Page 11 of 16
do not glue the sleeves where they pass through the fuselage slots in the rear as it can cause control
binding.
Covering the Airframe
*
The airframe is now ready to cover! SoLite (otherwise known as Nelson LiteFilm) is
recommended because it is lightweight and it doesn’t require much heat to shrink it tight.
However, practically any covering can be used with added weight being the only concern. There’s
not really anything unusual about covering any parts of this plane, standard covering procedures
are all that is required. Some suggestions will be made below to help make things easier.
Cover the wing:
Cover the bottom first, then the top. On the top, cover the wing one half at a time. When covering
the first half, iron the covering down really well to the center rib. Turn the covering down the side
of the center rib about 1/8” as well. This will keep the covering from pulling up at the dihedral
joint when the covering is shrunk tight. Overlap the second half of the covering by a minimum of
1/8” over the first half (on top of the center rib R1).
After the wing covering has been shrunk tight, heat some “washout” into the outer edges of the
wing. “Washout” refers to the trailing edge of the wing being slightly higher than the leading edge
beginning about halfway out on the wing (from the fuselage). This gives the plane some added
stability in flight. This is done by heating the wing covering and lightly twisting the outer half of
the wing, then letting it cool. Once it cools it should hold the washout. If not, repeat this and twist
a little more. Ideally the TE should be about ¼” above the LE.
After covering the wing, make a small hole in the
leading edge at the center of the wing where the dowel
will be inserted. Cut a ¾” length from the 1/8”
hardwood dowel and epoxy it into the wing.
Make two more small holes in the top covering aligning
with the trailing edge holes. It’s a good idea to install a
piece of clear packing tape over this area so the holes
don’t cause a rip in the covering. Cut two 9/16” lengths
from the hardwood dowel and epoxy them into the
wing (bottom of dowels should be flush with bottom of
wing).
