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TAIL FEATHERS

These are built up over the plan from 9.5mm balsa and are quite straight forword.

Material width is mainly 15mm with 20mm elevator T/E. Strip off sufficient of these sizes for horizontal and vertical components. Trace and cut larger shaped parts, such as the rudder T/E and bottom, tailplane centre piece, fin bottom block and tip blocks before starting assembly. As for the wing, I used PVA glue, ensuring that all the end grain joints were double glued to ensure good structural integrity. After assembly, hinge both rudder and elevator before shaping to aerofoil section. A portable electric finishing sander works great for doing this operation. Finally round off the leading edges and tips.

FUSELAGE As the motor is fully enclosed, it will be worthwhile to give some thought to the location and type of fittings for fuelling, muffler etc. before building is commenced.

The OS .46 motor with standard muffler was used, this installation only requiring some extra carving under the engine and battery compartments in order to allow the muffler to fit in quite unobtrusively.

A standard muffler extension takes care of the exhaust gunk when flying.

Commence fuselage construction by cutting all bulkheads to shape. Epoxy F2a and F4a in place. Cut and sand the engine mount spacer for 2° right and down thrust, epoxy to F1 and drill for engine mount. Drill F1 for fuel lines and throttle cable. Drill 1/4" front wing dowel holes in F2/F2a as per plan and attach rear wing bolt fittings to F4/4A. Prepare the rectangular tank floor, ply doublers and fuselage sides - also 6.5mm square balsa and 6.5 x 3mm spruce longerons. Next step is basic fuselage assembly. To simplify assembly behind F7, cut the spruce top longerons to length so that they finish about 10mm behind F7, before attaching them to the top edge of the fuselage sides. Add ply fuselage doublers and mark in the bulkhead positions. With one fuselage side lying flat, set up and epoxy F1, tank and F2 in position.

Add the second fuselage side, checking carefully for square as a basis for accurate fuselage assembly. When this is all cured, set up in the fuselage jig. Glue in F3 to F7 and 9.5mm stern post. F3a and canopy frames will be added later. Steam bend the bottom longerons behind F7 to shape and glue in place. Cut a 6.5mm balsa filler to shape and fit in fuselage top from F7 to end post. Add the tailplane support block.

Fit the servo rails and install servos and control linkages.

I used a balsa pushrod and "Y" linkage for elevator, Golden rod rudder linkage and standard flex throttle cable. Sheet the bottom from wing back. Attach and square up the tailplane/elevator assembly. Fin/rudder was left till later to minimise hanger rash during work on the front end. Set the wing in position, check that everything is square and drill L/E dowel holes through F2/2a. Ensuring that wing is accurately aligned, drill trailing edge to accept wing bolts. Fit the motor in position and make any necessary modifications to F1 bottom area to accept the muffler. It may be necessary to make a semi-circular cutout in the bottom of F1 and enclose part of the battery area to prevent internal fuel or oil seepage around the muffler, depending on what type of muffler system is used. Make up and fit the chin and side blocks and nose block. Fit C2 and turtle deck sheeting, fuel tank and tank compartment top sheeting. Shape detachable top engine cowling and attach to top half of nose block. Paint cockpit floor (flat black) and set up cockpit instrumentation. Attach fin/rudder assembly, steerable tailwheel and top fin/fuselage fairing blocks.

Shape and fit the wing fairings, undercarriage fairings and wheel spats.

Finish off radio gear installation, linkage connections and any other finishing touch ups. Finally sand all over and the project should be ready for your personalised covering job. The cockpit canopy will be fitted later, when covering is completed. An excellent clear canopy is available from Airborne Plans Service.