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BALANCE THE MODEL LATERALLY
Do not confuse this procedure with "checking the C.G."
which will be discussed later in the manual.
Now that the model is covered and nearly completed, this is
the time to balance it laterally (side-to-side). Here's how:
1. With the wing level and attached to the model (and
the engine and muffler installed), lift the model by the
propeller shaft and the fin. This may require an assistant.
Do this several times.
2. The wing that consistently drops indicates the heavy
side. Balance the model by adding weight to the other wing tip.
An airplane that is laterally balanced will track better during
aerobatic maneuvers.
PAINTING
After the model is covered, use fuelproof model paint,
30-minute epoxy thinned with alcohol or finishing resin to coat
areas that may be exposed to raw fuel or exhaust residue.
These are areas such as the firewall, front and back of the
belly pan (DP and WBP-B), fuse openings for the wing (F-2B
and FBP-A) and wing saddle doubler, fuel compartment hatch
and the fuse top forward of the sheeting.
Top Flite LustreKote fuelproof paint is recommended for
painting all the ABS plastic parts and the aluminum landing
gear. The wheel pants should be removed from the landing
gear for painting. Use a file to round the corners of the
aluminum landing gear before you paint it. At least one coat of
LustreKote primer is highly recommended to fill all the small
scratches left from sanding as well as small pin holes in the
Bondo filler. Wet sand between coats with 400-grit sandpaper
and apply a second coat of primer if necessary.
Before painting the canopy use scissors or a hobby knife to
trim it along the molded cut lines, then true the edges with your
bar sander and 220-grit sandpaper. Use 400-grit sandpaper to
scuff the frame portion of the canopy so the paint will stick. We
recommend you paint the canopy frame with Pactra
Formula-U or Chevron Perfect Paint. Use masking tape to
cover the portion of the canopy that is not to be painted. If you
are not sure that the paint is compatible with the clear canopy,
test the paint on a leftover piece of canopy material.
For painting the pilot we have discovered that acrylic water
base paints such as the types found at craft stores work great.
The acrylic paints look realistic on the pilot because they are
not glossy and best of all, they clean-up with water.
Paint the cockpit interior using your own imagination (or
scale documentation) as a guide. We painted the back rest
(former F-3), the instrument panel and the 1/4" x 1/4"
cockpit sides with flat black brush-on paint, then covered
the cockpit floor with 600-grit sandpaper glued in place with
3M 77 spray adhesive.
FINAL HOOKUPS & CHECKS
Join the Control Surfaces
CUT THE COVERING
AWAY FROM THE SLOT
1. Start with the elevators and stab. Cut the covering
from the hinge slots–don't just slit the covering but remove
a small strip the size of the hinge slot.
DRILL A 3/32" HOLE
1/2" DEEP, IN CENTER
OF HINGE SLOT
2. Drill a 3/32" hole 1/2" deep in the center of each hinge
slot. A high speed Dremel Tool works best for this. If you
use a regular drill, clean out the hinge slots with your #11
blade.
3. Use coarse sandpaper to scuff the elevator joiner
wire, the tail wheel wire and the aileron torque rods so the
glue will stick. Clean the aileron torque rod arms, the
elevator joiner wire and the tail wheel wire with rubbing
alcohol to remove residue that may keep the glue from
sticking. Don't wipe away the marks you made earlier on
the elevator joiner wire (so the elevators remain parallel and
flat).
4. Fit the elevator joiner wire through the slot in the fuse
at the trailing edge of the stab. Make sure the joiner wire
will be in the same orientation it was when the elevators
were joined so they are flat and parallel.
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