Model Airways Kit No. MA1020

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Manufactured by Model AirwaysA Division of Model Shipways, Inc., Hollywood, FL

Sold & distributed by Model Expo • www.modelexpo-online.com

INSTRUCTION MANUAL PREPARED BY DR. DAVID G. ULLMAN AND KENNETH H. GOLDMAN 2003

Technical CharacteristicsSCALE: 1:16

WINGSPAN: 30-1/4" (768 mm)LENGTH: 15" (382 mm)

THE FIRST AIRPLANE

THE WRIGHT FLYERF 1903 F

THE FIRST AIRPLANE

THE WRIGHT FLYERF 1903 F

On December 17 1903 at 10:35a.m. Orville Wright accomplishedthe first manned, controlled,powered flight in the airplanethat is now known as the “WrightFlyer.” The flight lasted about 12seconds and the plane traveled anestimated 120 feet. Later that dayat Kitty Hawk North Carolina, onthe forth flight; Wilbur flew 852feet in 59 sec. During celebra-tions after the forth flight thewind turned the Flyer over and itnever flew again.

These flights were the result offour years of one of the greatestengineering feats of all time. Thebrothers used their free timefrom the bicycle business to studyflight and systematically developthe Flyer. By 1903 they had great-ly improved the understanding ofhow wings produce lift, made thefirst systematic study of how tocontrol an airplane and had

designed the first practical propeller. Additionally, they haddesigned and built an enginepowerful enough, yet lightenough to be used in an airplane.

The Flyer had a wingspan of12.3m (40’ 4” ) and a length of6.1m (20’ 1”) and weighed 625lb(283 kg) with pilot. It was pow-ered by an engine designed by theWright Brothers and theirmachinist assistant Charlie Taylor. The engine produced 16hp (12 watts) and weighed 150lbs(68 kg). The pilot controlled theelevator with his left hand, thefuel flow to the engine with hisright, and executed turns by moving his hips left and right.

The flyer is now on permanentdisplay in the entrance lobby of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

HISTORY

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INDEX

Technical Characteristics ............................................CoverIntroduction................................................................................4Before you begin .......................................................................5How to work with Plans and Parts..............................................5Plans ...........................................................................................5Parts ............................................................................................6Cast-Metal Fittings .....................................................................6Photoetched Parts .....................................................................6What you will Need....................................................................6Painting and Staining ................................................................6Stage 1: Building the Wings ......................................................7

1. Wing building jig....................................................................72. Wing ribs................................................................................73. The top wing .........................................................................74. Wing tips................................................................................85. Trailing edge .........................................................................86. The bottom wing...................................................................87. Wing Warping cradle ............................................................9

Stage 2: Engine and instruments ...........................................101. Crankcase and intake manifold ........................................102. Cam shafts, ignition heads and oil pump .........................113. Cam followers and ignition terminal ..................................124. Fuel and oil lines, camshaft drive chain, sprockets............125. Magneto.............................................................................126. Installing the fuel valves ......................................................13

Stage 3: Assembling and rigging the wings ..........................141. Wing Assembly jig ...............................................................143. Drive train installation ..........................................................144. Strut fittings ..........................................................................155. Wing Warping Pulleys and Wire...........................................156. Wing Struts...........................................................................167. Engine and accessories installation ...................................168. Wing Assembly....................................................................17

Stage 4: The Landing Skid and Control Surfaces ..................181. The landing skid ..................................................................182. Elevator control frame........................................................183. The elevators.......................................................................194. The rear rudders..................................................................20

Stage 5: Finishing Touches......................................................221. The Propellers ......................................................................222. Launching Dolly and Track .................................................223. Display suggestions...............................................................0

Appendix A: Laser cut wood patterns ....................................24Appendix B: Brittania metal parts...........................................25Appendix C: Photoetched parts.............................................26

©2002 Model Airways, Inc.A Division of Model Expo, Inc., Hollywood, FL

3

INTRODUCTION

PLANS AND INSTRUCTIONS BY DR. DAVID G. ULLMAN AND KENNETH H. GOLDMAN

PROTOTYPE MODEL BY BOB WERNER, HOLLYWOOD, FL

MODELING THE

THE WRIGHT FLYERF 1903 F

MODELING THE

THE WRIGHT FLYERF 1903 F

4

Before You Begin

The Flyer is a very interesting aircraft andmakes a splendid model. The kit is intendedas a structural model without covering.Nearly every detail of the real aircraft hasbeen included as scale permits.The kit is supplied with Britainia metal cast-ings, photoetched brass parts and laser-cutwooden parts, making the kit unique andeasy to assemble. The metal castings are ofexcellent quality, and will require some finalfinishing before they can be assembled.If you are a beginner, take your time. Thismodel is detailed and has small parts. Makesure you complete one stage before movingto the next. Don’t worry about repeating astep.

Working with the Plans & Parts

Before starting construction on your model,examine the kit and study the plans and fig-ures carefully. Familiarizing yourself withthe kit will help you determine that all partshave been supplied as listed. You’ll also besurprised at just how quickly handling theparts allows you to better understand the kitand the way the Wright Brothers designedthe first airplane. Try to visualize how everypart will look on the completed model. In order to locate small fittings and hard-ware, and to prevent loss or damage to theseparts, it is highly recommended that parts bekept in appropriately marked storagebags/boxes until they are used.

PlansT

3 Plan Sheets are provided:Plan Sheet 1Top Wing LayoutBottom Wing LayoutPlan Sheet 2Wing Warping CradleWing StrutWarping CablesPlan Sheet 3Landing SkidElevator Control FrameElevator & Actuation SystemRudderLaunching Dolly

In addition, a set of sketches appearsthroughout this instruction manual to further illustrate the various stages of construction.

The WRIGHT FLYER kit is manufactured toa scale of 1:16. Each plan sheet is drawn to

the exact scale that the model is to be built,except for some sketches which have beenenlarged for clarity. Where necessary, dimen-sions can be lifted directly off the plans byusing a set of draftsman dividers or by usinga "tick" strip, which is simply a piece of paperused to "pick-up" the dimensions . Lay yourpaper strip over the plan and mark thelengths of items carefully with a sharp pen-cil. Then use the strip to transfer the marksto the wood or item to be made to scale. Part dimensions on plans and in the instruc-tions are given in millimeters and equivalentinches. It would be a good idea to have asmall plastic or wooden scale marked ininches and millimeters so you can measureand identify the parts provided.

Parts

Note that all part numbers that are identifiedby WF-LXX are laser cut wood parts. All des-ignated WF-PEXX are photoetched and allwith WP-BXX are Britania metal.All parts: castings, rod, wire, tubing, sheetstock, laser-cut wood, wood strips, and rig-ging line are designated by a letter-number(such as WF-L18) on plans and sketches. Aparts list is included in each of the construc-tion stages, noting the parts required for thatparticular stage. A master packaging partslist (separate from these instructions) is pro-vided, listing the quantities included in thekit. For wood strips, sheets, rod, wire, tubing,and rigging, one or several pieces are provid-ed in the kit as noted on the master packag-ing parts list. Each of these have beenassigned a Model Expo stock part number.These parts must be cut to length or shapedaccording to plan dimensions.For identification, laser-cut wood part pat-terns are illustrated in Appendix A. Sketchesof the various britannia metal castings areshown in Appendix B. Sketches of pho-toetched metal parts are pictured in Appen-dix C.

