.
65. Remove the tape and remove the canopy hatch assembly from the fuselage.
Apply glue to the unrounded end of the 1/8" dia. dowel prepared earlier and insert
it into the back face of the Canopy Hatch former, flush with the front face. Set the
glue and sand the front of the former smooth with a small sanding block.
BUILDERS TIP: Before gluing the top hatch sheet in place you may consider
adding a little color to the exposed wood hatch floor and rear canopy hatch
former, to show through the canopy. The model on the kit box has a zinc
chromate color. We did this using light weight colored art paper. This is available
in many different colors - gray, flat black, etc. We cut a piece to shape and used
3M 77" Spray Cement. It is an effective look and adds no weight.
66.
Re-install the canopy hatch assembly onto the fuselage with a small strip of wax
paper underneath the front edge, folded up to protect the back face of F-2 from
glue. Locate and glue in place formers F-2T (located at the front of the hatch base,
against F-2) and F-3. Cut and fit the 1/8"x1/4" balsa top stringer in place between
these two formers. Cut two (2) 11-3/4" lengths of 3/16"x1/4"x24" balsa, provided in
your kit and glue them in place to the left and right sides of the hatch base, on the
3/16" edge. These strips extend from the front edge of the hatch base back to the
angled canopy hatch former, aligned with the fuselage sides. Remove the canopy
hatch and lightly sand the faces of F-2T and F-3 smooth. Use a larger sanding
block to lightly sand the top of the stringer smooth to the contours of F-2T and F-3.
67.
The two laser cut 3/32" balsa canopy hatch sheets are now glued in place. Use a sanding block to chamfer the outer edge
of one of these sheets to fit against the 3/16"x1/4" outer hatch edges. Apply glue to the chamfered outer edge and glue in
place against the outer hatch edge. Apply glue to the tops of F-2T, F-3 and half of the hatch stringer. Glue the sheet half
down to the formers and stringer. Repeat this process on the opposite side of the hatch. It may be necessary to slightly trim
the center joint line to achieve a smooth fit. Trial fit the canopy hatch in place onto the fuselage. This is done by first
engaging the rear dowel into the locating hole in the F-4 Cap, centering the locating rails and pressing the hatch in place.
There should be very little gap at the front of the hatch. If the fit seems too tight, lightly sand the face of F-2T.
68.
Locate the remaining length of 5/16" dia. center drilled dowel. As shown on the plans, this dowel fits into the front of the
hatch, flush with the base bottom and flush with the top hatch sheet. A laser cut hole is provided in the base for this dowel
but it is now necessary to complete the hole through the hatch stringer and top sheeting. This hole could be made by simply
using a 5/16" drill bit. But a much neater way is to sharpen the inside edge of a piece of 5/16" dia. brass or aluminum tubing
and use it to complete the required hole. Insert the tubing into the hole in the bottom of the hatch and twist it to cut through
the hatch stringer and sheeting. It helps to hold the hatch against a piece of plywood when cutting this hole to minimize or
eliminate tearing of the sheeting.
hen the hole is complete, glue the 5/16"dowel in place into the hatch. Sand the bottom of the hatch base smooth where the
dowel exits. Turn the hatch over and lightly sand the dowel end smooth with he top sheet. Fit the hatch back in place onto
the fuselage. The hole in the dowel should line up with the 4-40 blind nut previously installed in the forward hatch mount.
Use the 4-40 x1"nylon bolt in your it to secure the hatch to the fuselage.
69.
Refer to your Key To Laser Cut Parts section to locate the Stab and Fin Filler parts. Also locate the two balsa tapered fin
and fuselage fairing blocks. The two fillers will emporarily take the place of the fin and stab to allow exact shaping and
sanding of the fairing blocks at the rear of the fuselage. Use a few dots of CA glue to temporarily attach the stab filler to the
top of SM (place the CA dots nearer to the fuselage sides). Apply glue along the bottom (only) of the fin filler part and glue it
to the top of the stab filler, at 90 deg. upright, aligned directly with the center of the top of the fuselage (as you would align
the fin when gluing it in place). Apply a few dots of CA to the bottom and inside edges of a fairing block and tack glue it in
place to the stab and fin fillers. Install the opposite fairing block in the same way.