Sheet The Fuse Top - Top Flite P-47D Thunderbolt User Manual

Now is the time to decide whether you are going
to build the razorback or the bubble canopy
version. Steps beginning with a "B" are for the
"bubble canopy" and steps beginning with an "R"
are for the razorback. Steps with neither "B" nor
"R" apply to both versions.
❏
B11. Glue formers IP, CB and 5C to the cockpit
deck and former tops 6C and 7C to formers 6 & 7.
❏
R12. Glue formers IP, CBX and 5X to the cockpit
deck and former tops 6X and 7X to formers 6 & 7.
❏
13. Fit eleven 1/4" x 1/4" x 30" balsa stringers into
the notches in the formers (if you're building the
bubble canopy version, do not fit the top, middle
stringer into formers CB through 9 until instructed to
do so). Some of the stringers are not long enough and
will have to be spliced together. Note that the middle
stringer extends past former 9 by approximately 2".
❏
14. Do not glue the top four stringers to former 9,
but glue the rest of the stringers to the formers. As
you glue the stringers into the notches, use a
builder's square to align the tops of the formers with
the plan, thereby removing twists as you proceed.
Various prototypes and incarnations of the P-47
began to materialize at Republic Aircraft around
1940. One of the first designs recognizable as a
P-47 was the XP-44 Rocket . One of the engine
performance features carried over from Seversky
was the gear-driven supercharger and later a
turbo-supercharger.
-18-
❏
15. Glue leftover 3/32" balsa to both sides of former
5 between the bottom two stringers to support the
sheeting where it will be spliced together.
❏
16. Lightly sand all joints, blending the stringers to
the formers; and bevel the edges of the cockpit deck
to accommodate the sheeting.

Sheet the fuse top

❏
1. Of the five 3/32" x 4" x 36" balsa sheets
supplied with this kit, select the hardest sheet, label
it as "shear webs," and set it aside for use when
building the wing.
❏
2. Refer to the following photo. Trim a 3/32" x 4" x
36" balsa sheet to fit the right side of the fuse top from
the center of former 5 aft (you'll have to glue a piece
of leftover 3/32" sheeting to the top of the sheet near
the front so it will extend to the second stringer).
❏
3. Once you've trimmed the sheet to fit the right
side, use it as a pattern to make another sheet from