Mount The Cowls - Top Flite Douglas DC-3 User Manual

F26. Glue the skin to the nacelle formers. It's
easiest to glue the sheeting to the wing first, then bend
and glue it to the formers. Trim as necessary so the front
landing gear strut and the landing gear straps will fit.
F27. Glue the skin to the bottom of the other side of
the nacelle the same way.
28. Route the fuel lines through the top nacelle
formers and the cowl rings.
29. Make the skins for the top of the nacelle using
the 1/16" x 4" balsa sheet you used for the nacelle
bottom skins and the nacelle top sheeting patterns on
the plan. Glue the skins to the nacelle top.
30. Turn the wing over. Use the bottom nacelle tip
pattern on the plan to make the bottom nacelle tip
from the 1/2" x 2" x 8" balsa stick. Glue the bottom
nacelle tip to the wing. Trim as necessary for the aft
strut. Shape the nacelle tip to match rest of nacelle.
31. Make the top nacelle tip the same way using
the top nacelle tip pattern on the plan and the
remainder of the 1/2" x 2" balsa stick. Glue the top
nacelle tip in position.
32. Apply lightweight balsa filler all around the
edges of the nacelle where it meets the wing. After the
filler dries, blend the nacelle to the wing by sanding.
Round the nacelle front around the front cowl ring.
33. Return to step one and sheet the other nacelle the
same way (aren't you glad you're not building a B-17?).
DC-3 Fact
Though technological advances in aviation have
relegated the "Gooney" to second and third line
tasks, approximately 1,500 of them are flying
today. Some are still in service but many are
recognized as collectors items. In increasing
numbers variants of the DC-3 are appearing at air
shows across the world.
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MOUNT THE COWLS

1. Cut one molded right and left ABS cowl half
and a cowl rear along the cutlines (the cutlines can be
most easily seen from the inside). Hobbico (HCAR0667)
or Kyosho (KYOR1010) curved plastic cutting scissors
work well for this. True the edges with a bar sander and
80-grit sandpaper.
2. Thoroughly roughen the inside and the outside of
the joining edges of both cowl halves with 150 to 240-grit
sandpaper. Basically, you should sand everywhere you
want glue and filler to adhere, including a 1" wide strip
along the joining edges on the inside of both cowl halves.
3. Join the cowl halves and hold them together with
masking tape. Glue the cowl halves together with thin
CA. Avoid using accelerator, or use it sparingly because
it may soften the plastic.
4. Join the cowl halves to the cowl rear.