Top Flite TOPA0500 - Manual (Page 25)

❏ 3. Glue the stringers in the rest of the notches in the
formers (this should take eight stringers). Splice the
stringers (since they are not long enough to go the entire
length of the fuselage) in the middle of the formers
where indicated in the sketch. Cut the aft end of the top
middle stringer so it matches the LE of the fin.
Feather
the stringers to the stab as shown in the photo. Use a
small square to hold each former vertical as you glue the
stringer to it. If your formers are twisted, you will see
that this procedure pulls them into alignment.
❏ 4. Refer to the photo that follows. Cut the stab/fin filler
pattern from the plan and use it to cut two stab/fin filler
sheets from a 3/32" x 3" x 30" balsa sheet. Cut the filler
sheets slightly oversize to allow for trimming and fitting.
❏ 5. Test fit one of the filler sheets to the left side of the
fuse and trim where needed for a good fit. If necessary,
wet the sheet to make it easier to bend as you fit it to
your fuse. Note that the aft end of the sheet ends at
former 12 and is glued to F12B.
❏ 6. When you are satisfied with the fit of the filler sheet,
glue it in position with medium or thin CA. Fill the small
space between the filler sheet and the bottom of the
rudder with a leftover piece of 1/16" balsa. This filler
piece doesn’t have to be perfect because it will be
covered with balsa filler later.
❏ 7. Test fit and glue the filler sheet to the right side of
the fuse the same way.
❏ 8. Use the aft fuse sheeting pattern to make two aft
fuse sheets from the 20" long piece of 3/32" x 2-3/4"
balsa (leftover from the piece of balsa fuse sheeting on
the stab saddle). The front of the sheet ends in the
center of F9. Test fit the sheets to the fuse just ahead of
the fin to the center of F9 and trim for a good fit. Trim as
necessary, then glue the sheets in position.
❏ 9. Use three 3/32" x 2-3/4" x 30" balsa sheets to sheet
the fuse from the front of the aft fuse sheets (at F9) to F5.
❏ 10. Use an additional 3/32" x 2-3/4" x 30" balsa sheet
to sheet the rest of the top of the fuselage —no, it’s not
a dirigible!
❏ 11. Remove the T-pins and take the fuse top off your
building board. Inspect the inside of the fuselage and
reinforce glue joints you missed or couldn’t reach while
the fuse was pinned to your building board. If you wish
to do some sanding to the fuse sheeting in order to
smooth things out a little, you may do so now but do not
final sand the fuse until instructed to do so. Hint: If you
need to fill any seams with balsa filler, do this before
sanding. This way you won’t clog seams with balsa dust,
so the filler will adhere better.
Don’t start drooling over your work yet. You’ve got a
little further to go before the fuse is finished! (It is a
beauty though isn’t it?).
❏ 12. Trim the side stringers even with F12.
❏ 13. From inside the fuselage, inspect the glue joint
between the stab and the stab saddles. If you didn’t get
a good fit, add a small fillet of epoxy and microballoons
or epoxy and milled fiberglass to strengthen the joint.
Keep it light, don’t add too much!
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