Top Flite Focke-Wulf 190 D9 Instruction Manual

WARRANTY.....Top Flite Models guarantees this kit to be free of defects in both material and workmanship at the date of purchase. This warranty

does not cover any component parts damaged by use or modification. In no case shall Top Flite‘s liability exceed the original cost of the purchased kit. Further, Top Flite
reserves the right to change or modify this warranty without notice. In that Top Flite has no control over the final assembly or material used for final assembly, no liability shall
be assumed nor accepted for any damage resulting from the use by the user of the final user-assembled product. By the act of using the user-assembled product the user
accepts all resulting liability. If the buyer is not prepared to accept the liability associated with the use of this product, the buyer is advised to immediately return this kit in

new and unused condition to the place of purchase.

Top Flite Models P.O. Box 788 Urbana, Il 61803 Technical Assistance Call [phone] [e-mail]

READ THROUGH THIS INSTRUCTION BOOK FIRST. IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CONCERNING THE ASSEMBLY AND USE OF THIS MODEL.

USA

MADE IN

FW60P03 for TOPA0150 V1.0

Entire Contents © Copyright 2000

Wingspan: 63.5 in [1613mm]
Wing Area: 711.5 sq in [45.9 sq dm]
Weight: 8 -10 lbs [3.6 - 4.5kg]
Wing Loading: 26-32 oz/sq ft

[80-98 g/sq dm]

Length: 57.75 in [1467mm]

™

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Engine selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Exhaust system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Fixed gear or retracts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Cockpit & pilot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Trim scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

COMPETITION-MINDED MODELERS . . . . . . . .5

SCALE DOCUMENTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

OTHER ITEMS REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

BUILDING SUPPLIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Adhesives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

COVERING TOOLS & ACCESSORIES . . . . . . .6

IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . .7

METRIC CONVERSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

TYPES OF WOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

DIE-CUT PATTERNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 & 9

GET READY TO BUILD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

BUILD THE TAIL SURFACES . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Build the stabilizer and elevators . . . . . . . . . .10

Finish the elevators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Build the fin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

BUILD THE FUSELAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Frame the fuse top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Mount the stab and fin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Sheet the top of the fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Build the fuse bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Sheet the bottom of the fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Mount the tail gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Build the rudder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Finish the turtle deck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Mount the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

BUILD THE WING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Frame the wing panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Fit the landing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Finish the bottom of the wing . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Join the wing panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Sheet the bottom of the wing . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Build the wing tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Build the flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Hinge the flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Finish building the ailerons . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Hook up the flaps and ailerons . . . . . . . . . . .40

Finish the wing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

FINAL CONSTRUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Mount the wing to the fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Make the wing fillets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Build the belly pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Assemble the cowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Mount the muffler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Hook up the throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Install the fuel tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Test fit the cockpit kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Mount the receiver and battery pack . . . . . . .51

Balance the airplane laterally . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

FINISHING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Final preparations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Trim scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Cover the model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Machine gun cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Supercharger intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Landing gear covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Display propeller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Exhaust stacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

FINAL ASSEMBLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Join the control surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Hook up the controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Mount the canopy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

GET YOUR MODEL READY TO FLY . . . . . . . .57

Balance your model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Set the control throws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

PREFLIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Charge batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Balance propellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Ground check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Range check

ENGINE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . .59

AMA SAFETY CODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

CHECK LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

FLYING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

Fuel mixture adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61

3-VIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back cover

INTRODUCTION

Thank you and congratulations for purchasing the
Top Flite Gold Edition Focke-Wulf 190 D9. If you
haven’t yet spent much time studying the Focke­Wulf, you will soon come to realize that, although at
a first glance it appears to be a rather conventional
appearing plane, in actuality the Focke-Wulf has
some very interesting lines and features. And the “D”
model (a “stretched” version of its predecessor, the
A) is the most interesting Focke-Wulf with the
extended nose and aft “fuse plug”. If you’re not
already a big fan of the Focke-Wulf, after a while it
will begin to grow on you.
This 1/7th scale Top Flite Gold Edition model is an
ideal plan-form with long nose and tail moments and
adequate wing area—perfect ingredients for a
smooth flying plane no matter what the type. In spite
of its interesting lines, building this kit is rather
straight-forward. Though the fuse is sheeted in
several sections, none of the contours should
present any difficulty for the average modeler
(especially since the sheeting is only 1/16" thick). In
the wing, pneumatic retract installation is
straightforward with suggestions on air line routing
and other details. The characteristic extra long
landing gear struts, and the structural problems they
present, have been addressed by slightly shortening
the struts and by reinforcing the landing gear area
with 1/8" birch ply landing gear webs.

With this kit you can achieve whatever level of detail
you like. Just by following the instructions and
finishing the plane in a scale-looking trim scheme,
beginning scale modelers will end up with a model
that very much represents a full-size Fw 190D.
Experienced builders will find ways to add even more
detail, making this Top Flite

Gold Edition

kit

competitive in scale competition.

- 2 -

Your Focke-Wulf is not a toy, but a sophisticated
working model that functions very much like a full­size airplane. Because of its realistic performance, if
you do not assemble and operate your Focke-Wulf
correctly, you could possibly injure yourself or
spectators and damage property.

If this is your first scale model, get the
assistance of an experienced modeler who has
flown this type of plane before. Once completed,

your Focke-Wulf will have much value. An
experienced modeler can help you with “pre-flight”
and possibly identify something you may have
overlooked during construction or setup. He can also
help you with your first few flights. If you’re not
already a member of a club, contact the Academy of
Model Aeronautics (AMA), which has more than
2,500 chartered clubs across the country. AMA
Membership is required at chartered club fields
where experienced modelers and qualified flight
instructors are available. Contact the AMA at the
address or toll-free phone number below.

Academy of Model Aeronautics

5151 East Memorial Drive

Muncie, IN 47302

[phone]

Fax [phone]

or via the Internet at: http://www.modelaircraft.org

1. You must build the plane according to the plan and
instructions. Do not alter or modify the model, as
doing so may result in an unsafe or unflyable model. In

a few cases the plan and instructions may differ
slightly from the photos. In those instances the
plan and written instructions are correct.

