I have been working hard on the wing and tail feathers. Funny how a foam wing take just as much time as a built up wing, well maybe not as long. This is my first so I am taking it slow.

I started working on the fuselage making templets of the firewall and bulkheads out of cardboard. I tried fitting the DLE 55 and it is just to big. The cowl would suffer a butchering and it would not look right, it is just to big for this plane. So I will go with my first choice, the DLE 30.

I bent the 1/4 landing gear wire and after doing that I really wanted to find an alternative. One of my mentors suggested making a bracket for the LG. So with the help of Edwin I made a set of aluminum landing gear blocks similar to standard retracts, but fixed. They will install just like you would with a retract.

This will be a much cleaner way to do the LG. The material cost is less then $10 and about two hours of fabricating, very simple. They weigh Only 3 oz, same as the 1/4 wire.

I cut in a 1/4 ply bulkhead and tied in 1/8 ply for sides going from the LE to the 1/4 ply. I then made a mounting block out of 1/4 play and glued it in place. I will make a hatch out of 1/16 ply to cover the LG.

The plans show sheathing the wing then apply the LE and Facing for the ailerons and flaps, butt glued. I will cut the ailerons and flaps and face them before sheathing so the sheathing will be on top of the 3/8 facing. The LE I will butt glue after sheathing. I will do the same with the tail feathers.

I have been trying to weigh parts as I go, fus, wing cores and tail feather. I want to see how what I do effects weight and try and keep it down if I can. All the wood from BUSA is high quality, but heavy. One balsa stick, 3/8x1-1/2 weighed 2 oz, I picked some up from my <span id="lw_1294600058_0"><font color="#366388">LHS</font></span> and the same stick weighed 1/4 oz, softer but for facing it will do just fine.

I glued in all the facing for the elevator and rudder. I found that painters tape works great to mask off the parts I do not want sanded.

I have been working on the wheel assembly and the toque rods for the tail feathers.

Here are some pics of my progress.

I am just starting to sheath the tail and working on getting the wing ready.