8
The fuselage
Assemble the motor mount from the five parts supplied, as shown in the photo, and glue the joints
thoroughly.
Allow the joints to set hard, then glue the motor mount to the nose bulkhead. Note that the projecting
tabs on the motor mount must engage fully in the slots in the bulkhead, and that the motor mount must
make good contact with the bulkhead on both sides.
Glue the triangular fillets in place to reinforce the joints, as shown in the photo.
Drill the holes in the motor mount to suit the motor you intend to use, and screw the motor to the
mount.
Make sure that all the glued joints are really hard, then place the cowl over the nose and fit the spinner
and propeller adaptor on the motor shaft.
Mark the rear line of the cowl on both sides of the fuselage.
Remove the spinner and cowl again, and mark the position of the cowl retaining screws. Ensure that
the holes are central to the nose bulkhead, otherwise the retaining screws may not “hold” properly.
Screw the two undercarriage units to the fuselage as shown in the photo; note that the legs should
face the rear (i.e. angled back).
Drill 4 mm Ø holes in both wheel spats, and file out the slots for the wheel axles. Take care to produce
a “handed pair” of spats, i.e. they are different right and left. The centre of the wheel axles should be
located about 7 mm above the bottom edge of the wheel spats.
Fit the wheel axles and wheels in the spats as shown in the photo, and screw these assemblies to the
undercarriage legs.
Use a fingertip to locate the slots for the tailplane and fin in the tail end of the fuselage, and melt the
excess film away using the tip of a hot soldering iron.
Fit the tailplane and fin in the slots, and centre them as shown in the photo.
Run a felt-tip pen along the outside of the fuselage to mark the areas of film on the tailplane and fin
which are to be removed.
Remove the panels and melt the film by running the tip of a hot soldering iron along a line just inside
the felt-tip markings. Peel the film away from the wood.
With the excess film removed, slide the tail panels into the slots in the fuselage again. Align and centre
them carefully, then glue them in place. Note that the fin must be exactly at right-angles to the tailplane
- check this with a setsquare.
As described for the ailerons, attach the rudder and elevator horns to the control surfaces with the
clevis linkage points exactly in line with the hinge pivot axis.
Screw clevises on one end of the two long pushrods and slip them into the sleeves from the tail end of
the fuselage. Connect the clevises to the horns. Cut rings from the silicone tubing and push them over
the clevises to prevent them springing open.
Mount the tailwheel unit on the fuselage, attaching it to the rudder at the same time, as shown in the
photos. Drill pilot-holes before fitting the retaining screws.
Install the rudder and elevator servos in the fuselage, as described for the aileron servos; drill pilot-
holes for the retaining screws beforehand. Position the servos in such a way that the pushrods have
as straight a run as possible. Bend the front end of both pushrods at right-angles and secure each with
a plastic retainer clip, as described previously.
The flight battery is fitted through the opening in the underside of the fuselage. It is secured using
hook-and-loop (Velcro) tape: glue one piece to the battery, the other to the mounting plate.