2. You must take time to build straight, true and strong.

3. You must use a proper R/C radio that is in first
class condition, the correct sized engine and correct
components (fuel tank, wheels, etc.) throughout
your building process.

4. You must properly install all R/C and other
components so that the model operates properly on
the ground and in the air.

5. You must test the operation of the model before
every flight to insure that all equipment is operating
and you must make certain that the model has
remained structurally sound.

6. If you are not already an experienced R/C pilot,
you must fly the model only with the help of a
competent, experienced R/C pilot.

Please inspect all parts carefully before starting
to build! If any parts are missing, broken or
defective, or if you have any questions about
building or flying this model, please call us at:

[phone]
or e-mail us at

[e-mail]

We’ll be glad to help. If you are calling for
replacement parts, please look up the part
numbers and the kit identification number
(stamped on the end of the carton) and have
them ready when you call.

ENGINE SELECTION

Recommended engine size:

.61 to .75 cu. in. [10.0 - 12.0cc] 2-stroke

-or-

.70 to .91 cu. in. [11.5 - 15.0cc] 4-stroke

Your Focke-Wulf will fly well with any of the
recommended engines. 4-stroke engines and
most .75 cu. in. 2-stroke engines will turn a larger
prop at lower RPM.This is often desirable for scale
realism. However, many .61 cu. in. 2-stroke
engines produce about as much horsepower as
.75 2-stroke and will fly the Focke-Wulf extremely
well. If you use a .61 2-stroke engine, a ball
bearing, Schnuerle-ported engine is
recommended. Our flying prototype flew on an
O.S.®MAX .61 FX. This engine provided excellent
performance and more than enough power.
Although larger engines may be used, the extra
horsepower is not needed.

The included adjustable engine mount will hold a
range of engines from .61 cu. in. 2-stroke through
.91 cu. in. 4-stroke.

DECISIONS YOU MUST MAKE

NOTE: We, as the kit manufacturer, provide you

with a top quality kit and great instructions, but
ultimately the quality and flyability of your finished
model depends on how you build it; therefore, we
cannot in any way guarantee the performance of
your completed model, and no representations
are expressed or implied as to the performance or
safety of your completed model.

Your Top Flite Gold Edition Focke-Wulf is
intended for scale and general sport flying
including mild aerobatics such as loops, stall
turns, rolls, etc. Its structure is designed to
withstand such stresses. If you intend to use
your Focke-Wulf for more rigorous types of flying
such as racing or aggressive aerobatics, it is
your responsibility to reinforce areas of the
model that will be subjected to the resulting
unusually high stresses.

PROTECT YOUR MODEL,

YOURSELF & OTHERS

FOLLOW THESE IMPORTANT

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

- 3 -

COCKPIT AND PILOT

Your model won’t be complete without the Top Flite
Focke-Wulf Cockpit Kit (TOPQ8411). It includes
the floor, side panels, instrument panel, seat,
headrest and hardware. The cockpit kit can be
installed after the fuselage is completed, but is
easier to install if you have it on hand during
construction. Should you choose not to install the
scale Top Flite Cockpit Kit, you could leave the
cockpit empty or make your own cockpit from
balsa or thin cardboard (from cereal boxes.)

Top Flite also offers a 1/7 scale WW II American
Full Body Pilot (he could be painted in German
flight gear!). The order number is TOPQ9000.

TRIM SCHEME

The model on the kit box was covered with dove
gray Top Flite MonoKote®film, then painted with
Testors Model Master Acrylic paint followed by a
clear-coat of Top Flite LustreKote®flat clear. A
painted finish is the only way to reproduce the spray
painted camouflaged “patchwork” trim schemes
found on full-size Focke-Wulfs. If you do decide to
paint your model, the balsa skin must first be
covered either with MonoKote film, glass cloth and
resin, or another type of covering. Refer to the

Finishing

section near the back of the manual for
more details that may help you decide how to finish
your model. Since you don’t have to finish it today,
there is time to seek the advice of experienced
builders in your club who can give you tips on how
to prep, cover and paint a balsa model.

If you prefer not to do the work required of a
painted trim scheme, you may find a simpler scale
trim scheme, or make up your own scale­appearing trim scheme simply by covering the
Focke-Wulf with a few of the flat military MonoKote
colors such as dove gray, olive drab, cream, tan,
sky blue, insignia blue and black.

These items are required for retractable landing gear:

CJM Focke-Wulf retractable landing gear
(CJMQ3072)
Robart #164G Hand Pump with Gauge
(ROBQ2363)
Williams Bros. #143 3-3/4" Smooth Contour
Wheels (WBRQ1143)
Servo for the air control valve (micro or mini
servo preferred)
Light weight glass cloth to reinforce wing
sheeting in wheel wells (HCAR5000)
(8) #6 x 1/2" screws (GPMQ3160, pkg. of 8)

These items are required for fixed landing gear:

3-3/4" Main Wheels
(4) 3/16" wheel collars (GPMQ4308)

FLAPS

The Focke-Wulf is designed to incorporate scale
split flaps; however, flaps are optional and not
necessary for an excellent flying experience.
Without flaps, the takeoff roll is longer and the
landing speed is faster.

Flaps are not difficult to build, but they do require
good craftsmanship to fit well. Flaps add nicely to
the model’s flight characteristics and scale
appearance, and are highly recommended for
those who wish to install them. You will find
additional information on the use of the flaps in the

Flying

section near the end of this manual.

For Flaps, you will need the following additional
items:

Two standard servos
(1) Y-connector (HCAM2500 - Futaba

®

J)

(6) Small Pivot Point Hinges

(GPMQ4001, pkg. of 15)

EXHAUST SYSTEM

A Top Flite header and muffler are available that
will fit inside the cowl. They are designed for
2-stroke engines mounted inverted as used on the
model and shown in the instructions.

