19)
Continue sheeting the top of the
fuselage stopping at the point where the
horizontal tail will go. Remember, there
is enough sheeting supplied with the kit
to sheet the top and bottom of the
fuselage but you cannot be wasteful
with the wood. Once the upper sheeting
is all glued on, reinstall the pylon hatch
with the nylon screws for the next step.
20)
Using a #43 drill bit ream the two holes of the hatch tongue
and two of the holes at one end of the tank hatch. Break the
toothpick in half. Glue the hatch tongue to the hatch using the
toothpick halves through the reamed holes as an alignment aid.
Trim toothpicks and sand smooth on both sides.
21)
Position the tank hatch on the fuselage with a small gap
between the tank and pylon hatches using the method when you
sheeted the upper fuselage.
Note: there will be about a one inch
gap at the front of the hatch. This is normal.
Carefully mark
the two screw positions for the tank hatch. It is recommended
that you drill and tap each hole one at a time the same as was
done for the pylon hatch. Remove the hatch then drill and tap the
plywood mount for the 8-32 nylon hold down screws (#29 drill
bit). Ream the two screw holes in the tank hatch for a slip fit of
the the 8-32 screws (#18 drill bit) and then screw the hatch in
place for the next step.
22)
The forward fuselage filler piece is the 1/8 x 1-1/2 x 4 balsa
piece in the wood bag. Simply glue it to the top of the forward
end of the fuselage (at the firewall) with a gap between it and the
tank hatch. Use the folded paper as before.
Caution: Do
not glue
F3 to the tank hatch tongue! Glue to the fuselage sides and
firewall only!
It is intentionally oversize so it can be sanded
flush with the fuselage sides and firewall.
With both hatches installed, the fuselage can now be sanded
smooth for covering. Note that you will sand off the excess
material from F-3, the wire trap, and the 1/8” balsa top and
bottom sheeting. Round all edges to approximately 1/8” radius.
10
