Model Airways SOPWITH CAMEL F.1 User manual

Model Airways Kit No. MA1030
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Manufactured by Model Shipways, Inc. dba Model Expo • Hollywood, Florida
Sold by Model Expo, a division of Model Shipways, Inc.
http://www.modelexpo-online.com
Technical Characteristics
Scale: 3/4" = 1' (1:16)
Wingspan: 21" (534 mm)
Fuselage Length : 14-1/16""
(584.2 mm)
MODELING THE
SOPWITH CAMEL F. 1
✦ WORLD WAR I BRITISH FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, 1917 ✦
MODELING THE
SOPWITH CAMEL F. 1
✦ WORLD WAR I BRITISH FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, 1917 ✦
Instructions and prototype by Kenneth H. Goldman
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HISTORY
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HISTORY
T.O.M. Sopwith made his first solo flight in a Howard Wright Monoplane in 1910 and was forever hooked on avia-
tion. A year later, after setting several records, he opened his own flying school. Not satisfied with other designers’ air-
craft, he built his first biplane near the end of 1912, and at the beginning of 1913, The Sopwith Aviation Company
was in business. Combining his love of things nautical as well as aeronautical, his early production focused on float
planes. With the outbreak of the Great War, however, Sopwith’s efforts turned to the defense of the United Kingdom.
The company’s most famous creation was the F.1 Camel, so named after the humped fairing that enclosed its twin
Vickers machine guns each of which was fed by a disintegrating belt of 250 rounds. The prototype first flew in Decem-
ber 1916, and production models entered service in July 1917. The tight grouping of all the weight, including the
pilot, between the propeller and the center of the wings made the plane unforgiving in the hands of an inexperienced
pilot at low altitude but highly maneuverable at high altitude. Even with this late entry into combat, the Camel
accounted for 1,294 victories, more than any other Allied aircraft type. Surprisingly, less than 10% (503) of the total
production of 5,497 machines was actually accounted for by The Sopwith Aviation Co. The remainder were built
under license by Boulton & Paul Ltd. (1,550), British Caudron Co. Ltd. (100), Clayton & Shuttleworth Ltd. (575),
Hooper & Co. Ltd. (321), March, Jones & Cribb Ltd. (175) The Nieuport & General Aircraft Co. Ltd. (400),
Portholme Aerodrome Ltd. (300) and Ruston Proctor Ltd. (1,573).
1,342 of the aircraft were equipped with Clerget engines, the rest had either a Gnome, Le Rhone or Bentley. The 130
hp Clerget 9B-powered F.1 Camels had a wingspan of 28 feet and a length of 18 feet nine inches. The aircraft weighed
957 pounds empty and 1455 loaded and could reach a speed of 101 to 113 mph at 10,000 feet. This performance fell
off somewhat at altitudes between that and its absolute ceiling of 24,000 feet. Fluid capacity of 26 gallons of fuel and
5.75 gallons of castor oil allowed 2.5 hours of flying time. The rate of climb was five minutes to 5,000 feet and twelve
minutes to 10,000 feet.
Although a lively dispute continues as to whether Canadian Captain A.R. Brown shot down the Red Baron on 21 April
1918 or whether Australian machine gunners firing up from the trenches fired the fatal shot, there is no dispute that
Roy Brown was flying a Sopwith Camel when he chased von Richthofen’s Fokker Dr.1 triplane that fateful day. Among
the other successful Camel pilots was Captain Arthur Harris, later Air Marshal and architect of the World War II carpet
bombing campaign against the Third Reich, which earned him the nickname “Bomber Harris.”
The SOPWITH CAMEL model plans and kit were completed in 2005. The model was designed for Model Airways by
Microfusioni - modellisimo of Milan, Italy, owned by Luigi Volonté and son Bruno. Model plans and original Instruc-
tions in Italian were developed by Luigi Volonté. The text was rewritten in English and expanded by Kenneth H. Gold-
man, who also built the model.
Copyright 2006 by Model Airways, Inc., a division of Model Shipways, Inc., dba Model Expo • Hollywood, Florida
Technical Specifications ...................................Cover
History / Introduction / Credits ..............................2
Before You Begin.....................................................3
Working with the Plans & Parts ..............................3
What You’ll Need to Start Construction..................3
Painting & Staining the Model................................4
Stage 1: Building The Engine & Propeller............4-7
Stage 2: Building The Wings ...............................7-11
Stage 3: Building The Empennage.........................23
Stage 4: Building The Fuselage.........................13-15
Stage 5: Building The Engine Mount ....................16
& Plumbing
Stage 6: Building The Cockpit & Controls ......17-19
Stage 7: Epennage Installation & Cabling ........19-21
Stage 8: Attaching The Lower Wing.................20-22
& Undercarriage
Stage 9: Attaching The Upper Wing, ...............22-25
Cabling & Bracing
Stage 10: Finishing Touches .............................26-27
More Great Model Airways Kits ............................28
INDEX
INDEX
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Before You Begin
The SOPWITH CAMEL kit is intended as a
structural, non-flying, model without any fab-
ric covering. It is about as close as you can
come to being able to hold the real thing in
your hand. Most every detail of the real air-
craft has been included as model scale permits.
Britannia castings and laser-cut wood fittings
eliminate creating many parts from scratch,
however, some final finishing is required
before they are suitable for the model.
Before starting the model, carefully examine
the kit and study the plans. Every effort has
been made to present the construction stages
in a clear, logical sequence. Nevertheless, it is
recommended that you think several steps
ahead and check the plans accordingly dur-
ing assembly. This will help clarify what you
are doing now and will ensure proper fit of
the sub-assemblies later. The instructions
will help, but a thorough knowledge of the
plans at the outset is essential.
Determine if all the listed parts are present.
Handling them will produce a better under-
standing of the kit's requirements and will
help you visualize how every piece will look
on the completed model. To avoid losing
small fittings and hardware, sort them into
labeled containers with lids to keep the parts
in and dirt out.
Although each Stage in the instructions
results in a completed sub-assembly, it is rec-
ommended that you begin at Stage 1 and
proceed in order to the finish. Certain mod-
eling techniques are described in full when
they first appear in the sequence and only are
referred to in subsequent steps. Always com-
plete one construction stage before moving
to the next. In addition to the construction
figures that accompany the instructions,
process photographs throughout will help
clarify construction. If things still go awry,
take a break, then consider doing them over.
Plans
The Model Airways SOPWITH CAMEL is
manufactured to a scale of 1:16 or 3/4" equal
to one foot. In addition to the Figures that
appear throughout this instruction manual,
five full-size plan sheets are provided. Each
plan sheet is drawn to the actual size of the
model except for some areas that have been
enlarged to better show detail.
Dimensions can be lifted directly off the full-
size plans by using draftsman dividers, a strip
of paper laid on the plans on which you make
at dot indicating each end of a part, or simply
by laying wood strips directly on the plans and
marking where to cut them.