Headers for:

O.S.

®

.61SF, SX - TOPQ7920

SuperTigre

®

.61-.75 K series (muffler bolts
go through the muffler and screw into the
engine) - TOPQ7925

SuperTigre .61-.75 G series (muffler bolts go

through the engine and screw into the muffler)

- TOPQ7926

.61-.75 Warbird In-Cowl Muffler, TOPQ7915

There may be other exhaust systems that will work
with this model. If you prefer to use another
exhaust system, consider any modifications that
may have to be made to accommodate it. It may
be helpful to get your exhaust system as soon as
possible and place it over the plan to visualize how
it will fit. This will minimize delays when you get to
that point.

FIXED GEAR OR RETRACTS

You may build your Focke-Wulf with either fixed or
retractable landing gear.The pre bent landing gear
wires are included to build the kit with fixed gear.
Should you decide to install retracts, detailed
instructions are provided. The Gold Edition Focke­Wulf is designed to accept the Century Jet Models’
#39025 pneumatic retracts. You may use other
retractable landing gear systems but it is up to you
to make any modifications necessary. A micro
servo was used in the prototype to operate the air
control valve. A standard servo could be used for
this, but will take up a bit more room.

- 4 -

COMPETITION-MINDED MODELERS

The outline of the Top Flite

Gold Edition

Focke-Wulf
D9 was derived from three-view drawings, photos
and highly detailed static kits. Some areas of the
outline have been slightly changed to improve flight
characteristics. Notably, the area of the “tail feathers”
has been increased to improve directional stability
and control. The landing gear struts have been
shortened slightly to improve handling and durability,
and do not retract fully into the wing, but protrude
below the wing approximately 1/8".

The approximate scale of this model is 1:6.5.

If you plan to enter your Focke-Wulf in scale
competition (it’s lots of fun, and the runways are
usually paved!), this kit may be entered in Fun Scale,
Sportsman Scale and Expert Scale classes in AMA
competition. All classes have the same flight
requirements in which you must perform ten
maneuvers, five of which are mandatory. The other
five are up to you—“easy” stuff like a slow, low
inspection pass with flaps extended, or maybe a
touch-and-go. If you have never competed in a scale
contest, you could start out in Fun Scale. In Fun Scale,
the only documentation required is any proof that a
full-size aircraft of this type, in the paint/markings
scheme on your model, did exist. A single photo, a kit
box cover from a plastic model, or even a painting is
sufficient proof! If you’re interested, contact the AMA
for a rule book that will tell you everything you need to
know. You can find a contest schedule in the back of
the AMA magazine (Model Aviation).

One last note for those who are interested in scale
competition; Strive to build your model to reflect your
documentation. Whatever lines and features appear
on the full size plane should also appear on your
model. Refer to the photos and documentation of the
Focke-Wulf you are using for your model.

SCALE DOCUMENTATION

Three-view drawings and photo packs of full size
Focke-Wulfs are available from:

Scale Model Research

3114 Yukon Ave.

Costa Mesa, CA 92626

[phone]

Fax: [phone]

Even if you’re not intending to build your Fw 190D for
competition, photos and color drawings are
extremely useful for completing much of the detail
work such as the machine gun cover, landing gear
covers, antenna mast, panel lines, etc.
Squadron/Signal Publications has a series of books
with dozens of close-up photos and highly accurate
color drawings featuring trim schemes that may help
you decide how to finish your model. One of the
Focke-Wulf books is listed below and is available
from most hobby shops.

Fw 190D Walk Around, No. 5510 (order number
SSPZ5510)

OTHER ITEMS REQUIRED

These are the additional items you will need to
complete your Focke-Wulf 190D that have not
already been mentioned and are not included with
the kit. Order numbers are in parentheses
(HCAM2200). TOP is the Top Flite brand, GPM is the
Great Planes®brand and HCA is the Hobbico®brand.

❏ 4 to 6-Channel radio with 5 to 8 servos
❏ (2) 24" Servo extension cords ailerons

(HCAM2200 - Futaba J)

❏ Switch/charging jack mount kit (GPMM1000)
❏ Propellers (refer to the instructions that come

with your engine)

❏ 14 oz. Fuel tank (GPMQ4106)
❏ Fuel line (2’, GPMQ4131)
❏ Fuel filler valve for glow fuel (GPMQ4160)
❏ 1" Tailwheel (GPMQ4241)

❏ 3/32" Wheel collar for tailwheel (GPMQ4302)
❏ R/C Foam padding (1/4", HCAQ1000, or 1/2",

HCAQ1050)

❏ Top Flite MonoKote covering (

see

Finishing

section)

❏ Paint (

see

Finishing section)

❏ 3" Spinner (GPMQ4530, white)

BUILDING SUPPLIES

Here’s a list of supplies you should have on hand
while you’re building. Some of these are optional.
Use your own experience to decide what you need.
We recommend Great Planes Pro CA and Epoxy.

ADHESIVES

❏ 2 oz. Thin CA (GPMR6003)
❏ 2 oz. Medium CA+ (GPMR6009)
❏ 2 oz. Thick CA- (GPMR6015)
❏ CA Accelerator (GPMR6035)
❏ CA Debonder (GMPR6039)
❏ CA Applicator Tips (HCAR3780)
❏ 30-minute epoxy (GPMR6047), or 45-minute

(GPMR6048) epoxy

❏ 6-minute epoxy (GPMR6045)
❏ Pro Wood Glue (GPMR6161)
❏ J & Z Products

Z RC/56

canopy glue (JOZR5007)

❏ Microballoons (TOPR1090)
❏ Milled Fiberglass (GPMR6165)
❏ Lightweight Hobby Filler (Balsa Color, HCAR3401)
❏ Auto body filler (Bondo®or similar)
❏ Denatured or Isopropyl Alcohol (to clean up

excess epoxy)

❏ 3M 75 Repositionable spray adhesive

(MMMR1900)

