spacewalker SIGRC61 Instruction Manual

Sig Mfg. Co., Inc....401
-
7 South Front Street....Montezuma, Iowa 50171
The Spacewalker Story
In the small town of Henderson, North Carolina, lives a man who has been quietly designing and selling his homebuilt designs
for several years now. His J-3 Kitten won Best New Design at the 1983 Sun-'N-Fun EAA Fly-In. He won a Grand Champion
Prize at Oshkosh in 1984 with his J-4 Sportster, and in 1985 at Oshkosh, his J-6 Karatoo won the Outstanding New Design
award. This prolific designer then decided to build himself a personal fun plane and in 1986 it flew for the first time. That airplane
was named the Spacewalker and the designer of all of these prize
-winners was Jesse Anglin.

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The general layout of the spacewalker (low-wing, open-cockpit taildragger) was inspired by a ride that Jessie had in a PT-19
years ago. Power is provided by a 65 h.p. Continential with it's cyliners hanging in the breeze like a cub. Even though it was
meant to be a personal airplane, public reaction has convinced him to market the plans and sell component parts through his
company, Country Air, Inc.
The classic lines of the Spacewalker remind most aviation enthusiasts of Pete Bower's Fly Baby or the Ryan trainers. One writer
even thought at first glance it was a Les Long creation of the Great Depression era. This is exactly the kind of feeling that Jesse
wanted to evoke with this design. With ultra
-efficient, gas-sipping, cross-country machines dominating the homebuilt industry
today, it is strangely refreshing to see a brand new airplane designed solely for the pure pleasure of flight.
The Spacewalker fuselage is a welded steel tubing structure with wood formers and stringers in the turtledeck to give it some
shape. The wing is fully cantilevered with a massive center section main spar and box spars in the outer wing panels. Drag
loads are handled by diagonal compression trusses between the spars. The wing ribs are routed out of 1/4" plywood and the
wingtips are molded fiberglass. The tail surfaces are simple welded steel tubing. Jesse sells plans for the Spacewalker as well
as many component parts, including the completely welded fuselage frame.
When Maxey Hester (then Vice-President, Sig Mfg. Co.) saw a picture of the Spacewalker in the EAA magazine (Sport
Aviation), he decided that a model of this airplane would be the perfect showplane for his new four
-cylinder O.S. Pegasus
engine. In December '86, he and Hazel Sig visited with Jesse Anglin and returned to Montezuma with a full set of plans for the
full-scale Spacewalker and announced that they were going to build one! After waiting many months to receive all of the
component parts from Jesse, work on the full-scale bird commenced here at the Sig factory. With much help from Dorothy and
Burnis Fields of Interlachen, Florida, Maxey had his airplane finished and ready to fly in twelve weeks! It was the first
Spacewalker, other than Jesse's, to be finished and flown.
Jesse Anglin has made many changes to his Spacewalker since it first flew.
Originally, only the rear set of tail brace wires were installed and the exhaust pipes
on the engine flared outward at the ends. Jesse said that the open pipes gave the
airplane a distinctive sound, but it was just too loud to live with. The pipes were
later routed into the cowl where they met at a centre muffler. Two more pipes route
the exhaust straight down out of the bottom of the cowling. Jesse also added
another set of tail brace wires to the front of the stabilizer at about the same time
the changes were made to the exhaust system. Several months later he changed
the shape of the windshield to improve the looks and wind protection. Also the
engine originally had no cylinder cooling shrouds, but after a long cross-country trip
in hot weather, he decided that they were needed. His latest change was to clip the
outer wing panels two rib bays on each side.
On the other hand, Maxey had not made any visible changes to his airplane - he
was happy with it just the way it
was. More Spacewalkers were then being constructed all around the country. Most of these
would probably have some minor differences in appearance because most homebuilder's love to modify designs to suit their
taste. Maxey stuck very closely to the plans, so his airplane was almost identical to Jesse's except for the color of the paint!
About The Sig Model
The Sig 1/3 scale Spacewalker was designed with an eye towards scale construction techniques. The plywood ribs with
lightening holes, the box spar with laminated spruce caps, the detachable wing panels, and the open fuselage framework are all
copied from the full-
scale bird. Most of the models built from this kit will end up weighing about 20 pounds, giving a wing loading
of 25.6 oz.sq.ft.
We are all very excited about the flight performance of the model. We've never seen an airplane with that long of a wing and
that much dihedral do rolls so axially. And according to Jesse Anglin, the full-scale Sapcewalker has the same trait. Loops,
snaps, spins, and inverted flight are all so easy to do. With 1800 sq.in. of wing area, landings are slow and stable. As for its
scale accuracy, it was designed using the full-scale drawings. This is one airplane that will definately put a smile on the faces of
scale and sport pilots alike!
Scale Data Sources
Builders that plan to enter their Spacewalkers in competition will need to collect some scale data on the particular aircraft they
have chosen to model. The following list of sources should prove helpful.

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
SIG MFG. CO.
-Color photo packs of both Jesse's
(black and red) and Maxey's (red and yellow)
airplanes.
 KITPLANES, September 1988 -This issue
features a beautiful color cover shot of Hazel and
Maxey in their Spacewalker flying over the Iowa
landscape. The accompanying article on pages
26-31 is the definitive piece of literature on the
two aircraft to date. Full color photos include flight
shots, ground shots (with models), and one of
Hazel's instrument panel. Article by LeRoy Cook.
 KITPLANES, August 1988 -A color photo on
page 11 features Maxey's Spacewalker at Sun-
'N-Fun '88 when his N number was still on the
side of the fuselage. Jesse's and Hazel's airplanes are in the background, each with a model displayed.
 SCALE R/C MODELER, August 1988 -On page 52 is a color photo similar to the previous month's cover shot. Although
smaller, this photo shows more detail. A Sig model is in the foreground.
 SCALE R/C MODELER, July 1988 -Cover photo. Although this color cover shot isn't particularly useful for
documentation, it is a nice close-up photo of Hazel sitting in her Spacewalker at the 1988 Atlanta IMS Show.
 SPORT AVIATION, October 1986 -On page 21 is a good color flight shot of the Spacewalker with Jesse at the controls.
This is the photo that originally attracted Maxey to the design and led to his first trip to Jesse's hanger a few weeks later.
 LIGHT PLANE WORLD, October 1986 -Complete article and photo study. Photos show the airplane with the original
windshield and exhaust system.
 HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT, March 1987 -Complete article and photo study, including precover construction photos. The
original windshield and exhaust system are shown.
 SPORT AVIATION, July 1987 -On page 40 is a striking color photo taken at Sun-'N-Fun '87 of Jesse's airplane with our
first prototype model next to it. The article is entitled "Dynamic Modeling," but there's no mention of the Spacewalker.
 PRIVATE PILOT, June 1987 -On page 69, is another small photo of Jesse's bird and the scale model at Sun-'N-Fun.
Interestingly, the caption reads "Skywalker," a common mistake when talking about this airplane.
 KITPLANES, July 1987 -The Spacewalker is featured on the cover of this issue. It is a flight shot with Jesse at the
controls wearing his "color coordinated" helmet. The helmet is a feature you may want to add to your scale pilot. Shows
the original windshield, new exhaust system, and no cylinder shrouds. Inside is another color shot and a short article.
 SPORT PILOT, July 1987 -
There's an inset photo on the cover with Jesse flying over a beach. The article features a two
page color photo of N107JA in flight and many black and white photos, including one of the instrument panel. Again, this
has the old windshield, new exhaust, and no cylinder shrouds. The article is very good and includes a pilot report.
COMPLETE KIT PARTS LIST
Die-Cut Balsa
1
1/8"x3"x20-1/2" Sheet No.1 FS-
1, FS-2, Apron pieces
Silkscreened Balsa
2 1/4"x3"x14" Sheet No.2 WS-1,
WS-2, WS-3
1 3/8"x4"x27" Sheet No.3 Stab,
levator, Rudder Parts
Sheet Balsa
2 3/32"xI"x36"' Bottom Wing
Sheeting, Center Sheeting
4 3/32"x1-1/2"x30'' Center Section
T. ., & Aileron Well Sheeting
4 3/32"x1-1/2"x36'' Outer
Panel T. . Sheeting
2 3/32"x2"x36" Aileron Top, Center
Section, & Servo BaySheeting
4 3/32"x3"x30" Center Section
Sheeting
4 3/32"x3"x36" Wing Panello .
Sheeting
3 1/8"x4"x21" Front Deck
Sheeting
2 3/16"x1-1/2"x30" Aileron Leading
dge
1 3/16"x4"x12" Landing Gear Fill-
In
2 1/4"x3"x12" Main Frame Fill-In 2 3/8"x4"x4-1/2" Fuselage
Bottom
Block Balsa
2 1/2"x3-1/4"x2" L.G. Support
Block
2 5/8"x3-1/4"xI" L.G. Support Block

