.
c. Glue 1/2" triangular stock in the corners between the firewall and the fuselage
sides. You may have to notch the triangular stock to clear the blind nuts.
d.
Now is a good time to install the tank floor. The height of the floor can be adjusted
for different engines, just be sure to leave enough room for the tank. Block the
tank in position with pieces of balsa, foam rubber or Styrofoam. If you use an
oversize tank it may not be possible to install the tank later on, so hook everything
up correctly now. If you use the recommended tank size the tank can be installed
after the airplane is covered or painted.
e.
Remove the tank and glue in the nylon
tubing for the throttle pushrod. Slide the
tank back into position, insert the steel
cable throttle pushrod and check for any
binding. Correct any problems now as
you can’t get at this area later on.
9
a.
Install the landing gear plate in the
fuselage. Don’t be stingy with the glue.
b.
Cut two lengths of 1/2" of balsa triangular stock to serve as braces for the landing gear mount and glue in place. Use plenty
of glue and get a strong joint. A small fillet will increase the strength and assure you that you have enough glue on this
critical area.
c.
Tape the fuselage bottom front (FBF) in place and glue with medium CA. Pay particular attention to the joint between FBF
and the landing gear mount and glue both the outside and inside of this area.
Note: The hole in FBF is provided to serve as an oil drain hole as well as a convenient place to route the vent line from the
fuel tank and/or the breather line from the crankcase of a four-stroke engine.
10
a.
Glue balsa formers F-2 and F-4 in the correct slots in FTF.
b.
Cut the front stringers to the correct length from 3/16” square balsa and glue in place.
c.
Cut the rear stringers to the correct length from 3/16” square balsa. Notice that the center stringer is the only stringer that
fits into former F-8. The other two stingers butt against the face of F-8. The lower stringer butt against the face of former F-
7. Glue the stringers in place.
d.
After the glue has dried sand the stringers flush with the formers, both front and rear.
11
a.
Roughly trim a sheet of 1/16"x3"x24" balsa to fit the area to be covered. Wet the
the outside of the sheet with either water, methanol or a weak solution of ammonia
and water. Tape the sheet in place over the formers. Do all four pieces of sheeting
at once and leave until dry.
b.
Sheet the top front of the fuselage using the formed pieces of 1/16"x3"x24" balsa
from step 11a. The front sheeting goes from F-1 to F-5. Sheet the top rear of the
fuselage using the formed pieces of 1/16"x3"x24" balsa from step 11a.The rear
sheeting goes from F-5A to F-8.