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Deck – Top Flite TOPA0305 Part 2 User Manual

Page 11

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ST3. After the epoxy cures, position the fin on

the fin post and confirm that the fin remains

vertical. Make adjustments if necessary. Use the

pin and string

technique or a ruler to measure the

distance between the tip of the fin and the stab tips.

Test

fit

the rudder and eleva

ST4. Glue the top of the fin post to the inside of

the fin with 30-minute epoxy and milled fiberglass
or microballoons

(so

all the epoxy won't run down

to the bottom of the fin). Glue the base of the fin
and fin sheeting to the stab with 30-minute epoxy.

Make sure the

TE

of the fin is

centered

over

former F11

.

Apply a small fillet of epoxy between

the stab and the fin sheeting. Use masking tape

to

hold the fin until the epoxy is fully cured.

itor and

temporarily hook up the pushrods. Make sure you
can move the controls without any interference or

binding. Make adjustments if necessary.

The

twin

engine Model

18

was being produced for the military

in a variety of configurations. But as unpatriotic as it
may have seemed at the time,

one

had

to

think ahead

to

postwar years. The twin would certainly continue

but the Model

17

Staggerwing was a question

mark-the biplane was on its way

out.

The trend was

continuing toward all metal, light planes (started by

Luscombe as early as

1934). At

Beechcraft, design

work

on

a

new

model was

to

be done on a voluntary,

overtime basis. After much careful study

of

the market

to

find

out

what type

of

plane

to

build, and after hours

of

design, wind tunnel and static testing,

on

December

22, 1945,

the first Bonanza was on its maiden voyage

ilown

by

test pilot Vern Carstens.

BUILD

THE

TURTLE

DECK

ST1. Glue formers

F7A, F8A

and

F9A to

the

tops

of

their respective formers.

ST2. Cut the

turtle deck stringers

from

seven 3/16"

x

3/16"

x

30" balsa sticks. Glue the

stringers into the notches of the formers as shown
on the fuselage plan and in the photo. Note the
arrangement of the stringers at F9A.

Important:

Align the formers with a straightedge as

you glue the stringers

to

them.

ST3. Sand the stringers and formers

so

they

blend together.

ST4. The turtle deck is sheeted with four

1/16" balsa sheets

-

one sheet on the bottom of

each side of the turtle deck and one sheet on the
top of each side of the turtle deck. Examine the
four 1/16" x 3 x 2 4 balsa sheets and set the two

softest sheets aside

to

be used for the top.

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