Top Flite TOPA0150 - Manual (Page 20)

This is really the only “tricky” piece of sheeting.
We’ve provided three photos to make sure you
can do it correctly.
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2. Cut 4" from a 1/16" x 3" x 30" balsa sheet. Set
the 4" piece aside for use later. Cut the larger portion
of the sheet to fit the fuse as shown. The sheet
extends from the middle of F-5A to the middle of
F-11. Cut the top edge of the sheet slightly higher
than the cockpit deck (to be sanded flush later). The
bottom of the sheet rests against the sub stringer. A
piece of leftover 1/16" sheeting will have to be added
to the top of the sheet where it cannot reach the
cockpit deck. Note that the aft edge of the fuse sheet
“steps down” twice; once to the middle of the stringer
and once more to the top edge of the sub deck. The
front of the sheet also has a step down to the stringer
at F-6B. Once you have cut the sheet to fit, use a
ballpoint pen to trace its outline onto another sheet
to make a pattern for the right side.
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3. Glue the sheet into position. We prefer to use
aliphatic resin to glue the sheet to the main and sub
stringers holding it in place with T-pins. After the glue
dries, wet the sheet with water or window cleaner (it
shouldn’t need much, it’s only 1/16" thick), then use
medium CA to glue it to the rest of the stringers,
formers, sub deck and cockpit deck. Fit, then trim
and glue the other sheet to the right side (setting
aside another 4" portion of the sheet as you did in
the previous step).
Hint: When wetting the sheeting,
use a paint brush to avoid getting over-spray on the
rest of the structure.
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4. Cut two 5" pieces from another 1/16" x 3" x 30"
balsa sheet. Save the remaining 20" sheet for use
later. Use the 5" pieces to sheet both sides of the
fuse aft of the cockpit deck between F-9A and F-10A
as shown in the photo.
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5. Sheet both sides of the fuse between F-11A
and F-12A using both of the 4" pieces you cut in step
2 and 3. You’ll have to add a strip of leftover sheeting
to the bottom of the 4" sheet so it will reach all the
way up to the spine. Note that the aft edge of the
sheet extends to the
middle of F-12A.
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6. Glue both 1" x 1-3/16" x 4-1/8" balsa aft turtle
deck blocks to the sub deck and the spine. Shape
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