Top Flite TOPA0500 - Manual (Page 11)

BUILD THE STABILIZER
❏ 1. Cut the stab plan along the dashed line and tape it
to your building board. Cover the stab plan with
Plan Protector.
❏ 2. Glue the die-cut 1/8" balsa stab TE spar to the
die-cut 1/8" balsa stab TE. These pieces are
symmetrical so it does not matter how you join them.
❏ 3. Insert all the die-cut 1/16" balsa stab ribs except
for rib S1 in the TE spar and place the assembly over
the plan.
❏ 4. Cut rib jigs from two 1/4" x 5/16" x 24" balsa sticks
and pin them to the plan on both sides of ribs S6, S4
and S2. Save the leftover 1/4" x 5/16" sticks for use
later. Make sure none of the rib jigs or the T-pins extend
beyond the front of the ribs. The rib jigs hold the ribs in
alignment over the plan without having to stick T-pins
through the ribs (which can be difficult). Use a small
square to align the trailing edge over the plan.
❏ 5. Make sure all the ribs are fully seated into the TE
and that the jig tabs are contacting the building board.
Use a square to make sure the TE is perpendicular to
your building board. Glue the ribs to the TE with thin CA.
❏ 6. Cut a 1-1/2" long piece from a 1/4" x 3/4" x 30"
balsa stick and glue it to the TE where shown on the
plan for the rudder torque rod block.
❏ 7. Glue rib S1 to the rudder torque rod block using two
more rib jigs to hold it in place like you did with the
other ribs.
❏ 8. Sand a bevel on the front of the ribs to
accommodate the aft sweep of the LE. Insert the die-cut
1/8" balsa stab LE brace in rib S1 between ribs S2
where shown on the plan. You can see the stab LE
brace in the next photo.
❏ 9. Cut the ends of both 5/16" x 15" shaped balsa
stab/fin leading edges so they match the plan. Position
one of the LE’s on the front of the ribs so the top of the
LE is even with the top of the ribs and glue into place.
Glue the other LE to the stab and glue the stab LE brace
into place.
❏ 10. Glue two die-cut 1/8" balsa stab tips together to
make a stab tip. Make another stab tip the same way.
Glue the stab tips to the stab where shown on the plan.
Make sure the tips are centered (vertically) on tip ribs S6
and the trailing edge.
❏ 11. Relocate any T-pins that are protruding above the
structure so they will not be in the way when you sand
the stab tip and the leading and trailing edges. Use a bar
sander and 80-grit sandpaper to bevel the top of the
stab tips to accommodate the sheeting. Shape the top of
the TE and LE to blend with the stab tips and the ribs.
We’ve marked the centerline of the stab tip and
highlighted the top of it so you can see how the stab tip
is tapered.
❏ 12. Before you sheet the top of the stab, refer to the
photo at step13. Use a ballpoint pen and a square to
mark the center of the stab and the root end of both
elevators on the TE of the stab. The marks will help you
align the stab with the fuse and align the elevators with
the stab later on.
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