The vertical Stabilizer on the Tower Trainer .60 I am assembling has ended up slightly canted to the right. If I had to estimate, Iwould say about three degrees from pure vertical.

Sad, sad, sad. I tried to get it right. Iused builders triangles, eyeball alignment, tape, and also a little bit of prayer. But - it ended up canted just enough to make you feel it if you look at itout of the corner of your eye.

I'm not sure what to do about this problem. Should I attempt to cut the vertical stab out of the fuselage? That is cut around the cured epoxy and hope I can get it loose from the horozontal stab directly below? Then of course a patch of balsa and a new slot for a new vertical stab? Or should Ijust leave it and hope any flight effects can be countered with trims on the DX8?

Has anyone had or observed similar problems? Aside from the sick feeling Ihave had from ruining a beautiful airplaneI'm not sure what to do next. There is at least a 50 - 50 chance I will completely destroy the fuselage and horozontal stab if I attempt to remove the slightly canted stab. Considering that, I am inclined to just live with it. I would really appreciate any advice or experience anyone may have..... Thanks, Mike.

Live with it

I would fly it. It may look funny but it should still fly great.

David

Are you sure that the vertical stab is crooked or perhaps you're square at the fuselage and the stab is warpped......if it's crooked I'd live with it....if it's warpped you can try and pull it straight while ironing out the slack in the covering on the side you're pulling to

Not a big deal on that particular airplane. I've seen much worse aligned Tower .60 trainers at our field that flew OK.

The only thing that will happen will be a very, very small amount of elevator trim change when the rudder is moved. You will never see it in normal flight. May never see it at all. Fly it!!

" ...I tried to get it right. I used builders triangles, eyeball alignment, tape, and also a little bit of prayer. But - it ended up canted just enough to make you feel it if you look at it out of the corner of your eye.

I'm not sure what to do about this problem. Should I attempt to cut the vertical stab out of the fuselage? ..."

Okay, someone needs to warn you about this.

Here's what will happen. You'll end up spending your time at the hobby shop, the building bench, or the flying field. All your friends will wonder what happened to you.

Your wife will nag "Spend some time with the kids!" and your children will have trouble remembering who you are.

Meanwhile, the garage, basement and attic will fill up with half-built planes, new kits and tools.

You can nip this in the bud, just put down the Xacto-knife, and walk away. Read a book, hug the wife, look in the mirror and say "I will not fly today."

Or, we'll see you at the field.
Dave Olson

I had an RTF trainer that I got as a club trainer that I was flying for about a week before I realized that the vert stab was loose. I tightened it but really didn't notice much in the way it performed. Then again, I didn't treat it as I would a more capable plane, either.

CGr.

You should see some of the bends I have seen surfaces set at on some of the ARFs I have assembled for people when I pull them right out of the box. A bit of trim is all it takes to get them flying true. A little off is not a big deal. Just have fun with the plane. I have been able to get some of them straightened out using a heat gun on the covering while holding the surface straight. Sometimes not. Nothing to worry about.