Biplane Wing Fixture For Transportation

[Andy J]

Completing the build of a Flair 1/4 scale Tiger Moth for the last 5 years or so and have now reached a final assembly level at long last.

Now need to come up with a jig / fixture to hold a pair of wings during transportation such that the struts and flying wires for each wing panel pair can remain attached. Finding that manipulating M3 clevis which secure the flying wires next to the wing structure has a potential for damage, so want each wing half to remain fully assembled (but not mated to the fuselage) at all times.

Each wing on the Flair design fix onto the fuselage by two protruding heavy gauge piano wire stubs each about 20mm in length. Each wing panel is then secured by a large bolt positioned mid chord from inside the fuselage / upper simulated fuel tank. So the fixture design must allow for remaining in place as the wings are semi mated onto the wire stubs before then being removed and the retention bolt fitted.

Sure this type of fixture must have been made in the past so would welcome any suggestions or construction concepts.

[PeterF]

Andy,

Here are a couple of photos of the jigs I built for my Falcon Models 1/4 scale Tiger Moth, it is similar to the Flair one in that the flying wires are functional but on mine, each wing panel is held on only with 2 x 6BA bolts matching the full size design. Anyway, I like to keep my wings together as pairs. There are 2 parts to each jig, a front and a rear and these consist of an upright with a 1/4" thick piece of balsa shaped to either the trailing or leading edges. Each upright has a horizontal member, the front one going backwards and the rear one going forwards and there is a velcro strap between these, there is a loop on the front part and a self fastening loop on the rear.

The reason I made mine like this was to allow the jigs to be attached to the wing before the wing is unbolted from the fuselage, and unlike the flair kit, there are no piano wire stubs to locate a single piece jig to.

If you want more photos then I can get these easily.

Edited By PeterF on 26/04/2020 17:34:39

[Andy J]

Thanks Peter,

Do you get any marking of your wing covering?

[PeterF]

Andy,

Just gone out to the workshop to check, there is some patina on some of the rib stitching, as you see in my photo, I tend to place the jigs at the wing ribs for added strength. I have not noticed it before as it is quite slight and I only spotted it because you asked and I checked and I have been flying this for a couple of years now. The balsa I used for the supports is soft balsa and I sanded the edges rounded. It would be easy to glue a piece of felt into the cut outs in the 1/4" balsa supports to completely avoid any marking.

[Karl-Georg Krafft]

For transport I put off one pair of wings of my Staaken Flitzer (scale 1/3.75, span 60 inches, OS 91 surpass).

The two wings are held by the two wires that slide into the wing tubes for the piano wire stubs.

In flight the wings are only fixedby the landing and flying wires. Theirends are held in place by a common piano wire - not very scale-like, but practical.

Oh, I forgot to mention.... it's a control line model.

Karl

[Lynn Williams 1]

Hi Karl,

I've just joined this group, specifically to congratulate you on your Flitzer Z-21, G-ERIW which I came across when trawling the net for new Flitzer images, which I do from time to time.

As the designer of the full-size Flitzer range and having had an intimate association with 'RIW, I wanted to comment on how accurate your model is and how nice it was to see it replicated in model form - actually the third example of this particular aeroplane I've seen modelled.

I've not flown my prototype Z-1 for many years, but she's still in first class condition and I hope to enjoy her sublime handling again before the year is out. I attempted to attach a picture taken at an airshow some years ago, with the builder of 'RIW swinging the propeller and a second image representing my latest biplane foray, currently in the workshop. However, I was unable to access my album via this site, but will try again in due course.

Best wishes, Lynn Williams