Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

Hi,
First, I should also state that I am not an experienced builder, pretty much still learning and have been stepping up the challenge with each kit. I do know what dihedral is. Am building a Page Supercub, and am ready to start framing the wings up. Here's what I'm not understanding; The left wing side of the plan, at the last rib states.. Brace here 3/4" for dihedral, build other wing flat.

Huh?? I'm missing something because that makes no sense to me right now. So how is the left wing built braced at 3/4" if ribs arent on the spars yet? It would seem that to brace the wing, the wing has to be built or there's nothing to brace. So let's say I add the ribs and then raise the last one 3/4" then build it out. When I go to join it to the wing joiner 'box' (its a one piece wing), it would seem that the left wing would be lopsided if everything else is built flat. This is the 2nd kit I've run across with this, (first one I just put it away, as it needed a wing built on an elevated building board, as it has a LOT of dihedral, I didnt understand how to do that either). Can some experienced builder please give me some idea how this works, as I'm not getting it. Eyeballing I'm not seeing any angles on the root or joiner ribs.

Would ask some other Page builders, but the kit has been out of production for so long that doubt anyone is watching those threads. Thanks! HM

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

they are probably talking about when you join the two halves together. ONe will lay flat while the other half is raised 3/4" I think that what it means.

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

Build the one wing panel, then raise it up 3/4" at the last rib, then build the other panel flat on the plans. Make sure the left panel that is raised is flat on the board at the root rib. This sets 3/8" of an inch overall wing diheral and also sets the dihedral angle in the center. This is easier than setting the wing dihedral angle after both halves are built. When you build the right panel, make sure you sand angles on the spars so they mate the left wing panel. You will probably glue the root ribs together and add dehedral brace(s) when both panels are built. Hope this makes sense and helps

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

I'll give that a shot.. build, raise, then join the wings. Thanks guys!

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

3/4" ...wow, my Sig Kadet calls for 4".. Totally different model I know.. Just saying that's not much if you compare the two.
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RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

No thats not much.. but still enough for me to effectively goof up. :) The plane designer said that could build both flat and it would fly just fine, but since its a cub, I didnt want that optical illusion of the wings drooping.

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

Radical... does your cub have ailerons... I believe so with so little dihedral. Dihedral provides stability for rudder / elevator models.

BIll in Indiana...does your kadet have ailerons? If so.. it will probably turn better mostly with rudder and a touch of aileron

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

It sports ailerons and flaps. I've been flying for a number of years, just getting around to learning this thing called 'building'... :D

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

Nothing like seeing a plane you built fly for the first time. It is a great feeling.

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

That it is!! Recently finished and flew my first completed build, an e'moth from retrorc.com. Certainly not a big plane and not very complex, but it was a place to start and bring together some of the things I'd learned from failed builds, and actually get one flying. First time to cover one and all that as well. I didnt know if it would last 3 seconds in the air, but it flew great! Yeah, I was pretty pumped over that. The Page cub is the next step up in my quest to learn this stuff.. Bigger plane, a bit different construction techniques etc.. Assembled ARF's for years.. now I want to be able to 'do my own thing' if you will.. it opens so many more doors to different types of planes. Am also learning to cut my own sticks and so forth.

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

Yes, it does have ailerons.. I haven't flown it yet I'm still building.

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RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

Building is not for everyone..be careful.. it will draw you in... and dont even think about kitbashing :)! People wonder how I can spend 8 or mos on a build and then not know what will happen on the maiden.. or several flights down the road. Building is half the enjoyment for me and most builders. The other half is watching what you brought to the field.. 99% of the time... no one else has it.. and watching her go. Now.. back to my clipped cub I lost in the sun. The good thing is.. improvements can now be made :)

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

I'm not sure how to take this...ha!

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

It's simple really. Once you build your first one, you want to build a second to see how much better you can do. As far as kitbashing, that's taking a standard off-the-shelf kit and redesiging it. For example, you bought a Kadet Sr and redesigned it into a twin with the engines mounted on the wings. This takes a lot of preplanning for things like trust angles, single engine flight due to differential thrust and so on. For a beginning builder, staying with a stock build is the way to go for the best chance of getting a plane into the air

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

Ha!! Thats kinda where I'm at.. kit-bashin is out there in the future somewhere.. First things first! :D

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

Welcome to the world of BUILDERS! It won't be long before you are drawing plans to build that special airplane you cant obtain otherwise.

RE: Dihedral- not understanding plan instructions
 

Thanks! Actually, today UPS brought me, among other stuff, Andy Lennons Basics of RC Model Design. Plan is to start educating myself on some of those basics, so that when the day comes that my building skills are better, I won't have to start learning those basics from that point, will already have some notion and be able to move ahead a bit more educated on the subject. Long way off, gotta lay the foundation first. One things for sure.. its addictive!