Top Flite TOPA0145 - Manual (Page 37)

❏ 3. Glue former F1F into position on the stringers
and glue the remaining center stringer in position.
This will provide something to which the sheeting
can be glued.
❏ 4. Sheet the back half of the fuselage from the tail
to the wing saddle using 3/32" x 3" x 30" [2.4 x 76 x
762mm] balsa sheet.
❏ 5. Sheet the rest of the fuselage from the wing
saddle forward to the nose using 3/32" x 3" x 30" [2.4
x 76 x 762mm] balsa sheet. Some wetting of the
wood will probably be necessary to make the balsa
conform to the stringers at the nose. Reminder! Now
is a good time to wet the front of the fuselage as
instructed on page 25 step 50.
❏ 6. Cut out the two plastic wing fillets. Sand the
inside edges of the fillets to improve the glue bond.
❏ 7. Cut the 1/32" x 5" x 17" [0.8 x 127 x 432mm] ply
into two pieces as shown in the sketch. Use the
outline on the top view of the fuse plan as a guide.
Test fit them to the wing saddle and the wing saddle
doubler. Mark the location of the 1/4-20 bolt holes
and drill 17/64" [6.7mm] holes in the ply wood
sheeting. When everything is aligned, glue the
sheeting in place to the wing saddle and the wing
saddle doubler.
❏ 8. Bolt the wing onto the fuselage. Carefully fit the
plastic fairings to the fuselage side and the 1/32"
[0.8mm] ply. The sharply curved tip of the fairing
where it meets the fuselage and the leading edge of
the wing should be cut away to allow clearance for
the wing to be removed. Once you are satisfied with
the fit, glue the fairing to the fuselage and the ply.
Hint: Thin CA with a micro tip works well to glue the
fairing in place with minimal excess glue.
❏ 9. Once the fairing is glued in place, trim away the
excess 1/32" [0.8mm] plywood sheeting. Blend the
fairing to the fuse with a lightweight filler.
❏ 10. Using leftover balsa and filler, make a fairing
on the underside of the fuselage where the saddle
and fuselage come together. Do the same to create
a nice blend where the leading edge of the wing and
the fuselage come together. Use the 1/2” x 1-1/4” x
6” [12.7 x 31.7 x 152] balsa block to fair the wing LE
to the fuselage.
❏ 11. Glue the 1/16” balsa fin/fuselage fillet in place as
shown on the plan.
❏ 12. Cut the plastic air scoop and glue the two halves
together. After they have been glued together cut out
the front of the scoop to form the air intake. See photo
in step 9. Glue the scoop in place after it has been
painted and the fuselage has been covered.
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