I am about to drill the holes in the wing for the bolts on a 4* 40 model. Are there blind nuts that these go into, because I don't see any here. Do the wing bolts just screw into the wood of the fuselage? That doesen't seem right. Too all of you who have built one of the kits, what am I missing?


Oh ya,...I LOVE the kit. It is my first, and has been VERY easy to build, and a lot of fun too. I was under the impression that big plane means lots to build, but this is a LOT easier than some of the stick and tissue rubber powered models I have built in the past!

It's been a while since I have built a 4* but I think once you have the wing lined up where you want it, you drill thru the wing and the hardwood blocks in the fuselage with a tap drill for a 10-32 thread. After you have done this you remove the wing and tap the hardwood block 10-32. Then open up the wing holes to accept the wing bolts. You should also harden the threaded holes with thin CA after you tap them. I hope this helps.

Make sure you RETAP after the thin CA hardening (give it an hour or so to make sure the CA is FULLY cured)
CA will tend to (fur up) the wood and make screwin in the nylon bolts tough.

The bolts need to be tapped 1/4-20 for the nylon bolts supplied in the kit. If you look in the construction manual it shows this step and gives the correct drill bit sizes .

I just started a 4 star kit also. I havn't gotten to that part yet. But on my LT 40, it actually had metal threads mounted on the fuse to screw the bolts into. If the kit does not supply that, can't we just buy those?

Sounds much easier and sturdier to me.


Wings

The 4* kit does not come with blind nuts, As said before taped it with 1/4-20 and then applied thin CA and tapped again.

I didn't do it have 60+ flights without problem but blind nuts can be done easily also and you will not have the doubt. while tighteneneing the bolts I pay attention nut to over tighten the bolts. If you do it might damage the threads.

wings,
Yes, you can purchase blind nuts at any hobby shop that carries RC plane stuff.

There's nothing wrong with tapped wing mounting blocks if they're done correctly, and they're not very hard to do. It does involve buying an appropriately sized tap however.

1) Acquire the proper size wing bolts and a tap to match them. (1/4-20 is common)
2) Make sure you have the proper size drill bit for the tap. (When buying a single tap, the drill bit is sometimes included.)
3) You'll also need a tap handle in order to properly tap the hole. (Interchangeable with other taps.)
4) Drill the hole through the wing so that it starts into the wing mounting block.
5) Remove the wing and finish drilling the hole in the block, making sure to keep it perpendicular to the wing holes.
6) Carefully start turning the tap into the hole. It is critical to keep it in line with the hole. Screw it in a few turns, then back it out a few to clear the tap of wood chips. Continue until the hole is tapped all the way through. Take your time!
7) Carefully test the bolts through the wing and into the holes to make sure the holes seem OK.
8) Remove the bolts and place a few drops of thin CA into each wing block hole. Be sure to coat the threads throughout each hole.
9) After you are SURE the CA has fully cured, re-tap the holes with the tap to clear any CA "flash".
Your done!

Keep in mind, you may HAVE to tap a hole someday, so knowing how is a GOOD thing.
Dennis-

Blind nuts are generally a bad idea. The bolts go through the wing at an angle so that the head of the bolt is flush with the wing. The blocks are glued into the fuselage at an angle that matches the other side of the wing. If you put blind nuts in those blocks, the bolts will not align with them properly.

It's a heck of a lot easier and much better to follow the advice you've gotten and just tap the wood blocks. Take a look at this:

How to Mount a Wing

Thanks for the replies.
I have some wing bolt blind nuts from a big stik ARF (hence the name) and they fit the ones for the 4*, so I think I will use them if I can figure out how to get them aligned properly. I don't have a tap to use the recommended method, so I think I will improvise. I like to change things. When I'm done, the 4* will have dual wing servos, a thicker firewall, and I hope to mount the fuel tank directly over the center of gravity, so the plane flies EXACTLY the same with a full tank, or an almost empty one. Reasons-
dual wing servos- if one fails, you have a chance of flying it in on one (I've done that with Spads)
thicker firewall- I may want to make it slightly overpowered...the one supplied was kinda thin
fuel tank position- to ensure that the center of gravity is stationary

I just want to add that I know for a fact that the plane flies wonderfully without modification, and by no means am trying to say that it needs improvement or wasn't designed well. I am one to modify, and change things and when I have too much time on my hands and not enough projects, I change stuff. I would appreciate input from anyone on what you think of these changes/ modifications. Has anyone else tried any of them?