Mount The Aft Hatch - Top Flite Douglas DC-3 User Manual

14. Sheet the other side of the fuse the same way
with another 3/32" x 3" x 36" balsa sheet.
15. Use the two leftover 3/32" x 3" balsa sheets to
sheet both sides of the fuse from the sheet you just
glued in place to the middle of the next stringer.
16. Use a 3/32" x 3" x 36" balsa sheet to sheet the
remaining portion of the bottom of the fuselage.
17. Fill-in the space where the cabin top is mounted to
the fuse, between the sub stringer and the main stringer
with leftover balsa. Sand even with the fuse.
18. Now that the fuselage is fully sheeted (except for
the hatch on the bottom at the aft end of the fuse), use a
razor plane to trim the main sub stringers even with the
fuse sides. Fill any gaps you see between the sheeting
with balsa filler. After the filler dries you may rough sand
the fuse to remove high spots and to blend the sheeting,
but do not final sand until instructed to do so.
DC-3 Fact
In the 1903's the airline industry was still booming
and competition was fierce. The DC-3 was born
out of American Airlines' need to remain
competitive with other players in the industry—
namely TWA who had the DC-2.

MOUNT THE AFT HATCH

Making the aft hatch removable is optional. It would be
easier just to glue all the parts to the fuse, but some
prefer not to permanently enclose the rudder and
elevator hookups so they can inspect or adjust them
later if necessary. Another option is to make the tail
cone removable instead. Study the following section to
see how you would like to do it. The following
instructions show how to make the aft hatch removable.
- 30 -
1. Fit but do not glue, the die-cut 1/8" plywood former
F11AD to the main stringers and former F11. Slip a
piece of waxed paper between F11AD and F11. Position
the die-cut 1/8" balsa former F12H to former 12 so it is
1/16" below F12. Hold F12H in place with T-pins.
2. Use a 3/16" x 3/16" x 30" stick for the stringers that
connect F11AD to F12H. Glue the stringers in the
notches of F11AD and to the bottom of F12H. Be careful
not to inadvertently glue F11AD and F12H to the fuse
so your hatch can be removable.
3. Sand the end of the stringers even with the end of
the fuse. Remove the assembly from the fuse to make
sure you haven't glued it in place. Replace the hatch to
the fuse.