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Stick Balsa
18 3/32"x1/4"x36" Capstrips 2 3/32"x3/4"x30" Bottom Aileron
Sheeting
1 1/8"x1/8"x24" Top Main Spar
Spacers
8 1/8"x1/4"x36" Aileron Spars,
Fill-Strips, Fabric Attach
Strips
7
1/8"x3/8"x36" Top Stringers, Cable
xit Guides, Fill-Strips
3 1/8"x3/4"x36" Leading dges 2 3/16"x1/4"x18" Fill-Strips 3 3/16"x3/8"x36" Tail Surface
Diagonal Ribs
18
1/4"x1/4"x36" Forward Spars, Main
Frames, Cross-Braces, Stringers
6 1/4"x1/2"x36" Rear Spars 3 1/4"x7/8"x36" Leading dge
Caps
3 3/8"x3/8"x36" Tail Surface
Ribs
5 3/8"x3/4"x36" Tail Surface Frames 1 3/8" Triangle x2-1/2" Fin L. .
Brace
1 3/4" Triangle x36" PW Brace,
Hold-down Block Brace, L.G.
Block Brace
1 I" Triangle x8" Firewall Brace
1 1/2"x 1-1/2"x8" Special Shaped
T. . Fill-In Block
Hardwood
1 3/8"xI"x1-
1/2" BASSWOOD Control
Horn Mount
2 1/2"x19/32"x4" BASSWOOD Rear
L.G. Blocks, Grooved
2 1/2"xI"x4" BASSWOOD Front
L.G. Blocks, Grooved
2 3/4"x3/4"x3" BASSWOOD
Wing Mounting Blocks
2 3/16" dia.x2-1/2" BIRCH DOW LS
Pushrod nds
2 5/16" dia.x1-
1/2" BIRCH DOW LS
Wing Hold-Down Dowels
Spruce
5 1/8"x3/8"x36" Stringers, Stab and
Fin Brace
4 1/8"x3/4"x6" Main Spar Laminate 4 1/8"x3/4"x17-7/8" Main Spar
Laminate
4 1/8"x3/4"x30-1/8" Main Spar
Laminate
4 1/8"x3/4"x48" Main Spar Laminate 2 3/16"x1/2"x4-1/2" Spruce Spar
Doubler
6 1/4"x1/4"x36" Fuselage Main
Frame
1 1/4"x1/2"x 6" Tiller Bar
Mount
1 3/8"x3/8"x36" Servo Rails,
levator Joiner
Die-Cut Popular Plywood (Lite-Ply)
1 1/8"x8"x22" F-2, F-3, F-4, F-5, F-
6, F-l, F-B, F-9, F-10
1 1/8"x8"x22" F·1A, PT-1, PB-1,
Hatch Supports, Wing Center
Sheeting
1 1/8"x8"x22" PT-2 2 1/8"x8"x22" PS-1
2 1/8"x9"x22" WTR, W-1A,.W-4A,
SW-1, SW-2, SW-3
2 1/8"x6"x18" W·2, W-4 Wing Ribs 2 1/8"x9"x18" W-2, W-3, W-4
Wing Ribs
4 1/8"x12"x18" W-1, W-2, W-
3, W·4 Wing Ribs
1 1/8"x7"x36" PS-2, PB-2, G-1, TM,
TWM, F·6A, PF
1 1/8"x9-1/2"x36" SW-4 Shear
Webs
Die-Cut Birch Plywood
1 1/16"x10-1/2"x7" Instrument
Panel, JW·1, Dihedral Gauge,
Wheel Pant Plates
1 3/32"x4·1/2"x9" DB·3, DB-4,
Hold-Down Plates, L.G. Mount
Plates
2 5/32"x7·1/2"x8" F·1 1 5/32"x2-1/2"x17" DB·1, DB·2
1 5/32"x10"x12" JW-2, JW-3, IW-1,
IW-2
Sawn Plywood
12 1/8"x3/8"x10-1/2" LIT -PLY Rib
Stiffeners
2 1/64"x5/8"x48" BIRCH PLYWOOD
Wing Straps
2 3/32"x3"x4·1/4" BIRCH
PLYWOOD Servo Access Hatches
2 1/8"x1"x6" BIRCH PLYWOOD
PW
2 3/16"x1"x4" BIRCH PLYWOOD L.G.
Block Doublers
2 1/4"x4·11/32"x1-5/16" BIRCH
PLYWOOD JW-4
Wire Parts
1 3/32" dia. Straight Wire for Servo
nd of levator Pushrod
1 1/8" dia. Formed Top Shock Strut
Wire
1 1/8" dia. Formed Bottom Shock
Strut Wire
1 3/16" dia. Formed Front Main
L.G. Wire
1 3/16" dia. Formed Rear Main L.G.
Wire
Plastic Parts
1 Left Dummy ngine Cylinders 1 Right Dummy ngine Cylinders 1 Cylinder Shrouds 1
Fuel Cap Cover, Shock Spring
Halves, Compass Halves
1 .030"x8-1/2"x17" Clear Butyrate
for Windshield
Fiberglass Parts
1 Cowling 2 Wheel Pants - L FT AND RIGHT
AR TH SAM
1 Left Wingtip 1 Right Wingtip
Miscellaneous Parts
1 1/2" dia. x3 ft Green Foam Cockpit
Coaming, Grooved
1 3/32" wide x7 ft Cockpit Lacing 1
32" long Fiberglass Pushrod Shaft
(for elevator)
1 12"x19" 6 oz. Fiberglass
Cloth (for L.G. & Wing Joint)
1 Small Nylon Tubing (for Rudder
Cable Guides & Throttle Pushrod)
1 20" long Steel Cable (for throttle
pushrod)
1 Full·Size Plans· Plate 1 1 Full·Size Plans - Plate 2
1 Full-Size Plans - Plate 3 1 Full-Size Plans - Plate 4 1 Decal Sheet 1 Instruction Book
Special Extruded Aluminum Parts
2 2" long Rear Wing Joiner Channels 2 3" long Front Wing Joiner
Channels
2 6" long Rear Wing Joiner Spars 2 9" long Front Wing Joiner
Spars

