Top Flite TOPA0310 - Manual (Page 40)

❏
11. Sand the sheeting you’ve completed thus far
smooth and even. Cut slots in the sheeting for the
landing gear and drill a hole for the innermost landing
gear screw. Mount the landing gear.
Sheet the top of the fuselage
❏ 1. If installing the full cockpit kit, cut the top deck
along the die-cut lines and test fit the instrument
panel (included with the cockpit kit). If you’re going
for an all-out scale cockpit, refer to your
documentation photos in case any modifications
need to be made at this time.
❏ 2. Using 1/8" balsa left from sheeting the sides
and bottom, cut a 3/4" wide strip and glue it into
position as shown on the photo. Cut a second piece
of 1/8" balsa as shown and glue it to the 3/4" strip.
❏
3. Sheet the other side of the top of the fuse the
same way. Cover the space between both sides to
finish the job. Sand the sheeting smooth and even.
❏ 4. Now that the fuselage is nearly completed,
examine all glue joints and look for those that don’t
appear to be strong. Apply glue where necessary.
Make the windows and doors
Note: In order to access components inside the
fuselage (radio system, fuel tank, scale interior, etc.)
and to facilitate bolting and unbolting the wing at the
flying field, frequent and easy access to the cabin is
necessary. Therefore, this model was designed to
withstand the stresses of scale flight even with one or
two opening scale doors. On many full-size Stinsons,
the right door was standard, while the left door was
optional. On this model, only one door is necessary
to access the cabin and to bolt the wings on, but you
should refer to your documentation package to see if
you need to make both doors. Making opening doors
may be done several different ways. The method
illustrated in this manual is rather straightforward and
reproducible by the average modeler. If you have
much experience in this area, you may use your own
method for constructing and attaching opening
doors. As in other detailed areas of construction with
this model, neatness and minimal glue will yield the
best results.
The photos in this section show the left door. If you’re
only building one door, make the right.
Let’s start with the rear window.
❏ ❏ 1. Make the aft window frame from a 1/8" x 3"
x 24" balsa sheet. Cut the corners in the window
opening using a 3/8" brass tube sharpened at the
end. Be certain to position the window opening in the
frame so the sides are 1/8" from former 4, the top
longeron and the main stringer (as shown on the
plan). If you wish to add any scale details to the
window frame (such as interior trim or edging) it may
be easiest to do this now.
❏ ❏ 2. Glue the aft window frame in position. Use
additional 1/8" balsa to blend the aft window frame to
the top longeron and former 3. Note that the 1/8"
sheeting aft of the window frame is 1/8" thick at the front
(at the window frame) and then tapers to zero thickness
at the aft end where it blends to the longeron.
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