Wood

Your kit contains basswood (or Limewood)wooden parts.It is a good idea to sort the stripwood con-tained in the kit by size. When building acertain part, select a suitable size and aftercutting what you need return it. When removing laser cut parts wipe all edgeswith a tissue to remove the carbon residue.This will be light on solid wood parts, butmay be heavy on plywood. You may want tosand edges to remove any discoloration.

Cast Metal Fittings

The kit is supplied with large amounts of bri-tannia metal castings. The britannia fittingsprovided may require some final finishing

before they are suitable for installing on themodel. Clean them up by removing anymold-joint flash. To do this, use a No. 11hobby blade to cut the flash, then file or sandwith fine sandpaper. It is also suggested thatyou clean the fittings thoroughly with warm,soapy water.

Photoetched Parts

This kit has two sheets of brass, photoetchedparts. Remove the parts with needle nosedpliers by gently twisting them back andforth. Use a file to clean any flash that mightremain.

What You Will Need

The following tools and supplies are recom-mended for the construction process. Model-ers who have built before may have theirown favorites.A. Knives and saws

1. Hobby knife2. No.11 blades3. Razor saw or jeweler's saw

B. FilesSet of needle files

C. Clamps and Pins1. Alligator clips (supplied) 2. Wooden clothespins (craft shops

have small versions of the design)3. Rubber bands4. Package of straight pins

D. Boring Tools1. Set of miniature drills2. Pin vise

E. Miscellaneous1. Tack hammer2. Tweezers (a few)3. Small fine pointed scissors4. Miniature pliers

a. small roundb. flat nose

5. Wire cutters (for cutting fine wireand strip metal)

F. SandpaperFine and medium grit garnet or aluminumoxide sandpaper (#100 to #220), and #400 wet-or-dry paper for fittings and final wood sanding.G. GlueWhite glue, Carpenter's wood glue (yellowin color), and Cyanoacrylate glue(superglue) can be used for most of the model.Five-minute epoxy provides extra strengthfor gluing fittings. Cyanoacrylate (superglue) is best for wood-wood joints. Only useepoxy for metal-metal or metal-wood joints.Roughen metal surface with sand paper forbest adhesion.H. Building BoardA soft, but stiff board such as acoustic ceil-ing tile or insulation wallboard to easilytake straight pins for holding parts duringassembly. This soft board should be nailedor glued to a hard board so it will be flat. Ofcourse, you can use a table, but a portableboard is convenient for turning it around

5

as necessary to make the work easier.

Painting and Staining

The Flyer model need not be painted or fin-ished at all. However, it is recommended thatyou stain or seal the wood parts and seal theBritiannia castings for protection. A clear orlight tan finish on the wood is best. There are many brass parts in this kit. Theycan be left plain or painted black or dark grayfor contrast with the wood structure. Beforepainting the brass parts, sand them lightlywith fine sand paper.Engine parts can be painted with a gray washand highlighted for contrast.

Sanding and CleaningSand all wood surfaces with 220-grit drysandpaper, followed by 400-grit, and wipe offall dust thoroughly. A tack rag is helpfulhere.

Brushing and StainsA soft artist quality brush can be used toapply stain to the parts. Floquil stains orMinwax brand stains are excellent for stain-ing. For the castings, Floquil clear flat finishis ideal.Brushing and stains: A soft artistquality brush can be used to apply stain tothe parts. Floquil stains or Minwax brandstains are excellent for staining. For the cast-ings, Floquil clear flat finish is ideal.This finish could also be applied over thestained wood parts as added protection.

PaintingIf parts are to be painted, use a primer first,then paint. Floquil, or any of the modelpaints are satisfactory. For this model, flatpaints will probably look better than glosspaints.

Full Size Model Scale Model Scale Inches Inches Millimeters

1/4" 1/64" 0.40mm1/2" 1/32" 0.79mm3/4" 3/64" 1.19mm1" 1/16" 1.59mm

1-1/4" 5/64" 1.98mm1-1/2" 3/32" 2.38mm1-3/4" 7/64" 2.78mm

2" 1/8" 3.17mm2-1/4" 9/64" 3.57mm2-1/2" 5/32" 3.97mm2-3/4" 11/64" 4.37mm

3" 3/16" 4.76mm6" 3/8" 9.53mm9" 9/16" 14.29mm12" 3/4" 19.05mm

SCALE CONVERSION TABLE

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STAGE 1: BUILDING THE WINGS

The wings on the Wright Flyer were muchlarger than had ever been used on a flyingmachine before. The Wright Brothers calcu-lated the size based on their experiments withgliders, 1899-1902. The airfoil shape is onethey developed during their wind tunnelexperiments during the winter of 1901-1902.The wings were very light for their size. Theyweighed less than 45 kg (100 lbs) each andwere 2 x 12 meters (6.5 x 40’) in size. As willbe appreciated, the structure is delicate. Infact, after the 4th flight of December 17, thewind picked up the Flyer turned it over andseriously damaged the craft.With the exception of ribs near their centers,the top and bottom wings are identical. Theseinstructions will begin with the top wing andthen only detail what is different with the bot-tom one.The Wright Flyer model is built by first con-structing each of the wings on the WingBuilding Jig. In Stage 3 the bottom wing isthen strapped into the Wing Assembly Jigthat holds it for installing the engine, drivetrain, landing skid and top wing. Wing Building jigAssemble the wing building jig as shown onFigure 1. The location of the formers, WF-L07, is shown on the Plan 1. The stringers aremade by splicing two pieces of 1.5 x 6.5 mm(1/16” x 1/4”) wood strip together to make 3stringers 775 mm 30.5” long. This jig will bedisposed of after building the wings, so thestyle of the splice is not important.Wing ribsCarefully remove wing ribs and tips WF-L01to WF-L05 from sheets and sand off any dis-coloration due to laser cutting with fine sand-paper attached to a flat block. For cleanestremoval of parts from the sheet, cut tabs con-necting ribs with light pressure from one sideof the sheet, then turn the sheet over, and cutfrom second side. Sand any remaining flashfrom the ribs. Be sure when installing the ribsthat the thicker end is toward the front. Therib should be flush top and bottom with theleading edge spar and main spar. Note thatextra wing ribs have been supplied in case anyare damaged during building the model.The top wingSort leading edge and main spar material3x4mm (1/8” x 5/32”) so that any natural warpin the material causes the tips to bow down.The spars are identical on both wings and sothe spars can be made all at once. Note thatthe main spars are wider than they are tall andthe leading edge is taller than it is wide.Using full-size top wing layout, Plan 1, makethe three sections of the leading edge sparand the main spar with a butt joint as shownon plan and in Figure 2. Do not glue themtogether yet. The Wright Brothers used thesame three-section spar. Trim the spars tolength and round the leading edge spar top

