Top Flite TOPA0150 - Manual (Page 10)

GET READY TO BUILD
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1. A miniaturized building plan is included in the
middle of this manual. It may be removed and used as
a quick, handy reference, so you don’t have to get out
the full-size plan when you are not building over it.
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2. If you’ve already purchased your retractable
landing gear, or as soon as you do, take the air lines
out of the package, unravel them and hang them
somewhere in your shop. By the time you are ready
to install the air lines, all the kinks will be out and
they’ll be easier to work with.
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3. Remove all the parts from the box. Use a
ballpoint pen (not a felt tip pen) to lightly write the
name or size on each piece so you can identify it later.
Use the
die-cut patterns on pages 8 & 9 to identify
and mark the die-cut and laser-cut parts before you
remove them from their die sheets. Place a
straightedge across the punchmarks on the die sheet
on both sides of the
forward wing joiner and draw a
centerline. When it's time to join the wing halves, the
centerline can be used to align the forward wing joiner.
Many of the parts already have numbers stamped on
them, but in some cases the numbers are located
alongside the parts or only on the die drawings in the
manual. You may remove all the die-cut parts from
their die sheets now, or wait until you need them. If a
part is difficult to remove, don’t force it out, but cut
around it with a hobby knife and a #11 blade. After you
remove the parts from their die sheets, lightly sand the
edges to remove slivers or die-cutting irregularities.
Save some of the larger scraps of wood.
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4. Separate the parts into groups such as stab,
fin, wing, and fuse. Store smaller parts in zipper-top
food storage bags.
BUILD THE TAIL SURFACES
Build the stabilizer and elevators
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1. Cut the stab plan from the fuse plan sheet and
place it over your building board. Cover the stab plan
with Great Planes Plan Protector or waxed paper to
protect it from glue.
Note: If you are a neat builder,
there is no need to protect the plan as the glue joints
are raised off the plan.
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2. Use a single-edge razor blade to extend the
slots through the leading edge in the die-cut 3/32"
balsa
stab ribs S-1 and S-2.
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3. Without using any glue, join S-1 and both S-2’s
to the die-cut 1/8" plywood stab center. Join the stab
center with the ribs to the die-cut 1/8" balsa stab TE
(trailing edge), followed by the rest of the stab ribs
and the die-cut 1/8" balsa
elevator LE (leading
edge) spars.
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4. Position the assembly over the stab plan. Cut
twenty 2-1/2" long rib jig sticks from two 1/4" x 1/4"
x 30" balsa sticks. Pin the rib jig sticks to the building
board on both sides of all the ribs (except S-1). As
you can see, the rib jig sticks securely hold the ribs
to the plan, yet will allow easy removal of the stab
from the building board after the sheeting is glued
into position. Temporarily remove the stab center to
position the rib jig sticks on the inside edges of ribs
S-2.
Note: Make sure the T-pins do not protrude
above the ribs so they will not interfere with the top
stab sheeting that will be added later.
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5. Make certain the stab TE is aligned over its
location on the plan and that the jig tabs of all the ribs
are contacting the plan. Use medium CA to glue the
stab TE to the ribs.
Note: Make certain both S-6’s
remain perpendicular to the plan. This way the stab
and elevator tip blocks will align with the stab when
it’s time to glue them on.
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