Top Flite TOPA0305 Part 1 User Manual

Page 20

V22. Remove a small section of rib S2v

between the

LE brace and the sub spar. Now you

should have a slot in rib S2V like the one in the
photo below. DO

NOT cut the slot shown in rib S1V

until instructed to do

so later.

V23. Cut six 2-118" long hinge blocks from

the 1/4"

x 3/8" x 36" balsa stick. Glue the hinge

blocks evenly spaced to the stab TE spar and the
ruddervator LE spar where shown on the plan.
Glue the die-cut 1/8" balsa stab gusset to the
hinge block and rib S7V as shown on the plan.

Position the gusset

so it is not on the centerline of

the hinge

so you do not break it when you cut the

hinge slot. Align the grain as shown on the plan.

V24. Trim the ruddervator torque rod block

and any protruding hinge blocks

so they are even

with the bottoms

of the ribs.

V25. Reinforce glue joints that don't look

strong.

V26. Glue the bottom stab and ruddervator

skins to the bottom of the stab and ruddervator.
Work over a flat surface and be careful not to add

any twist into the stab as you press the skins onto

the stab frame. Make sure the T E of the

ruddervator skins align. Optional: Use the die-cut

1/8" balsa V-tail stab cradles S2V and S7V to
hold the stab flat on your workbench while you glue

the bottom skins on. Use the stab saddles the
same as the wing saddles shown in stepsl-5 on

pages 30.

V27. Use a bar sander with 80-grit sandpaper

to sand the sheeting even with rib S7V.

V28. Cut the ribs and separate the

ruddervator from the stab. Sand the excess
sheeting and rib

stubs from the TE of the stab and

the

of the ruddervator. Sand the root of the

ruddervator sheeting flush with rib SIAV.

V29. Cut 4-3/8" off the

small end of the die-

cut

1/8" balsa stab TE (S10). Glue the stab TE to

the stab

so the root end aligns with the inner edge

of rib S3V as shown on the plan.

V30. Shape the stab TE

so it blends with the

stab and tip.

- 1 9 -

V31. Glue a ruddervator

LE (also S10) to the

LE of the ruddervator and sand it

it blends with

the skins and tips.

V32.

Use two large T-pins, placed in the

center of the leading edge of the ruddervator near
the ends, to align a straightedge and draw a
centerline with a ballpoint pen.

V33. Mark the trailing edge of the stab the

same way.

V34. Cut the hinge slots on the centerline

the ruddervator and the stab where shown on the
plan.

Do not cut the hinge slot in the stab nearest

the root until instructed to do

so.

V35. Cut three hinges as shown in the sketch

from the 2"

x 9" CA hinge

strip.

Snip the corners

off the hinges

so they go into the slots easier.

V36. Temporarily join the ruddervator to the

stab with

two hinges.

necessary, adjust the hinge

slots

so the ruddervator and stab align.