Top Flite TOPA0305 Part 2 User Manual

Page 14

FIT THE TAIL CONE

ST1. Glue the die-cut 1/8" balsa t a i l c o n e

f o r m e r (F11TC) on the end of the fuselage.

Remove material as needed to clear the torque
rods and pushrods. There must be

no possibility

of binding here.

ST2. Refer to the photo at step V2 on page

44.

shows the V-tail but the straight tail is the same.
Glue the die-cut 1/8" plywood tail cone mounts to

the tail cone former. Cut round notches in the tail

cone to clear the joiner wire. Fit the tail cone on the
aft end of the fuse and fasten it to the mounts with
four

3/8" screws. Make sure the screws

not

interfere with the elevator torque rod.

ST3. Remove the elevators and joiner wire.

Mount the tail cone to the fuselage.

ST4.

Fill

the small space between the top of the

tail cone and the TE of the rudder with leftover

balsa. Use lightweight hobby filler to blend the fin to

the stab and the tail cone to the fin.

SHEET THE BOTTOM OF THE

FUSELAGE

1. If you are going to hook up working lights,

now is a convenient time to route the wire for the
light in the tail. Route the wire through the formers.
Glue the wire to the formers with rubber cement or
a drop of CA

so they don't rattle around. Allow

enough wire to extend past former F11

so it will

extend about 2" past the back of the tail cone.

2. Cut a

3/32"

x 3" x 30" balsa sheet to a length

of 2 8 . True both edges of the sheet with a hobby
knife and a straightedge. Pin the sheet to the

bottom of the fuselage in the 'center

so the end

butts against the front edge of the tail cone.

3. True both edges of another 3/32" x 3" x 30"

balsa sheet. Position the sheet on the bottom of the
fuselage next to the center sheet. Use a ballpoint

pen to mark the side of the fuselage onto the sheet.
Cut the sheet along the line you drew. Do the same

with the remainder of the sheet on the other side of

the fuselage.

Glue the three bottom sheets together. After

the glue dries, sand the fuselage bottom sheet

so it

is flat and the edges are even. Sand the bottom at

the formers and stringers

so that they are even and

flat. Glue the fuselage bottom sheet to the bottom

of the fuselage.

5. Shape the bottom corners of the fuselage as

shown in the cross sections on the plan

so they

blend with the tail cone at the rear.

MOUNT THE ENGINE

Glue the die-cut 1/8" plywood servo tray

d o u b l e r s to the bottom of both die-cut 118"
plywood forward servo trays. Mount your throttle
servo to one tray and your nose wheel steering
servo to the other tray.

2. Cut a 8-3/4" forward

servo

rail from a

1/4"

3/8" x 36" basswood stick to fit between the

fuselage sides behind former F2. Test fit, then glue
the servo rail to the fuse sides and former F2 1-7/8"

below the top edge

of F2.

3. Cut a 8-13/16"

aft

servo rail

fit between

the fuselage side doublers

7/8"

aft of the forward

servo rail. Place the throttle and nose wheel
steering servo and tray between the rails. Adjust
the position of the aft rail to fit your servos. Glue
the aft servo rail in place. Do not glue the servo
trays in place until instructed to do

so.

Glue the F l T / F l DT assembly to the top of the

firewall. Use a straightedge to make sure
they align.