Top Flite Contender User Manual page 15

4. Fully seat the top wing spar in the rib notches and
glue in place. The jig tabs on ribs W-1 must be sanded
off prior to sheeting.
5. Sheet the LE of the wing in the same way you
did the sheeting on the bottom of the wing. Sheet
both the left and right side of the wing.
6. Trim the sheeting flush to the wing sub LE.
7. Cut the jig tabs from the ribs. Lightly sand the ribs
even with the trailing edge. Make sure when you cut
them off that you maintain the airfoil of the rib.
8. Cut fourteen 3" x 2-1/8" [76 x 54.2mm] balsa
shear webs from leftover 3/32" x 3" x 30" [2.4 x 76 x
762mm] balsa sheet. Cut two 2-1/8" x 1-1/2" [54.2 x
38mm] balsa shear webs.
9. Glue one of the 1-1/2" x 2-1/8" [38 x 54.2mm]
balsa shear webs in place between the W-3 ribs for
both wing halves. Glue the 2-1/8" x 3" [54.2 x 76mm]
balsa shear webs between each of the remaining
ribs. The shear webs will need to be trimmed slightly
on the W-2 ribs that have the ply doublers. At the
center of the wing use two shear webs and trim them
to fit the center section.
10. From the leftover 3/32" x 3" x 30" [2.4 x 76 x
762mm] balsa, sheet the center section of the wing.
If you will be installing the optional flap, mark the
servo location and cut the opening for it.
11. Sand the entire top of the wing.
12. Locate the two 1/2" x 1-1/4" x 24" [12.7 x 32 x
610mm] balsa LE sticks. Glue them to the front of
the balsa sub LE. Be sure the LE sticks are joined
directly over the joint of the sub LE stick. Trim the
end of the LE flush with the tip rib.
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13. Use a razor plane to shape the wing LE to the
shape shown on the plan. Sand the wing LE to its
final shape.
14. Measure over 1" from each side of the leading
edge joint and mark it with a pen. Be sure the mark
is centered on the LE.
15. On the marks that you have made, push a
T-pin through the balsa LE, sub LE and the forward
dowel guide. The pin should be centered in the hole
in the forward dowel guide.
16. Using the pin holes in the LE as a reference,
drill a 1/8" pilot hole through the LE. Check to make
sure the hole is centered in the hole of the forward
dowel guide. Then drill a 1/4" [6.4mm] hole through
the LE. It will line up perfectly with the holes in the
forward dowel guide.
17. Locate two 1/4" x 4" [6.4 x 25.4mm] hardwood
wing dowels. Round one end of each dowel as
shown on the plan. Slightly round the other end for
ease of insertion.
18. Apply 30-minute epoxy to the holes in the
forward and aft dowel guide. Slide one dowel into
each hole, making sure that the rounded end
protrudes through the LE and that the other goes all
the way through both dowel guides.