Top Flite TOPA0500 User Manual
Page 29
these stringers are installed one at a time in two layers
and the uppermost stringer (nearest the main stringer)
extends to F6. Trim the front of the stringers even with
F1.
Don’t be concerned with the stringers of the aft left
side of the fuse, we’ll get to them later.
❏
6. Use the lower fuse side skin pattern on the plan
to make two lower fuse side skins from three 3/32" x
3" x 30" balsa sheets. Wet one side of one of the lower
fuse side skins so you can bend it around the formers
and the bottom corner filler. Glue the sheet to the fuse
as shown in the photo.
❏
7. Make an aft bottom fuse sheet from a 3/32" x 2-3/4" x
30" balsa sheet. Glue the sheet to the stringers and corner
filler. Sand the sheet to match the photo and the cross
section on the plan. Note that after sanding the bottom
corner filler is partially exposed except near the rear.
❏
8. Use coarse sandpaper to roughen the nylon
bearing tube on the tail gear wire.
❏
9. Cut a notch in the bottom middle stringer to
accommodate the bearing tube on the tail gear wire.
Mount the tail gear bracket to the tail gear plate. Add a
drop of medium CA to the two #2 screws and screw
them to the tail gear plate permanently holding the tail
gear bracket in position. Hold the steering arm
down
with a screwdriver and pull the dual ended ball link
up
with needle nose pliers or hemostat and snap the ball
stud onto the dual ended ball link. Glue the bearing tube
to the stringer with medium CA.
❏
10. Secure the wheel collar to the tail gear wire with a
drop of thread lock and a small set screw.
❏
11. Use two 3/16" x 3/16" x 30" balsa sticks for the
stringers of the formers on the aft left side of the fuse
bottom and glue them in place. Glue the other wing fuse
doubler, the bottom corner filler and a corner stringer to
the left side of the fuse. Sand the corner filler the same
as the first.
❏
12. Sheet the aft left side of the fuse with the other aft
lower side skin and sheet the left bottom of the fuse with
a 3/32" x 2-3/4" x 30" balsa sheet the same way you did
the other side. Sand the sheeting to match the right side.
Trim the ends of the sheeting even with former F11 and
former F7.
❏
13. Use a 3/32" x 3" x 36" balsa sheet to sheet one
side of the forward front of the fuse from the side
stringer down to the middle of the second stringer. Save
the leftover piece of sheeting (it should be about 17"
long) to be used a few steps later.
- 29 -