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Hardware Pack
6 2·56 x1/2" Mounting Bolts (1
rudder control horn, 5 tail
brace wires)
2 4-40 x3/8" Mounting Bolts (for
elevator control horn)
8 4-40 x1/2" Mounting Bolts (for
rear wing joiner channels)
8 4-40 x1" Mounting Bolts (for
front wing joiner channels)
10 6·32 x3/4" Mounting Bolts (for
wing joiner spars)
1 6·32 x1" Mounting Bolt (for
tiller bar)
6 4-40 x3/8" Socket Head Bolts
(set screws for wing joiner
channels)
2 6-32 x3/8" Socket Head Bolts
(set screws for wheel pant
mounts)
4 10-32 x1" Socket Head Bolts
(for engine mounts)
6 2·56 Hex Nuts (1 rudder
control horn, 5 tail brace wires)
1 6-32 Hex Nut (for tiller bar) 8 4·40 Aircraft Lock Nuts (for front
wing joiner channels)
10 6·32 Aircraft Lock Nuts (for
wing joiner spars)
10 4-40 Blind Nuts (8 for rear
wing joiner channels, 2 for
elevator horn)
4 10-32 Blind Nuts (for engine
mounts)
8 #4 Flat Metal Washers (for front
wing joiner channels)
12 #6 Flat Metal Washers (2 for
tiller bar, 10 for wing joiner
spars)
2 #8 Flat Metal Washers (for
wheel spacers)
8 #2 x3/8" Sheet Metal Screws
(for servo access hatches)
10 #2 x1/2" Sheet Metal Screws (6
for cowl, 4 for tail brace wires)
4 #4 x3/8" Sheet Metal Screws
(for wheel pant mounts)
8 #4 x1/2" Sheet Metal Screws
(for I.g. straps)
2 1/4·20 x1·1/2" Molded Nylon
Bolts (for wing attachment)
1 Molded Nylon Tiller Bar
2
3/16" I.D. Molded Nylon Wheel
Pant Mounts; with Brass
Inserts
1 xtra Large Molded Nylon
Control Horn (for elevator)
1 Molded Nylon Rudder Control
Horn
2 90deg. Molded Nylon Bellcranks
(for aileron control horns)
4 Large Molded Nylon Landing
Gear Straps
4 4·40 x8" Threaded Rods (2
aileron, 1 elevator, 1 rudder)
4 4-40 Metal RIC Links (2 aileron,
1 elevator, 1 rudder)
3 4-40 Solder Links (2 aileron, 1
elevator)
3 2-56 Nylon R/C Links (2
rudder, 1 throttle)
1 2-56 Solder Link (for throttle
pushrod)
1 2-56 Threaded Coupler (for
throttle pushrod)
2 3/16" Wheel Collars (for main
landing gear)
2 6·32 Headless Set Screws (for
3/16" wheel collars)
14 Steel Brace Wire Attach Tabs 10
3/32" O.D. x1/2" long Aluminum
Tubing, (for tail brace wires)
1 .027 x200" roll Steel C/L Cable
(for rudder control and tail brace
wires)
1 roll - Soft Copper Wire
(approx. 21 ft.)
15 Giant Size XX Molded Nylon
Hinges
15 Steel Pins (for Hinges) 1 Tailwheel Assembly (bagged
separately)
NOT : All of the hardware for the aluminum wing joiners is packed with the aluminum parts in a separate bag.
Glues
There are many different glues available today for model construction that it can be confusing to even the experienced modeler.
To simplify matters, most glues can be classified as one of four types:
1. Fast cyanoacrylate adhesives (abbreviated as C/A) such as Sig CA, Hot Stuff, Jet etc.
2. Easy to use water-based wood glues such as Sig-Bond (yellow) and Sig Super-Weld (white).
3. Super strong (but heavier) two-part epoxy glues such as Sig Kwik-Set (5 minute cure) and Sig Epoxy (3 hour cure).
4. Traditional solvent-base model cements such as Sig-Ment.
Each of these types has different characteristics and advantages. Often times, the choice of which type to use is strictly a matter
of personal preference based on your experience with a previous model. To help speed up assembly, C/A glue is recommended
for general construction. You should also have on hand some epoxy (both 5 min. and slow dry) and Sig-Bond because these
glues are called out in several places in these instructions.
Sig CA, like mose brands of cyanoacrylates, come in three viscosities- thin, medium, and thick. An accellerator spray and
debonder are also available and are described below.
 Sig CA Thin - Watery consistency, thin CA should only be used when the two parts to be joined are in perfect contact
with zero gap. Capilliary action pulls this glue deep into the wood resulting in a very strong bond and it dries in just a few
seconds. Thin CA can be used to tack assemblies together, but these joints should be glued again later with medium or
thick CA.
 Sig CA Medium - Our medium thickness CA is excellent for almost any step during construction. The extra thickness
allows the glue to fill small gaps, but it does dry a little slower than a thin CA. If you want only one type of C/A, use
medium thickness.
 Sig CA Slow - This thickest formula is good for filling large gaps and building up strong fillets at joints requiring extra
strength. It also dries slow enough to allow you to apply it to one part and position it on another before it dries. (With the
thin and medium C/A's, the parts must be in contact and positioned correctly before glue application.) This feature is
useful when laminating large sheeted areas like a fuselage side and a fuselage doubler.
 Sig Kwik-Shot Accellerator - Spraying accellerator on CA (any thickness) will cure it almost instantly. Although CA is
fast, it's sometimes nice to speed it up even more.
 Debonder - This can be used to separate parts, but you'll probably use it for unsticking your fingers more than anything
else!

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Notes Before Beginning
Construction
Any references to right or left refers to
your right or left as if you were seated
in the cockpit.
CAUTION: Some people have
experienced allergic reactions when
exposed to epoxy or cyanoacrylate
glues. This is very rare. However, it is
extremely important that such glues,
and also paints, thinners and
solvents, be used with adequate
ventilation to carry fumes away.
To build good flying
models , you need a
good straight building
board. Crocked
models don't fly well!
The building board
can be a table, a
workbench, a reject
"door core" from the
lumber yard, or
whatever
- as long as it
is perfectly flat and
untwisted. A 2ft.x6ft.
board is
recommended for the
Spacewalker.
Cover the top surface
of the building board
with a piece of
celotex-type wall
board or foam board,
into which pins can be
easily pushed. Don't
hesitate to use plenty
of pins during
assembly to hold
drying parts in their
correct position.
When pinning or
gluing parts directly
over the full-size
plans, cover the plan
with wax paper or
plastic kitchen wrap to prevent gluing the parts to the plans.
The balsa die-cut parts have identification numbers printed on them. The plywood die-cut parts do not. Use the "Key to Die-Cut
Birch Plywood Parts" and the "Key to Die-Cut Lite-Ply Parts", to mark the identification numbers on the corresponding plywood
and Lite-Ply parts.
Leave all the die-cut parts in the sheets until needed for construction. Remove pieces from the sheets carefully. If difficulty is
encounted, do not force the part from the sheet. Use a modeling knife to cut it free.

