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Kitset Build - Voltimer Tail |
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Having completed the fuselage we now move on to the tail surfaces. The fin and rudder come first and are built together …but not glued together! Cover the fin area of the plan with film. Take the die-cut parts K2, K3, K4 and K5 and laminate them, preferably with Cyano. It’s a good idea to ensure you have hard outside edge and this can be achieved by running additional glue down the join line on the outer edge. Cut all the 5mm square parts and pin them over the plan. Now fit K1, K2, K3, K4 and K5. (Picture 96) When the glue has dried remove from the plan. Separate the rudder from the fin if it’s become stuck and sand both sides flat with your sanding bar. Round the leading edge of the fin and the sand the trailing edge to the section shown on the plan. As mentioned above the super glue at the trailing edge helps to give a hard line at this point.
Mark the hinge positions on both the fin and the rudder posts (Picture 97) and using a hinge slotter or your model knife carefully make the slots for the hinges. The hinges can be glued into the fin post (Picture 98)…you MUST pin them after covering. The leading edge of the rudder could have the sharp corners taken off it before testing the fit to the fin. (Picture 99) This assembly is now complete and it’s time to move on to the tailplane/ elevator build.
To start the tailplane, cover the plan again with film and the select 3 pieces of 2.5 x 7.0 balsa from the stick pack to make up the leading edge. Wet these thoroughly in hot water then dry them with a cloth or paper towel. Place pins in the building board at the arrow points on the inside of the leading edge curve. Using PVA or Aliphatic Adhesive, glue to the strips together the lay them on the plan and starting at the centre place pins on the outside of the curve to hold the strips against the inside pins until the glue dries. (Picture 100 & 101) This task is best done late in the evening so it can set overnight.
Sadly we now have a series of problems which I’ll attempt to get you through. In the kit I took from our shelves to do this build there are some disturbing errors …the first being that the tailpane spar is incorrectly machined and is a little on the thick side. There are two options with this….. one is that from your scrap box you make a new spar or you contact us and we’ll get a new spar to you at no cost. It’s a simple matter to make a new spar as the drawing for it is on the plan, however I understand completely any dissatisfaction. The next issue is that Tailplane Rib S2 is short at the nose end. The most simple fix for this is to use the existing rib as a template to cut two new ribs from some 1.5mm sheet. (Picture aaa) Alternatively a packing piece could be added to the front end of both S2 Ribs.
Lastly, all the ribs are slightly over-length from the spar to the tail end. This requires some attention with a sharp blade or a sanding board to achieve the correct fitting of the rear spar to all other parts. (Picture bbb)
Obviously I’m also totally embarrassed by this series of events. All future kits will feature new Laser cut components so all the above messing around will not be necessary. Lets presume you’re about to carry on having acquired a new spar by whatever means. The next step is to trim the ends of the leading edge in order that the spar can be glued in place. (Picture 102) Laminate the tailplane tip parts.
Now fit Rib S5 which will allow you to secure the laminated tip. (Picture 103)
Glue together the two sets of centre ribs S1 and set in place adding the die cut 1.5mm parts that form the mounting plate to the fuselage. (Picture 104)
Complete the basic structure by adding the remaining ribs. Trim the ends to allow the rear spar to be glued in place. (Picture 105)
When the structure is dry, remove it from the plan and shape the leading edge and wing tips to the profiles shown on the plan (Picture 106 & 107) Mark the position of the hinges and slot the rear spar to accept them. (Picture 108) Test fit and now move on to making the elevators.
Take the die-cut elevator halves and mark the hinge positions. (Picture 109) It’s easier to make provision for the hinges before you glue each elevator half together so carefully use a sharp blade to carve a shallow recess as shown in Picture 110 and 111. Before gluing the two halves together check the slots look as they do in Picture 112.
When they’ve been glued together, use a razor plane to shape then sand each half to section. Angle the leading edge of the elevators into a “V” shape. (Picture 113)
Arrange the elevators over the plan and cut the hardwood joiner piece to length then glue this in place. (Picture 114 & 115) With the hinges in place, test fit the assembled elevator to the tailplane, then check the fit of the fin and rudder assembly as in Picture 116, 117 and 118. It will be beneficial to round the hardwood elevator joiner and the notches in the fin base may need to be slighly enlarged to accept the leading edge and the spars of the tailplane. Once this is fitting correctly you can sit the assembly in place on the completed fuselage and stand back and admire! (Picture 119)
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