Parts
A parts list is included in each of the construc-
tion stages, noting the parts required for that
particular stage. A MASTER PACKAGING
PARTS LIST (separate from these instruc-
tions) is provided that lists the quantities
included in the kit. For wood strips, brass rod,
wire and rigging, one or several pieces are pro-
vided in the kit as noted on the master packag-
ing parts list. These are identified both by size
and by the names of the aircraft parts that will
be made from them. This material must be cut
to length or shape according to plan dimen-
sions. Even though Model Airways supplies
enough extra wood to complete the model
before running out, it is recommended that
you plan to measure and cut the required parts
so as to minimize waste. That way you are cov-
ered if you make a mistake.
Cast Metal Fittings
These parts will require final finishing before
mounting on the model. Remove mold joint
flash with a #10 or a #11 hobby blade, then
file or sand with fine sandpaper. Some of the
holes through which other parts fit, such as the
small eyes of a turnbuckle, may have filled in
during the casting process. Carefully clean
these out using a drill bit or reamer and check
the fit of the other parts. To ensure good glue
and paint bonds to these parts, wash off the
remaining traces of the mold release agent. A
spray of ammonia window cleaner and gentle
brushing with an old soft-bristle toothbrush
does the job nicely. Thoroughly rinse the parts
and allow them to dry.
Necessary Construction Tools
The following tools and supplies are recom-
mended for the construction
process. Modelers who have built before may
have their own favorites.
A. Knives and saws
1. Hobby knife with No. 11 and No. 10
blades
2. Razor saw
B. Files - Set of needle files
Flat, fine-tooth, mill bastard file
Round riffler file
C. Clamps and Pins
1. Assorted Bulldog clips
2. Wooden clothespins
3. Rubber bands
4. Package of T-pins
D. Boring Tools
1. Set of miniature drills (#60 to #80)
2. Pin vise
3. Standard set of twist drills
E. Miscellaneous
1. Tweezers (a few)
2. Small fine pointed scissors
3. Miniature pliers
a. small round
b. flat nose
4. Wire cutters
5. Mechanics rule graduated in 1/64"
6. Brass brush for polishing cast parts
7. Small block plane (for shaping wing leading edges)
F
. Sandpaper
#120 aluminum oxide paper for shaping wood
parts
#200 wet/dry silicon carbide paper for
intermediate sanding
#400 wet/dry silicon carbide paper for fit-
tings and finishing
G. Glue
Yellow (tan) carpenter's glue for wood parts
Cyanoacrylate (CA or Super Glue) for metal
parts, metal to wood, and rapid assembly of
wood parts.
3. OPTIONAL
Cyanoacrylate De-Bonder (just in case you
have to take something apart)
Cyanoacrylate Accelerator for an instant bond
Five-minute epoxy provides extra strength for
gluing fittings.
H. Building Board
A soft, but stiff board such as acoustic ceiling
tile or insulation wallboard to easily take
straight pins for holding parts during assem-
bly. This soft board should be nailed or glued
to a hard board so it will be flat. You can use a
table, but a portable board is good for turning
it around to make the work easier. You will
also need assorted scrap lumber, as indicated
on Plan 05 to build some of the suggested
special jigs.
Setting Up The Plans
It is easiest to build flat subassemblies directly
on the full-size plans. Place the plan on your
building board and cover it with waxed paper
or plastic wrap. Be careful applying glue,
especially super glue. Although the waxed
paper or plastic wrap protects the plan
somewhat, you could accidentally glue the
protective sheet to the model parts, or even to
the plan itself.
An alternative, if you have a dedicated
modeling area, is to lay a sheet of glass over the
full-size plan sheet and build directly on the
glass, using tape and weights to hold the parts
in position. If you use this method, watch out
for sharp edges on the glass.
View color photo on our website!
www.modelexpo-online.com
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Getting Started
Before commencing each stage of construc-
tion, have all the parts for that stage identi-
fied and ready to use. It helps to lay each
part on its corresponding location on the
full-size plan to facilitate identification as
you proceed. Lightly sand wood parts as
required to remove any fuzziness and prepare
the castings parts as noted above.
Painting and Staining
Your Sopwith Camel model need not be
painted or finished at all. However, it is rec-
ommended that you seal the wood parts and
Britannia castings for protection. Due to the
intricacy of the finished model, this is best
done as you go. Using carpenter’s glue on
raw wood allows the strongest bond, but
inevitable glue smears and runs leave the
wood essentially impervious to staining, and
end grain will stain darker than the rest. A
good compromise is to airbrush or brush
varnish onto completed wood subassemblies,
followed by a tinted coat to even out the
color or darken the tone, followed by a finish
coat of varnish to even out the gloss. The
first, sealer coat, is especially important if
you use water base products.
Britannia castings parts may be left polished
or painted a steel or gunmetal color, or as
suggested during construction. Sparkplug
insulators can be painted white. Other fit-
tings, such as turnbuckles and instruments
castings, can be painted black. Varying the
tones on the various parts will add a nice
contrast to the finished model.
The distinctive wicker seat back is provided
as a Britannia casting to simplify construc-
tion. You will need to paint this, after gluing
it to the seat, to give it an appropriate rattan
finish. A tan base coat followed by light and
dark washes will give you a good effect.
After you have shaped and finish sanded the
laminated propeller, you can achieve a more
authentic look by staining it golden
mahogany and then building up two or
three thinned layers of varnish or shellac.
STAGE 1: BUILDING THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER
Engine group:
Begin by attaching the front and back
crankcase covers (CLE-03) to the crankcase
(CLE-02). Note that there are tiny notches in
the castings to help you align the parts. Glue
one side in place, then make sure the bolts
heads line up on both covers before gluing
the second cover in place. Slip this subassem-
bly onto the crankshaft tube, which you must
cut from (WP129K-1.5) to ensure that the
engine parts line up properly, but do not glue
the cast parts to the tube at this stage.
Slip the nine cylinders (CLE-11) over the
pistons on the crankcase so that the paired
sparkplug holes all face the same way, per-
pendicular to the central axis of the
crankcase. Now hold the subassembly facing
you so that the sparkplug holes are to the left
on the cylinder at the top. This is the front
of the engine. Slip the camshaft box (CLE-
06) onto the brass sleeve and align it so the
paired depressions for the tappet seats (GS2-
3) are centered in front of each cylinder.
Looking at the top cylinder, the left hand of
each pair should be closer to you. Glue CLE-
06 against the crankcase. For the best fit of
the tappet seats (GS2-3) later on, use a 3/32"
twist drill to clean the 18 depressions in
CLE-06. Finish up with a quick twist from a
7/64" drill to bevel the edges. Be careful not
to drill too deep.
Refer to Engine Photograph 1 to align the
cylinder heads (CLE-12) on the cylinders
before you glue them in place. NOTE that
the two flats on the top do not match: the
larger one, with straighter sides, also has the
larger hole; it is for the intake rocker arm,
which goes to the side opposite the spark-
plug holes. The flats should line up with the
central axis of the engine, which will set the
two holes at an angle to that axis. Next, glue
the intake rocker arms (CLE-15i) to the
cylinder heads so that the flanged pipe on
each goes to the rear of the engine.
