Top Flite Stinson Reliant User Manual Download Page 34

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3. Stick a T-pin into the center fuse stringer above

former 3. Tie a small loop in one end of a 50" piece
of string and slip it over the T-pin.

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4. Fold a piece of masking tape over the other end

of the string and draw an arrow on it. Slide the tape
along the string and align the arrow with one tip of the
stab. Swing the string over to the other tip of the stab
and check the alignment. Shift the stab and slide the
tape along the string until the arrow reads the same on
both sides of the stab. Now your stab is aligned.

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5. Place a straightedge across the top longerons

in front of former 4 and hold it in place with C-clamps
or clothes pins.

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6. Observe the fuselage from the rear and check

the alignment of the stab with the straightedge. If
necessary, remove the stab and adjust the height of
one of the stab saddles until the stab is parallel with
the straightedge.

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7. Once the stab is level with the straightedge,

glue the stab into position with 30-minute epoxy.
Place a weight on top of the stab to hold it down. Use
the pin and string to recheck the stab alignment.
Wipe away excess epoxy before it hardens.

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8. Test fit the fin to the fuse and the top of the stab.

Trim the sheeting on the bottom of the fin as
necessary for a good fit to the stab. The fin TE should
rest tightly against the aft end of the saddles and the
tail wedge.

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9. Use a C-clamp to hold the bottom of the fin TE

to the stab saddle. Align one edge of a large
draftsman’s triangle with the centerline on the TE of
the fin. Use a small C-clamp to hold the triangle in
position. Check the alignment of the bottom of the
triangle with the centerline on the stab TE. Trim the
bottom of the fin sheeting where it rests on the stab
until you can get the fin vertical.

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10. Adjust the front of the fin laterally by measuring

the distance between both sides of the fin and the

sides of former 9.

Note:

It is important that the fin be

accurately aligned with the fuse centerline.

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11. Glue the fin to the stab and fuse with 30-minute

epoxy. Before the epoxy hardens, confirm the vertical
and lateral fin alignment as described previously.

Note:

Be certain the fin sheeting is securely glued to

the stab sheeting, but do not build up a large fillet. This
joint will be reinforced with tri stock in the next step.

Refer to this photo for the following five steps.

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12. Cut two pieces from the 1/4" x 18" balsa tri

stock and glue them to the fin and stab with 30-
minute epoxy. Note that the tri stock should end 1-1/2
forward of the fin TE.

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13.

Gradually taper the 1/8" x 1/4" basswood

stringers on both sides of the center stringer on top
of the fuse. The ends of these stringers just “float” in
the structure and will gradually and smoothly
disappear underneath the covering.

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14. Use the

stab fairing pattern

on the plan to

make two

stab fairings

from leftover 1/4" balsa and

glue them into position on both sides of the fuse.

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15. Glue the ends of the 1/8" x 1/4" basswood outer

stringers on the top of the fuse to former 8. Glue leftover
1/4" x 1/4" balsa sticks between the top stringers.

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