ORIGINAL: jrpav1
If you have no plans, you have to start somewhere. There are 3 things you're trying to line up - correct? That would be thrust, wing incidence and stab. incidence. What you really want to know is how these 3 things relate to each other not necessarily where they relate to some line on the fuselage. OK, I know, if you DO have a reference line you can align everything to that but I'm assuming in this case we don't. So what do you do? Simple. Pick one of the 3 and measure the 2 other items in reference to that. Make sense? If you have a non-adjustable stab. you can use the stab. as the datum. First, put your incidence meter on the stab. and zero it out. Now put it on the wing. Record the number for future reference. You have just measured the wing - stab. decalage. Finally, put the meter on the thrust washer and measure the thrust angle. This should tell you all you need to know. Even if you have an adjustable stab. this method works. you can paly with the stab. to get your thrust line whwere you want it and THEN adjust the wing to get the wing incidence where you want it.
In some cases, I have started with the thrust angle. I do this when I know exactly what the thrust angle is supposed to be. I set my incidence meter to read the correct (known) thrust angle on the thrust washer, then proceed to the wings and stab. Like I said, what you're concerned about is how these 3 things relate to one another.
Hope this helps, or at least gets you going in the right direction.
John Pavlick
Team Black Magic, Tech-Aero Designs
One should always start with the thrust line. Thrust is THE dominant vector at partial and full revs which is the condition most flown. About the only time other vectors dominate is when engine is at near idle or slightly above.
I set the backplate vertical and shoot a lazer beam down the fuse to the tail; the beam centered on the backplate.
Then mark the reference line at the wing station and stab station and work off these marks. I prefer the stab either on the marks or slightly below. BUT if you have an ARF, the cutout is probably already made, so you may have to bisect the stab opening with the lazer and adjust the thrust backplate to be orthogonal to the stab.
My designs have the Wing below about 1/2"-3/4". Dihedral always has worked out to be minimal (top of wing flat) when wing is positioned on the fuse this way. Wing about +1 degree to thrust line; stab at zero to thrust line. If you have an ARF, you may need to make adjustments as needed to fit these parameters. That is, if you want a model that trims easily with minimal electronic mix
MattK