FUSELAGE ASSEMBLY, PART IV: Install The Tail Surfaces:
For the following steps you will need these parts:
•
The fuselage assembly
•
1 - Stabilizer & Elevator Set
•
1 - Fin & Rudder Set
•
9 - CA Hinges (6 for elevators, 3 for rudder)
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1) Six CA hinges have been factory installed, but not glued, in
the Stabilizer and Elevator set. Glue the hinges permanently in
place at this time, using the same proceedures used for gluing the
aileron hinges on page 5. Let dry 10 minutes before flexing the
hinges. Do not glue the Fin and Rudder hinges at this time!
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2) Prepare the fuselage to receive the stabilizer and elevators
by extending the stabilizer cutout all the way to the back of the
fuselage. In other words, cut out the portion of the fuselage that is
directly behind the stabilizer slot, so that the stab and elevators can
then be slid in place from the back. This portion of the fuselage
was left in during manufacture of the airplane to lend support the
top of the fuselage during shipping and handling.
a. Start by drawing guidelines
on the rear of the fuselage to
indicate exactly where cuts should
be made to remove the unwanted
portion. The guidelines are simply
a straight extension of the top and
bottom edges of the stabilizer slot.
b. Use a hobby razor saw
and/or hobby knife to cut out
the unwanted portion of wood
between the lines.
c. Smooth the surfaces of the
fresh cuts with fine sandpaper,
and then fuel proof the exposed
wood with some thin CA glue.
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3) Mount the wing to the fuselage, and then trial fit the
stabilizer/elevator assembly in place. Check the alignment of the
stab with the rest of the airplane. View the airplane from the top,
front and rear, making sure the stabilizer is not tilted or skewed
(see drawing on next page). Measure the distance from the wing
trailing edge back to the stab’s leading edge tip, and note the
distance. Then make the same measurement on the opposite side
of the airplane. The two measurements must be the same. Adjust
the stabilizer as needed until they are the same.
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4) Once you have the stabilizer properly aligned, use a felt-tip
pen to mark the locaton of the fuselage sides on the bottom and
top of the stab. Take the stabilizer off the airplane and remove
the covering material between the lines, so there will be a good
extended glow plug battery ignitor (not supplied), and simply make
a small notch in the bottom rear edge of the cowling to let the
ignitor line up perfectly with the glow plug.
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7) Next figure out how you are going to fuel and de-fuel your air-
plane, and whether that will require another opening in your cowl-
ing. If so, make the opening now.
Note: In our photo model we’ve installed a Du-Bro #334 Kwik-Fill
Fueling Valve, (not supplied), for this purpose. The best way to
mount the Du-Bro Fueling Valve is directly on the MAYHEM firewall
with a SIG #SIGSH759 Fueling Valve Mounting Bracket, (not
supplied). Mount the bracket in a position that will put the fueling
valve close to the inside of the cowling, but not contacting it. Do
not mount the fueling valve directly onto the fiberglass cowling.
The repeated insertion of the fueling probe will ultimately cause
flex cracks around the fueling valve.
Make a 5/16” dia. hole in the cowling, directly over the fuel valve,
to allow the fueling probe to be inserted into the valve.
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8) The supplied plastic spinner is easy to assemble. If the diam-
eter of your engine’s prop shaft is smaller than the hole in the spin-
ner backplate, select a prop shaft adapter to fit. If your prop shaft
is larger than the hole in the backplate, the hole can be drilled larg-
er to fit, (use drill press). Install the backplate and your propeller
tightly onto your engine, using the engine's prop nut and washer.
Snap the spinner cone in place, and attach it to the backplate with
the four screws provided. Don't over-tighten the screws.
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