, stringers and sheeting, then
trim the ends of the top block flush with F-1T and the Dash.
NOTE: In the event that the top block is too stiff to permit
easy bending over the formers, you may have to make several
equally spaced saw cuts halfway through the block (from the
bottom).
HINT: In the next step it will be helpful in keeping the top
block symmetrical if you first mark a fuselage centerline on
the top of the top block from front to back (this is a line from
the centerline of F-1T to the centerline of the Dash).
D 15. Carve and sand the top block to blend smoothly with
the sheeting (see the cross-sections on the plan). HINT: Use
a razor plane (or a sharp wood chisel) and a sanding block
with 50-grit sandpaper for rough shaping the top block.
D 16. Now sand the fuse sides to blend with the aft deck
and front deck side sheeting.
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