Although a counter-intuitive design by today’s standards, fixing the
propellers to a spinning engine on a stationary crankshaft simplified
cooling, had an excellent weight to horsepower ratio and allowed
greater flexibility in locating the aircraft’s center of gravity – affect-
ing maneuverability - over the in-line engines of the time. One
drawback, however, was the pronounced gyroscopic effect that
pulled the aircraft to the right. To fly in a straight line, pilots had to
compensate for this by applying constant left rudder.
The Clerget rotaries provided improved speed control over the
Gnome and Le Rhone rotaries by replacing the standard “blip”
switch that temporarily grounded the magneto (killing the ignition)
with a selector switch that restricted the engine to run on 9, 7, 5 or
even 3 cylinders. Like the earlier rotaries, the Clerget spewed
unburned castor-oil from the exhaust, adding to the pilot’s discom-
fort. Pilots were issued a small bottle of blackberry brandy to coun-
teract the smoke’s laxative effect.
The completed engine subassembly slips onto the fixed crankshaft
at a later construction stage. Super glue and/or epoxy should be
used to assemble the parts. Care must be exercised with the many
small parts. Refer to Figures 01 through 05. For clarity, drawings
may show a single cylinder. It is a simple matter to repeat the assem-
bly for the other eight cylinders. The key to success is to carefully
clean up all of the castings and then to dry fit everything before
applying glue.
Parts List For Stage 1
WP129K-1.5 Crankshaft tube 1 3/16" diameter x
1-1/2" brass tube
CLE02 Crankcase 1 Britannia casting
CLE03 Crankcase covers 2 Britannia castings
CLE04 Front propeller flange 1 Britannia casting
CLE05 Rear propeller flange 1 Britannia casting
CLE06 Camshaft box 1 Britannia casting
CLE07 Induction box 1 Britannia casting
CLE08 Igniter ring 1 Britannia casting
CLE09 Spark plugs 18 Britannia castings
CLE11 Cylinders 9 Britannia castings
Parts List For Stage 1
CLE12 Cylinder heads 9 Britannia castings
WP162-1.2 Valve lifters 18 15/16" x 1/16" d.
brass rods
GS2-3 Tappet seats 18 Small brass eyelets
CLE15i Intake rocker arms 9 Britannia castings
CLE15e Exhaust rocker arms 9 Britannia castings
CLE16 Induction pipes 9 Britannia castings
CLE17 Propeller 3 Laser-cut basswood
5/32" thick
WP1218 Ignition wires 9 cut from 72"
black thread
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Slip the induction box (CLE-07) onto the
brass tube at the rear of the engine. Referring
to Engine Photograph 2, holding an induc-
tion pipe (CLE-16) in place, flanged end
against a flat on the CLE-07, position the
flat on the induction box so that the flat side
of the other end of the pipe meets the center
of the flanged pipe on the intake rocker arm.
Properly aligned, it will be at a slight angle.
Glue CLE-07 to the crankcase. Dry fit each
induction pipe and adjust the flat as neces-
sary to fit against the pipe on each CLE-15i
and glue them into place. File off any part of
each induction pipe that extends above the
edge of the flanged pipe on parts CLE-15i.
Glue the igniter ring (CLE-08) to the induc-
tion box so that the holes line up between
each pair of cylinders and the small gear faces
away from the engine. Now glue the engine
subassembly to the crankshaft tube so that
one end of the tube is flush with the outer
surface of the small gear on the igniter ring.
Glue the exhaust rocker arms (CLE-15e) in
place on the cylinder heads. Cut the 18 valve
lifters (CLE-13) from the provided lengths
of 1/16" brass rod. It is suggested that you
cut them to 15/16" and then file them down
to achieve the best fit. Slide a tappet seat
(CLE-14) onto the brass rod and glue into
place, referring to Engine Photograph 3.
Complete the engine group by attaching the
ignition wires (WP1218) from the igniter
ring to the spark plugs, referring to Engine
Photograph 4. Cut 18 4" lengths of black
thread. Feed each pair of threads through
one of the nine holes in the igniter ring and
tie them to the sparkplug terminals. Alligator
clips or other small clamps can be used on
the thread ends that emerge from the hole to
act as weights to keep the threads taut as you
fix them and the knots with a drop of glue.
Trim off the excess thread and repeat the
process for the other eight cylinders.
Engine Photograph 1
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Propeller group:
Referring to Fig.05, laminate the propeller
layers (CLE17). Take care to stack the layers
in the correct order. When viewed from the
front in a vertical position, the stack goes
from longest to shortest with the shortest
layer closest to you. Curved edges would
then be upper left and lower right. A 1/4"
diameter bolt and nut make a handy center
clamp that helps align the layers while the
glue dries.
Remove the bolt and whittle and sand the
propeller to its refined shape. The front of
the finished propeller curves toward the back
when viewed from the side. Begin with the
overall lengthwise curve, then proceed to the
cross-sectional shaping. This will result in a
curved leading edge and a straight trailing
edge after the final shaping. Shape the front
first, then the back to follow the front. Note
that the front surface is slightly convex and
the back is slightly concave.
When you are satisfied with the result, apply
a gold-mahogany stain. If using a water-base
stain you might have to lightly re-sand the
propeller with #400 paper to remove any
raised wood grain, then apply a couple of
coats of varnish.
Attach the front (CLE04) and rear( CLE05)
flanges to the propeller. Make sure the front
and rear bolt heads/nuts line up before
gluing. Dry fit this assembly onto the
crankshaft mount. There should be a space
of about 1/16" between the rear propeller
flange and the camshaft box.
DO NOT glue the propeller to the
crankshaft mount until final fitting of the
engine to the completed aircraft. This will
allow you to make any needed adjustment so
the prop will clear the machine gun muzzles.
STAGE 2: BUILDING THE WINGS
The upper and lower wings are built in essentially the same manner,
referring primarily to full-size Plan 03. The primary differences are
the center trailing edges and that the lower wing will be cut in two
and rejoined to create its correct dihedral angle.