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All of the other kit parts can be identified by the "Complete Kit Parts List". Sort the different sizes of sticks and sheets into
individual piles to avoid confusion during building. Cut all long pieces of balsa first, followed by medium lengths, before cutting
up any full length strips into short pieces.
YOU CAN'T GET ALONG WITHOUT A GOOD SANDING BLOCK
An assortment of different size sanding blocks are indispensable tools for model
construction. A good general purpose block can be made by wrapping a 9"x11"
sheet of sandpaper around a piece of hardwood or plywood. Use three screws
along one edge to hold the overlapped ends of the sandpaper. Put 80-grit paper on
the block during general construction. Switch to 220-grit paper for final finish
sanding just before covering.
Another handy block can be made by gluing sandpaper onto a 24" or 36" long
piece of aluminum channel stock. Most hardware stores carry a rack of aluminum
in various sizes and shapes. This long block is very useful for sanding leading and
trailing edges accurately.
About The Building Sequence
The quickest and most efficient way to complete a model is to work on several pieces at the same time. While the glue is drying
on one section, you can start on or proceed with another part. Work can even go forward on several sections of the same
assembly at the same time, such as the front and rear sections of the fuselage. Keep in mind that the numbering sequence
used in these instructions was chosen as the best way to explain the building of each major component and is not intended to
be followed exact one-two-three fashion. Start on the wing at No.1 and after doing as many steps as is convenient, flip over to
"Fuselage Construction" and do a step or two or three, then over to "Tail Surface Construction" and so forth. You will, of course,
arrive at points where you can go no farther until another component is available. For example, you need a nearly completed
wing before the fuselage can be entirely completed. Plan ahead! Read the instructions completely and study the full size plans
before beginning construction.
Radio Requirements
You will need at least a four-channel radio system for your Spacewalker to operate the ailerons, elevator, rudder and throttle.
Heavy-duty servos intended for use on 1/4-scale models are required for all of the flight controls. Also, use a receiver battery
with at least a 1000mA capacity to power those servos for a safe amount of time. Be certain that your radio system's frequency
is approved for use in R/C model aircraft. Using a frequency assigned to R/C model cars not only endangers your model to
interference from model car drivers (who may not be in sight), it also is against the law.
About Printed Wood Parts
To answer the question we are sometimes asked - no, we do not print parts on wood to save money. It is actually more
expensive to print the parts using a silk screen press than it is to run an equivalent sheet through our automatic feed die cutting
machine. If we hand-sawed the parts it would be even more expensive and the labor cost would have to be added to the kit
price. We believe that most modelers would rather cut their own out and save the cost. Since there are not many thick parts in
our average kit, it really doesn't consume a lot of the total building time for the builder to do the parts.
WING CONSTRUCTION
The Spacewalker has a wing designed with removable outer panels so that it can be "broken down" into three easily-managed
pieces for transporting. The outer panels are joined to the center section using extruded aluminum wing joiners and are held in
place by three set screws on each side. The following instructions are strictly for the three-piece wing as shown on the plans.
Some modelers may prefer to build the wing as a one-piece unit. This will save about a pound in weight (through the omission
of all the wingjoining hardware), but will require a full-size van or model trailer to transport the model. If you wish to build a one-
piece wing instead of the standard three-piece wing, please read and follow the instructions concerning "How to Build a One-
Piece Wing", included at the end of the Wing Construction Section. You should also read "About the Ailerons", included further
on, before beginning work on the wing.
Notice that a nearly completed wing assembly is needed to complete construction on the fuselage. It is recommended that you
begin to build the wing first so that it will be ready when you reach that point in the fuselage instructions.

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Wing Subassemblies
Before beginning construction on the wing, there are a number of subassemblies that should be built and set aside until
needed. This is done to avoid interruptions during the flow of the wing construction.
1. The main wing spars are laminated from 1/8"x3/4" spruce sticks as shown in the "Main Spar Assembly Diagram" on the
plans (Plate 3). Build four main spars using a thin film of slow-drying epoxy to join each laminate. It is very important that
the main spar assemblies be kept perfectly straight while drying. Any 'bends or twists built in now are there to stay!
2. Join two die-cut 1/8" lite-ply W-IA sub-ribs to two W-l wing ribs, being certain to make one left and one right. These
subassemblies will serve as the two center ribs in the wing center section. The remaining two W-IA sub-ribs are not
installed until the wing has been fitted to the fuselage.
3. Use scrap pieces of 1/16" balsa to join together two W-2 wing ribs. Make two of these subassemblies. These are the two
ribs that will meet at the wing joint when the outer panel slides in place. The 1/16" balsa scraps serve as temporary spacers
that hold the ribs in perfect alignment. After construction, the spacers are cut away, so locate them around the edges where
it will be easy to get at them.
4.
a. Again, use scrap pieces of 1/16" balsa to join two W-4A sub-ribs to two W-3 wing ribs, being certain to make one left-
hand and one righthand. These subassemblies are used at the inboard ends of the ailerons.
b. Use scrap pieces of 1/16" balsa to join W-4A sub-ribs to two W-4 wing ribs. Make one left-hand and one right-hand.
These subassemblies are used at the outboard ends of each aileron.
5. Prepare the aluminum
wing joiner channels
and wing joiner spars
as shown in the
diagrams below.
Carefully cut out the
templates and
accurately position
them on the backs of
the aluminum joiner
channels. Use a punch
to mark the channels
at the center of each hole. Remove the templates, and drill carefully and slowly at the punch marks. Drill all holes with #33
drill bit and use a drill press if at all possible.

.
6. Epoxy together two die-cut 5/32"
plywood IW-1 inner webs and use a
weight to hold them flat while drying.
7. Glue the 3/16"x1"x4" plywood landing
gear block doublers to the tops of the
front landing gear blocks.
Wing Construction
The wing is built in two halves, each consisting of an outer panel and half of the center section. After construction, the outer
panels are cut free and the center section halves are joined to complete the three
-
piece wing.
8.
a. Pin down one of the laminated spruce main spars over the plans.
b. Glue and pin all of the 1/8" lite-ply wing ribs into position except for the W-1/W-1A subassembly at the wing center.
Be sure to use the wing rib subassemblies that you prepared earlier in steps 3 and 4.
NOTE: The large lite-ply ribs may have a tendency to warp, making it difficult to align them on the plans at this time. To
counteract this, be sure to pin each rib accurately at the rib alignment tabs. Then, as each spar or leading edge piece is
added, gently pull each rib into position while gluing. By the time you have added the front spars, the rear spars, and the
leading edges, the ribs should all be perfectly straight.
9. Glue another laminated spruce main spar assembly to the tops of the ribs. Use a builder's triangle to make certain each rib
is vertical.
10. Locate the die-cut 1/16" plywood dihedral gauge. Position the W-1/W-1A wing rib subassembly in its position on the plans
using the dihedral gauge to insure that it is at the proper dihedral angle. Glue the rib assembly to the spars.
BUILDER'S TIP:
Glue scrap pieces
of 1/4" sq. balsa to
the sides of the rib
alignment tabs to
accept pins. It's a lot easier to pin
through balsa than lite-ply!
11.
a. Cut a 1/4" sq. x12" balsa forward spar from one of the 36" lengths provided. Glue this spar to the top of the center
section ribs. The outboard end of this spar should be positioned about halfway between the two W-
2 ribs at the wing
joint.
b. Glue a 1/4" sq. x 36" balsa forward spar into position on top of the outer panel wing ribs with its inboard end butted
against, but not glued, to the center section forward spar.
12.
a. Cut a 1/8"x3/4"x12" balsa leading edge for the center section and glue it in place at the front of the ribs, again
placing the outboard end between the two W-2 ribs at the wing joint.
b.
Add the 1/8"x3/4"x36" balsa leading edge to the outer panel.

.
13. a. Cut a 1/4"x1/2"x12" balsa rear spar from one of the 36" lengths provided and glue it to the top of the center section
ribs.
b. Glue a 1/4"x1/2"x36" balsa rear spar in position on top of the outer panel wing ribs. This spar should butt up against
the center section rear spar at the wing joint, but should not be glued to it.
c. Repeat parts a. and b. of this step for the bottom rear spar. You will have to slide the spars under the ribs, then lift
them into position.
14.
a. Cut a twelve-inch length of 3/32"x1-1/2" balsa from one of the 30" lengths provided (not one of the 36" pieces!) to
serve as the center section trailing edge sheeting. Glue it in place on top of the center section wing ribs. Careful!
Make sure that the back edge of the sheet is in the right place, directly above the trailing edge on the drawing.
b. Glue the 3/32"x1-1/2"x36" balsa trailing edge in place on the outer panel, again being careful to check for the correct
overhang.
Wing Joiner Assemblies
15.
a. Trial fit an IW-l inner web subassembly (from Step 6.) in its position
between the spars and trim as necessary, but do not glue it in place. Also,
trial fit a die-cut 1/16" plywood JW-l joiner web and, again, trim as
necessary.
b. Epoxy the IW-l subassembly to the JW-l joiner web as shown in the
diagram. Wipe away any excess epoxy before it dries.
c. Trial fit the die-cut 5/32" plywood IW-2 and JW-2 webs as you did before.
Epoxy the pieces together as shown in the diagram. Notice that only the
JW-2 joiner web closest to the wing joint has an IW-2 inner web glued to it.
The outboard JW-2 web should also be fitted in position, but not glued.
16.
a. Insert one end of a front wing joiner spar into a front wing joiner channel so
that it is flush with one end of the channel. Tighten the socket-head set
screws snugly against the joiner spar.
IMPORTANT: To avoid any misalignment later on, it is important that the
set screws be tight while installing the aluminum wing joiner assembly.
b. When dry, place the joiner webs in their position in the wing to check that
they still fit, but don't glue.
c. Position the wing joiner assembly on the joiner webs and clamp it in place.
The assembly should be centered between and parallel to the spars. When
satisfied that it is positioned correctly, mark JW-l and JW-2 at the drill
holes. Remove the clamps, wing joiner assembly, and joiner webs from the
wing.
BUILDER'S TIP: Scrap pieces of plywood placed against the
back side of the spars provide a convenient
surface for the clamps used in this step.