FIG. 1 WING BUILDING JIG

WF-L07

1.5 X 6.5 MM (1/16” X 1/4” X775 MM (30.5”)

MAIN SPAR

LEADINGEDGESPAR

WF-L01FORWARDRIB HALF

WF-L02AFT RIB HALF

FIG. 2 WING DETAILS

DETAIL OF SPAR JOINT

WF-PE06BOTH SIDESLEADING

EDGEDETAIL

TYPICAL RIB INSTALLATION

TRAILING EDGE WIRE

7

PLAN 1 TOP WING LAYOUT

LEADING EDGESPAR

STRUT PLATESWF-PE02 ON

UNDER SIDE OFTOP WING SPARS,

18 LOCATIONS

LOCATION OF WING

BUILDING JIGFORMERS

WF-L07

BIND ALL TIPS TOALL SPARS, BOTHWINGS WITH 3-4

WRAPS OF THREADIN TWO PLACES

WF-L01WING TIPWF-L05

WF-L03

REARSPAR

SPAR SPLICELOCATION

BOTH WINGS

RIB REINFORCING

BAR

WF-L04

WF-L02

PROPELLERSUPPORTLOCATION

SPAR SPLICE

LOCATIONBOTH WINGS

and bottom edges as shown in Figure 2. Care-fully taper the leading edge spar from last ribto the tip at both ends. The taper should bethe same on both top and bottom of the sparand tip thickness should match the thicknessof the laser cut wing tip 3mm (1/8”). Themain spar needs no taper. Drill holes in 2 places on the bottom of themain spar as shown on Plan 1 for the pro-peller support assembly WF-B30. The holesshould be 1m (3/64”) dia. and at least 2mm(.08”) deep but not all the way through thespar. They should be 195.5mm (7.7”) apart. Amatching hole needs to be drilled on the top-side of the main spar for the bottom wing. Glue the spar sections together and braceeach joint with the hinge plates, WF-PE06 asshown in Figure 2 on both sides of both theleading edge spar and the main spar. Align the wing building jig with the top winglayout, Plan 1 and pin in place. Pin the lead-ing edge spar and main spar in place in thewing building jig. As shown in Figure 2 glueeach forward rib half WF-L01 to the leadingedge spar and the main spar. Start from themiddle and alternate sides. Use a scrap pieceof material as a square to insure they are ver-tical and perpendicular to the spars. Glue an aft rib half WF-L02 aligned witheach forward rib half. Be sure that the trail-ing edge is held down against the wing build-ing jig. The last two ribs at each tip haveshortened aft ribs WF-L03 and WF-L04 asshown on the plan. The diagonal brace strut(the most outboard aft rib is made from alength of 1x3mm strip 20 mm (.8”) long andtapered to 1.5mm at trailing edge. Notch itsimilar to the other aft ribs to accept thetrailing edge wire.Wing tips The wing tips WF-L05 need to be tapered tofit between the leading edge spar and mainspar as shown in Figure 3. They are glued sothey are flush with the top surface of thespars. Bind in two places to each spar with acouple of wraps of thread as shown in Plan 1.Trailing EdgeThe trailing edge wire .35mm (.015”) dia isglued into the notches in the wing ribs asshown in Figure 2. Start at the center andwork outward insuring that each aft rib halfis well aligned. After each of the last three tipribs and diagonal brace strut, gently bend thewire with needle nosed pliers to align for thenext rib. Glue the trailing edge wire tangen-tially to the tip as shown in Plan 1. Finally,on the top wing, glue in the rib reinforcingbar, 1.5x2.5mm (1/16” x 3/32”) x 99mm(3.9”) long. This sits on top of the ribs asshown, aligned with the trailing edge wire. Itwill serve as a mounting point for the rud-ders. Note that there is not a reinforcing baron the bottom wing.The Bottom wingThe bottom wing layout is shown on Plan 2.It is identical to the top wing except near themiddle. Only the differences between the twowings are discussed here.

Before assembling the bottom wing drillholes in the top of the main spar for the pro-peller support assembly WF-B30 as describedin the instructions for the top wing. Addi-tionally drill .75mm (.031” (#68)) hole forrudder bell cranks at the two locationsshown on Plan 2. Do not go all the waythrough the spar.

The two ribs just left of the center-line arethe pilot support ribs. These are made bygluing two forward rib halves WF-L01together and adding a 1.5x1.5 mm (1/16” x1/16”) cap strip as shown in Figures 4 and 5.Additionally 2 strips of 1.5 x 2.5mm (1/16” x3/32”) are fit between the pilot support ribsas pilot braces, as shown in the Figures.

FIG. 3 WING TIP DETAILS

TAPER TO FIT SPARS

WF-L05 WING TIP

FIG. 4 PILOT SUPPORT RIBS AND ENGINE MOUNT STRUCTURE

RADIATOR SUPPORT

PILOTSUPPORT

RIBSPILOT

BRACES

REINFORCEMENT

REINFORCEMENT

ENGINESUPPORT

RAILS

MAGNETO SUPPORTS

ENGINE CONTROL LEVER

PLAN 2 BOTTOM WING LAOUT

STRUT PLATES WF-PE02 ON UPPER

SIDE OF BOTTOMWING SPARS, 18 LOCATIONS

STRUTWITH FUEL

TANK

PILOT SUPPORTRIB LOCATIONDETAILS NOT

SHOWN

WING WARPINGPULLEY

LOCATION

PROPELLERSUPPORTLOCATION

RUDDERBELLCRANKLOCATION

PROPELLERSUPPORTLOCATION

WINGWARPINGPULLEY

LOCATION

ENGINE SUPORTRAIL (WF-L06)

LOCATIONDETAILS NOT

SHOWN

8

The engine support structure is located just toright of the centerline on the bottom wing.This is made from the precut engine supportrails (WF-L06) positioned as shown in Plan 2and Figure 4. Before gluing these in place besure the crankcase bottom WF-B14 fits thespacing between the support rails as shown onFigure 7. The magneto front and rear support membersare made from 1.5 x 2.5mm (1/16” x 3/32”)stock. Taper the magneto support members sothat the top surfaces are parallel with the topof the engine support rails. Be sure the mag-neto support members are mounted on thethinner (rear) end of the engine support rails.On the rear magneto support member add thetapered riser shown in Figures 4 and 5. Donot glue to riser to support until magnetoinstallation. The support rails are strapped to the spars withreinforcements as shown in Figure 4. Simulatethis with 3mm (1/8”) wide self-adhesive brasstape. There are two bands around the enginesupport rails where the engine sits and thereare wraps around the spars as shown. The radiator support and control base (all onepiece) is made of 1.5 x3mm (1/16” x 1/8”) x30mm 19/16” as shown in Figs 4 and 5, andPlan 2. This part not only supports the radia-tor, but many of the control are fastened to it.Add to this the vertical tapered part (madefrom the same material) and engine controllever made from 1.5mm x 1.5 mm (1/16” x1/16”) material. Shim the control lever so thatit is nearly horizontal as shown in Figure 5.The center hole in the lever simulates thepivot, the other two will be connected to theengine later.Finally, note in Plan 2 that middle six aft ribhalves do not align with the forward rib halves.Wing warping cradleThe hip cradle controls the wing warping andthe rudder motion. The pilot, lying on the bot-tom wing, shifts his hips from side to side toturn the airplane. The hip cradle and the footrest are both made of 1.5 x 4mm (1/16” x5/32”) strips as shown in Plan 3. The operatingarms, WF-PE08, are bent so that they can bepinned to the cradle and the pilot support railsenabling the cradle to be moved left and right.Use cut-off short lengths of straight pins forthe pivots as shown in Section A-A in Plan 3.Leave sufficient room under the head of thepins holding the arms to the cradle to attach athread to actuate the wing warping. This isdescribed in the Stage 4. The leather-covered cushion (the Wright’s ideaof comfort) is simulated as shown in Figure 6.Begin with a strip 1.5 x 4mm (1/16” x 5/32”) x38mm (1 1/2”) long. Round it as shown inSection B-B in Plan 3. Notch the back surface10mm (13/32”) from each end about half waythrough. Cut the brown tape, WF-T1, asshown and wrap it over the strip. Bending thestrip so that it breaks at the notches, the cush-ion can be glued into place.Pin the cradle to the pilot support ribs andglue the footrest to the main spar.