- 5 -

TOOLS

❏ #11 Blades (HCAR0311, 100 qty.)
❏ Single Edge Razor Blades (HCAR0312, 100 qty.)
❏ Razor Plane (MASR1510)
❏ Hobbico Builder’s Triangle (HCAR0480)
❏ T-Pins (HCAR5100 — small,

HCAR5150 — medium, HCAR5200 — large)

❏ Drill Bits: 1/16", 3/32", 7/64", 1/8", 5/32", 3/16",

7/32", 1/4", #29 (or 9/64", or Great Planes 8-32
tap and drill set listed below), #7 (or 13/64", or
Great Planes tap and drill set listed below), #12
(for enlarging wheels to fit on axles of CJM
retracts), or #9 (or 13/64" for enlarging wheels
for fixed landing gear)

❏ 1/4-20 Tap and drill (GPMR8105)
❏ 8-32 Tap and drill (GPMR8103)
❏ Tap wrench (GPMR8120)
❏ Kyosho

®

Lexan

®

Curved Scissors (KYOR1010)

❏ Long handle 9/64" ball end hex wrench

(GPMR8004)

❏ Silver Solder (GPMR8070 w/flux)
❏ Masking Tape (TOPR8018)
❏ Great Planes

®

Plan Protector™(GPMR6167) or

wax paper

❏ Dremel

®

#178 cutting bit (for countersinking

screws in the servo hatch covers)

❏ Robart

®

Super Stand II (ROBP1402)

❏ Easy–Touch

™

Bar Sanders*

Note: In several instances the manual suggests
using K & S brass tubing sharpened at one end to
cut accurate, clean holes in balsa. Use a rotary tool
with a cut-off wheel to sharpen the outside edge of
the tube, and a hobby knife to sharpen the inside
edge of the tube. The sizes of tubing used are 1/8",
3/16" and 5/32".

COVERING TOOLS AND

ACCESSORIES

Top Flite Heat Gun (TOPR2000)
Top Flite Trim Seal Tool (TOPR2200)

-and­Top Flite Sealing Iron (TOPR2100)
Top Flite Hot Sock

™

(TOPR2175)

-or­21st Century®Sealing Iron (COVR2700)
21st Century Cover Sock (COVR2702)

EASY-TOUCH™BAR SANDER

A flat, durable, easy to handle sanding tool is a
necessity for building a well finished model. Great
Planes makes a complete range of Easy-Touch Bar

Sanders (patented) and replaceable Easy-Touch
Adhesive-backed Sandpaper. While building the

Focke-Wulf we used two 5-1/2" Bar Sanders and two
11" Bar Sanders equipped with 80-grit and 150-grit
Adhesive-backed Sandpaper.

Here’s the complete list of Easy-Touch Bar Sanders
and Adhesive Backed Sandpaper:

5-1/2" Bar Sander (GPMR6169)

11" Bar Sander (GPMR6170)
22" Bar Sander (GPMR6172)
33" Bar Sander (GPMR6174)
44" Bar Sander (GPMR6176)
11" Contour Multi-Sander (GPMR6190)

12’ roll of Adhesive-backed:

80-grit sandpaper (GPMR6180)
150-grit sandpaper (GPMR6183)
180-grit sandpaper (GPMR6184)
220-grit sandpaper (GPMR6185)

Assortment pack of 5-1/2" strips (GPMR6189)

We also use Top Flite 320-grit (TOPR8030, 4 sheets)
and 400-grit (TOPR8032, 4 sheets) wet-or-dry
sandpaper for finish sanding.

We recommend using plastic bags filled with lead
shot for building weights. They assume the shape
of the curved surfaces to apply uniform pressure
without making dents in the balsa. You can
purchase shot at sporting goods stores where
hunting supplies are sold. We use #6 lead shot.
One 25 lb. bag costs about fifteen to twenty dollars.
You can use small sealable food storage bags to
hold the shot. Tape them shut for security. Each bag
holds about two to three pounds.Ten to fifteen bags
may be required for this model.

- 6 -

IMPORTANT BUILDING NOTES

There are two types of screws used in this kit:

Sheet metal screws are designated by a number

and a length.

For example #6 x 3/4" long [1.91mm]

Machine screws are designated by a number,
threads per inch, and a length.

For example 4-40 x 3/4" long [1.91mm]

•

When you see the term

test fit

in the instructions,
it means that you should first position the part on
the assembly without using any glue, then
slightly modify or

custom fit

the part as necessary

for the best fit.

•

Whenever the term

glue

is written you should rely
upon your experience to decide what type of glue to
use. When a specific type of adhesive works best for
that step the instructions will make a recommendation.

•

Whenever just

epoxy

is specified you may use

either

30-minute epoxy or6-minute epoxy. When
30-minute epoxy is specified it is highly
recommended that you use only 30-minute (or
45-minute) epoxy because you will need the
working time and/or the additional strength.

•

Occasionally we refer to the

top

or

bottom

of the

model or

up

or

down

. To avoid confusion, the

top

or

bottom

of the model is as it would be when the
airplane is right side up and will be referred to as
the top even if the model is upside-down during
that step,

i.e.

the top main spar is always the top

main spar even if the wing is upside-down when

you are working on it. Similarly,

move the former

up

means move the former toward the top of the
fuselage even if the fuselage is upside-down when
you are working on it.

•

When you get to each step, read that step
completely through to the end before you begin.
Frequently there is important information or a note
at the end of the step that you need to know before
you start.

•

Photos and sketches are placed before the step
they refer to. Frequently you can study photos in
following steps to get another view of the same parts.

TYPES OF WOOD

BALSA BASSWOOD PLYWOOD

1/64" = .4mm
1/32" = .8mm
1/16" = 1.6mm
3/32" = 2.4mm

1/8" = 3.2mm
5/32" = 4mm
3/16" = 4.8mm

1/4" = 6.4mm

3/8" = 9.5mm

1/2" = 12.7mm

5/8" = 15.9mm

3/4" = 19mm

1" = 25.4mm
2" = 50.8mm
3" = 76.2mm

6" = 152.4mm
12" = 304.8mm
15" = 381mm
18" = 457.2mm
21" = 533.4mm
24" = 609.6mm
30" = 762mm
36" = 914.4mm

METRIC CONVERSION

1" = 25.4mm (conversion factor)

- 7 -

- 8 -

DIE-CUT PATTERNS

- 9 -

DIE-CUT PATTERNS

GET READY TO BUILD

❏ 1. A miniaturized building plan is included in the

middle of this manual. It may be removed and used as
a quick, handy reference, so you don’t have to get out
the full-size plan when you are not building over it.