.
17. a. Accurately drill JW-l at the marks with a 3/32" drill bit and the JW-2 pieces at the marks with a 1/8" drill bit. Reinstall
the joiner webs in the wing again, but do not glue.
b. Bolt the aluminum wing joiner assembly in place using the hardware as indicated on the plan (Plate 3, see "Section
A-A" and "B-B").
c. When you are satisfied that the joiner webs and the aluminum wing joiners are fastened correctly, pull the whole
works away from the spar. Spread epoxy over the back of the joiner webs where they contact the spar, then clamp
them in place (being careful not to glue together the aluminum pieces). When dry, give the joiner webs and inner
webs a generous coating of epoxy from the backside to insure a solid glue joint.
18.
a. Assemble a rear wing joiner channel and rear wing joiner spar and tighten the set screw.
b. Lightly sand the front face of the rear spars where the joiner webs sit, just enough to provide a flat gluing surface.
c. Pin or tape JW-3 and JW-4 in place, then clamp the rear wing joiner assembly on top of them. Carefully line-up the
aluminum joiner so that it is parallel with the front joiner, and mark the positions of the drill holes. Remove the joiners
and the webs from the wing.
d. Carefully drill JW-3 with a 5/32" drill bit and JW-
4 with a 1/8" drill bit. Bolt the wing joiner assembly on the joiner webs
and make certain that it all still fits in the wing. Notice that the rear spar will have to be relieved slightly in spots to
accept the blind nuts on the back of JW-3. When satisfied with the fit, epoxy the joiner webs to the front face of the
rear spars.
19.
a. Trim the die-cut SW-1 shear web to fit between the two W-1 wing ribs. Notice that the bottom edge of this shear web
is even with the top of the cutout for the landing gear block in W-1A.
b. Glue a die-cut SW-2 shear web in place on the front of the spars. (No shear webs should be installed on the
backside of the spars now because you will need to get at the pins in the bottom spar when it is time to remove the
wing from the building board.)
c. Lightly sand flat spots on the front of the rear spars (as you did before) where the SW-3 shear web and DB-4
dihedral brace are located, then glue SW-3 in place. DB-4 will be glued in later.
d.
Glue the die
-
cut SW
-
4 shear webs to the front of the main spars in the outer panel.
20.
a. Sand the top of the leading edge to the contour of the ribs. Be careful to
avoid sanding the ribs and changing their shape.
b. The leading edge is sheeted with 3/32"x3"x12" balsa on the center section
(cut from 30" material) and 3/32" x 3" x 36" balsa on the outer panels. The
sheeting should overlap onto the forward spars only about halfway. Start
gluing at the spars and work forward to the leading edge, pinning or taping
the sheets in place as you go. There will be excess sheeting forward of the
leading edge.
21. Fill the gap at each W-2, W-3 and W-
4 rib above the main spar with spacers made
of short lengths of 1/8" sq. balsa. When dry, sand the spacers down even with the
tops of the ribs.
22. Trim the 3/16"x1/2"x4-
1/2" spruce spar doubler to fit between the ribs as shown on
the plan. Glue this piece to the bottom spar only. This doubler is there to reinforce
the weak point in the spar when a relief is cut in it later to pass the aileron
pushrod.
23. Cut two 1/8"x1/4" balsa aileron spars to the correct length and glue them to the
wing, one on top and one on bottom.
24.
Use a 3/32"x2"x36" balsa sheet for the top aileron sheeting (save the excess for later). Glue this sheet to the top of the wing
as shown. This sheet will eventually be sliced down its length when the aileron is cut from the wing.

.
25. Glue the 3/32"x1/4" capstrips to the
tops of the wing ribs and aileron ribs as
indicated on the plan. When dry,
remove the wing from the building
board.
26. Glue in the remaining SW-
4 shear webs
on the back of the main spar.
BUILDER'S TIP :
Now is a good time to look over your basic wing structure for any joints that may need another
coat of glue. In particular, inspect the bond at all the rib, spar, and web joints.
27.
a. Carefully cut away all of the rib alignment tabs, then sand the bottom of the ribs and the rear edge of the trailing
edge sheeting to the airfoil shape.
b. Glue the 3/32"x1-1/2" balsa trailing edge sheeting to the bottom of the wing. Use epoxy glue where the bottom
sheeting joins the top sheeting. The epoxy will not warp the trailing edge (as water-based glues might) and will
strengthen the sharp edge so that it is not so easily damaged.
28.
a. Notch the bottom trailing edge sheeting in the position shown on the plans
for the die-cut 3/32" plywood wing hold-down plate.
b. Cut the 1/2"x1-1/2" special-cut balsa trailing edge fill-
in block to fit between
the W-l ribs and glue it in place.
c. Glue the wing hold-down plate to the fill-in block at the notch that you
made in "part a" of this step.
29.
a. Add the 1/4' sq. balsa forward spars to the bottom of the wing.
b. Sand the leading edge to the bottom contour of the wing as you did in
Step 20.
c.
Glue the 3/32"x3" balsa bottom leading edge sheeting in place in the same
manner as the top leading edge sheeting. Notice that the center section
sheeting must be cut about an inch short at the inboard end. Later, this
sheeting will be cut away even further.
d. When dry. trim the excess top and bottom sheeting flush with the front of
the leading edge.
30.
a. Glue the 1/4"x7/8" balsa leading edge caps to the front of the wing. (Cut
the 12" center section cap from a 36" length.) Use tape or pins to hold the
leading edge caps flat. Let dry.
b. Carve and sand the leading edge caps to the shape shown on the plans.
Take your time with this step and try to keep the shape uniform along the
entire leading edge. You can use the optional Leading Edge Carving
Guide (Plate 3) to check the shape at random spots along the leading
edge.
31.
a. Add the 3/32"x1" balsa bottom
wing sheeting.
b. Add the 3/32"x3/4" balsa bottom
aileron sheeting.
c. Use the leftover material from
Step 24. for the servo bay
sheeting. Make the pushrod exit
cutout as shown on the plans
then glue this sheeting to the
bottom wing surface only.
d. Glue in all the 3/32"x1/4" balsa
capstrips on the wing bottom.

