Top Flite TOPA0500 - Manual (Page 10)

❏ 2. Now that you’re familiar with making skins (if you
weren’t so already), make two more skins to be used for
the other side of the stab and both sides of the fin (after this
step you should have three 1/16" x 6" x 30" balsa sheets).
❏ 3. Cut the stab sheeting pattern and the scale or non-
scale fin sheeting pattern from the plan (make sure you
use the correct fin sheeting pattern depending on which fin
you are going to build). If you’re not sure yet which fin to
build, you can wait until later to cut the fin skin.
❏ 4. Place the stab sheeting pattern over one of the
skins. Cut one of the corners off the balsa sheet as
shown in the sketch and glue it to the front of the sheet
so it will be large enough to make a stab skin. After the
glue dries cut the skin slightly larger than the pattern to
allow some room for positioning. Make another stab skin
the same way.
❏ 5. Make two fin skins from the last 6" x 30" sheet
using the fin sheeting pattern as shown in the sketch.
Make sure you accurately cut the bottom of the fin skins
where they fit the stab because this helps to set the fin
at the correct angle to the stab and fuse.
❏ 6. After your skins are glued together and cut out,
remove the masking tape and sand the skins flat with
your bar sander and fresh 150-grit sandpaper. The idea
is to sand the skins before you glue them into place.
This minimizes low spots that can occur over the ribs
from sanding too much after you glue the sheeting
down. Set your fin and stab skins aside for now.
This is the same procedure we will recommend when it
is time to make the wing skins.
DC-3 Fact
The DC-3 has many names including Dizzy Three,
Dakota, Skytrain, Spooky, Puff the Magic Dragon
and probably the most common, Gooney Bird .
❏ F. Place weights on top of the sheets to hold them
down ( see page 12 on how to make weight bags ). We
prefer plastic bags filled with lead shot, but anything
similar will do the job.
❏ E. Inspect the seam and press the sheets together
where they do not align.
❏ D. Use a credit card or something similar to
simultaneously press the sheets flat as you squeegee
the excess glue from the seam. Wipe the glue off your
squeegee so it’s ready for the next time. Immediately
proceed to the next step.
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