❏ 2. If you’ve already purchased your retractable

landing gear, or as soon as you do, take the air lines
out of the package, unravel them and hang them
somewhere in your shop. By the time you are ready
to install the air lines, all the kinks will be out and
they’ll be easier to work with.

❏ 3. Remove all the parts from the box. Use a

ballpoint pen (not a felt tip pen) to lightly write the
name or size on each piece so you can identify it later.
Use the

die-cut patterns

on pages 8 & 9 to identify
and mark the die-cut and laser-cut parts before you
remove them from their die sheets. Place a
straightedge across the punchmarks on the die sheet
on both sides of the forward wing joiner and draw a
centerline. When it's time to join the wing halves, the
centerline can be used to align the forward wing joiner.
Many of the parts already have numbers stamped on
them, but in some cases the numbers are located
alongside the parts or only on the die drawings in the
manual. You may remove all the die-cut parts from
their die sheets now, or wait until you need them. If a
part is difficult to remove, don’t force it out, but cut
around it with a hobby knife and a #11 blade. After you
remove the parts from their die sheets, lightly sand the
edges to remove slivers or die-cutting irregularities.
Save some of the larger scraps of wood.

❏ 4. Separate the parts into groups such as stab,

fin, wing, and fuse. Store smaller parts in zipper-top

food storage bags.

BUILD THE TAIL SURFACES

Build the stabilizer and elevators

❏ 1. Cut the stab plan from the fuse plan sheet and

place it over your building board. Cover the stab plan
with Great Planes Plan Protector or waxed paper to
protect it from glue. Note: If you are a neat builder,
there is no need to protect the plan as the glue joints
are raised off the plan.

❏ 2. Use a single-edge razor blade to extend the

slots through the leading edge in the die-cut 3/32"
balsa stab ribs S-1 and S-2.

❏ 3. Without using any glue, join S-1 and both S-2’s

to the die-cut 1/8" plywood stab center. Join the stab
center with the ribs to the die-cut 1/8" balsa stab TE
(trailing edge), followed by the rest of the stab ribs
and the die-cut 1/8" balsa elevator LE (leading
edge) spars.

❏ 4. Position the assembly over the stab plan. Cut

twenty 2-1/2" long rib jig sticks from two 1/4" x 1/4"
x 30" balsa sticks. Pin the rib jig sticks to the building
board on both sides of all the ribs (except S-1). As
you can see, the rib jig sticks securely hold the ribs
to the plan, yet will allow easy removal of the stab
from the building board after the sheeting is glued
into position. Temporarily remove the stab center to
position the rib jig sticks on the inside edges of ribs
S-2. Note: Make sure the T-pins do not protrude
above the ribs so they will not interfere with the top
stab sheeting that will be added later.

❏ 5. Make certain the stab TE is aligned over its

location on the plan and that the jig tabs of all the ribs
are contacting the plan. Use medium CA to glue the
stab TE to the ribs. Note: Make certain both S-6’s
remain perpendicular to the plan. This way the stab
and elevator tip blocks will align with the stab when
it’s time to glue them on.

- 10 -

❏ 6. Cut 2" from a 3/16" x 3/16" x 30" balsa stick.

Use medium CA to glue the elevator LE spars to the
ribs, inserting the stick between the elevator LE spar
and the stab TE at each rib as you glue it.

❏ 7. Use a bar sander with 80-grit sandpaper or a

hobby knife to carefully bevel the front of the ribs to
match the aft sweeping angle of the LEs. Cut the 30"
long shaped balsa stab LE to the correct length for
both LEs. Glue them, centered vertically, to the front
of the ribs and stab center.

❏ 8. Use a bar sander with 80-grit sandpaper to

sand the tops of the ribs, the stab TE and the
elevator LE spars so they are all even.

❏ 9. Use the 1/16" x 3" x 30" balsa sheets supplied

with this kit and select four of the softer (and lighter)
sheets to be used for sheeting the tail surfaces.

❏ 10. Use your own method or the

Hot Tip

that
follows to make two 1/16" x 6" x 30" sheets from the
four balsa sheets you selected in the previous step.

D. Lay the sheets on your workbench covered with
wax paper. Use a credit card or something similar
as a squeegee to simultaneously press the sheets
flat as you wipe the glue from the seam.

C. Turn the sheets over and apply slow drying
glue like Great Planes Pro aliphatic resin to the
joining edges. Some prefer to use CA, but it is not
recommended in this

Hot Tip

because CA does
not allow enough working time to align the sheets
and it is much harder than the balsa, making
sanding difficult.

B. Use masking tape to tightly tape the trued
edges of the sheets together.

A. Use a straightedge to true one edge of two
balsa sheets.

HOW TO MAKE THE STAB SKINS

Top Flite selects balsa that is intended for sheeting,
though occasionally a few of these sheets may
have a small nick or split near the ends. If your kit
contains a few of these sheets, arrange them and
glue them together so the defects will not interfere
with the final shape of the skin.

-11-

Note: Some modelers tend to sand the sheeting too
much after it is applied to the structure, making thin
spots where fingers can easily go through. By
following the procedure above (specifically, by aligning
the joined edges of the sheets as shown in step E),
little sanding should be required. Most of the sanding

that isrequired should be done before the sheeting is
glued in place. The only sanding that should be
required after the sheeting is glued to the structure is
final sanding with 320 or 400-grit sandpaper.