FIG. 6 WING WARPING CUSHON DETAILS

PATTERN FOR TAPE TO SIMULATE CUSHION

NOTCH STRIPHERE, COVER

WITH TAPEAND FOLD

REPEAT FOR OTHER TWO LEGS

ENGINE SUPPORT RAILSWF-L06

FIG. 7 ENGINE MOUNTING DETAILS

(DRILL0.7MMHOLE)

(DRILL0.7MMHOLE)

WF-B13

WF-B14

FIG. 5 PILOT AND ENGINE SUPPORT DETAILS

CONTROLLEVER

RADIATOR SUPPORT AND CONTROL BASE TO SCALE

ENGINE CONTROL LEVER DETAIL

32MM (1.25”)

6MM (0.25”)

3MM (0.13”)

DO NOTGLUE UNTIL

POSITIONING MAGNETO

REAR MAGNETO SUPPORT DETAIL

PILOTBRACE CAP

STRIP

ENGINE CONTROL LEVER SHOWING MOUNTING ANGLE

REINFORCEMENTS MADE FROMBRASS TAPE

6MM (0.25”)

9

STAGE 2: ENGINE AND INSTRUMENTSTo balance the aircraft, pilot and enginewere to be located approximately equidistantfrom the centerline. This meant that anengine delivering the minimum-requiredeight horsepower could weigh no more than180 pounds, and must have minimal vibra-tion to avoid damage to the fragile airframe.Not only was there no existing engine of thetime that met the requirements, no manu-facturer would risk the developmentexpense to produce one.Enter Charles W. Taylor, a former competi-tor and colleague in the bicycle repair busi-ness, who then worked for the WrightBrothers. Charlie Taylor, an accomplished“mechanician,” hand crafted a horizontal,cast aluminum block, four-cylinder enginethat weighed 170 pounds, fully fitted out,and delivered not eight but twelve horse-power. Since contemporary spark plugswere not reliable, they opted instead for aningenious system of camshaft-driven break-er points mounted inside each of the fourignition heads. Only the exhaust valvesoperated from their own camshaft. Theintake valves, however, were kept closed bysprings and opened sequentially as each pis-ton drew a suction in its cylinder. It is per-haps fortunate that the first flight was sobrief. Fuel merely dripped into the hotintake manifold where the resulting explo-sive vapor was contained.Care must be exercised with the many smallparts. Refer to Figures 7 through 16 and thephotographs. The keys to success are tocarefully clean all of the castings, dry fiteverything before applying glue and to keepin mind what you are doing at any givenstage will affect how parts go together later.Note that the crankcase top and intake man-ifold have several raised spots that representscrew heads. If you happen to damage themwhile polishing the castings, they can berevived by placing an awl point in the centerand then turning it in it in a circle whilemaintaining moderate pressure. If doingthis for one screw head, do it for all of themon that part to maintain consistency. Forbest results, follow this up by placing a dropof white glue in each of the centers to buildthem up.Crankcase and intake manifoldBefore assembling the crankcase halves,drill a .7mm hole in each foot of thecrankcase bottom (WF-B14). These must bedrilled at an angle against where the footmeets the leg. Refer to Figure 7. Referring to Figure 8, assemble crankcasehalves (WF-B13 and WF-B14). Insert, but donot glue or cut the crankshaft (KS126) tohelp align the parts. The four bore plugs willalign the parts in the other direction. Next,putty and sand the resulting seam, if neces-sary, before you attach the two crankshaftclamps (WF-B15). Note that they should beangled 45 degrees to the horizontal. Re-

FIG.-8 ENGINE BLOCK ASSEMBLY

FIG.-9 CYLINDER AND CAM ASSEMBLY

WF-B15

WF-B12

WF-B13

WF-B20

WF-B15

WF-B14

WF-B21

WF-B11 WF-B16

WF-B17WF-B10

WF-B16

WF-B18

(EXHAUSTVALVESTEM)

WF-B17

WF-B20

WF-B14

(EXHAUST CAM)

45º

WF-B19 WF-B19

10

inserting the crankshaft will facilitate this,but be careful not to glue the crankshaft inthe process. The intake manifold (WF-B20)fits between the water and steam fittingsatop the crankcase and against the step.Adjust the fit so the straight edge inboard ofthe four holes lines up with the outer edge ofthe crankcase and the entire part is posi-tioned equidistant from the crankcase sidesand glue it in place. The fit of the oil distrib-utor (WF-B12) will be tight. Any requiredadjustment should be made by filing thebackside of the end fitting where it fitsagainst the engine’s side.Cam shafts, ignition heads and oil pumpThis step requires care since you have to alignboth cam shafts and the ignition heads at thesame time. Refer to Figures 9 and 10. Notethat ignition heads (WF-B16 and WF-B17)form two right and left pairs with pins point-ing between each pair. Lay the crankcaseupside down and, using a soft pencil, drawalignment marks from the four holes on theunderside of the intake manifold out to theedge, perpendicular to the engine face. The flat on the side of the ignition heads (WF-B16 and WF-B17) goes against the crankcaseface, so the exhaust ports face out. Drill a1/16” hole into the top center of each ignitionhead, deep enough to accept about half thelength of an intake valve stem (WF-B19).Don’t worry that the hole looks too wide, thiswill simplify inserting the intake valve stemslater. Carefully check the fit of each ignitionhead and gently file where necessary toachieve the best fit. Using your pencil marksas guides, one-at-a-time center each ignitionhead and glue it to the intake manifold andthe engine face. Any minor gaps can be filledwith a little more superglue.Position - do not glue - the ignition camshaft(WF-B18) between the engine legs. With theengine upside down and the ignition headsaway from you, the ignition camshaft endwith the springs goes to the left, as shown inthe figures. The tall posts on the ignitioncamshaft should line up with the fourexhaust valve stems. You might have to care-fully bend the posts a bit to make the align-ment. Once you have done this, glue theignition camshaft in place, making sure thetall posts come right to the edge of theengine, since the posts were part of thecrankcase casting in the actual engine.Next, affix the exhaust camshaft (WF-B21)almost against the legs so that the end withthe sprocket fitting extends past the engineto the left as shown in Figure 10. The flats ofthe three mounting posts (left, middle, right)on this part are glued to the engine bottom.With the four cams roughly lined up withthe tall posts on the ignition camshaft, theleft edge of the left post should be about atthe engine’s edge. Glue the oil pump (WF-B10) in place againstthe exhaust camshaft gear, then glue on thecrankcase oil collector (WF-B11). Carefullybend the “S” tube coming from it so its end

fits into the hole in the oil pump.Bend and glue in place the four exhaustrocker arms (WF-PE29). Roll the tabs inward

as shown in Figure 10, before bending up thesides.Turn the engine right side up. Shorten the