CAW01 Ribs 2 laser-cut plywood 3/64" thick
CAW02 Ribs 28 laser-cut plywood 3/64" thick
CAW03 Ribs 8 laser-cut plywood 3/64" thick
CAW04 Ribs 4 laser-cut plywood 3/64" thick
CAW05 Ribs 16 laser-cut plywood 3/64" thick
CAW06 Ribs 4 laser-cut plywood 3/64" thick
CAW07 Ribs 4 laser-cut plywood 3/64" thick
CAW08 Nose ribs 50 laser-cut plywood 3/64" thick
CAW18 Wingtips 4 Britannia castings
CAW19 T
op center trailing edge 1 Britannia casting
CAW20 Compression bars 15 Britannia castings
CAW21a/b Aileron hinges 12 each Britannia castings
CAW22 Aileron horns 4 Britannia castings
CAW23
Aileron cable anchors 4 Britannia castings
CAW24 Aileron pulleys 4 Britannia castings
CAW25
Compression bars w/eyes 6Britannia castings
CAW38
Front lower wing joint 1Britannia casting
CAW39 Rear lower wing joint 1 Britannia casting
W042 Turnbuckles 36 Britannia castings
WP3603Rib caps 1/32" x 3/32" basswood strips
Parts List For Stage 2
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Parts List For Stage 2 (continued)
WP3671 Leading edges 5/32" x 3/16" basswood strips
WP3648 Front spars 5/32" x 5/32" basswood strips
WP3631 Rear spars 1/8" x 1/8" basswood strips
WP3625 Front aileron spars 3/32" x 3/32" basswood strips
WP3618 Rear aileron spars 1/16" x 1/16" basswood strips
Wing braces
WP1205 Rigging cable Metal-gray thread
WP161K Wing trailing edges 3/64" brass rod
WP0976 Trailing edge bands 1/4" Adhesive copper tape
Wing ribs; rib caps:
After cutting loose all of the above refer-
enced ribs, lightly sand them to remove sur-
face char from the laser, then sort them by
number.
To facilitate making the cap strips overlap
ribs CAW02, 04, 05, 06 and 07 equally to
each side, make a simple jig by gluing a 2
1/2" length of the 1/32" x 3/32" rib cap
stock to a scrap block of soft wood, as in
Fig.06. Pin the rib to be glued onto the
strip through some of the cutouts, apply
carpenter’s wood glue to the rib edge and
use T-pins against the rib cap to clamp the
cap to the rib. Repeat for the opposite edge.
Note the photograph “Rib Pins”. Use of a
hair drier will speed up the process. The
“waist” on ribs CAW05 and CAW06 make
them particularly fragile, requiring extra
care when gluing on their cap strips.
The 8 parts CAW03 are laminated in pairs
to make 4 double-thick ribs before cap
strips are glued on, and the 2 ribs CAW01
are glued flush to one edge of the cap strip
to make left and right capped ribs. Fig.06
shows the left hand one (looking from back
to front of the finished airplane). Therefore,
instead of using the jig, lay a piece of waxed
paper on the scrap wood to avoid gluing
those ribs to it.
Inserting the spars; leading edges;
nose ribs:
Slight variation in the provided wood strips
is to be expected, therefore test fit all of the
spars, including the aileron spars, to the
ribs and sand down the spars as needed to
attain a snug fit.
Referring to Plan 03.1, slide all of the
upper wing ribs, except CAW 06, 07 and
08 onto the front (5/32" square stock) and
rear (1/8" square stock) spars. Make sure
that the flush sides of ribs CAW01 face the
center of the wing. Once everything is lined
up, glue the ribs into place using a small
brush and thinned wood glue.
Once the glue is dry, cut the front spar to
length and taper the ends outboard of the
first rib at each end to fit the narrower slot
in ribs CAW06 and glue those ribs in place.
Insert the aileron spars (3/32" and 1/16"
square stock) through the holes in ribs
CAW05 and 06, then glue and cut to
length according to the plan. Attach aileron
rib CAW07, being careful to leave a gap
between it and the next inboard rib. This
will allow the ailerons to move when they
later are cut free. Locate the wing angle
braces on Plan T.03. Cut them from 1/16"
square lumber and glue into place.
Dry fit the leading edge lumber (5/32" x
3/16" x 24") against the front edge of the
ribs to check for uniform fit and to make
sure that the nose ribs (CAW08) will fit
snugly between the front spar and the lead-
ing edge. If necessary, use a long strip of
sandpaper, affixed to the same length
straight, flat piece of wood, to lightly sand
the leading edges of the ribs.
Trim spar ends and notch them, using a
round needle file, to fit the wingtips
CAW18. You also will need to file a notch
in the front spar rib CAW05 meets it. File
and bend the wing tip if needed so that all
ends make contact with the spars and ribs.
Glue the wing tip in place using CA and
repeat for the other wing tip.
Next, hold the 3/16" side of the leading
edge lumber in place to determine its prop-
er length and where to cut notches to fit
over the end of the wing tip casting – see
Fig.10. Before gluing the leading edge to
the ribs, locate the aileron pulleys
(CAW24) on Plan 03 and drill the appro-
priate holes in the leading edge of the front
spar. Glue the leading edge in place and
taper the ends down to the wingtips from
the last rib the leading edge attaches to.
Glue the leading edge in place, 3/16" edge
against the ribs and carefully sand it to a
rounded profile, as in the ribs cross-sections
on Plan 03. Careful use of a block plane
will speed up the process. Glue the nose
ribs in place. Now is the time to varnish
and tint the wing assembly. Although later
steps will expose unvarnished edges, these
can be touched up with a brush.
Finally, build the lower wing to the same
stage of completion and saw apart per
Plan 03.2.
Compression bars; pulleys;
trailing edge; visibility cutout;
rigging:
Glue the aileron pulleys in place using
CA glue.
Drill #75 size holes through both ends of
the compression bars (CAW20 and 25)
where the round flange meets the angle
bracket – see Fig.12 detail. Next, locate and
glue the compression bars in place, hanging
bars CAW20 from the top and attaching
CAW25 from the bottom, so the eyes point
down from the upper wing. All of the
compression bars are hung from the top in
the lower wing, which positions the eyes on
CAW25 pointing up. It is important that
the outboard upper and lower parts
CAW25 line up on the two wings, because
this is where the wing struts will attach.
To frame the visibility cutout in the upper
wing, first make sure that tabs that overlap
the spars of the center compression bar are
filed down to a maximum of 1/32" thick.
Next cut four 9/32" lengths of 1/32" x
3/32" wood strip and glue these supports to
the front and rear spars edges, against ribs
CAW01, so that they extend from the outer
spar edges into the center space. Cut six
roughly 3/4" lengths of the same wood
and plank three of them onto each pair
of supports.
The easiest way to rig the wing bracing
wires is to run a continuous length of
WP1205 thread from one end of the wing
to the other and then repeat the process to
create the X-pattern on Plan 03. Each time
you come to the front end of a compression
bar, slip a turnbuckle (W042) onto the
thread, through both holes, before running
the thread through the holes you drilled in
the compression bars. After stringing the
thread all the way to the opposite end of
the wing, secure the end, then gently
tighten the thread, working backward to
where you started. At each front end of a
compression bar, slide a turnbuckle up to
the bar then secure the thread and turn-
buckle with CA glue. At each rear end of a
compression bar secure the thread with CA
Rib Pins
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9
glue. The procedure basically is the same
for the lower wing, except each half is
rigged separately.
Although this rigging technique provides
generally acceptable results, the more
demanding modeler might prefer to knot
the thread through each turnbuckle eye in
lieu of using a continuous run.
The casting for the upper wing’s center
trailing edge (CAW19) requires some
adjustment for a good fit. Cut the long pins
at the ends so that they nestle between the
cap strips where they meet ribs CAW02.
