Mount The Cowl - GREAT PLANES Christen Eagle II Instruction Manual

8. Mount the engine to the firewall with 1/4-20 x 1" [25mm]
socket head cap screws and 1/4" [6.4mm] lock washers.

Mount the Cowl

Note: The Christen Eagle II ARF features a unique cowl ring
mounting system for holding the cowl to the fuselage. In
addition to providing a much more secure, durable and
attractive method of attaching the cowl, it also makes the
cowl alignment process during assembly much easier and
more precise. Follow these instructions to mount the cowl.
1. Temporarily mount the plywood cowl ring to F-1 with
five 4-40 x 1/2" [13mm] socket head cap screws, lock
washers and flat washers. (If any of the screws are difficult
to turn, there may be a little glue in the blind nuts. If so, just
run a 4-40 tap through the nuts to clean out the threads.)
2. Drill out the two remaining holes in both sides of the
cowl ring and F-1 on the fuselage using a 1/8" [3.2mm] drill.
(Temporary engine removal may be required if the
carburetor or any other part of the engine is in the way).
3. Cut two 1" [25mm] cowl alignment pins from any
remaining 1/8" [3.2mm] dowel. Chuck the pins in a hand drill
and use sandpaper to round one end of both pins.
F-1
4. Cut the alignment pins to a length of 1/2" [13mm]. With
the cowl ring fastened to the fuselage, push the alignment
pins, rounded end first, into the cowl ring and F-1.
Approximately 1/8" of the pins should protrude through the
front of the cowl ring—this will improve the glue joint. Use a
few dabs of epoxy to glue the alignment pins into the cowl
ring (but not to the fuselage). Allow the epoxy to harden
before proceeding.
5. Remove the cowl ring from the fuselage. Trim off any
epoxy that may have leaked past the alignment pins onto the
back of the cowl ring. Reinstall the cowl ring with the screws.
6. Carefully slide the cowl onto the fuselage over the cowl
ring. Using the appropriate spacer in the spinner backplate,
mount the spinner and a prop to the engine (a 3mm hex
wrench will be required for tightening the spinner bolt).
Center the front of the cowl on the spinner while providing
adequate clearance between the rivets on the backplate and
the front of the cowl (3/32" [2.5mm] should be adequate). If
the cowl fits too tightly, look through the air inlets on both
sides of the cowl and observe any "high spots" where the
cowl and cowl ring meet. Remove the cowl and cowl ring.
Sand down the high spots and refit the cowl ring and cowl.
7. View the cowl and fuselage from all angles. Make sure
the cowl matches up well to the fuselage and spinner. From
the front, also make sure the cowl is positioned horizontally.
Make any adjustments necessary for a good fit.
20
COWL RING
ALIGNMENT
PIN