Thanks Cliff for that video, that was very cool! I had gone on a couple of refueling missions out of Pease Air Force base (Portsmouth,NH) and it was an experience that I will never forget...The ultimate in tailgating.

Bah!I could have used that idea! I took a section of black heat shrink tubing to outline the dash on my Model 44, but it creases on the curve. This would have worked much better. Next time.

FYI - Tim, vacuum tubing comes in a variety of sizes/diameters, and for smaller applications windshield tubing can be used...the best part is it's sold per foot so you can do it for literally pennies.

That must be a trip riding on flying gas station. When I'm up in the whites hiking or skiing I often get to see the jet jockies chase each other around the sky. Down my way we have A-10's fly over on their way to a range near Harrisburg and one day I watched 2 of them dogfight each other over my house for 10- 15 min. Being that they are slower than the fighters it was almost like watching a couple of old warbirds go at it. How's the covering going? Only 4 days till spring ya know

Cliff, During the refueling missions that I went on I was extremely lucky in that I was able to lay down right next to the boom operator. It was a very tight space...

Last night I glassed the wing center section, tonightI will sand and put on the second coat of resin. It's getting there.

Didn't want you all to think that I have been slacking, so I thought I'd take a few photos and show you the progress that I have made.Progresshas been painfully slow at times, but that's part of every build...

The center of the wing has been glassed and two coats of resin have beenapplied, thiswill givemore than enough strengthto this joint. I also decided to box in the bays thatare next to the aileron servos for acouple ofreasons. One, it gives me a bay to tuck the servo lead into,if I have a servo failure that requires me to getat the connection itcanbe easily accessed. Second, it will giveadditional surface areafor the Solartex to hold onto around the aluminum wing brackets. Speaking of having enough surface area for the covering to attatch to, notice thatI have alsoadded 1/8" square stock around the aileron and flap openings for thesame reason.

I wasn't happy with how the front of the wing blends into the fuse, so I decided to make a filler block which proved to be quite a tease to make but fun.It was like carving a Doritos chip!

Just a tip for those aileron servo leads; use a large Malt straw. The Malt straws are even big enough for the "J" style Futaba connector. WALMART's got'm.

-Ed

Now thats what I'm talkin about, details always the details. Such a small piece VJ but it makes all the difference in the look. Paddcat, thats a great idea on the straws. I have even heard of wrapping a sheet of paper around a dowal, taping it with some scotch tape then soaking it in thin CA.

Both are great ideas!  I recently used "Snake skin" for long (48 inch) servo leads on a new Extra.

Thanks for the tip Ed!I'll have to pick some up, I need to go to Walmart this week for some other items.Cliff I have been previewing the plans for my next build and it uses the rolled paper for servo leads tube.

I've seen builds with and without the servo lead tubes. Do they serve any purpose other than making it easier to route the servo leads?

Yes, they prevent chafing of the servo lead insulation.  However, the tubes themselves can cause chafing especially where the exit the tube.  All one has to do to prevent this is to stuff a small piece of foam rubber in the tube ends.

Vince, I love the added piece to blend the fuse and the wing 110% better than the original design. I think the idea about the wing servos is the only way to go. Ed thanks for the idea on the malt straws I was looking for tubes for my project. I will aso add a bit of foam as suggested by ghoffman! I swear some of the best ideas I have ever used come from the members of this board and I have been building since I was 10 years old! THANKS TO ONE & ALL!!!!

Where do you get your "Snake skin"?

http://store.aztechaeromodels.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&amp;path=61_67&amp;product_id=290<div>
</div><div>But we have an electronic surplus store nearby that would sell you probably 20 feet for $5, but it is black only.  Vinnie or Tim, if you have not been there you have to check it out, in Manchester.  </div><div>
</div><div>http://www.esssurplus.com</div><div>
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Thanks ghoffman! I'll check the local radio shop then order from these guys.

I just use Christmas wrapping paper rolled up into a sleeve. Wah Lah!

I am sure about what was used in the day of this Ryan, but snake skin is used in full scale planes today.

VJ, very good!  Quite the craftsman, wouldn't expect anything less!<div>
</div><div>Hey, I saw the "chip" , but where's the dip???    Makes me hungry.....</div>

The "Malt straws" as installed on my Jungmeister which is in the framing process.

Excellent idea!  I think I'll pull the covering off my Cub... uh... well, maybe it'll have to wait for the next build.  

Looks good! Fortunately, I have been lazy and haven't added the skins to the wings yet!

No work today due to more snow . Mother nature dumped another foot of snow on us the day before Spring! The good news is that between snow removal I was able to spend the day in my workshop. The wing is finally completed and now ready for covering...

A lot of time was spent sanding, filling any dents, low spots and then more sanding...final sanding was done with 400 grit for a super smooth finish. Other details that I had to attend to was reducing the final opening sizes of all the servo covers. When I fitted them they had very little clearance, 1/16th was taken off around the perimeter to accomodate the thickness of the covering and the paint( as seen inthe before and after photos).

I mixed up a small batch of epoxy and I put a small fillet on each rib securing it to its spar. I did this because of the way the wing was assembled sliding each rib over each spar wipes off the majority of the glue that I had put on. She won't move now!

Ialso had to fit another aluminum bracket thatI made for thefourlanding gear wires which I screwed and epoxied below the balsa block thatI made the other day. I need to give the wing a good vacuuming followed by blowing it off with some compressed airbefore I can start on the covering.

Tip of the Day: Don't be in such a rush to epoxy the wing centering dowel in place. Epoxy it in place <u>after</u> you put the covering on the wing, that way you don't have to bother cutting around the dowel.

Lucky you!  We had a weekend in the 80's so I had to spend time doing some flying, yard work, party (B-Day, not other), etc.<div>
</div><div>Looks good VJ!  And, I don't want to shock anybody or anything like that, but is that a flaw I see???  [X(]  NO!  It can't be!  </div><div>
</div><div>Take care,</div><div>David
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Depends where your looking, LOL.