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WING CONSTRUCTION
The Wonder wing is designed to be built in one piece, flat on the building board (no dihedral or washout). Pin or tape the wing
plan to your building board and protect the plan by covering it with wax paper or plastic wrap.
1.
a.
Pin the 1/8"x1/4"x36" spruce lower wing spar over the plans. Instead of pushing pins right through the spruce (which
could cause it to split), cross two pins over the spar to hold it in place.
b.
Glue the 16 die-cut balsa wing ribs to the lower wing spar. Each wing rib should be vertical and the alignment tab at
the trailing edge should be pinned firmly to the building board.
2.
a.
Glue the 1/8"x1/4"x36" spruce upper wing spar to the wing ribs.
b.
Find the 3/16"x3/8"x36" special-cut balsa trailing edge. By looking at its ends you will see that it is not symmetrical.
Rather, it is a 3/16"x3/8" balsa stick that has been tapered on its top surface from 3/16" at the front to 1/6" at the
rear. For the best fit, make sure the trailing edge is positioned properly in the wing rib notches as shown in the
diagram. Glue the trailing edge to the wing ribs being careful not to glue the trailing edge to the alignment tabs.
c. Add the 1/4"sq.x36" balsa leading edge to the front of the ribs.
3.
The leading edge sheeting must be cut to its correct 2-3/4" width from the
1/16"x3"x36" sheets provided in the kit. Use a long straightedge and a sharp
modelling knife to trim the sheets. To help make the sheeting fit against the
leading edge, hold the knife at a 15 or 20 degree angle while cutting the front
edge of the sheeting, as shown in the photo.
4.
Glue the leading edge sheeting to the leading edge using a bottle of thin CA with
a long applicator tube. Apply slow CA to the tops of the wing ribs and the upper
spar, then push the sheeting into place with your hands. You may have to use
accelerator spray on small sections at a time until the sheeting is completely
glued in place.
NOTE: Harder sheeting may need to be wetted before bending it into place, to prevent cracking. Warm water sponged onto
the outer surface will cause the sheeting to swell, allowing it to conform easily to the rib contour.
WONDER WHY...
...we don't just give you 2-3/4" sheeting in the kit?
Answer:
Internal stresses can cause a sheet of balsa to bow, even when cut from a
perfectly straight plank. Experienced modelers know that the only way to
ensure a straight sheet of balsa is to cut the edges themselves, just before
gluing it in place on the model. Trimming the edges is an easy step that will
help you build a true wing.
5.
a.
Add the 1/16"x1"x36" balsa trailing edge sheeting.
b.
Sheet the upper center section of the wing using pieces cut from the 1/16"x3"x18" balsa provided in the kit. Sig-Bond
(yellow wood glue) is recommended for the edges of the sheeting because it's easier to sand than CA.
c. Glue the 1/16"x1/4" balsa capstrips to the upper edge of the remaining wing ribs and allow to dry.