You might have to file the pins out of
round to achieve the best fit. Sand the ends
of ribs CAW01 if needed, then glue curved
section of CAW19 to the end of the center
ribs so that 3/64" of the casting extends
beyond the trailing ends of ribs CAW02.
This provides an end seat for the 3/64"
brass rod which is used to make the wing’s
trailing edge. See Fig.11. Cut the brass rod
to length before attaching it with CA glue,
and leave a gap between the wing and the
ailerons – Plan 03. Finish off the trailing
edge by wrapping the joints with 1/2"
lengths of copper tape, cut to the width of
the rib cap strips. Use four 1/4" long cop-
per strips to cover the top and bottom
joints between ribs CAW01 and the center
trailing edge.
Carefully separate the ailerons from the
wings by sawing through the ribs between
the rear wing spar and the front aileron
spar. Continue the cut through the wing tip
casting and sand as needed. Referring to
Plan 03-1 and Fig.13 attach the hinges
CAW21 a&b. The gudgeon half (has hole)
attaches to the rear wing spar and the pintle
half (has pin) attaches to the front aileron
spar. In order to lock the aileron to the
wing, arrange the hinges so the pintles of
the middle and outside hinges face the air-
craft center line and that of the inside
hinges face toward the wingtips.
Locate the aileron horns CAW22 and the
aileron cable anchors CAW23 on the
ailerons as indicated in the drawings. The
horns angle forward and are placed atop the
upper wing and below the bottom wing.
Before gluing in place, notch the rib cap
where each part goes so that the vertical tab
snugs up against its laser-cut rib.
Joining the lower wing halves:
Create the lower wing dihedral by tapering
the bottom ends of the front and rear spars
so that when they are rejoined by parts
CAW38 and CAW39 they will lie flat with-
in the cast joints and the underside of the
outermost ribs(CAW06) will be elevated
25/32" above the work surface. Reference
Plan 03.3. The easiest way to ensure both
sides come out the same is to cut blocks of
the right thickness to hold up the wing
ends while you gently push down on the
center joints. Before gluing this together,
check that the space between the inside flats
of the innermost ribs (CAW03) is 1
13/16".
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11
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12
STAGE 3: BUILDING THE EMPENNAGE
CAW09 Horizontal stabilizer ribs 8 laser-cut plywood
CAW10 Stabilizer nose ribs 6 laser-cut plywood
CAW32 Elevator and rudder hinges 7 Britannia castings
CAW33 Horizontal stabilizer rim 1 Britannia casting
CAW34 Elevator 1 Britannia casting
CAW35 Elevator and rudder horns 3 Britannia castings
CAW36 Vertical Stabilizer 1 Britannia casting
CAW37 Rudder 1 Britannia casting
W042 Turnbuckles 4 Britannia castings
WP3603 Rib caps 1/32" x 3/32" basswood strips
WP3625 Horizontal stabilizer spar & 3/32" x 3/32" basswood strips
Stabilizer compression bars
WP1205 Rigging cable Metal-gray thread
Parts List For Stage 3
Horizontal stabilizer
and elevator:
As you did for the wings, glue
cap strips onto the eight hori-
zontal stabilizer ribs
(CAW09). Drill #75 holes in
CAW33 where indicated on
Plan 03.4 for stringing the
cross bracing rigging.
Referring to Plan 03.4, use
3/32" square lumber to make
the stabilizer spar. File a
rounded notch in each end
for a tight fit to the stabilizer
casting (CAW33). String the
ribs onto the spar, then posi-
tion the ribs and spar within
the casting and glue every-
thing in place. Attach the six
nose ribs.
Cut the stabilizer compres-
sion bars from 3/32" square
lumber, notch the ends for
the cross bracing rigging ends
and glue into place. Using
turnbuckles (W042), where
indicated in the drawing, rig
the cross bracing (WP1205)
in the same manner you
chose for the wings.
Glue on the two elevator
horns (CAW35) where indi-
cated in Fig.14, making sure
that the ends angle forward.
Referring to Fig.15, attach
the elevator to the stabilizer
by crimping four CAW32
hinges over the notched areas.
DO NOT USE GLUE.
Vertical stabilizer and rudder:
The vertical stabilizer (CAW36) and rudder
(CAW37) are complete castings except for the rud-
der horn (CAW35) which must be glued in place
with the angled horns facing forward. You will need
to drill a #75 hole through the top of the front ver-
tical brace in the rudder (Fig.14) to accept rigging
when the empennage is attached to the fuselage.
Attach the rudder to the vertical stabilizer by
crimping three CAW32 hinges as indicated. DO
NOT USE GLUE.
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Fuselage:
Laminate pairs of parts CAF03 to form the
two cockpit base structures. Laminate the
two parts CAF06 to make the single nose
frame. Form the two diagonal mounts by
laminating a solid laser cut CAF04 to one
with lightening cutouts for each.
Using Plan 02.2 or Jig 4 on Plan 05 glue up
the fuselage sides using CAF03 and 3/32" X
3/32" wood strips. The top and bottom
longerons are continuous strips that will
bend easily. Take measurements from Plan
02.2. Glue in the diagonal mounts
(CAF04), making sure that the sides with
the lightening cutouts face outward, then
glue on the rigging eyes (CAF05) so the flat
backs of the eyes face inward.
NOTE: It is crucial that the three small
holes on CAF04 line up across the fuselage
later on when installing the engine mount
and plumbing. If you opt not to use Jig 4, it
is recommended that you install parts
CAF04 after building the complete fuselage.
Dry fit the parts and insert a rod or dowel
through one pair of holes and then adjust
the fit before gluing so the rod is both level
and perpendicular to the fuselage centerline.
Using Plan 02.1 (helped by Jig 5 on Plan 05
if desired) attach the two sides by first join-
ing them to the doubled nose frame CAF06
and then reinforcing this with horizontal
formers at position “A”. Attach horizontal
formers at positions “D”, noting that there
are no top formers at positions “B” and “C”.
The remaining horizontal formers should be
cut to length to match the spacing of the
associated false frames at positions “E”
through “H”. When the glue is dry, glue
together the two tail ends before fitting the
horizontal formers at position “I”. Use the
3/32" square kit lumber to make the final
fairing support CAF22. Attach this across
the top of the fuselage and round the cor-
ners. Make the fairing stringers out of 1/16"
square kit lumber and fit them to the notch-
es in the false frames, gluing the tail ends
atop CAF22.