FIG.-10 ROCKER ARM ASSEMBLY

WF-B14

WF-PE29

WF-B18

TOP

DETAIL

FOLD LINE

(STRADDLES POST)

KS163

WF-B11

WF-B21

WF-B16WF-B20 WF-B17

WF-B15

WF-B10

SEC40223CONNECT TOWF-B12 ON

TOP

PLAN 3 WING WARPING CRADLE

LEADING EDGE

MAIN SPAR

PILOT SUPPORT RIBS

PIN

HIP CRADLE

PIN

FOOTREST

OPERATING ARMWF-PE08

HIP CRADLE BRACEWF-PE07

SHAPE CUSHIONFROM STOCK

COVER WITH TAPEWF-T1

SEE FIGURE 6

PIN

OPERATINGARM

WF-PE08

B-B NOT TO SCALE

A-ANOT TO SCALE

36MM

11

12

intake valve stems (WF-B19) from the plainends so the cast valve spring on each one fitstightly to the intake manifold, then gluethem into their holes.Cam followers and ignition terminalReferring to Figure 11, carefully bend thetwo ignition cam followers/springs (WF-PE27) and then attach them so their longends rest against the posts on the ignitionheads, and the short ends rest against thecams on the ignition camshaft. Bend thelong loop against the engine face.The ignition terminal bolts and the enginemounting bolts are represented by eightsmall brass nails (MS0940). These must cutas necessary. Drill a .7mm (.020”) hole in thesmall raised ring on each ignition head toaccept the terminal bolts. Now is the time to paint the engine “gun-metal” and apply a darker wash and high-lights, if desired.Bend the ignition terminal strip (WF-PE28) asindicated and affix it by gluing in the terminalbolts in ignition heads 1 through 3. Thefourth bolt will be installed after the engineand magneto are affixed to the airframe.Fuel and oil lines, camshaft drive chainand sprocketsReferring to Figure 12, cut and bend enough22 gauge copper wire (SEC40223) to formthe pipe connecting the oil pump (WF-B10,see Figure 10) to the oil distributor (WF-B12) on the top of the engine. Keep the oilpipe as close to the side of the engine as pos-sible. Repeat this for the copper fuel line,which is glued into the hole in the can atopthe intake manifold. The fuel line runsacross the manifold and down the engineside, keeping it as tight to the side as possi-ble. The fuel line is about 1-5/8” long. Thebends are clearly shown in Figure 12 as wellas in the engine photograph.Paint sprockets WF-PE31 and PE32 steel.Glue the camshaft sprocket (WF-PE31) ontothe camshaft end. Cut off 45mm (1-3/4”) ofKS126 to make the crankshaft. Cut 6mm(1/4”) of (KS1160) to make sprocket pin.Make sure one end is clean and square. Insertthe undressed end of the sprocket pin intothe crankshaft, leaving 1mm (1/32”) protrud-ing and glue into place. Glue the crankshaftsprocket (WF-PE32) onto the pin, against theshoulder created by the crankshaft.Stretch the drive chain (MS2017) outstraight and cut off 66mm (2-19/32”) of it.Open one link and attach it to the other endto create a loop with no twists. Stand theengine on its end and drape the looped chainover the camshaft sprocket. Glue it in place,and then insert the crankshaft through theloop and into the engine so that the chainengages the crankshaft sprocket. Spot gluethe chain to the crankshaft sprocket. Test fitthe tensioning roller/bracket (WF-B23) andbend it if necessary to raise the roller end tobetter fit against the chain, then paint andglue the tensioning roller in place so that the

roller lifts the slack in the chain.Referring to Figure 13, slip the engine fly-wheel (WF-B04), the shaft sprocket spacers(WF-B08) and the drive sprockets (WF-PE30)onto the other end of the crankshaft. Put adrop of glue inside the shaft oiler/guide sup-port mount (WF-B22), then glue this ontothe end of the crankshaft, making sure thatthe oiler points straight up.

MagnetoReferring to Figure 14, drill .25mm holes(#80 twist drill) through the terminal postson the magneto rotor housing (WF-B02). [Ifyou find it too difficult to drill through theterminal posts as shown, you may insteaddrill a hole into the end of each terminal.]Cut the provided ignition wire (WP1750) inhalf and affix one half to each of the terminals.Attach the stator coil (WF-B01) to the hous-ing. Attach the magneto friction wheel (WF-B03) on its axel as shown. Paint the assemblygunmetal except for the raised wheel rim

which should be leather brown. The thickwindings on the stator and the terminalposts may be painted copper.[An additional four brass nails are provided asan option in mounting the magneto. You must

FIG.-14 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY

WF-B01

(DRILL0.5MM HOLE

COMPLETELYTHROUGHTERMINALON BOTH

SIDES)

WF-B02WF-B03

(TO CRANKCASEGROUND)

(TOCRANKCASE

GROUND)

(TO FIXED IGNITIONTERMINAL)SEC40282

FIG.-13 CRANKSHAFT ASSEMBLY

FIG.-11 IGNITION ASSEMBLY FIG.-12 CAM DRIVE AND FUEL LINES

KS126

WF-B04

WF-B08

WF-PE30

OILERWF-B08

KS126

KS126WF-B22

WF-B28

SEC40223(CONNECTTO WF-B10

ON BOTTOM)

(TO LEFT SIDE MAGNETO TERMINAL)

(TO RIGHTSIDE MAGNETO TERMINAL)SEC40282(THIS TERMINALONLY)

SEC40282

MS0940

MS0940

WF-PE28

END VIEW(NOT TOSCALE)

WF-PE27 WF-PE31

WF-B21

WF-B23

WF-B32

WF-B12 SEC40223KS126

KS1160

13

drill a .7mm hole in the front and rear tabs ofthe magneto base to accept them. Cut thenails almost back to their heads, so they do notprotrude through the underside and gluethem in at this stage. If you choose this option,drill the holes before assembling the parts.]Installing the fuel valvesReferring to Figure 15, attach the gas cockhandle (WF-PE26) to the gas cock (WF-B09)so the handle is at a right angle to the axis ofthe valve body. With the long part of thehandle pointing toward the rear of the air-craft, glue the assembled gas cock to the leftengine support, against the cross bar whichcarries the actuating control stick and theradiator support.Next, glue the fuel metering valve scale (WF-PE25) to the fuel metering valve (WF-B07),then attach the fuel metering valve handle(WF-PE24) into place so that the pointerfalls about midway on the etched scale mark-ings. Glue this subassembly, as indicated, tothe front of the cross bar, to the left of theradiator support.Join the two fuel valves with a 18mm (3/4”)length of 1.5mm (1/16”) OD tubing (partWP1730). It will be easier to install the fuelline if you first stretch the ends by workingthem onto an ice pick or scratch awl.Installing the engine, magneto and revolu-tions counterBecause the ignition ground wire must beattached to one of the engine mountingbolts, the bolts are represented by brass nailsinserted into the holes you previouslydrilled. This method was chosen to facilitateassembly and to produce a consistent look toyour model. Cut off three brass nails(MS0940) so they do not protrude from thebottom of the holes drilled in the feet, andglue these into the holes on three of thecrankcase legs only. This will make it easierto attach the ground wire to the fourth leg(the one under ignition head #4) after theengine and magneto are installed. Glue 21/2” of 3/32” OD tubing (WP1731) to the bot-tom crankcase nipple (shown in Figure 11)with a 90 degree bend so the tubing emergesbetween ignition heads 3 and 4.Referring to Figure 5, using quick-set Epoxyfor strength, glue the engine to the enginemounting supports so that the flywheel facesto the rear of the aircraft. Join the copperfuel line on the engine to the gas cock using16mm (5/8”) of 1.5 mm(1/16”) OD tubing(WP1730).Glue the magneto into place on its supportsso that the rim of the magneto friction wheeltouches the rim of the engine flywheel.The ignition wire on the left magneto termi-nal goes to the ignition terminal strip(WF-PE28). Determine the needed wire length,then wrap the free end around a cut brassnail (MS0940) and glue the brass nailthrough the ignition terminal strip into igni-tion head #4. The right side wire from themagneto is the ground, which attaches to