❏ 11. Make four stab skins from the two 1/16" x 6"

x 30" balsa sheets you prepared in the previous

steps (you can get three skins from one sheet, but
will have to use the second sheet for the fourth skin).
Note that the grain is parallel with the LE. Hint: Make
a paper template and use it to make the skins.
Always cut the skins slightly oversize to allow for
trimming and positioning. Save the leftover sheeting
for the elevators and fin.

Refer to this photo for the following two steps.

❏ 12. Glue two of the skins to the top of the stab.

Usually we recommend using aliphatic resin for this
because of the time required for accurate positioning
and adjustment. However, this is a relatively small
stab, so if the skins fit well and you can work quickly,
medium CA may be used.

❏ 13. Use the smaller pieces of leftover balsa

sheeting to make four elevator skins. Glue two of
the skins to the top of the elevators.

❏ 14. Lift the stab from the building board. The ribs

should slide out from in between the rib jig sticks.
Glue the bottom of the stab center (where you
couldn’t reach when the stab was pinned to the
building board) to the rest of the structure.

Here are a few other things to keep in mind
while sanding balsa sheeting:

1. Make sure you sand the sheets on a flat work
surface that is free from hardened drops of glue or
other imperfections that will damage your
sheeting.

2. Sand the sheeting only as much as required.
The inside of the sheeting needs to be sanded just
enough to remove excess glue and doesn’t have
to be perfectly flat or smooth.

3. Though more material can be removed by
sanding across the grain, this leaves scratches in
the balsa. Balsa sheeting should be sanded with
the grain—especially when finish-sanding.

4. If some of the glue joints are uneven, it may be
best just to leave them that way, rather than to
sand the sheets too thin. A slightly uneven glue
joint is preferable to paper-thin balsa.

F. Place weights on top of the sheet to hold it flat
while the glue dries.

G. After the glue dries, sand the sheets flat
and even.

E. Press the joining edges of the sheets down to
make sure they are even. This is important. Little
sanding will be required if the sheets are even.

-12-

❏ 15. Cut the stab and elevator hinge blocks from

a 1/4" x 3/8" x 30" balsa stick and glue them into
position where shown on the plan.

❏ 16. Use a hobby knife to carefully trim the jig tabs

from the bottom of the ribs, the stab TE and the
elevator TE spars. Use a bar sander with 80-grit
sandpaper to sand the hinge blocks even with the
bottom of the stab and elevators.

❏ 17. Position the stab on your workbench or a flat

platform so that the TE of one of the elevator skins is
even with the edge. Carefully sand a bevel to the
elevator skin until the TE is 1/32" thick. The elevator
ribs will set your bar sander at the correct angle. The
line in the photo indicates the bevel. Sand the other
elevator skin the same way.

❏ 18. Sand a similar bevel to the inside of the

remaining two elevator skins. Glue the skins to the
bottom of the elevators.

❏ 19. Glue the bottom stab skins to the bottom of the

stab. Press the sheeting down evenly, being careful
not to add any twist.

❏ 20. Sand the sheeting on both ends of the stab

even with S-6.

❏ 21. Trim the top and the bottom of the stab LE’s

even with the sheeting, but don’t round them until
instructed to do so.

Refer to this photo for the following two steps.

❏❏22. Place one of the shaped 5/8" balsa stab

tips and one of the shaped 5/8" balsa elevator tips

over the plan (to be certain you identify the parts
correctly—they look similar to each other). Glue the
stab tip to the right side of the stab.

❏❏23. Slightly round the LE of the elevator tip. Glue

the elevator tip to the end of the elevator, but not to
the stab, with about a 1/16" space between them.

❏❏24. Shape the tips even with the stab and

elevator, but do not round them yet. Our preferred
method for shaping balsa tips is to first use a razor
plane, followed by a bar sander.

The stab is symmetrical. Now that it’s sheeted
there is no longer a “top” or a “bottom.” At any time
you can decide which surface looks the best and
designate that as the top.

-13-

❏❏25. Finish shaping the stab and elevator tips by

rounding the corners. Round the LE on the right side
of the stab to match the cross-section on the plan.

❏ 26. Repeat the previous four steps for the left side

of the stab.

Finish the elevators

❏

1. Use a razor saw to cut through the ribs, freeing

both elevators from the stab.

❏ 2. Sand the protruding ends of the ribs and the

stab sheeting even with the stab TE. Do the same
with the both elevators and sand the ends of the
elevator sheeting even with both S-2’s.

❏❏3. Glue one of the 1/2" x 5/8" x 1-15/16" balsa

elevator root blocks to the end of one of the
elevators. Shape the block to match the rest of the
elevator. The corners on the end of the root block
remain square.

❏❏4. Cut the elevator leading edge from a 3/16" x

1/2" x 30" balsa stick, then glue it to the front of the
elevator. The same as you’ve done with the tip and root
blocks, shape the LE to match the rest of the elevator.

❏❏5. Mark a centerline on the LE of the elevator.

An accurate way to do this is to stick a T-pin in the
center of the elevator LE near both ends. Position a
straightedge against the T-pins and draw a line with
a ballpoint pen. Mark a centerline on the TE of the
stab the same way.

❏❏6. Using the centerlines you marked as a guide,

cut the hinge slots in the elevator and corresponding
stab half where shown on the plan. Of course, we
use a Great Planes Slot Machine™to cut hinge slots
for CA hinges.

(Note: This step is not necessary if you have

cut hinge slots with a Slot Machine.)

❏❏7. Drill a 3/32" hole, 1/2" deep in the center of

the hinge slots. Use a rotary tool with a drill bit or a
carbide cutter for the best results. Insert a knife blade
to clean out the slot after you drill the holes.

❏❏8. Cut three 3/4" x 1" hinges from the CA hinge

strip supplied with this kit. Snip the corners off so the
hinges go into the slots easier.

DRILL A 3/32" HOLE

1/2" DEEP, IN CENTER

OF HINGE SLOT

-14-

❏❏9. Test fit the elevator to the stab with the

hinges. Shift the elevator over to create a 1/32" gap
between the elevator tip and the end of the stab at
S-6. Sand the elevator tip to match the stab tip.