Referring to Plan 02.3, attach the angle
braces (CAF12) inside frame “B” and the
fairleads/angle braces (CAF13) inside frame
“D”. The inside corner of CAF12 and
CAF13 support the seat rails which are cut
from 3/32" square stock of about 3 5/16"
length. Before gluing the rear seat rail
support (3/32" square wood) across the
13
STAGE 4: BUILDING THE FUSELAGE
CAF03 Cockpit base 4 laser-cut plywood
CAF04 Diagonal mounts 4 laser-cut plywood
CAF05 Rigging eyes 64 Britannia metal
CAF06 Nose frame 4 laser-cut plywood
CAF08 False frame “E” 1 laser-cut plywood
CAF09 False frame “F” 1 laser-cut plywood
CAF10 False frame “G” 1 laser-cut plywood
CAF11 False frame “H” 1 laser-cut plywood
CAF12 Angle brace on frame “B” 2 Britannia castings
CAF13 Fairleads/angle brace on frame “D” 1 Britannia casting
CAF15 Front machine gun support 1 Britannia casting
CAF16 Rear machine gun support 1 Britannia casting
GS4-7 Tail skid socket 1 .219" x .121" brass eyelet
WP3625 Longerons, vertical & horizontal 3/32" x 3/32" basswood strips
fuselage formers, CAF22, seat rails & cross pieces
WP3618 Fairing stringers 1/16" x 1/16" basswood strips
WP161K Bungee retainer 3/64" brass rod
Misc. scrap wood building board and jig parts supplied by modeler
Parts List For Stage 4
Although it is possible to construct the fuselage atop the full-size
plans, as you did with the wings, several construction jigs are depict-
ed on plan sheet 05 to facilitate assembly. If you opt to build the
sides without a jig, it is important that you are consistent in aligning
the wood strips with the same edges of the drawing. For example, if
you lay out the vertical frame members for one side along the left
edge of the vertical frames in the drawing make sure you do the
same for the other side of the fuselage, otherwise milling differences
in kit lumber and different printed line widths could cause discrep-
ancies between the two sides.
vertical of frame “E” make sure that the fuel
tank (CAF18) will fit snugly between the
rails. Referring to Plan 02.5, cut and attach
atop the seat rails the two fuel tank sup-
ports (just behind frame “D” and 5/8"
behind that) and the two seat supports
(between frames “C” and “D”). These
extend to the outside edges of the seat rails,
not the full width of the fuselage.
Locate the rear machine gun mount
(CAF16) atop the longerons at frame
position “B,” then use a machine gun to
position the front mount (CAF15), and
glue CAF15 in place. Leaving off the rear
mount at this stage will make it easier to
insert the ammunition boxes/chutes later.
To create the bungee retainer, refer to Plan
02.1 & 02.2 and drill a 3/64" hole through
the longerons just forward of the doubled
vertical formers at the fuselage tail and
insert a length of 3/64" brass rod so that the
ends are flush with the longerons.
Referring to Plan 02.5, glue a brass eyelet
(GS4-7) into the joint at the end of the tail
to make the tail skid socket.
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15
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16
STAGE 5: BUILDING THE ENGINE MOUNT AND PLUMBING
Preparation:
Cut two 1" lengths of WP129K-1.5 to
make the air intake tubes, then file a 106º
angle to one end of each tube. When
installed, the angled end faces out and tapers
toward the front of the airframe like an air
scoop. Cut a 1 1/2" length of WP129K-1.5
to make the engine mount tube.
Brass eyelets tend to be rolled in slightly at
the non-flanged end. Use a needle file to
straighten this out so the eyelets will slide
easily over the ends of the rear support
(CAF43). Referring to the plumbing
schematic Fig.25, drill #69 shallow holes
where indicated in parts CAF39, 40, 41,
42b and 45. Part CAF39 gets two holes,
one in the end and one where the little cast
tail is. Cut off the tail first. Finally, dry fit
the engine mount (CAF38) to the front of
the airframe. Sand and trim as needed to
get a snug fit.
Assembly:
Glue together the parts as shown in Fig.18
with the exception of the engine mount
tube which should be left loose at this
stage. Glue this subassembly to the airframe
at former “A.” Note the placement of part
CAF42b in the channel on CAF42a.
Remove the brass tube and glue on the end
cap (CAF73). Slide this assembly through
the carburetor (CAF45), the rear support
(CAF43) and then the center hole in the
engine mount. Line up the four arms of the
rear support with the two pairs of large
holes in the diagonal mounts (CAF04),
then slide the brass eyelets (GS4-7) through
the holes to secure the support arms. Glue
the eyelets to the arms being careful not to
get any glue on the brass engine mount
tube. Slip the air intakes over the carburetor
studs, then slide the carburetor and the
tube so that the intake tubes are straight
out to the sides, just clearing the rear of the
diagonal mounts. The hole you drilled in
the carburetor casting should face straight
up. Slide the mounting tube forward so the
end cap touches the carburetor and glue
everything in place. Finally, glue the rigging
attachments (CAF48) into the small holes
on the diagonal mounts so that the rings
are vertical.
Firewall Option:
Although the kit does not include the fire-
wall, it is a simple matter to make one from
thin sheet aluminum, such as that of a flat-
tened soda can. Either trace around CAF38
or use a compass to layout a 2 11/16" disc.
Cut off the bottom to match CAF38 and
cut a 3/4" hole in the center. Glue this to
the front of CAF38.
CAF38 Engine Mount 1 Britannia casting
CAF39 Oil pump 1 Britannia casting
CAF40 Air pump 1 Britannia casting
CAF41 Magnetos 2 Britannia castings
CAF42a&b Magneto support 1 each Britannia casting
CAF43 Rear support 1 Britannia casting
CAF44 Manual starter 1 Britannia casting
CAF45 Carburetor 1 Britannia casting
WP129K-1.5 Air intakes 2 3/16" x 1" brass tube
WP2841 Rear support connectors 4 .219" x .121" brass eyelets
CAF48 Rigging attachments 2 Britannia castings
WP129K-1.5 Engine mount tube 1 3/16" x 1 1/2" brass tube
CAF73 Engine tube end cap 1 Britannia casting
Parts List For Stage 5
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17
STAGE 6: BUILDING THE COCKPIT AND CONTROLS
Subassemblies:
Referring to Fig.20, attach the fuselage to
Jig 7 and your construction board. The
flanged washer (Jig 7c) fits into the front
center of the engine mount and is attached
to one of the jig uprights simply by sliding
the crankshaft (GR9-15) through the
upright, then the washer and into the brass
engine mounting tube. The fuselage tail fits
into Jig 7b and is then secured to the sec-
ond upright with the provided #8-32 wing
nut. Be careful not to over tighten the wing
nut or you risk stripping the threads from
the cast part. Use the slots in the uprights’
bases to screw them to your construction
board. After this is assembled, loosening
and tightening the wing nut will allow you
to rotate and secure the fuselage while you
work on the cockpit.
Fuel and oil tanks and ammunition
boxes/chutes: Assemble the oil and fuel
tanks and attach their fillers. Oil tank
(CAF17a&b) and auxiliary fuel tank
(CAF19a&b) are straightforward
assemblies, as is inserting their fillers
(CAF30). The main fuel tank (CAF18)
requires a bit more work. The provided two
castings are identical and must be joined so
that the paired slots form paired holes at
opposite ends. If you plan not to paint the
cast parts, it is suggested that you solder
these two parts together. Note the hollows
at opposite ends. Drill out one of these for
the filler pipe (CAF18a) and putty or solder
the other to eliminate it. Also fill the paired
hole that is closest to the filler pipe. The
completed fuel tank will have the filler pipe
and one hole at the top and two holes at
the bottom. Glue together parts
CAF62a&b to make the ammunition
boxes/chutes.
