stage I add a 12mm wide strip of brown paper down the top surface aileron hinge line to strengthen the BP skin hinge . A patch above the aileron servo on the top surface , and as many BP panels as the desire for authenticity allows .
The wing panels are now trial fitted and the roots marked on the fuselage and the balsa sheet cut out on both sides , a couple of millimetres oversize all round . The spar should locate through the fuselage and into the “ spar box ” in the other panel setting the correct dihedral . Using masking tape , mask a neat line around the root on the fuz side and also across the wing root out from the fuselage . A bit like the root panel fairing line . I now mix up a generous quantity of epoxy bog using ordinary epoxy and micro balloons which makes slow setting light weight and strong filler glue , of a thick creamy texture . Apply a good measure of this to the roots either side of the fuselage and also into the spar joiner box and then press the wings into place . A certain amount of bog will squeeze out and this plus any more needed can be shaped into a nice fillet between the wing and the fuselage using a round ended kitchen knife or other tool that suits your purpose . During all this , you need to regularly check the fuselage is perpendicular to the wing root and adjust as necessary , its incidence position will be held accurately by the balsa fuselage sides , so the cutouts need to be accurate , as once it all dries it becomes an immovable one piece object !
The painting is a matter of personal choice . My preference is to spray the whole aircraft with a generous coat of a one Step acrylic primer and then sand well just to about expose the BP .
Profile Undercoated Then pay a visit to Resene and purchase the inexpensive acrylic test pots of the desired colour , thin it with methanol and paint away ( brush or spray ). They also have a great new range of metallic colours . Panel lines of your choice can be created from BP panels , panelling tape , or my preference is to use a rounded point 6B pencil , being careful not to tear through the surface . Extra detail can be added with graphics vinyl strips and litho plate double sided on , exhaust stacks , guns etc , the sky is the limit only constrained by your imagination . Decals and lettering add the final touch , again I like to keep the cost down , and create these myself from vinyl scraps sourced from a friendly sign writer .
Flying has been a breeze from an underhand launch , with all the prototypes having flown away with little trim input . Control throws can be a personal preference , and for connection , I have used 2.56 rods with a Z-bend and a Sullivan gold clevis . For setup and comparative purposes , the relative specs are ;
Profile Brown Paper covered assembly Similarly , the elevator is masked and bogged into place all the time checking the alignment with the wings and fuselage . The ailerons are now marked out and remembering that the top surface is used as a skin hinge , the bottom surface brown paper is cut through , removing a strip and cutting out a vee of foam to allow the aileron to hinge down . Needless to say , care must be taken not to cut through the top surface . Relief is cut at each end allowing 1.5mm balsa end plates to be added . Now fold the aileron up onto the top surface and glue a strip of brown paper across the inside , covering the exposed foam and adding another thickness to the underside of the hinge line .
Construction is now finished and trial fitting of the gear can take place and determination that the C of G placement is satisfactory . The models have proven quite forgiving , but the CofG can be adjusted by making a longer battery recess box , lining it with Velcro and moving the battery about as necessary . Different motors , gear and weight of materials will have an effect , so it ’ s not a bad practise to be able to move the battery to adjust the CofG rather than adding dreaded nose weight !