the crankcase leg in a similar manner.Referring to Figure 16, glue the revolutionscounter (WF-PE19) into the slot on the endof the revolutions counter bracket (WF-PE35). Next fold the base and twist the sidecam arm to parallel the base. Glue 50mm(2”) of thread to the holes at end of the camarm. The second hole at the narrower endremains empty. Test fit the bracket againstthe engine so that the cam touches thecrankcase and the counter point just missesthe center of the crankshaft. After adjustingthe alignment, glue the base to the enginesupport. Next bend the base of the revolu-tions counter bracket stiffener (WF-PE36).Adjust the angle so the stiffener nests per-fectly into the revolutions counter bracket,then glue it in place.Run the thread from the part of the camthat touches the crankcase to the rear holeon the actuating control lever and thethread from the other end of the cam to thefront hole on the actuating control lever. Becareful not to pull them too tight. Paint abrass color enough thread to run from the

rear hole on the actuating lever to the endof the handle on the gas cock handle andglue it into place to represent the actualmetal connecting rod.

FIG.-16 SPEED CONTROL MECHANISM

FIG.-15 PLUMBING AND WIRING

FUELMETERING

VALVE DETAIL

TO FUEL TANK

(PAINT THISSHORT

THREADBRASS)

SWC40282(ALSO SEE FIG. 13)

WF-PE24

WF-B07

WF-B09

WF-PE19

WF-PE19WF-PE36

WF-PE35

WF-PE25

XXXXXXXX

WP1205 D

TO ACTUATINGCONTROL

LEVER

WF-PE35AND

WF-PE36

WF-PE26

14

In this stage the engine, drive and wings areassembled and rigged. This is done in a wingassembly jig that holds the wings and drivetrain in the proper orientation makingassembly easier.

Wing Assembly jigThe wing assembly jig is used to align andrig the wings with the wing truss wires andcontrol wires. Four pieces each of laser-cutparts WF-L08 and WF-L09 are included.Glue in pairs using 1/32” diameter locatorholes to yield 2 pieces each of both WF-L08and WF-L09. Assemble WF-L08 to WF-L11according to Figure 17. Be sure that theinner wing assembly jig is not confused withthe outer one. When properly assembled, thejig will result in the wings tips droopinglower than the center section.Set the bottom wing in the wing assemblyjig, leading edge first. Be sure it is centered.Use rubber bands or pieces of thread to holdit securely in place. It will not be removeduntil the airplane is nearly completed.

Drive train installationThe drive chain assembly is referenced inFigures 13, 19 and 20. Step one is to deter-mine the lengths of the chain guide supportswhich are made from lengths of brass tubing2.5mm (3/32”) dia (KS126). Slight discrepan-cies can occur in each built-up model, so it ishighly recommended that you cut the brasstubing a little long and test fit and trim it asneeded. The left chain guide support shouldbe around 139mm (5-1/2”) long and theright support should be approximately69mm (2-23/32”) long. Cut the tubing longand glue a guide support eye (WF-B28) intoone end of each. Note that the guide sup-ports do angle slightly forward from theirattachment pins on the crankshaft oiler.Once you have determined the requiredlength of each chain guide support, glue pro-peller shaft supports (WF-B30). The left chainguide (WF-B27) should be positioned so thecenter of the post is 30mm (1-3/16”) from thecrankshaft end of the support. The rightguide (WF-B26) is roughly centered on itssupport. Make certain that the guide supporteyes are precisely parallel to each chain guide.Cut some 1.5mm (1/16”) wide strips of thebrass tape (MS1810) to make the reinforce-ments at each joint between the chain guidesand their supports. Also completely wrap thecenter of the left support and guide where theguide tubes cross. Glue the left guide supportbrace (WF-B29) to the left support and attachthe chain guide rollers (WF-B25) to the leftchain guide. It is easiest to attach the drivechain (MS2017) to the roller guides at thispoint. Do not cut the chain until you havewrapped it around the crankshaft sprocketand determined the needed length to attach itto the upper left chain guide.Glue the chain guide assemblies into placeand glue the propeller shaft supports

STAGE 3: ASSEMBLING AND RIGGING THE WINGS

FIG. 17 WING ASSEMBLY JIG

FIG. 18 PROPELLER SUPPORT ASSEMBLY

FIG. 19 CHAIN DRIVE GUIDES PLAN 4 STRUT WING

TEMPLATE

WF-L10

WF-L11

WF-L10

WF-L09

CENTER PORTIONOF WING

ASSEMBLY JIG

WF-B30PROPELLER

SUPPORT

LOWER WING MAIN SPAR

WF-B28

WF-B26

STRUTCROSS

SECTION

WINGSTRUT EYE

WF-PE05

THREADBINDING

TRAILINGEDGE

SMALLHOLE IN 12

OF 18STRUTS

FORCABLE

WF-B27

LEFTSIDE

WF-B29

WF-B25 MS1810

RIGHTSIDE

A A

KS126

DETAIL

WF-PE09END PLATES

BE SURESMALLER

TRIANGLE OF SUPPORTIS ON TOP ALIGN WITH

INNER SUR-FACE OF WINGASSEMBLY JIG

WF-L09

WF-L08

15

PLAN 5 WARPING WIRES

(WF-B30) and their base plates (WF-PE09) tothe rear spars. Glue the drive sprockets (WF-PE10) to the ends of the propeller shafts.When attaching the drive chain to the twocrankshaft drive sprockets and the two pro-peller sprockets, attach the chain to thelower guide first, then wrap it around thesprocket and cut and glue it to the upperguide. Gluing the chain to each sprocket asyou wrap it will facilitate the procedure. Takeyour time and think this through before youstart because this is the trickiest step of theentire model assembly. [HINT: Coating sev-eral links from an end with super glue willstiffen the chain, making it easier to graspand insert into the chain guide ends.]Strut fittingsGlue the 36 strut fittings WF-PE04 onto thestrut plates WF-PE03 as shown in Figure 21using epoxy. On the bottom wing, glue thestrut plates on the top side of both wingspars in the locations shown on Plan 2. Theplates on the leading edge should be flushwith the back edge of the spar and wraparound the top of the leading edge. Thelonger part of the strut fitting should be out-board. Duplicate the process on the bottomof top wing. Be sure the fittings line upbetween the two wings and that the fittingshave been installed on the bottom of the topwing. Either the wing building jig or theassembly jig can be used to hold the topwing while installing these parts.

