Kim Taylor Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Hi to all I'm just completing the build of the airframe on my Gangster 63 Lite. It's all gone together pretty well, a bit peculiar in the way it's put together in some areas, but I guess Mick Reeves knows what he's doing. Now that I have come to put the wing on to the fuselage, I have found that the wing doesn't align properly with the fus, as far as I can see because the hole in the former which takes the wing dowel is about 4mm too low. Before you ask, yes the dowel is centred in the wing!! If I lift the trailing edge the same amount, the gap between the fus and wing is constant from leading to trailing edge. So my question is what is the best way forward - somehow fill in and re-drill the hole for the dowel, thereby bringing the leading edge up to where it obviously is meant to be, or add an extra bit of balsa on the bottom of the fus for the wing to seat on to? I think, having typed it all out, the answer is obvious, but perhaps someone out there has come across this - mine can't be the only one that's affected in this way - or can it?? Thanks for looking. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 On some designs the designer sometimes deliberately marks the hole away from calculated position to allow for the hole to be gradually filed for a perfect wing fit. The 'extra' bit of the hole is of no consequence. If the fit is the other way then glueing a loose piece of ply with a hole on the other side of the bulkhead would be a good fix if the dowel is long enough to fit safely. Edited By kc on 15/01/2018 11:53:52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Another small safe bodge, is to file the hole into a slot, until the top of the slot is in the right place. Then glue a bit if balsa across the bottom of the slot, back and front, with filler (two pack), between the balsa. Then make the hole good with a file. Then sand off the balsa where it interferes with the wing seat. Paint for an invisible mend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Taylor Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 Thanks both for the advice above. In writing the original post I had come to the conclusion that modding the hole in the former was the way to go. I'll look and see which is most appropriate, and go with that I think. I wish I'd trial fitted the wing before getting the fuselage nearly completed. Lesson learned!! Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangster Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 I don't recall any issues of this kind when I built mine. I will agree with the others that the best plan is to file the hole until the wing fits nicely then refil the hole with balsa where it is wrong. Maybe also a little bit of ply behind as well. It's a lovely model that flys so well you have a treat in store Edited By gangster on 15/01/2018 14:04:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Kim, as a problem it ranks half out of 10. Normal build problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Taylor Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 Posted by Don Fry on 15/01/2018 15:11:41: Kim, as a problem it ranks half out of 10. Normal build problem. Yes I agree, but I was just taken a bit unawares as none of the build blogs mentioned it. Just remembered I had to trim the bottom of the former just in front of the trailing edge too, as it hung down below the fuselage side in the wing seat area, maybe a connection Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Small caution point, there is an angle relationship between the wing and the tailplane. Mr Reeves's plan will show the correct angle. Make sure you have the same angle. Or you may have a very interesting time on its first flight. Nice plane by the way. But even so, half out of ten problem. Can't do a challenge, build a boat, or indeed a car. Build blogs can be deceptive. I, for one ain't going to admit to most of my balls ups in public. Hidden under the paint, at a distance. But take care of you get incident angles right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Taylor Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 Posted by Don Fry on 15/01/2018 18:49:38: Small caution point, there is an angle relationship between the wing and the tailplane. Mr Reeves's plan will show the correct angle. Make sure you have the same angle. There's the rub - no plan!! Kim eta I'll just assume that if the wing sits on the seating correctly, then the angle's right. Edited By Kim Taylor on 15/01/2018 20:36:35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangster Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Don't forget room for a little wing seating tape that may absorb some of the gap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel R Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 I think I would be tempted to use two strips of 1/16 balsa to part fill the wing seat gap, and take up the rest of the space with foam tape or some silicon goop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Taylor Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share Posted January 16, 2018 Thanks guys Both of those last two posts seem tempting. Especially as if I move the wing upwards by a few mil, the fairing below the leading edge will then need to be re-done. Busy with work for the next couple of days but will get back on to this on Friday, assuming it's not flying weather (looks unlikely at the moment - too windy as usual ). I'll report back on what I do, just to square off the circle. Thanks again Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan M Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 I haven't started mine yet, so my comment here isn't informed by intimate knowledge of the build or the model, but take care to ensure that you don't inadvertently alter the incidence of the wing when doing your scribing or packing out. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangster Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 I am with you there Jon. I really don't think there is any major issues. I certainly would not play with the wing seat although I don't believe an even packing would alter the incidence. Personally I would use a foam wing seating tape and if any adjustment is needed move the hole slightly. I cannot believe there is a design or manufacturing error after all , am I wrong in assuming the lite was originally sold by Ripmax as an artf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Taylor Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 Posted by gangster on 17/01/2018 09:05:05: I am with you there Jon. I really don't think there is any major issues. I certainly would not play with the wing seat although I don't believe an even packing would alter the incidence. Personally I would use a foam wing seating tape and if any adjustment is needed move the hole slightly. I cannot believe there is a design or manufacturing error after all , am I wrong in assuming the lite was originally sold by Ripmax as an artf Hi again. I couldn't resist having a look at this before leaving for work this morning. Mindful of not wanting to alter the wing incidence, as helpfully reminded above, I scribed a line across the former in line with the centre of the wing section, as defined by the shape of the fuselage sides. This passed through the wing dowel hole about 3mm above the centre line - obviously not right. I dremelled the hole into a vertical slot, such that the top is in the right place to locate the dowel. Trial fitted the wing and give or take it fits OK now. What I don't get is how it can be wrong, as the former slots into cutouts in the fuselage sides, and it all lines up OK there - one of lifes little mysteries, I suppose!! Anyway, when I get time I'll make a thin ply plate with the right sized hole to glue in front of the former and use a spot of polyester filler to make the hole round in the former. I'll use a thin wing seating tape just to settle the wing on to once it's done. Gangster - yes I also think that this is the still born Ripmax ARTF - did any ever get made? I saw it was announced at the same time as the Bullet ARTF but have never seen any evidence if its existence other than the ad. Anyway, my problem is, I think, solved. Thanks to all for your helpful suggestions. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangster Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Kim. Yes I would be interested in what happened to the Gangster lite artf. I was a little tempted by the Bullet I had one for a few years It had a glass fibre fus bought at Sandown they were selling them as supposedly over weight.lovely model I regret selling mine So well behaved and I recall passing my B with it Later on after it had been rested for a year or so I put engine and gear back in. It was a pig to fly I had got something wrong but instead of sorting it I accepted a reasonable offer for it. I see kits are now available but am resisting temptation as I have too many models on the building board. Probably regret not getting one while they are available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangster Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Duplicate post deleted Edited By gangster on 17/01/2018 17:47:38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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