MINIMOA 1/4 SCALE

[RobbieB]

Ah, but it's not a cantilever wing and the strut attachment points are outboard of the gull break.

[chris williams]

With the lower sheeting completed, the wing can be laid on the transverse jigs, weighed down, and the upper sheeting added. This time the straight edge is there to help ensure the inner panel TE is nice and flat...

[chris williams]

With the basic wing structure completed, it's time to get back to the beginning...The fuselage is constructed via the traditional half-shell method. The difference is that in place of the 6mm materials used in the past, 5mm has been used instead because it is adequately strong and, in the case of the spruce, easier to bend.

[chris williams]

For more years than I can remember, I have utilised 1.5mm ply planking for the front of my fuselages simply because it's so strong & ding-proof when subjected to rigours of slopeside landings. Applied in fairly large sizes, with three planks scored out and cracked into a curve to follow the contours of the fuselage, the only downside lies in the physical effort to cut the wood with Box Cutter style knife. The problem is holding the straight edge in place without it moving as you apply the cut. Tape or pins go some way to solving the prob, but recently I've come up with a wheeze using clamps and an A2 cutting mat. The pic should be self explanatory: all you need to do is release the clamps one at a time and manoeuvre the wood into position for the next cut. If, like me, you have high-mileage hands, they will thank you for it...
Meanwhile, when enough planking has been added to front of the fuselage, the half-shell can be removed from the board and the other side built up...

[Barry_Cole]

Or you could simply cut it with your circular saw???



BC

[chris williams]

Not really... it's two scored cuts halfway through and then a full one: the whole thing with a slight taper.

[Barry_Cole]

Oh yes, I forgot about your 3 for the price of one, offer....



BC

[chris williams]

The basic tail mount is set up in the pic. Once the diagonals have been fitted, and the planking completed, the filling process at the front can begin...

[chris williams]

With the front end filled and shaped up, the next task will be to remove the temporary formers...

[chris williams]

With the temporary formers removed, the interior of the front of the fuselage can be glassed; this time with chopped mat and polyester resin. The fuselage is placed on its nose to allow the surplus resin to congregate at the front...