Wing Warping Pulleys and Wire The wing warping rigging is shown in thelower section of Figure 24. The wing warp-ing system is composed of the cradle(assembled earlier) a set of 4 pulleys(detailed in Figure 22), a top warping wire(detailed in Plan 5) and a bottom warpingwire (detailed in Plan 5). The wing warping pulleys are made by fold-ing the housing WP-PE02 as shown in Figure22. Be sure to fold two in each direction asshown. The pulley itself is made of a shortlength of 3mm 1/8” dia. aluminum tubingcut 2mm (.08”) long and glued into the hous-ing. This tubing can be easily cut by rollingthe tubing back and forth on a flat surfacewhile pressing down on it with a knife blade.Glue the pulleys in place on both wings.The wing warping wires should be madefrom the thread (WP-1205) the using thetemplates in Plan 5. The lower wire attachesto the cradle, the wing tips in two places andthe rudder. Both wires include short lengthsof chain WF-M1 where the wires go throughthe pulleys. For now thread the lower wirethrough the pulleys on the bottom wing(Figure 24 and attach to the wing warpingcradle as shown in Plan 5. Attach the twoshort tension wires that connect to the wingribs as shown in Plan 5. These stabilize thewire. Temporarily secure the ends of the wirethat fasten to the top wing and to the rudderwith a small rubber band and tuck them outof the way.

FIG. 21 STRUT END ASSEMBLY FIG. 22 WING WARPING PULLEY

FIG. 20 CHAIN DRIVE ASSEMBLY

FRONT OF AIRPLANE

LOOKING FORWARD

PULLEYS ARE INBOARD OF STRUTS,TILTED INBOARD AND FORWARD

TOP WINGWARPING CABLE TEMPLATE

BOTTOM WINGWARPING CABLE TEMPLATE

CONNECTION TO RUDDERSEE PLAN 10

TENSIONCABLE

FASTEN ENDTO END

OF WING RIB

CONNECTTO RUDDER

BELLCRANK

WING WARPING CRADLESEE PLAN 3 FOR LOCATION

RUDDER BELLCRANKS PINNED

TO MAIN SPARAT LOCATION

SHOWN IN PLAN 2

MAIN CABLE

19MM (3/4”)CHAIN RIDES ON

PULLEY

CABLES TO TOP WING OUTER STRUTS.LEAVE AT LEAST 330MM

(13”) LONG ON BOTH ENDS

19MM (3/4”) CHAIN RIDES ON PULLEY

CABLE TO BOTTOM WING OUTER STRUT. LEAVE AT LEAST 330MM (13”) LONG ON BOTH ENDS

AFT

VIEWFROM

INBOARDLOOKING

OUT

WF-B30

WF-B28

KS126WF-B22

WF-B30

WF-PE10

WP0515MS1810

LEFT SIDE

FUELTANK

CUT SLOTS ON TRAIL

EDGE OF ONE

STRUT FORFUEL TANK

THREAD BINDING ONEND OF STRUT

RIGGINGLINES

DOT OFGLUE

STRUT PLATESWF-PE03

STRUT FITTING WF-PE04

RIGHT SIDE

MS1810

MS1810

WF-B28

WF-B27WF-B29

WF-B25

WF-B22

WF-B26

WF-B04

WF-PE10

KS126

KS126

KS126

WF-B26WF-B27

16

Install the rudder bellcranks (WF-PE01) atthe locations shown on Plan 2. Attach to thewing warping wire with short lengths ofthread as shown. As with the wing warpingwires temporarily secure the ends that go tothe rudder.

Wing StrutsCut 18 struts to length 110mm (4.35”). UsePlan 4 as a template. As shown, struts areslightly tapered on the trailing edge and allfour edges are rounded. Bind each end ofeach strut with thread for about 3mm (1/8”)as shown in Figure 21. Glue the thread inplace. Drill or poke a .5 mm (.020”) hole inthe center of each end of each strut at least6mm (1/4”) deep. Glue the wing strut eyesWF-PE05 in both ends of each struts and besure the center distance between eyes is116mm (4.55”) as shown in Plan 4. Note thatall the leading edge struts (except those atthe tip) and the five center struts in the rear(for a total of 12 struts) have a hole drilledhalf way up for the horizontal truss wire.For the strut that carries the fuel tank (justto the left of the pilot, identified in Plan 1)measure down 12mm (1/2”) from the centerof the eye and make a mark on the trailingedge as shown in Figure 21. Make a secondmark 13.5mm (17/32”) below the first one.Carefully work a vertical slot into the strut ateach location. These will later accept the tabson the fuel tank (WF-B06).

Installing the fuel tank, radiator andanemometer

Referring to Figure 23, attach the two fueltank straps (WF-PE22) to the fuel tank (WF-B06). The top strap is located under the toprim of the fuel tank, and the lower edge ofthe bottom strap should be 1.5mm (1/16”)above the bottom rim. Be careful that thetabs created by pinching the ends of eachstrap line up. Attach the fuel tank handle(WF-PE23) so it lies front to back, the straptabs indicating the front. Next, attach thefuel tank to its strut by inserting the tabsinto the previously prepared slots (Fig 21).Finally, attach the fuel line from the tank tothe fuel metering valve. This will require137mm (5-3/8”) of 1.5mm (1/16”) OD tubing( part# WP1730) that should run from thenipple on the tank, down the strut, thenacross the front spar to the valve nipple.[HINT: the best way to make the tubing liewhere you want it is to slip in some scrapbare wire where the bends will be made. Thisalso will counteract the natural tendency ofthe radiator hoses to straighten out and pulloff the engine nipples.]Find the center of the top radiator strap(WF-PE20). Lay this on a small hardwood(or other material) block so that you canhold the radiator, nipples down, against thestrap. This will facilitate getting tight bendsalong the radiator as in Figure 23. Note thatthe top section of the radiator has a thick-ened section. With your thumbnail, or nee-dle nose pliers, make step bends in the strap

FIG. 23 GAS TANK, RADIATOR AND ANEMOMETER MOUNTNG

WF-PE23

WF-PE23

WF-B06

WF-PE23

WF-PE20

WF-PE21

WF-B05STRUT

STRUTSUPPORT

BLOCK

STRUTRADIATORIS BEHIND

STRUT

(RADIATORSUPPORTBLOCK)

WF-PE33

WF-PE34

WF-B24

1/8” X 1/8”X 1/16” WOOD

WF-B24

WP1730

WP1731

FRONT VIEW

to conform to this. The procedure for thebottom strap (WF-PE21) is similar but with-out the step bends. Glue the bottom strap tothe radiator, just above the plug above thebottom nipple. Glue the top strap just underthe top rivet.Rest the radiator on the support block, slid-ing the straps over the strut. Using needlenose pliers, crimp the strap ends together infront of the strut. Glue the ends togetherwith epoxy and clamp until the glue sets.Finally, trim each tab to about .75mm(1/32”). Using 2mm (3/32”) tubing (part#WP1731), connect the bottom radiator nip-ple to the one underneath the engine andthe larger of the two remaining radiator nip-ples to the forward nipple on the engine topusing 37mm (1 1/2”) of 2mm (3/32”) ODtubing. The rear nipple on top of the engineis a steam line which uses 60mm (2-3/8”) of1.5mm (1/16”) OD tubing (part# WP1730) toconnect to the thin nipple on the radiator.Glue the center of the anemometer blades(WF-PE33) to the pin inside the housing ofthe anemometer/stop watch assembly (WF-B24). The anemometer bracket (WF-PE34)in then glued across the rim of the housingin line with the length of the cast part. Mea-sure up 12mm (1/2”) from the bottom of theradiator and glue a 3x3x1.5mm (1/8” x 1/8”x 1/16”) piece of wood strip MS3820 to theleft side of that strut. Glue the back plate ofWF-B24 to this block with the anemometerhead up.

