![\"DSC_1416\"](\"http:\/\/www.balsaworkbench.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/DSC_1416.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSo I figured it would be a good idea to add a little strip of wood to the inside edges of the fuselage sides at the stabilizer saddle. \u00a0I made doublers out of 3\/32 x 1\/4 inch balsa strips.<\/p>\n
That looks more like something I would glue a stabilizer to, but unfortunately it created a minor problem. \u00a0The fin was shaped to allow it to fit down in the slot and sit on the horizontal stabilizer, but now the stabilizer saddle is narrow at the trailing edge, so the fin doesn’t go all the way down.<\/p>\n That’s because these sticks are now in the way. \u00a0I hope you can see them in this photo.<\/p>\n There are two possible remedies for this. \u00a0Either cut the fuselage doubler sticks to create a slot for the fin, or relieve the fin where it comes down to meet these doublers. \u00a0I chose to trim a notch in the fin to accommodate the doubler sticks.<\/p>\n You can do yours either way, or if you think the fuselage is strong enough at its original thickness, don’t bother with the doublers at all. \u00a0It’s up to you. \u00a0At any rate, once you get everything to fit right, install the horizontal stabilizer, then apply glue to the bottom edge of the fin and fit it in the slot so it glues itself to the top of the stabilizer inside the fuselage.<\/p>\n Apply some thin CA to the edges where the fin goes through the slot in the top of the fuselage. \u00a0Now attach the rudder and elevator with hinges.<\/p>\n Cut the film away from the holes where the wing rubber band dowels go through the fuselage sides.<\/p>\n Install the dowels with thin CA and fuel proof the protruding part if you’re using an engine.<\/p>\n I’m installing a Cox Texaco engine, so I found the center line of the firewall and drew a line to help get my engine centered.<\/p>\n Then I drilled 1\/16″ holes and attached my engine using #2 self tapping screws. \u00a0Sealing the holes with thin CA before installing the screws helps to keep the oil from creeping into the wood. \u00a0Note that I set the propeller so it will come to rest in a horizontal position after it runs out of fuel and the wind pushes the prop against compression.<\/p>\n I added a little bit of right thrust by putting washers under the mounting lugs on the left side.<\/p>\n When I fly the plane I’ll fine tune the thrust angle. \u00a0I won’t quote any specific degrees of right or down thrust here because the optimum settings are highly dependent on air speed and prop size.<\/p>\n The only thing left to do is install the radio. \u00a0You can use whatever type of push rods you want, but I’m planning to use wooden stick type push rods. \u00a0I’ve marked the projected locations of the exit slots with a Sharpie marker. \u00a0I’ve placed them as far apart as possible inside the fuselage to keep them from interfering with each other.<\/p>\n Use whatever control horns and clevises you would normally use on an airplane this size.<\/p>\n Here’s what my plane looks like when it’s all put together.<\/p>\n As it sits with no radio it weighs 7.75 ounces. \u00a0With the addition of\u00a0radio gear I’m expecting final weight to be around 11 ounces. \u00a0That would make the wing loading 11 ounces per square foot, as the total wing area is a square foot.<\/p>\n Feel free to add landing gear or some small skids to the bottom, or do belly landings in the grass.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There’s not much left to do to this plane. \u00a0Make sure everything is sanded smooth. \u00a0Round the edges of the fuselage and the wing tips. \u00a0Sand the leading edge of the elevator and rudder to a V shape. \u00a0Leave the … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n