❏❏10. Shape the LE of the elevator to a “V” for

control throw. Make certain you can achieve 5/8" of
both up and down control throw as described in the
Control Throws section on page 58. Increase the
angle of the bevel if necessary.

❏ 11. Repeat steps 3 through 10 to finish the

other elevator.

❏ 12. With the elevators temporarily connected to

the stab with the hinges, center the elevator joiner
wire on the elevators where shown on the plan. Use

a ballpoint pen to mark the location of the joiner
wires on the elevator root blocks.

❏ 13. Drill 1/8" holes and cut grooves in both

elevators to accommodate the joiner wire. Hint: Use
a 1/8" brass tube sharpened on one end to cut the
grooves in the LE.

❏ 14. Test fit the elevators to the stab with the joiner

wire. Make certain both elevators are parallel. If
necessary, bend one of the “arms” of the joiner wire
to align the elevators with each other. Note: If you
found it necessary to bend the wire, it must be
inserted into the elevators the same way when it’s
time to glue it in.

Build the fin

❏ 1. Cut the fin plan from the side view of the fuse

plan along the dashed lines. Place the fin plan over
your building board. The same as the stab, if you
work carefully there is no need to protect the plan
from glue.

Refer to this photo for the following two steps.

❏ 2. Just the same as the stab, hold the die-cut 3/32"

balsa fin ribs V-1 through V-5 over the plan with rib
jig sticks cut from two 1/4" x 1/4" x 24" balsa sticks.
Note that the widest part of each rib is the LE. Add
the die-cut 1/8" balsa fin TE spar and align it over
the plan. Glue the ribs to the fin TE spar.

❏ 3. Sand the LE of the fin ribs to the angle of the

LE on the plan. Cut the fin LE from the 3/8" x 1-3/4"
x 12" balsa stick. Glue the fin LE to the front of the
ribs. Trim the left side of the fin LE to within 1/8" of
the upward facing (left side) of the ribs.

-15-

❏ 4. Add the die-cut balsa rib V-6 and the top of the

fin TE spar cut from leftover 1/8" balsa. Use a
builder’s square to make sure V-6 is perpendicular to
the building board.

❏ 5. Sand left side of the fin TE spar even with the

ribs. Use the pattern provided on the plan to make
two fin skins from the 1/16" sheeting leftover from
the stab. Glue one of the fin skins to the left side of
the fin.

❏ 6. After the glue has hardened, remove the fin

from the building board. Trim the jig tabs from the

right side of the fin ribs. Cut two fin hinge blocks
from the same 1/4" x 3/8" stick used for the stab and
elevator hinge blocks, then glue the hinge blocks to
the fin TE spar where shown.

❏ 7. Sheet the right side of the fin. Sand the fin

sheeting even with the fin tip and TE spar, then sand
the fin LE even with the sheeting. Do not round the
LE of the fin until instructed to do so.

❏ 8. Glue the 11/16" x 1-3/16" x 3-3/8" balsa fin tip

to the fin. Shape the tip to match the fin, but do not
round until instructed to do so (after the rudder is
completed).

This is all that can be done on the fin for now, until
the top of the fuse is built. The rudder is built directly
onto the fin when the fuse is near completion. So
now, it’s time to build the fuse!

BUILD THE FUSE

Frame the fuse top

Note: The formers that have part names stamped
on them are stamped with only the necessary
portion of their names (some formers are too
small to have a name stamped on them). For
example, former F-2A is stamped “2A”. As noted
earlier in the manual, refer to the die drawing
pages to identify the parts correctly.

❏ 1. Cut the top view of the fuse plan from the fuse

plan sheet. Place it over your building board covered
with Great Planes Plan Protector or wax paper.

❏ 2. Cut the forward main stringers from two 3/16"

x 3/8" x 48" grooved balsa sticks. Note the bevel that
must be cut on the aft end of the stringers at F-11.
It’s okay to cut the stringers an inch or so longer than
required so the excess extends forward of F-1. Pin
both stringers to the plan.

Refer to this photo for the next two steps.

❏ 3. Cut the aft main stringers from the remaining

3/16" x 3/8" x 48" grooved balsa stick.Be certain to cut

-16-

the bevel on the front of the aft stringers to the correct
angle (if you cut the stringers a few inches longer than
required you will have enough material to make a few
adjustments until you get the angle just right).

❏ 4. Use a razor saw to cut partway through the

inside edges of the aft main stringers at F-12 so they
can make the bend. Pin the stringers into position
and glue them to the forward stringers. Add a few
drops of medium CA to the stringers where you cut
them at F-12.

Now for some of the fun stuff...

Note: All the following parts are die-cut 1/8" plywood
unless otherwise indicated.

❏ 5. Without using any glue, join the parts of the

upper crutch assembly including the left and right
upper crutches (LUC, RUC), the crutch top (CT)

and F- 2A, F-3A and F-4A. Fit the assembly to the
main stringers over their location on the plan.

❏ 6. Glue the assembly together and to the main

stringers. Use a small builder’s square to make
certain the formers are perpendicular to the building
board. Note: Don’t worry about glue joints you can’t
reach while the fuse top is pinned to the building
board. We’ll remind you to reinforce them later.

❏ 7. Use a 3/16" brass tube sharpened at the end to

cut holes centered over the punchmarks in die-cut
1/8" balsa formers F-11A and F-10A.

❏ 8. If you are going to install the optional Top Flite

Scale Cockpit kit, use a straightedge and a ballpoint
pen to mark the cut-out lines on both die-cut 1/8"
plywood formers F-6D and F-7A as shown. The
shaded portions shown in the photo will be removed
later to accommodate the cockpit kit. Cut partway
through the formers, so they will be easier to cutout
after they are glued into position.

❏ 9. Glue formers F-5A through F-10A to the main

stringers over their location on the plan. Make certain
the formers are facing forward and use a builder’s
square to hold the formers perpendicular while
gluing them in place.

