I have now thought of ways to keep the wing from collapsing. Of course, this resembles closing the barn door after the cows have escaped.

I do have the jig you described. Unfortunately, I had already installed the alignment pins and the nut for the wing bolt, so the rods no longer go through.

The only good(?) news is that the sheeting is on one side only.

How would you steam the wing? Wet it down and then use an iron?

Jeff doesn't have any wing kits. He didn't have any spare parts cut for the latest production of the kit. I *do* have a kit from the second production, but I'd hate to have to use the wing components from it, since I wanted to build the new kit with the shorter wing.

Richard

Use a teakettle, or boiling water in a larger container. Hold the wing, (usually by the end of the panel), over the steam, and twist the opposite direction as the warp. Hold it in position for a few seconds over the steam, then remove from the steam while continuing to hold the wing until it cools...then check to see how it looks. You develop a "feel" for it about exactly WHERE to hold the wing, and for how long. If the warp isn't too bad, you will have better success.

Good luck.

Duane

Duane,

Thank you! Shall give it a try. And I just received a reply from Jeff saying that he had another production run of Simla kits and there may be enough parts left over for a wing. He also said that there's a local cutter who wants his business. I suggested that I'd be more than happy to pay if Jeff wanted to use me as a test to see how the guy's quality was.

I think I need more skill than luck.

;-)

Cheers,
Richard

Keep a stiff upper chin...you'll finish it...the end is getting closer

Feel free to check on anything you're not sure of, either by post of PM

Duane

Thank you, Duane. If it weren't for this thread, I wouldn't even have the box open.

And I found a clothes steamer in a dark corner.

Cheers,
Richard

While playing with straightening the wing (it's probably straight enough to finish the job with sheeting the bottom), I roughed-in the front top piece over the engine compartment. (Images attached.)

Right now it still covers quite a bit of the engine. This may vanish once it's shaped. But if it is not sanded away, should I leave it as is, or should I open up the top piece more? (As it is now, I would attach an extension to the needle valve to get it into the open.)

Thank you,
Richard

Richard,

Check out pages 2,11,20, posts 40,44,265, and 495. That will yougive some idea of where you are headed with the engine compartment.

Bill

Richard;

Write me at home ([email protected]) and I can send you better pictures that illustrate just how mine looked than I have here at work.

For right now, what I can tell you is that you need to add 1/2" to 3/4" triangular stock (whatever works best), in the two top corners, (all four if your going to completely cowl in the engine, which I didn't do, then place your spinner back plate on the engine, and trace it. You may need to put additional "fill balsa" in the corcers enough so that it doesn't sand through. There will be a couple places where it will become thin...hold the nose up to a strong light so you can see when it is getting thinner. You should be able to sand the nose section down to a "slinky" shape that fits the curve of the spinner. Look at the one picture on page 34 of the article itself that gives you a good idea of the final shape.

I actually preferred the open engine that Ed used on his original model, but do it whatever way you like best. With the open engine, you get a cowled look, but everything is open and easy to get at. It is also easier to build by leaving the right side open like that, and it is authentic to the original.

Duane

Bill/Duane,

Sorry; I should have been more precise. I was just wondering if I could cowl the engine real closely with the top block, or if I should open it up more like Bill did. Upon further reflection, I realized I will have to open it up or I'll never get the engine in or out unless I made the top block removable. And I don't think there's near enough wood available into which to anchor any screws except at the very back.

I've got the wing panel straightened out to the point that sheeting the bottom *should* get it straight. If not, I'll still finish and fly with the wing while I make another one.

Cheers,
Richard

I guess I'm not really following. With the open engine compartment like Ed did, everything is very acceptable. I think Bill is cowling in the entire engine.

Whatever you do, the top line should follow the line of the spinner, and the nose should have this slender appearance. Glad to see you're making progress.

Duane

Hey Guys,

Yes, I cowled in the engine while making sure I had plenty of room to install and remove the engine. The real key seems to be inhow large you make the nose plate hole. On mine I made the hole as large as possible thus allowing the engine a greater angle to slip into the engine bay.

Bill

PS-I also considered engine cooling when I opened up the engine bay as much as I did. I suppose I could have tightened it up a bit, but this way I have ample room to access everything in the engine bay and still have an enclosed nose.

Bill,

Thanks! I hadn't thought of opening up the nose ring. BTW, before I start final shaping, how far is your engine backplate from the firewall? I set mine up to allow just enough room to route the fuel and muffler pressure lines.