.
32. Carefully sand the entire wing half until all joints are smooth. Use a large sanding block to avoid sanding down anyone area
too much.
33. Use a deep blade razor saw (such as an X-Acto No. 236) to cut through the top and bottom main wing spars and the
temporary balsa spacers at the wing joint.
CAUTION: BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO CUT OR EVEN NICK THE ALUMINUM JOINER SPARDURING THIS STEP.
Even a very small nick in the joiner at this spot may become the starting point for a stress crack that could lead to a
structural failure of the spar.
You may now loosen the set screws in the wing joiner channels and remove the outer panel from the center section half.
Reassemble the wing parts to check for smooth operation of the joiner assemblies. Any binding or misalignment must be
corrected before proceeding.
34. Repeat Steps 8 through 33 for the opposite wing half.
BUILDER'S TIP: Although it's not
shown on the plans, we recommend
that you install scrap pieces of lite-ply
above and below the front wing joiner
channel and joiner spar. This will
prevent any possible movement of the
aluminum parts.
Completing The Wing Center Section
The center section may at first appear to be overly complex or "overbuilt". You should remember, though, that it not only has
to withstand the airloads from its nine·foot wing, it must also bear the brunt of the landing loads. Many of the following steps
are required to make the landing gear attachment as safe, strong, and scale as possible.
35.
a. Sand the inboard and outboard ends of the center section halves bringing the spars, leading edges, and trailing
edges flush with the end ribs. Trial fit the center section halves together with the die-cut 5/32" plywood DB-1 and DB-
2 dihedral braces. The center ribs should meet flush when the dihedral braces are clamped in place temporarily. The
long dihedral braces will automatically set the proper dihedral.
b. Use slow-drying epoxy glue to join the two center section halves, DB-I, and DB-2. Hold everything in place with
clamps until dry. Try for good joints and don't be stingy with the glue during this step! Before it dries, double check
that the two halves are aligned perfectly with each other.
36.
a. Glue the SW-2shear webs to the back of the spar and dihedral braces to finish "boxing off" the spar.
b.
Add the 1/8" sq. balsa spacers to the top spar at the W
-
1 ribs.
37.
Install the top center sheeting using pieces cut from the 3/32"x3"x30" balsa sheet provided (don't sheet the bottom yet).
38.
a. Use a razor saw to cut a 3/32" wide slot in the center ribs, just forward of the rear spars, to accept the die-
cut plywood
DB-4 dihedral brace.
b. Trial fit DB-4 and trim to size, if necessary. Epoxy DB-4 to the rear spars and the ribs, again using clamps to hold it in
place until dry.

.
REFER NOW TO THE FUSELAGE INSTRUCTIONS, STEP 85, BEFORE PROCEEDING. Several steps in the fuselage
instructions actually involve work on the wing center section. Construction must be completed through Step 91 before
continuing in this section.
39.
a. Fit the basswood rear landing gear blocks to the wing by beveling the
ends to match at the center where they meet. You will have to cut away
part of the SW-
2 shear webs that interfere with the blocks. Glue the blocks
in place.
b. Epoxy the die-cut DB·3 dihedral brace to the front of the rear I.g. blocks.
Clamp in place until dry.
c. Reinforce each rear I.g. block with short lengths of 3/4" balsa triangle
stock glued to the top of the blocks and SW-1.
d. Add the die-cut 3/32" x 1/2" x 4" plywood I.g. mount plate to the wing.
These plates provide a solid base for the nylon I.g. straps, and should be
flush with the surface of the rear I.g. blocks. See the "Wing Rib Cross
Section" at W-1 (Plate 3) for more clarity on their position.
40.
a. Carefully trim the wing leading edge flush with the support blocks to make
a seat for the front landing gear block assemblies.
b. Cut away the exposed portion of the two center W-1 ribs so that they are
even with the front notches in the W-1A sub-ribs.
c. Trim the front landing gear block assemblies so that their inner ends meet
at the center with the proper dihedral angle and the outer ends are flush
with the W-1A sub-ribs. The I.g. blocks must sit firmly in the W-1A front
notches and should also sit flat against the support blocks and leading
edge. Epoxy the blocks in place, being sure to use plenty of glue.
d. Fit the 1/2"x3-1/4"x2" balsa landing gear support blocks between the front
I.g. blocks and the forward spar. Glue them in place so that their surfaces
are flush with the bottom edges of the W-1A ribs.
41.
a. Cut out the bottom center sheeting that fits between the front I.g. blocks
and DB-3 from scrap 1/8" lite-ply and glue in place.
b. Add the 3/32" balsa center sheeting to the bottom of the center section.
c. Glue scraps of 3/32" balsa to the sides of the W-1A sub-ribs to finish off
the bottom center sheeting.
42. Strips of 1/8"x3/8"x10-1/2" lite-ply are provided for stiffening the ribs at the wing joint. This is necessary to keep the ribs
from bowing inwards when the covering material is applied and shrunk tight. Cut the rib stiffeners to length and glue them
to the ribs, just below the capstrips. See the "Wing Rib Cross Section" at W-2 (Plate 3) for the exact positioning of the
stiffeners.
43. Cut two 2"x19" strips of heavyweight fiberglass cloth from the material provided. (Save the rest of the fiberglass cloth for
covering the landing gear fairings.) Apply the strips to the top and bottom of the center wing joint using slow-drying epoxy.
You should cut the bottom strip into two pieces to avoid the slots for the landing gear wires. To apply the strips:
a. Coat the wing center with slow-drying epoxy.
b. Lay the fiberglass strip on top of the glue.
c. Holding one end of the'strip so it won't move, "squeegee" the glue through the tape with a small paddle of scrap
balsa. Scrape over the tape several times with the paddle to smooth the tape and remove the excess glue.
d. When dry, sand lightly to remove any rough spots, being careful not to sand into the fiberglass cloth itself.
Finishing The Outer Wing Panels
44.
a. The die-cut 1/8" lite-ply hatch support fits under the edge of the capstrips and overlaps the forward edge of the
servo bay sheeting 1/4". Glue the hatch support in place and add a 3/32"x1/4" balsa strip on the front edge so the
covering material has a place to attach.
b. Trim the 3/32"x3"x4-1/4" plywood servo access hatch as necessary to fit snugly over the hatch support. Drill 1/16"
dia. holes through the corners of the hatch into the hatch support. The hatch is held on with four #2 x3/8" sheet
metal screws. Be sure to mark each hatch so you can tell later which hatch goes with which wing!

.
45. a. Glue in the 1/8"x3/8" lite-ply rib
stiffeners. Don't forget the short
pieces just inboard of the aileron.
b. Sand down the inboard end of
the wing panel bringing the
spars, leading edge, and trailing
edge flush with the side of the
W-2 rib.
46. Saw out the aileron using a razor saw
to cut through the ribs. Exactly where
you cut is not too critical as long as it's
somewhere between the rear spars and
the aileron spars. Cut through the W-4
rib on the outboard end of the aileron,
then remove and discard the part
remaining attached to the aileron. The
W-4Asubrib will serve as the outboard edge of the aileron. Use a sharp modeling
knife to cut the top aileron sheeting and the temporary spacers on the inboard
end.
47.
a. Trim and sand the back of the wing cutout until the ribs are even with the
rear spars. Use a long sanding block to sand just enough to make the
back edge flat, as shown here.
b. Sheet the back of the wing cutout with 3/32" x 1-1/2" x 30" balsa, cut to
length. When dry, trim the sheeting to airfoil contour.
48.
a. Sand the outer end of the wing panel, bringing all of the spars and
sheeting flush with the end W-4 rib.
b. Glue the die-cut lite-ply WTR wingtip rib to the end of the wing.
c. The fiberglass wingtip can be glued to the wing using epoxy or CIA. Be
sure to clean and lightly sand the inside of the fiberglass where the glue
will come in contact. Notice that the wingtip overlaps only onto WTR when
glued in place. Also notice that WTR does not extend all the way back to
the rear point of the wingtip. The small gap that remains can be left as it is
or filled with scrap baIsa.
d. Feather the wingtip into the wing using model filler.
49.
a. Trim and sand.the front of the
aileron in line with the angled,
die-cut slits in the ribs.
b. Add the 3/16" x 1-1/2" x 30"-
balsa aileron leading edge.
c. When dry, sand the aileron
leading edge to shape.
d. Sand each end of the aileron flat.
50.
a. Glue in the W-4A aileron rib in the position shown on the plans. The aileron rib may need some trimming to slip into
place.
b. The aileron control horn is actually a 90-degree bellcrank. Cut a slot in the aileron leading edge (don't cut the spar!)
just large enough for one arm of the horn, then epoxy the horn firmly in place on the W-4A rib. See the "Wing Rib
Cross Section" at W
-
4 (Plate 3) to see exactly how the horn is positioned.