Rudder bar: Assemble the rudder bar
according to Fig.21. Either peen the end of
the pivot pin (CAF27) after inserting it
through CAF25 and CAF26 or glue it to
CAF26, being careful not to get any glue
on CAF25, the rudder bar itself.
Control stick: Assemble the control stick to
the trunion with two pulleys (CAF28)
according to Fig.22. Pinned by parts
CAF28, the stick should move easily on the
trunion. Note that the gun triggers on the
control stick should be to the short end of
the trunion. DO NOT attach the supports
(CAF26) and aileron crank (CAF29) at this
stage.
Throttle: Assemble the throttle according
to Fig.23. Complete this plumbing with 1
1/4" of provided copper wire bent and
inserted into shallow #69 holes drilled into
opposite ends of the fuel mixture control
(CAF37). Refer to Fig.25 to locate points
to drill five #69 holes for the remainder of
the plumbing (copper wire), most of which
will be attached later. The exception is the
short piece, marked with an arrow, that
should be attached now.
Hand pump and tank selector: Referring
to Fig.25, drill #69 holes, where indicated,
in the hand pump (CAF35) and the fuel
tank selector (CAF34).
Seat: Bend the seat back (CAF30a) so it fits
into the groove on the seat bottom
(CAF30b). Paint the seat back tan, to look
like wicker, then glue the two parts together.
Machine guns: Attach the gun charging
levers (CAF60b) to the holes on the right
sides of the Vickers machine guns
(CAF60a). DO NOT attach the gun sight
(CAF61) until after the guns are mounted,
at a later stage.
Instrument panel: Begin by painting black,
if desired, parts CAF50, 51 and 57. The
upper dome of the pulsometer (CAF53) can
be left unpainted to represent the
original which was glass, and the lower part
can be painted brass. The toggles on the
magneto switches (CAF54) should be paint-
ed brass while the base of the leading switch
should be white and of the trailing switch
black. Laser-cut part CAF49, the panel itself,
may be stained mahogany. Cut out and glue
in place the paper gauge faces according to
Fig.24 and then assemble all of the parts
according to the same drawing. Although it
will be a tight fit behind the instrument
panel once it is installed, it is worth the
effort to enhance your model with the pip-
ing depicted in Fig.25*.
Therefore, drill #69 holes in the backs of the
tachometer and the air speed indicator, in
the pin of the pulsometer and in both the
pin and the bottom of the air pressure gauge.
CAF16 Rear machine gun support 1 Britannia casting
CAF17a&b Oil tank 2 Britannia castings
CAF18 Main fuel tank 2 Britannia castings
CAF18a Main fuel tank filler 1 Britannia casting
CAF19a&b Auxiliary fuel tank 2 Britannia castings
CAF23 Control stick 1 Britannia casting
CAF24 Trunion 1 Britannia casting
CAF25 Rudder bar 1 Britannia casting
CAF26 Supports 3 Britannia castings
CAF27 Rudder bar pin 1 Britannia casting
CAF28 Pulleys 4 Britannia castings
CAF29 Aileron crank 1 Britannia casting
CAF30 Filler caps 2 Britannia castings
CAF31 Throttle handle 1 Britannia casting
CAF32 Throttle quadrant 1 Britannia casting
CAF33 Fuel filter 1 Britannia casting
CAF34 Fuel tank selector 1 Britannia casting
CAF35 Hand pump 1 Britannia casting
CAF36a&b Seat 2 Britannia castings
CAF37 Fuel mixture control 1 Britannia casting
CAF50 Compass/inclinometer 1 Britannia casting
CAF51 Instruments 3 Britannia castings
CAF53 Pulsometer 1 Britannia casting
CAF54 Magneto switches 2 Britannia castings
CAF56 Clock 1 Britannia casting
CAF57 Air pressure gauge 1 Britannia casting
CAF60a Vickers machine gun 2 Britannia castings
CAF60b Gun charging lever 2 Britannia castings
CAF61 Gun sight 1 Britannia casting
CAF62a&b Ammunition boxes/chutes 2 Britannia castings
CAF64 Tail skid 1 Britannia casting
JIG 7a Uprights 2 Britannia castings
JIG 7b Tail holder 1 Britannia casting
JIG 7c Engine mount holder 1 Britannia casting
WP9912 #8-32 Jig 7 wing nut 1 Steel
W042 Turnbuckles 32 Britannia castings
GR9-15 Crankshaft 1 5/32" x 2 5/8" brass rod
CAF49 Instrument panel 1 Laser-cut plywood
SEC40223 Cockpit piping 22 AWG copper wire
WP29162 Instrument faces 1 Gloss paper – set of 5
WP0976 Tank straps 1/4" Copper tape
WP1227 “Bungee cord” Gray nylon twine
WP1205 Bracing wire Metal-gray thread
Parts List For Stage 6
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18
* Note that Fig.F10 is a schematic that does
not purport to show the actual piping runs.
The runs should be kept as short as possible
while considering neatness and clearance –
especially where the line from the hand
pump passes the rudder bar.
Installation:
Refer to Plan 02.6 to install the control
stick. First slide one support CAF26 onto
the long trunion pin so the slot faces away
from the stick, then glue the aileron crank
(CAF29 to the same pin so it hangs down
in line with the stick. Center and glue the
support to the horizontal member at Frame
“B”. Finally, slide the second support onto
the short trunion pin and glue it to the next
horizontal frame member. The slots in both
supports face to the front of the fuselage.
Referring to Plan 02.7, glue the throttle
assembly to the left seat rail, sliding it as far
forward as you can.
Glue the main fuel tank to its supports,
according to Plan 02.6, angling it so the
filler pipe cap lines up with an imaginary
line from the aft fairing to the top of
CAF21 at Fame “D.” Cut a 4 1/2" length
of copper tape, then cut it into two 1/8"
wide strips. Use these to make the fuel tank
straps, wrapping them around both tank
supports as well as the main fuel tank. Be
careful not to cover any of the holes in the
tank. Then glue the auxiliary fuel tank atop
the longerons, behind CAF21.
Use the provided copper wire to pipe both
fuel tanks to the fuel tank selector (CAF34)
and from the selector to the throttle assem-
bly. It is important to determine the
connection between the selector and the
throttle before attaching the selector to the
chair rail in order to achieve the closest
possible fit of the two parts. Refer to Plan
02 and Fig.25. Attach the hand pump
(CAF35) to the right side seat rail and run
the piping per Fig.25. Finish up by attach-
ing the oil tank to the top longerons and
the tank to the oil pump by means of a
short length of copper wire.
Dry fit the ammunition boxes/chutes
behind the front machine gun support,
with the attachment bar toward the front.