As an aside, the right wing panel has actually been straightened! Only took a week and a whole bottle of Windex.

Oh, and I picked up a used Moki 1.8. I'm not sure if I want to try it in this Simla or the next one. Might have to make longer struts since the engine uses something like an 18-inch prop.

Just kidding!

Cheers,
Richard

Richard,

Me too. Just enough room for the fuel lines to clear.

Bill

On a side note, I just ordered a couple more carbon fiber wing tube/socket sets from Tony at Radio South. He didn't have any more in stock, so these have to be special ordered. Estimate 2-3 weeks.

I don't need these immediately; they're just for the second Simla and perhaps a spare wing.

Cheers,
Richard

On a side note, I just ordered a couple more carbon fiber wing tube/socket sets from Tony at Radio South. He didn't have any more in stock, so these have to be special ordered. Estimate 2-3 weeks.

I don't need these immediately; they're just for the second Simla and perhaps a spare wing.

Cheers,
Richard

That a boy...think positively that you'll get that second one going soon. We're still waiting to "break a champaign bottle" over Bill's Simla. This has been the longest two weeks I've ever seen. I'm just kidding Bill...really.

What you need is a good magazine article deadline from the editor to "get 'er done". I'm a slow builder, but it was amazing what that deadline did for me in terms of "inspiration".

Keep your "eyes on the prize"

Duane

Duane,

This is my third attempt at trying to reply to your last post. The first two were both lengthy and informative as well as not sent to the forum!!!!!!!!!!!! Suffice it to say that circumstances will allow me to spend much time getting the Simla finished.

Bill

Hmmm ... This doesn't sound pleasant.

Richard

Thanks to Duane and Jeff, my kits have arrived, and I'm sorting the bits out for the two. No damage, nothing missing. Thanks guys.
Evan.

Richard,

As I attempted to say earlier, I purchased a 1994 Dodge Maxi van today which will put a sever dent in my R/C budget for the next 6 to 8 weeks. So while I am getting the van paid for,I will spend all my free time finishing my Simla. BTW the van is for storing and transporting my gallery of aircraft as well as becoming a mobile shop.

Bill

A mobile shop. Nice! Is this for a job or for working on planes at the field?

I finally(!) got the nose ring fitted correctly. As soon as the epoxy cures, I may do a little shaping just so I can see I've accomplished something.

But I think the priority is to get all the servos mounted before the bottom and top planking and blocks are glued on.

Cheers,
Richard

Richard,

The mobile shop will be strictly for R/C hobbying. I hate going to the field and having some small problem shorten the day's flying. I also like to be able to help other R/Cer's if possible. It's my way of paying back all the help that I have received over the years.

Bill

Anything new?

Duane

Duane and Bill,

Everything takes longer.

After a couple false starts with a couple methods that didn't work as well as I hoped, I *finally* have the servo covers made and the servos installed on them, and the paper tubes for the servo leads installed in the wings, and all the *#$*%#@ little tabs cut off and smoothed. Will be sheeting the bottom surfaces soon. Considering all the fun I had with wood glue for the top skins, I'm going to use slow epoxy for the bottom skins.

Still deciding if I want to cut the servo leads and solder in the extensions, or just go with long ready-made extensions and make darn sure they can't come apart.

Much of the wing work would have gone more smoothly if I had waited to install the anti-rotation pins and the hold-down bolts until all the sheeting was on. Then I could have continued to use the wing jig. I won't make that mistake when I get the new wing components from Jeff. (Who seems to be swamped at his day job.)

Have also determined and trial-fit the servos and links for the elevator and rudder. Since the rudder is going to be pull-pull, I'm still working out how to/where to cut holes in the fuse for the wires to get to the rudder horns. Still need to determine the layout of the nose gear and throttle servos.

The engine compartment is pretty much finished and the nose gear trial-fit. I want to apply a coat of neutral (grey) paint and fuel-proof paint to the interior.

Basically, figuring out how to position and mount the servos and control linkages has been taking most of my time, since I haven't done it before and have to ponder everything at great length.

Cheers,
Richard

Keep on "keeping on" [8D]
I used wood glue for most of the wing ribs, and used thicker CA at the front and back where there is some bending involved...holding in place until the edges set. I then dribble in some CA along the rib one rib at a time from the leading or trailing edge to help completely secure the skin to the ribs.

Not sure that's the best way, but it's what I do, and the plane DOES FLY.

Duane