Well,

with the latest shots, she's really starting to look like a mini Tipo!

I'm quite pleased with how quickly this build has moved along - 10 days thus far. Not bad for a scratch build. While the Deception 10 moved at a good pace in the beginning, it was a much more time consuming build. Perhaps I wasn't as organized.

This evening I got the fin framed up, sheeted, blocked and rough sanded to shape. This, as expected, was a job of precision and care. The fin LEis not quite symmetric at the moment so a little more sanding on the LHSwill be required. Iwasn't quite sure how to tackle the frame up given the small pieces and difficulty in alignment. Iproceeded in one way, but next time I think I could use a better technique. Unlike a wing, it would probably be best to first install the fin post TE followed by root rib on to the fuse. Then the sheeting would be bonded to the bottom of the post and base of the fuse. The LE sheet support triangle would be installed next followed by the mid and top rib using the LE sheet for spacing. Finally, the LE sheet would be glued to the three ribs and triangle and the sheeting brought in flush to the ribs. The only trickery with this approach is that one would have to use aliphatic rather than CA.

I also got the rudder hinged and beveled, sheeted the fuse bottom rear (cross grain) and made the fin tip out of three pieces of 1/16"balsa - the first two at angle grain. A hardwood TE will be added to the fin tip in a similar fashion to the rudder TE and wing/stab tips. The only pieces of wood Ihave that remain for the build are the sub fin, the fin tip and the FW. I'll have to cut the radio and battery plates as well as the wing hold down plate.
But that will be it - no other wood required! Well, there will be the wing bottom wood pieces.

With the build practically complete, next I'll move on to joining the wing panels and mounting on to the fuse. I'll probably follow with the radio and battery plates prior to some further final sanding to the fuse before aligning and bonding the stab in place. Sub fin and fin tip will be last.

David.