.
51. Cut hinge slots in the aileron
leading edge and the wing
cutout to accept the nylon
hinges. (See "Hinging Tips"
below.) Use four hinges per
aileron, in the positions shown
on the plans. Trial fit the
hinges and aileron on the
wing, without glue, to check
for smooth operation and
proper fit. If there is any
mismatch or binding, alter the
slots as necessary to correct.
The ailerons may be hinged
permanently now, or after
covering and finishing, if you
prefer. Notice that the aileron
should be positioned on the
wing so that it has an equal
gap, about 1/8", at each end.
The gap at the leading edge
should be 1/16" or smaller.
HOW TO BUILD A ONE-PIECE WING
In many ways, building the wing in one piece will simplify construction. The only
drawback is handling and transporting that big "surf board!". Even the size of your
workshop should be taken into consideration since you will need to flip the wing over,
turn it around, fit it to the fuselage, and even set it aside many times while you work.
Think ahead! Having made the decision to build the one-piece wing, it becomes obvious
that all of the steps involving the aluminum wing joiners can be skipped over during
construction. The other major changes are as follows:
 DELETE STEP 3. You won't need two W-2 wing ribs at the wing joint because the
one-piece wing has no wing joints. When it comes time to place the ribs on the
bottom main spar, install only the outboard W-2 rib at the joint.
 MAINTAIN THE BOX SPAR. Even though the aluminum pieces have been
omitted, the main spars still require plywood shear webs at those locations. The
JW-2 webs can be used, but the JW-l webs will have to be replaced since they
won't be long enough with the W-2 rib having been omitted. Use 1/8" lite-ply for
the shear webs. The rear webs can be omitted completely.
 SPLICETHE LEADING EDGE, SPARS AND SHEETING. The laminated spruce
main spars won't require splicing, but the other spars will. Glue the ends of the
spars together and reinforce the joints by bridging them with scrap balsa. Place all
of the splices for the spars and leading edges towards the outboard end of each
wing half. The leading edge sheeting and trailing edge sheeting should be
carefully cut and located so that the splices are centered over a wing rib.
52. Repeat Steps 44 through 51
for the other outer wing panel.
ALTERNATE AILERON CONTROL HORN POSITION
By placing the control horn aft of the hinge line, the aileron will automatically have
different movement; that is, it will hinge slightly further up than down. The further aft
the horn, the more "differential". On an airplane like the Spacewalker, differential
ailerons improve the quality of the turns in flight. The alternate aileron control horn
position shown below will give more differential movement than the one shown on
the plans, but it's not quite as sturdy. We recommend that you use the horn position
shown here if you are building a wing with the "short" (four-bay) ailerons, since it
will benefit more from the increased differential than will the longer aileron versions. Many of the new radio systems give the
modeler the ability to adjust the aileron differential electronically, making the original horn position more desirable.
ABOUT THE AILERONS
One of the difficulties of modeling a homebuilt aircraft is trying to keep up with all of the changes that are inevitably made
by the aircraft's owner or designer. In the case of the Spacewalker, the ailerons were the primary focus of early redesign.
Jesse Anglin built the prototype Spacewalker (NI07 JA) with ailerons that spanned the full length of the outer wing panels
(eight rib bays). He apparently felt that the ailerons were too long, so he changed the design by cutting the aileron length
in half (four rib bays), leaving the chord the same. All full-scale Spacewalker builders, including Maxey Hester of Sig, were
notified of the change. Therefore, N107JA is the only example of this design to use eight-bay ailerons.
Maxey flew his Spacewalker (N516MH) with the four-bay ailerons for the first time on September 4, 1987. Jesse Anglin
was present that day at Sig Field and also took a turn at the stick. Mildly disappointed with the roll response of the short
ailerons, Jesse decided later to make another design change: Split the difference! The six-bay aileron is now standard on
the Spacewalker, even though none have been flown with that type of aileron. However, another full-scale Spacewalker
was under construction at Sig when this kit was released. That airplane belongs to Hazel Sig and will be equipped with,
you guessed it, six-bay ailerons!
We recommend that you build your model with the six-bay ailerons as shown on the plans, even if you intend to duplicate
NI07JA or N516MH. Modifying the wing for longer or shorter ailerons should only be attempted by experienced giant-scale
modelers. We have flown prototype models with all three types of ailerons and find the six-bay version is the best overall.
The only real reason to use the "long" aileron or "short" aileron is perfect accuracy of outline in scale competition.
If you do decide to build the eight-bay ailerons, they must be stiffened by adding diagonal ribs between the existing ribs.
Also, the ailerons should be covered with a high-strength fabric, such as Sig Koverall, for additional strength and stiffness.
Add another hinge to each aileron, move the servo and control horn inboard one rib bay, and make certain that there is no
"slop" in the control linkage which could lead to flutter.
Notice that materials for the eight-bay ailerons are not provided in the kit. However, the four-bay ailerons simply require
you to cut off the aileron spars and sheeting to the smaller dimension. Leave the servo and control horn in the position
shown, and eliminate one hinge.

.
TAIL ASSEMBLY
Before beginning construction on the tail surfaces, carefully cut out all of the "5", "E", and "R" parts from the 3/8" printed
balsa sheet (Sheet #3). A jig saw works best for cutting these out. Cut just outside the lines, leaving all of the lines on the
parts. When fitting the parts in the structure, use a sanding block to bring the edges to an exact fit. Pin the plans to the
building board and cover them with waxed paper or plastic wrap.
Stabilizer and Elevator
HINGING TIPS
-
When assembling each hinge,
leave about a 1/16" gap between
the head of the pin and the edge of
the hinge when you make the
bend. After the bend is made and
the pin point is clipped, push the
pin head up against the side of the
hinge. This will move the bend
away from the hinge, preventing it
from causing a "bind".
-
Once you have cut the initial slot in
the wood with a knife and widened
it slightly with a small saw blade, a
thicker saber saw blade can be
used to help widen the slot to the
proper thickness for the heavy-duty
hinges.
-
Apply a drop of oil or a bit of
vaseline to the center "bulge" of
the hinges. This will prevent any
glue from bonding at the critical
hinge joint. Be sure to keep the flat
part of the hinges free of oil.
-
A good way to insure that the
hinges are soundly glued to the
structure is to apply Sig slow-
drying epoxy to each hinge slot
using a Sig Mini Glue Gun (SH-
627). Smear a layer of epoxy on
both sides of the hinges and push
them into the slots. Wipe away any
excess glue before it dries.
-
Work with only one control surface
at a time. For example, glue the
hinges to the stabilizer, allow them
to dry, then glue the elevator to the
hinges.
NOTE:
Many modelers feel that it is easier to
cover the horizontal tail surfaces
before they are hinged. If you elect to
do this, first test assemble the tail
surfaces on their hinges without glue,
to insure that a good match between
the elevator and stabilizer was
obtained during the sanding process.
Notice that the tips of the stabilizer
leading edge must be trimmed slightly
to blend in with the curve of the
elevator tips.
53. Prepare the stabilizer/fin trailing edge by gluing a piece of 1/8"x3/8"x36" spruce to
a piece of 3/8"x3/4"x36" balsa. Be sure to keep these parts straight while the glue
dries. The spruce laminate increases the strength of the structure and helps to
prevent warps from developing. This 36" laminated piece must be used for both
the stabilizer trailing edge and the fin trailing edge. There is very little excess, so
cut these parts out carefulIy.
54.
a. Pin the laminated elevator trailing edge in place over the plans.
b. Cut the stabilizer leading edges from a piece of 3/8"x3/4"x36" balsa. Pin
the leading edges in place and glue them together at the center.
c. Glue in the 3/8" balsa 5-1, 5-2, and 5-3 center sheeting parts.
d. Add the 3/8" sq. balsa ribs and end pieces.
e. Glue in the 3/16" x 3/8" balsa diagonal ribs.
55.
a. When dry, remove the stabilizer
from the building board and
lightly sand the top and bottom to
smooth out the glue joints. Use a
sanding block to sand all of the
edges round. You may find that a
line drawn along the center of all
the frame pieces can help in
getting a consistently rounded
edge.
b.
Trim off the leading edge point as
shown on the plans.
56.
a. Pin the 3/8" sq. x4" spruce elevator joiner in place on the plans.
b. Cut out the elevator leading edges from 3/8"x3/4" balsa, being sure to
notch the right-hand one for the elevator joiner. Glue the elevator leading
edges to the elevator joiner and pin them in place.
c. Add the pre-cut 3/8" basswood control horn mount.
d. Cut out the elevator tips and trailing edge pieces from 3/8"x3/4" balsa and
pin them in place. These parts will be trimmed to shape later.
e. Glue in all of the "E" parts, E-1 through E-6.
f. Add the 3/8" sq. balsa ribs and end pieces.
g. Add the 3/16"x3/8" balsa diagonal ribs.

