My next question - should I have used a mix of PVA and water, or pure PVA to 'dope' the tissue? Was it the water in my mix that probably warped the surfaces, or could that have happened anyway?
Further closer inspection has revealed the root of the problem (quite literally) as unequal dihedral in the wings, NOT a twisted fuselage. So, the careful addition of the support struts has corrected about 95% of the problem. I think a small shim might be needed in the stabliser to get things as close to perfect as I can manage, but it's looking a lot better than I first feared.
It's no work of art, that's for sure. However, I think I've learned a lot from this build, mostly through the problems into which I have blundered, but it has been fun so far.
At the moment, I have still got to install the windscreens and parts for the landing gear, install the motor and balance the model. Hopefully then it will be ready for test flights!
I might even leave the undercarriage as it is, and if the clear windows prove a pain I'll just use tissue. My main aim is to get this to fly rather than produce a pretty plane. Once I know I can build them correctly, then I'll move on to the aesthetic stuff.
Tell you what though, this balsa modelling is addictive!!
Phugoid wrote:This picture shows the template in place (note that I snapped the top off it so I could clamp it with pins –it was too tall before)
I know this thread is from a while ago, but I'm new to the forum (and new to building), so I don't quite get how this template works. I would have thought you put it underneath the end of the wing to make sure you have the angle right. What am I missing?
What happened to all of the posts from Phugoid??? I'm in the process of building this plane and I wanted to see his nose block treatment and all the posts from him are gone. Just random goobaly goop