Tail Parts

After having spent so much time building bits of wood that didn't really look like anything I felt a definite desire to build something that looked like it belonged to an aeroplane. I started with the control surfaces for the tail then moved onto the tail itself. It all goes together fairly easily but of course accuracy and alignment is important.

The stab frame under construction
The stab frame under construction

Gluing the leading edge onto the stabiliser was straight forward enough after the leading edges of the ribs were angled correctly

Completed tail framework.
Completed tail framework.

Float sanding the tail in order to for the assembly to accept the skins was the most difficult part I found, especially trying to get the spars to contour correctly without taking too much off the ribs.

 

After the sanding was complete the structures were jigged to stop them moving and the skins were applied. The tail leading edges required the skin to be bent around them which sounded difficult but actually wasn't. I would however do things a little differently if I did them again...... I will get the opportunity when I build the wings !!!

Skinning the rudder.
Skinning the rudder.

Next comes a big bit....... building the fuselage