.
57. When dry, remove the elevator from the
board and trim it to the correct outline.
An easy way to do this is to make a
tracing of one elevator half and cut it out.
Place the tracing over the elevator, draw
around the outline, then sand it down to
the line. Repeat for the other half. Lightly
sand the top and bottom, and round all
the edges as you did with the stabilizer.
58. Position the heavy-duty elevator control horn on the bottom of the elevator as shown on the plans. Mark the location of the
two mounting bolts, then drill the elevator at the marks with a 5/32" drill bit. Countersink the holes slightly on the top of the
elevator and install two 4-40 blind nuts. The horn is mounted using two 4-40x3/8" mounting bolts, but not until the elevator
has been covered and painted.
59. Install the hinges in the positions shown on the plans. See "Hinge Assembly" (Plate 2) for more detailed instructions.
Fin And Rudder
The fin and rudder are assembled over the plan in the same manner as the stab
and elevators.
60.
a. Pin the laminated balsa/spruce fin trailing edge in place. Notice that the
trailing edge extends to the bottom of the fuselage.
b. Pin the 3/8"x3/4" balsa fin leading edge in place. Notice that the leading
edge extends down below the stabilizer.
c. Glue the four 3/8" sq. balsa ribs in place.
d. Add the 3/16"x3/8" balsa diagonal ribs.
e. When dry, remove the fin from the board and sand the leading edge, top
edge, and trailing edge round. Leave the bottom 3/8" sq. balsa rib
unsanded so that it can sit against the stabilizer.
61.
a. Pin the 3/8"x3/4" balsa rudder leading edge to the plan.
b. Glue R-1 through R-5 in place.
c. Add the 3/8" sq. balsa ribs and 3/16" x 3/8" balsa diagonal ribs.
d. When dry, unpin the rudder and sand all of the edges round.
62. Carefully carve a relief in the bottom of the rudder to accept the rudder horn.
Epoxy the horn in place, then drill through the horn and rudder with a 3/32" drill bit.
Install a 2-56 x1/2" screw and 2-56 hex nut to anchor the horn to the structure.
63. Install the rudder hinges in the positions shown on the plan.

.
Attaching The Tail Brace Wires
The tail brace wires are a scale feature that will add tremendous strength and
rigidity to the entire tail assembly on your model. We recommend that you install all
of the wires unless you are specifically building a model of Jesse's prototype.
General instructions for installing the wires appear on the plans (Plate 1). The
photo shows a typical installation.
Using the plans as a guide, carefully mark the position of each brace wire attach
tab on the tail surfaces and fuselage bottom. Drill at the marks with a 3/32" drill bit.
Pre-
bend the steel tabs to their approximate angle, then fasten them in place using
the hardware described on the plans. Apply some Lock-Tite or glue to the nuts to
avoid any possibility of them loosening due to engine vibration.
NOTE: The 1/2" long aluminum tubes should be cut in half, making two 1/4" long tubes to clamp the wires.
Steel cable is provided in the kit to serve as tail brace wires. Cut each wire about two or three inches longer than necessary
so you have some excess to work with, (Remember to save some of this cable for the rudder control system.) Fasten the
wires as described on the plans. What you want are eight wires, each with a slight amount of tension. The actual amount of
tension is not too important as long as they are all about the same and the tail surfaces aren't twisted or distorted from their
normal position.
FUSELAGE CONSTRUCTION
Before beginning work on the fuselage, carefully cut out the WS-l, WS-2, and WS-
3 wing saddle pieces from the 1/4" printed
balsa sheets (Sheet #2). As with the printed tail parts, cut just outside the lines with a jigsaw or modeling knife. Use a
sanding block to fit the parts exactly to the structure.
Before beginning work on the fuselage, you should decide what engine you plan to install. Since there are so many engines
available that can be used on the Spacewalker, it was impossible to design the kit with a standard nose section. See "About
the Firewall (F-1) Location" on Plate 4 for more information.
If you must build the model before deciding on an engine, it would be better to build the nose too short than too long. That
way, a plywood shim or mounting "box" can be added to the front of the firewall if necessary to position the engine correctly.
If the nose is too long, it will have to be sawn off and rebuilt.
Prepare the front fuselage main frame drawing (Plate 4) with the correct nose section for the engine that you plan to use.
Cover both the front and aft fuselage main frame drawings with waxed paper or plastic wrap.
64.
a. Begin construction of the front fuselage main
frame by gluing and pinning down the 1/4" sq.
spruce pieces along the top, front and bottom.
b. Glue in the 1/4" sq. balsa uprights.
c. Glue WS-1 in place.
d. Fill in the forward two nose sections using a
1/4"x3"x12" balsa sheet. This solidifies the
front end which helps to absorb engine
vibration.
65. Build a second front fuselage main frame exactly as the first. When dry, pin the frames together and lightly even up the
edges with a sanding block. Sand both sides of each frame to remove any rough spots or glue "bumps".
66.
Repeat the process to construct two aft fuselage main frames.
67.
a. Glue the die-cut lite-ply PS-1 pieces to the front fuselage main frames. Be sure to make one right side and one left
side! The PS-1 pieces were cut extra long to accommodate any firewall position. Trim and sand the lite-ply even with
the main frames.
b.
Glue the PS
-
2 pieces to the rear fuselage main frames, again being certain to make a left and a right.

.
68.
a. Pin the front fuselage main frames upside-down over the fuselage top view
(Plate 1). The plywood side pieces (PS-1) should be facing inward. Make
certain the sides are vertical and use temporary braces (marked with a "T"
in the photo) to hold them in position.
b. Carefully cut and fit the 1/4" sq. balsa crossbraces and glue them in place.
There are six crossbraces on the top of the fuselage (next to the plan) and
four on the bottom. Notice that the crossbrace at the front of the wing
(marked with an "X" in the photo) should be positioned 1/8" forward of the
wing leading edge to make room for the PW plywood pieces to be installed
later. Check the squareness of the fuselage several times during this step.
When dry, remove the temporary braces.
69.
a. Taper the ends of the aft fuselage main frames where they join at the rear.
b. Pin the aft fuselage main frames upside-down, plywood side pieces facing
inwards, on the fuselage top view (Plate 2) and glue them together at the
rear. Use a triangle and temporary braces to hold the frames square as you
did with the front fuselage main frame.
c. Glue the 1/4" sq. balsa crossbraces between the frames (Seven on top,
seven on the bottom).
70.
a. Tape together the two fuselage top views using a long straightedge to
make certain the centerline is perfectly straight from the front to the back.
b. Sand the front end of the aft fuselage section with a large sanding block so
that it fits flat against the front fuselage section. Check the alignment of the
two fuselage sections over the top view drawing. When satisfied with the fit,
epoxy the aft section to the front fuselage section and allow to dry.
71.
a. Glue the die-cut lite-ply part PT-2 to the top of
the fuselage so that its front edge covers only
half of the crossbrace located just aft of F-2.
b. If your engine mount uses bolts that are
inserted from the rear of the firewall, you will
need to cut an access hole in PT-I so that you
can get to the top two bolts. Glue PT-I to the
fuselage just ahead of PT-2. Trim off any
excess.
c. Glue PB-I to the fuselage bottom with the rear
edge even with the front edge of the balsa
crossbrace. Trim off the excess at the front so
that it is flush with the front face of the fuselage. Sand the rear edge of PB-I at the same angle as the fuselage
bottom.