I am finishing up my Great Planes Cherokee, and was wondering if I should get some of the 1/4" wide foam tape to seal the saddle where the wings mount under the fuelage. The reason I am asking, is because I hear this particular plane gets very slimy on the bottom, and I didn't want the fuel to damage the balsa in this area.

Is the foam gasket more trouble than it is worth causing alignment issues given the fact that this is my second plan and it will more than likely not be around long enough for the fuel to damage the wood anyway??

Give yourself more credit, my second plane has only seen one hard landing and I just bent the gear back by hand. My 4th plane has been abused much more since it flies more often.

I use foam on all my wing saddles.

1/2 inch wide insulating foam from
Lowes or Home depot is what I use.

Bob

On a similar plane, I smoothly wrapped the saddle area of the wing with Saran Wrap. Then I squeezed a small bead of RTV Silicone onto the wing saddle and mounted the wing for a day. After it was cured, I unmounted the wing, peeled the plastic wrap off the RVT and trimmed away the excess from the saddle area. Another full day to let it air cure, and it was ready to fly, perfectly sealed.

You can also use an exhaust deflector-

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXL378&P=ML


CGr

That is what we do on our Seaplanes. Keeps the H20 out.

This is a good question, I've used the foam when i first started, it can cause your wing to set down in back and change the angle slightly after time (foam compression). I found it to actually soak up more fuel and stay there. I like the RV silicone idea, or just use a deflector and clean it good, you won't have a problem.
Be sure the Monokote runs down the inside of wing saddle a bit, if not add some scrap.

CG Retired, I plan on using the deflectors, but I have one currently on my trainer, and it does not seem to do much.

Dorsal/Gorish,
What is RTV silicone? Is it like high temp gasket material for engines?

In the future I had thought about putting floats on this plane and flying off of the lake in my backyard, Currently my skill level is not quite there as I am only about 5 flights in with my trainer.

RTV stands for room temperature vulcanizing. RTV is just silicon seal, cement, chaulk.

I do not use anything on most of my normal airplanes but have potted some racers with the saran wrap/silicon method but that was for aerodynamic cleanliness not to seal out oil.

We use regular Silicone that you would get at Home Depot or Wal-Mart. If you do fly off the water you want to be sure to seal the wing saddle. Water is a no-no on the electronics. Buy the cheap stuff. You don't need the Hi-temp stuff (unless of course you are flying very fast) If that's the case you might want to look at putting ceramic tile on the wing.

Very very fast

I use the saddle tape. The insulation tape is good also. It will keep the oil out of the fuselage, and hold down vibrations too.

I have never used the RTV on the wing saddle but that is a good idea. Just make sure not to compress the wing all the way down while you are forming the gasket.

If this is on a slightly less than new plane make sure the covering is clean or you won't get good adhesion. I like to use windex and rub it down, then do the same with rubbing alcohol.

I tried the exhaust diverter once. I didn't have the tie wrap holding it on, and when it popped off the engine revved up a couple hundred rpm's higher. I have never put one on since. They rob too much power.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I think I will try the RTV silicone, as I have plenty of time to tinker with this plane prior to mastering my trainer, and I can't just look at it on the shelf in my bsdement.

I will wait for the ceramic lined wings untill my fourth or fifth planes. Maybe I will have completed my SCRAM jet setup on my slightly modified trainer and will be ready for colonel sanders to fly it at ludicrous speed.

5 cool points to whoever can tell me the above movie reference.

On my kit built or scratch built planes I spend a lot of time setting the incidence and the tape will change that, the RTV is a better bet, it just filles in any of the low spots without changing anything.

One big caution on using RTV silicon sealer. While it is curingif it gives of that vinigary smellit is highly corrosive to any electronics. If you use it, let it cure at least 24 hours before installing your electronics or risk corrosive damage. Now, you can purchase RTV that is specially made for electonic use, but it is quite a bit more expensive and hard to find.

It also affects materials like O rings and who knows what else, I found out at work. This one was a regular round O ring. My guess is the out gasing caused the material to take a pemanant set.