Top Flite TOPA0215 - Manual (Page 9)

- 9 -
Build the Fin and Rudder
❏
1. Tape the Fin and Rudder Plan view to your
building board. Cover the plan with Plan Protector.
❏
2. Locate two sets of die-cut 1/8" [3mm] balsa fin
leading edge pieces. One set is short the other is
long. Glue the two long fin leading edge pieces
together to form one 1/4" [6mm] fin leading edge. Do
the same with the short set.
❏
3. Cut the 1/4" x 1/2" x 36" [6 x 12 x 914mm] balsa
stick to make the frame structure of the fin. Glue the
parts together to create the fin framework. Cut the
1/4" x 1/4" x 36" [6 x 6 x 914mm] balsa sticks to fit
between the fin frame as shown on the plan. Glue
them in place.
❏
4. From the remaining piece of the 1/4" x 1-3/4" x
36" [6 x 32 x 914mm] balsa sheet, cut the rudder tip
and the 1-3/4" portion of the rudder. Using leftover
¼" x ½" stick, cut the stick to a length of 9". Glue the
stick to 1/4" x 1-3/4" x 36" [6 x 32 x 914mm] portion
of the rudder forming a 2-1/4" wide rudder.
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5. Glue the two rudder parts together.
❏
6. From 3/32" x 1/4" [2.4mm x 6mm] balsa stick,
cut out cap strips and glue them in place on the fin
ribs. Do this on both the left and right side of the fin
the same way as you did for the horizontal stab.
Note: On the fin cross-section you will see that the cap
strips extend across the leading and trailing edge.
❏
7. Sand the cap strips to the shape shown on the
fin cross-section. This is also a good time to final
sand the leading edge of the fin. Use the cross-
section as your guide for sanding the final shape.
❏
8. Mark a centerline down the LE of the rudder.
Repeat this for the trailing edge of the fin. Using the
plan as your guide, mark the location for each of the
hinges on the fin and rudder, then cut matching slots
in the fin and rudder using the same procedure you
used for the stab and elevator. Sand the rudder and
the fin to the shape shown on the cross-section. Be
sure to make the oval cut out in the rudder for the
elevator to pass through.
❏
9. Trial fit the hinges into the slots and without
using any glue, temporarily attach the control surface
to verify the fit.
❏
10. The plan shows the option of a scalloped
trailing edge on the rudder just as the elevator did. If
you chose to scallop the elevator you may want to
scallop the rudder as well.
BUILD THE WING
Frame the Wing
❏ ❏
1. Tape the Right Wing Plan view to your
building board. Cover the plan with Plan Protector.
❏ ❏
2. Locate one of the shaped balsa leading
edges and one of the shaped balsa trailing edges.
Cut each of them to a length of 29-3/4" [759mm]. Be
sure to save the leftover pieces. They will be used as
filler blocks later in the building process.
❏ ❏
3. Locate two 1/4" x 3/8"x 30" [6 x 9.5 x 760mm]
basswood spars. Cut each of them to a length of
29-3/4" [756mm].
❏ ❏
4. Locate two 3/16" x 3/16" x 36" balsa [4.8 x
4.8 x 914mm] leading edge sub spars. Cut each of
them to a length of 29-3/4" [759mm].
❏ ❏
5. Pin one of the basswood spars to the plan
with T-Pins.
❏ ❏
6. Test fit the die-cut 3/32" {214mm] balsa W1
ribs over the basswood spar in the locations shown
on the plan.