Build The Elevators - Top Flite Douglas DC-3 User Manual

When we glue sheeting to a structure (wing, stab, fin),
we use plastic bags filled with lead shot to hold the
sheeting down. These plastic bags filled with lead
take the shape of the curved surfaces to apply
uniform pressure and do not put marks in the balsa
wood. You can purchase lead shot at most stores
where hunting supplies are sold. We use #6 lead
shot. One 25 lb. bag costs approximately fifteen to
twenty dollars. You may use small zip lock food
storage bags to hold the shot. Tape the bags shut to
make sure they don't open. Each bag should hold
between two to three lbs. of lead. Ten to fifteen two-
to-three lb. bags should be enough for most projects.
You can see how we position our "weight bags"
further ahead in the manual during wing construction.
13. Sheet the top of the stab with one of the stab skins
you've already prepared. We recommend using aliphatic
resin to glue the skin to the ribs and CA to glue the skin to
the TE, LE and tips. Wet the outside of the sheeting in the
middle near the leading edge. Apply aliphatic resin to the
ribs and position the top skin on the stab. Place your
weights on top of the stab skin, then use CA to glue the
skin to the LE, TE and tips. Leave the weights in position
until the aliphatic resin dries—thirty minutes to an hour is
enough time.
14. Remove the stab from your building board. Save
the rib jigs for building your fin. Turn the stab over and
cut the jig tabs from the bottom of the ribs, then trim the
bottom of the LE even with the ribs. Trim the stab tips
and the bottom of the TE near the tips the same way
you did on the top. Trim the bottom of the rudder torque
rod block even with the ribs.
15. Cut the stab hinge blocks from the same 1/4" x
3/4" balsa stick you used for the rudder torque rod block
a few steps earlier. Glue the hinge blocks to the TE, ribs,
and top sheeting where shown on the plan. Trim the
hinge blocks even with the TE and ribs.
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16. Sheet the bottom of the stab with the other stab
skin you prepared. Use care not to add any twist to the
stab as it is no longer supported by the jig tabs. Once
again, we suggest using aliphatic resin to glue the skin
to the ribs and medium CA for the rest.

BUILD THE ELEVATORS

1. Mark the location of the elevator ribs on both sides
of one of the die-cut 3/32" balsa elevator cores where
shown on the plan. The easiest way to do this is to mark
just the front of the elevator, then use a small square to
extend the lines with a ballpoint pen. Note the alternate
scale location of the elevator ribs shown on the plan.
2. Cut the remainder of the 1/4" x 3/4" balsa stick
you used for the stab hinge blocks and an additional
1/4" x 3/4" x 30" balsa stick to the length shown on the
plan for the elevator leading edge. Use a straightedge
to draw line 5/16" from the edge of the elevator leading
edge. Glue the elevator core to the LE along the line—