Easiest way to make ailerons??
 

Hi, I am building a 1990 trainer kit that i stubbled upon for some experience before i get an American Eagle DC-3 kit. I have been building and flying ARF's for a few years now and i really want to get into kit building. I am only 15 years of age but I love to build and fly. Anyway, the wing was almost completed when i found it, but it does not have any ailerons on it.

My question is what is the easiest way to make ailerons for it without too much trouble? If it is too much trouble then i won't worry about it.

Thanks.

RE: Easiest way to make ailerons??
 

Hobby shops that stock balsa wood should carry Aileron Stock. This is pre-shaped balsa that resembles a very acute triangle when viewed from the end.

RE: Easiest way to make ailerons??
 

scalemaster90 Here Is How I Do It.Using 2 Servos
1) The Trailing Edge Is To Thin And Has To Be Cut Back To Fit The Aileron( Either Buy The Balsa Pre Cut Or Make It.)Make Them No Wider Then 3/4" MAX U Don't Want Them To Sensitive)Leave Enough Trailing Edge For Strength.Take As Little U Can.1/4" 5/16"Max
2) Find The Middle Ribs And Sheet Them With 1/16" Lite Plywood,Add Fillets.
3) Epoxy Plywood Servo Mounts Across Ribs.Sinking Them So The Servo Horn Will Be About An 1/4"Above The Surface.Make Sure The Servo Will Come Out Before U Set The Plywood Cross Pisces(Guess How I Know)
4) Make Holes In Ribs And Fuse,For Wires.
5)Test Mount Servo.Remember 1 Pulls Off The Left And The Other Side Pulls Off The Right.Adjust Height.
6)Cover Wing And Aileron,Cut And Install Hinges.3 Or 4 Should Be Fine.Space About 6" Apart.
7) Install Horns,Push Rods.
8) Continue The Build,Good Luck
The Servos I Have Used ,3004,HSMG 645, Any Servo That Gives At Least 44 Oz.To Save Weight U Can Use A Micro Servo For The Throttle.
If Height Is A Problem Hitch Makes A Thin Servo.A Hs77 I Think.

Any Other Suggestions ??

RE: Easiest way to make ailerons??
 

This is EASY if you can't find pre-shaped ailerons at the local hobby shop.

Figure out how wide you want them. Thats the cord. distance from the leading edge too the trailing edge.

Now cut some 1/16" balsa sheets to length and cut them about 1/2" short of the cord you want.

Now you need to know how thick they are at the leading edge where the hinges are. Let's say they are 1/2" thick. You already have 2 pieces of 1/16" balsa--so thats 1/8" already. You need 3/8" to make them 1/2" thick when they are done.

All you do is cut some triangle pieces of balsa. Make them 3/8" tall on the fat side and taper them down to nothing on the skinny side. If your aileron cord is going to be 2"--then you cut yuour triangles about 1 7/8" long and 3/8" high. Now you got RIBS. ;)

Lay a sheet of 1/16" balsa down flat on the board. Glue a rib on each end. Now glue 4 or 5 ribs in the middle spaces. Add a hard point made from hard ply or basswood for your control horn. Glue it in between a couple ribs.

Now go in between all the ribs and fill in with a piece of balsa. This is for your hinges to bite into.

Now put the top sheeting on. Your almost done.

Now get a piece of 1/2" triangle stock and glue it to the leading edge. Sand the point down a tiny bit to soften it up.

Sand. Cover. Hinge.[sm=thumbup.gif]

First pic is a side view.

Second pic is a top view looking down on the aileron before you put the top skin on.

Triangle ribs are purple
Balsa skins are blue
Control horn hard point is green
Balsa filler and triangle stock is brown

RE: Easiest way to make ailerons??
 

Thank you guys so much... looks like this is going to be even easier than I was expecting.

Thanks again...

RE: Easiest way to make ailerons??
 

I am not sure what the wing of your plane looks like, but when I converted a little .20 trainer to have ailerons I simply cut the trailing edge that was provided, and turned about 75% of it into an aileron, using the rest as the root and tip TE. I then put in duel aileron servos and a Y connector. It takes a little bit of modification, but it is really easy to do.

I am now on my 7th kit, this one is a Giant Scale Chipmunk, but I have previously built - 3 trainers (4 x 40 size and one 20 sized, two have modifications) a 40 Size Cub, a 40 size Corsair, and a 20 size Texan. My experience is that the bigger the plane the easier it is to build.

I have always found that there is much more joy in seeing a plane that you built your self fly, it is really exciting because you don't know if the 100 hrs you have put into the construction and finishing will pay off until you rotate the aircraft, it is great stuff.

Good luck and enjoy!

RE: Easiest way to make ailerons??
 

manks, Which giant scale chipmonk are you building?? I have been looking at this model with interest as well...

Thanks