❏ 10. Assemble the stab base assembly at the back

of the fuselage with both stab bases (SB), the fin
LE brace, the die-cut 1/8" balsa formers F-11A & F­12A, the die-cut 3/32" balsa sub deck and the die-
cut 1/8" balsa spine. Glue the pieces into position.

❏ 11. Glue together both halves of the die-cut 1/8"

balsa cockpit deck so the notches align. Sand the
pieces flat and even. If you are going to install the
scale cockpit interior, cut the deck along the partially
embossed lines and remove that section. Fit, then
glue the cockpit deck into position.

-17-

❏ 12. Glue together die-cut 1/8" balsa formers F-6A,

F-6B and F-6C, then glue them into the notch in the
cockpit deck. Glue the die-cut 1/8" balsa instrument
panel (IP) to the cockpit deck. Note that the

instrument panel and the F-6 assembly are
perpendicular to the building board, not to the
cockpit deck.

Now for the real fun part...

❏ 13. Use a total of seven 3/16" x 3/16" x 30" balsa

sticks for the stringers in the top half of the fuselage.
Without using any glue, start by fitting two stringers
into the top three notches of F-1 to F-6D (you’ll have
about a half of a stringer leftover). Next, fit two more

stringers into the notches of F-5A to F-9A
(immediately under the cockpit deck) on both sides
of the fuse (you’ll have two half-stringers leftover).
Then, fit the two leftover pieces into the notches of F­8A to F-10A on both sides of the fuse. And finally, fit
three more stringers into the notches of F-1 to F-11A
on both sides of the fuse. They will have to be spliced
together at the notch in F-5A. Add former F-1A to the
assembly as you are fitting the stringers to the front
of the fuse.

❏ 14. After the stringers and former F-1A have been

fitted, glue them into position. Use a builder’s square
to make certain F-1A is perpendicular to the
building board.

❏ 15. Bevel the edges of the cockpit deck to match

the shape of the fuselage and the angle of the spine.
Sand all of the stringers and the sub deck even with
the formers.

❏ 16. Temporarily remove the T-pins from the main

stringers and take the fuse top off the building board.

Sand the main stringers to match the angle of the
formers. Replace the fuse top on the building board,
holding it down with T-pins.

❏ 17. Glue the five 1/8" x 3/16" x 24" sub stringers

into the groove of the main stringers. Make sure
none of the T-pins are protruding in the groove which
would interfere with the fit of the sub stringers.

Before we can sheet the fuse top, the stab and fin
must be glued into position.

Mount the stab and fin

❏

1. Position the stab on the stab base. Taking
careful measurements, make certain the stab is
centered, side-to-side, on the stab bases. Place a
weight on top of the stab to hold it down.

❏ 2. Measure the distance from the bottom of the

stab at both tips down to the building board. If the

-18-

distances are not equal (if the stab is not level),
lightly trim the stab bases until you can get the stab
level. Use caution not to change the incidence
angle of the stab. If the stab is not exactly level, but
it’s close, sometimes all it takes is shifting the weight
slightly. Hint: Use balsa blocks of equal thickness to
level the stab. If you do this, make certain the stab is
fully contacting the stab bases.

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

F-1. Tie a small loop in one end of a 50" piece of non­elastic line such as monofilament or Kevlar fishing
line. Slip the loop over the T-pin. Fold a piece of
masking tape over the string near the other end and
draw an arrow on it. Slide the tape along the string
and align the arrow with one end of the stab as
shown in the photo. Swing the string over to the
same position on the other side of the stab. Shift the
stab and slide the tape along the string until the
arrow aligns with both sides of the stab. The stab
must remain level and centered during this process.

❏ 4. Mark the stab where it aligns with the fuse so it

can be realigned after you take it off.

❏ 5. Remove the stab. Mix up a batch of 30-minute

epoxy. For additional strength, add Great Planes
Milled Fiberglass (GMR6165). Apply epoxy to the
stab bases and to the bottom of the stab where it
contacts the saddles. Reposition the stab and place
weights on top of it to hold it down. Confirm stab
alignment with the pin and string. Wipe away excess
epoxy and do not disturb the model until the epoxy
has fully hardened.

Refer to this photo for the following three steps.

❏ 6. Use the “T-pin and straightedge” technique to

mark a centerline down the TE of the fin. After the
epoxy from the stab has fully hardened, test fit the fin
to the stab and fuse. Use a builder’s square placed
along the centerline you marked on the fin TE to
make sure the fin is vertical. Trim the fin sheeting
where necessary for a good fit to the top of the stab
and the sub stringers.

❏ 7. Temporarily join the elevators to the stab with

the elevator joiner wire and the hinges. Cut round
notches in the fin sheeting to accommodate the
elevator joiner wire.

❏ 8. With the elevator joiner wire in position, glue

the fin into position with 30-minute epoxy. Before the
epoxy cures, make certain the fin is vertical and the
front of rib V-1 is centered on F-12. Do not build up a
fillet of epoxy between the fin sheeting and the stab.

Sheet the top of the fuse

By now you’ve noticed that the Focke-Wulf fuselage
has some interesting lines and curves. Unlike many
other warbirds that have either a round fuselage
(such as a Corsair) or a “slab-sided” fuselage (such
as a Mustang), the Focke-Wulf fuse features a
mixture of irregular curves and converging angles.
While this doesn’t necessarily make sheeting the
fuselage difficult, careful thought and planning were
required during the construction of our prototype to
determine a procedure that modelers could
duplicate. Blocks are used in areas where it would be
too difficult to sheet. If you are an expert at sheeting
models, or if you prefer to do it a different way, you
could venture off. For most modelers, we
recommend that you carefully follow these
instructions to end up with a fuselage that replicates
the lines of the Focke-Wulf.

❏ 1. One at a time, remove the T-pins from the main

stringer and reinsert them as shown in the sketch.
This way, the pins won’t be concealed under the
sheeting when it’s time to take the fuse off the
building board.

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This is really the only “tricky” piece of sheeting.
We’ve provided three photos to make sure you
can do it correctly.

❏ 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.

❏ 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.

❏ 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.

❏ 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.

❏ 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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