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FUSELAGE
Having
already cut out all the parts and laminated formers F3 and
F4, the job is easy.
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Bend the 1.5 x
12.5mm ply doublers and the front of the fuselage sides to the
required curve using a heat gun, then glue the doublers to the
front of the inside of the fuselage sides.
Glue
formers F1, F2, F3 and F4 to one fuselage side, making sure that
they are set up .8mm from the bottom of the fuselage and that
they are set at the correct angle. This is done by placing the
fuselage side over the drawings.
Glue the
ply doubler for the tow hook to the 0.8mm ply bottom. With the
0.8mm fuselage bottom aligned correctly to the fuselage side
with the bulkheads attached, using fast cyano, glue the bottom
of the fuselage to F3.
Slowly
bring the fuselage side and bottom together, working towards the
nose and gluing as you go. Make sure that the fuselage bottom is
flush with the bottom of the fuselage side and square as you
glue. Using the same technique, work from F3 to the tail, gluing
as you go.
Glue in
the fin post, top and leading edge, then the 5mm triangular
longerons and the two rear 1.5mm laminated balsa formers.
Add the
nyrods and elevator bellcranks, and run a thin wire through the
rear section of the fuselage, exiting the fuselage just forward
of the rudder hinge line through a small hole in the bottom of
the fuselage just behind the tail skid. This is for pulling the
antenna wire through later.
Glue the
5mm balsa wing saddle and the 5mm triangular section stringer in
place to the top inside of the fuselage side making sure that
the stringer is set down 0.8mm so that the ply top will fit
flush. Glue the other side of the fuselage in place, making sure
that the fuselage is straight and not twisted.
Glue the
0.8mm ply top in position, pulling the tops of the fuselage
sides in to match the top at the base of the fin leading edge.
Glue the
medium to hard balsa nose block in place. Hollow it out, as
shown on the plan, in case nose weight is needed to achieve the
correct balance.
Rough
cut the balsa hatch block and tack glue it in position. Carve
the hatch to shape, and sand the whole fuselage, including the
hatch, to shape, as shown. Remove the hatch and hollow out the
inside, leaving 8mm around the edges and 12.5mm at the front.
Glue the ply hatch locater in place, and fit the hatch pin and
brass tube to the front. Glue the retaining hook in place.
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Glue
the servo mounts in place. Add the false fin LE and the
top of the dorsal fin.
Cover
the fuselage and rudder separately, then fit the rudder
and glue the hinges in place. I covered the whole airframe
with Solarfilm because it's easy to use and relatively
light.
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For
the front skid I used a length of rubber door seal,
available from hardware shops. The profile is shown on the
plan. It is hollow and has an adhesive backing. I cut the
front to a point and glued it with cyano.
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