Top Flite TOPA0500 - Manual (Page 54)

❏ ❏ 5. Mount your engine to one of the nacelles (we did
the right side first). If necessary, trim part of the cowl
rings to accommodate the engine mount. Glue the
1/2" x 1/2" x 1-1/16" basswood cowl mounting posts in
the notches you cut in the balsa cowl ring. Slightly round
the outer edge of the cowl mounting posts to
accommodate the cowl.
❏ ❏ 6. Determine where to trim the cowl to accommodate
your engine. Start by cutting a small hole, then enlarge
the hole until you can fit the cowl over your engine. After
you mount the cowl, you can accurately finish cutting the
rest of the hole for the best appearance.
❏ ❏ 7. Position the cowl on the cowl mounting posts and
center it over the nacelle and your engine. Mark the cowl
rear over the cowl mounting posts where to drill the
holes for the mounting screws.
❏ ❏ 8. Remove the cowl. Drill 3/32" holes in the cowl at the
marks you made. Reposition the cowl and mark the cowl
mounting posts for the mounting screws. Remove the cowl
and drill 1/16" holes in the cowl mounting posts. Mount the
cowl with three #2 x 1/2" screws
(we installed a propeller
and a spinner hub on ours just to see how it looks!).
❏ ❏ 9. Cut your cowl for the muffler and needle valve.
❏ ❏ 10. Make a fuel filler mount from leftover 1/8"
plywood and mount your fueling system. Cut your fuel
lines to the correct length and connect them to your
engine, fueler and the pressure tap on your muffler. Cut
a hole in the cowl to access your fuel filler.
❏ 11. Fit and mount the cowl to the other nacelle the
same way .
❏ 12. If you haven’t done so already, roughen the inside
of both cowls along the seams so epoxy will adhere.
Also roughen the back of the cowl rear where the
mounting screws go through. Use 30-minute epoxy to
apply strips of 1" glass cloth over the seams and the
holes where indicated.
❏ 13. Allow the epoxy to cure overnight and trim the
excess off. Fill the seams between the right and left cowl
halves with filler. We use Bondo automotive filler or
Squadron Green or White putty. Allow the filler to fully
harden, then wet sand smooth.
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