Dry fit the rear machine gun support and
lay a machine gun across the two supports
to check the fit of the chute tops to the
underside of the machine gun. If necessary,
file down the chute tops so the machine
gun lies level in both its supports and the
chute tops just touch the underside of the
machine guns. Glue the ammunition
boxes/chutes and the rear machine gun
support in place. Refer to Plan 02.
Slip the instrument panel between the
ammunition boxes/chutes and the rear
machine gun support close to the rear
gun support. Now is the time to run the
piping to the instruments, if desired.
Refer to Fig.25.
Insert the tail skid (CAF64) into the socket
at the tail and, using the gray twine
“bungee cord” (WP1227) tie off the
hooked end to the bungee retainer. This
will also serve to keep the tail skid from
falling out of its socket. The skid should be
free to turn because it will be cabled to the
rudder bar at a later stage.
Referring to Plan 02.5, use 16 turnbuckles
per side and metal-gray thread (WP1205)
to string the fuselage cross bracing. Use the
same method you chose for the wings.
After bracing the sides, use the same lower
parts CAF05 to cross brace the bottom
from Frame “E” to Frame “I.” No turn-
buckles are used for this.
Attach the machine guns, then attach the
gun sight across the front end of the guns.
Some Camels had the single gun sight
mounted on the right machine gun only
instead of between the two. If you prefer
this alternative, simply trim the bar on
CAF61 to the central pin and glue the sight
on that location.
Glue two 3/4" long pieces of 3/32" x 3/32"
wood under the seat, running front to
back, then glue the seat assembly to the
pair of supports within the cockpit. See
Plan 02.6.
Remove the fuselage from Jig 7.
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19
STAGE 7: EPENNAGE INSTALLATION AND CABLING
Empennage assembly:
Center the horizontal stabilizer on the fuse-
lage top by positioning the spar at Frame
“I.” It is recommended that you strengthen
the joint by drilling through the spar and
longerons, into the vertical frame members,
to insert two small brads as you glue this in
place. (See Plan 04.5 and Fig.27)
Glue the vertical stabilizer pins into the
holes in the horizontal stabilizer. Finish this
up by rigging the bracing wires from metal-
gray thread (Fig.27). Use a turnbuckle on
each side in the rear where the thread passes
through the top of the horizontal stabilizer
and the bottom of the vertical stabilizer.
The forward of the two bracing wires has
turnbuckles where the thread passes
through the top of the compression bar on
the horizontal stabilizer and where it is tied
off at the nearest CAF05 on either side of
the bottom of the fuselage.
Control cabling:
Prepare by cutting the flanges from four
small brass eyelets (GS2-3) and filing the
ends smooth.
Stand the aircraft on its nose, using a block
of wood to clear the attached machine
guns. Brace the rudder bar and rudder into
their neutral position. Refer to figures 28-
30. To use the least amount of thread, run
the end through the tie-off ring on the rud-
der, then the right hand rudder horn,
through the fuselage and the far right fair-
lead on CAF13 (“e” on Fig.29), and
through a prepared small eyelet. Continue
the run through the right hand hole on the
rudder bar, back through the eyelet,
through fairlead “f” on CAF13, and back
through the fuselage to the right hand horn
on the tail skid. Tie it off, then pull it snug
to the rudder bar, slide the eyelet against
the rudder bar and glue it and the thread.
Snug up the run back to the rudder horn
and tie-off ring, glue into place and trim.
Repeat for the left side. When the rudder
and rudder bar are released, they should
move normally.
Brace the stick and the horizontal stabilizer
to their neutral position. Cut off about 2.5’
of metal-gray thread, and tie one end to the
top right hand pulley on the control stick
(Fig.28). Run the thread forward, around
the right hand rudder bar pulley, going
from inside to outside, under the lower
stick pulley, and through the outermost
fairlead “a.” Continue the run back through
the fuselage, emerging above the upper
longeron between Frames “G” and “H,” to
the upper right side elevator horn, through
the tie-off ring then the lower elevator
horn, and back into the fuselage between
Frames “G” and “H.” After passing this
through “b” on Fig.28 run the end
through a prepared small brass eyelet and
back to create a loop which goes over the
upper right stick pulley where you started.
Make everything snug and glue in place.
Repeat for the left side. When the stick
and elevator are release, moving the stick
forward should pull the elevator down-
ward; back, upward.
W042 Turnbuckles 8 Britannia castings
WP1205 Rigging and control cables Metal-gray thread
WP2839 Cable crimps 4 Small brass eyelets
not supplied 2 Small brads (optional)
Parts List For Stage 5
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STAGE 8: ATTACHING THE LOWER WING AND UNDERCARRIAGE
Tie off the ailerons to avoid damaging them
and glue the lower wing into the slots
under the fuselage. There should be a space
forward of the front spar through which the
aileron cable will pass.
Referring to Fig.33, orient the struts
(CAF70) left and right (they slant inward
to the fuselage, and drill a #69 hole
through the lower end of each front strut.
Glue an eyebolt in each hole, ring to the
inside, and file off any of the shaft that
protrudes out the other side. Referring to
Fig.31, drill three #69 holes under the
fuselage and glue in eyebolts for the
undercarriage bracing. Drill two additional
holes through CAF03 and glue in eyebolts
that will later serve as aileron cable guides.
Trim the eyebolt shafts so they do not
protrude outside the fuselage.
Using sheet aluminum from a soda or beer
can, cut out a piece 3/4" x 1 1/8". Steel
wool off the paint and varnish and drill a
#69 hole dead center. Line this hole up
with the one in the center of the Axle
(CAF69). Pin it in place with an eyebolt so
the short edges touch the Axle hinges, then
bend down the long edges to wrap over the
outer Axle supports. Now glue it and the
eyebolt in place. See Fig.33.
Slip the struts over the Axle and secure by
wrapping about three turns of WP1227
around each end as in Fig.34. Temporarily
secure the struts to the Axle with a rubber
band. Fit this assembly to the fuselage so
that the front strut tops attach at Frame “A”
and the rear tops fit between the lower
wing ribs and the fuselage to attach at
Frame “C.” Note the holes through the top
parts of the front struts. Drill through these
into Frame “A” and secure each with an
eyebolt. Fig.35. Check the alignment, then
glue into place. From underneath, make
sure the Axle and struts fit tightly together,
then glue them together.
Using a turnbuckle at each eyebolt on the
undercarriage, use WP1205 to rig the
bracing wires. Wires run from the strut
eyebolts back to the opposite side of the
fuselage and from the Axle eyebolt straight
up to the eyebolt in the center of the
rudder bar support.
CAF69 Axle 1 each Britannia casting
CAF70 L/R Landing gear struts 1 each Britannia castings
W042 Turnbuckles 3 Britannia castings
WP1227 Bungee cord Tan nylon cord
WP1205 Bracing wire Metal-gray thread
WP0434B Rigging eyes 8 Brass eyebolts
Aileron fairleads 2
not supplied Axle cover 1Soda can, aluminum
Parts List For Stage 8
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