Wing Assembly When the top wing is added and the riggingis in place, the aircraft’s truss-like structurewill hold the wings rigid with the tips droop-ing down. First install the struts on each strut fittingon the top wing. It is easiest to do with thewing lying upside down. Put a small dot ofglue on the strut fitting to hold each struton, but free to pivot on the fitting as shownin Figure 21. Be careful that the curved sideof each strut faces aft. Install the end plates for propeller support(WF-PE09) on both wings. They should bepositioned over the holes drilled earlier forthe propeller supports. The long portion ofthe plate should project outboard. Test fitthe top wing and with only the inner moststruts connected check to see that the pro-peller support fits well into the endplates. While the top wing is inverted install thewing truss wires. It is these wires that givethe wing structure its stiffness. On each ofthe strut fittings on the underside of the topwing tie (see Figure 21) one end of a lengthof thread at least 250mm (10”) long and gluethe knot. Keep the knot as small as possibleand use just enough glue to soak into theknot. Refer to Figure 24 to determine howmany threads to tie onto each strut fitting.Figure 24 a shows the span wise rigging forthe leading edge struts (on the left) andthose on the main spar (on the right). Figure24 b-d show the fore-aft rigging. When the

rigging is completed the center section ofthe structure will be rigid and the trailingedge of the tips will be free to flex up anddown to control the aircraft’s roll. This wingwarping was patented by the Wrights. Install the wing warping wire in the topwings, if you have not already done so.Turn the top wing over (right side up) andposition over the bottom wing in the wingassembly jig . Starting at the middle alignand attach the struts to the bottom wing andthe propeller shaft/support to the top wing.As with the top wing, put a dot of glue on thefittings to hold the struts in place. As you connect the wings, the top wingshould either be touching the jig or justclear of it. In either case tie to the jig, but donot force into position.The wing truss wires can now be connectedas shown in Figure 24. Be sure each is tautas they hold the wing structure together and

hold the wings in position. Loop the wirethrough the wing strut fitting, pull taughtand put a small drop of cyanoacrylate wherethe thread goes through the fitting. Whenset, tie off and soak the knot with glue andtrim the thread off flush with the knot.The wires that control the wing warping areconnected at the tips as shown in Figure 24.They are tied to the fittings as with the otherwires.Finally attach two wires to stabilize eachpropeller support assembly. The first runsfrom the rear joint of the support assemblyto the lower center strut fitting on the mainspar. The second connects the rear joint of the support assembly to the upper strut fitting on the strut just outboard of theassembly, on the main spar.

FIG. 24 WING RIGGING DETAILS–NOT TO SCALE

RIGGING ON LEADING EDGE RIGGING ON MAIN SPAR

24A

24E

24B

WING WARPING RIGGING ON MAIN SPAR

WING WARPING PULLEYS

BIND TO WIRE IN 2 PLACES

STAY1.5MM X 1.5MM (1/16” X 1/16”)

24C 24D

NO RIGGING ON OUTERTWO SECTIONS OF

MAIN SPAR TO ALLOWFOR WING WARPING

DETAILA

DETAILA

17

18

Most airplanes have a fuselage, the mainstructure that houses the pilot andengine and onto which everything else isattached. This is not the case with theWright Flyer. The main structure, thewings, has already been completed andthe remainder of the parts are connectedto them. In this stage we will completethe landing skid, the elevators, the rud-ders and their support structures.

The landing skid The landing skid did what its nameimplies. When landing on the soft sandat Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the air-plane skidded to a stop. Thus, there areno wheels on this structure. The landing skid is shown in Plan 6 andFigure 25. It is basically built of pieces ofstick wood. Build a left and right side.The only differences are that the longdiagonal strut and the strap (WF-PE14)are lapped over the other pieces on theinside. The reinforcement at point B inPlan 6 is a 8mm (1/4”) length of self-stick brass tape on the outside of theskid. The reinforcement at point C is “U”shaped and wraps around as detailed inPlan 6. Note the sections of the strutsthat are chamfered on Plan 6.Connect the two sides with the cross ties,made from 1.5x5mm (1/16” x3/16”)stock. Note that the front one has notch-es cut in it so that it can be mounted atthe angle shown. Assemble landing skidto the bottom wing. It will fit in theassembly jig. Add the center brace. There are four bracing wires on each sideof landing skid connecting it to the wing.The front two go from points A and B onFigure 25, over the front of the leadingedge spar and connect to the strut fittingon the 3rd strut as shown. The thirdstrut is approximately 150mm (6”) fromthe center line of the airplane. The reartwo wires go from Point C and D to theplate beneath the wing warping pulley onthe main spar as shown in Figure 22Points A-D on the Wright Flyer had smallfittings fastened with bolts through themembers. These can be modeled withpins cut short and inserted into the skidrail and tie the thread to these. If youdon’t want to get this precise, glue theend of the threads to the nearest joint.Elevator control frameDetails of the frame can be found onPlan 7 and Figures 26, 27 and 28. Beforebuilding the frame, if you want the eleva-tors to operate, drill 2 small holes(<1mm (1/32”) dia.) part way througheach WF-L17 from the back side whereshown on Plan 7. The ends of shortlengths of thread, used as hinges for theelevators, will be inserted into theseholes. Using Plan 7 to insure alignment,

STAGE 4: THE LANDING SKIDS AND CONTROL SURFACES

PLAN 6 LANDING SKID

FIG. 25 LANDING SKID DETAILS AND BRACING

FIG. 26 SIDE VIEW OF ELEVATOR ASEMBLY

CHAMFEREDBETWEEN

ARROWHEADS

ALL STRUTS IN LANDING SKID ARE MADE FROM MS36191.5 X 5MM (1/16” X 3/16”)

EXCEPT AS NOTED

REINFORCEMENTDETAIL FOR LOCATION B

(MS1810 BRASS TAPE)

WF-PE15

LEADINGEDGE SPAR

WF-PE14

LEADINGEDGESPAR

MAINSPAR

MS36221.5 X 5MM

(1/16” X 3/16”)

LONG DIAGONAL BRACE

BREINFORCEMENT

ON OUTSIDE SURFACE ONLY

MAINSPAR

CENTER BRACE

POINTS AAND B

LEADING EDGE SPARMAIN SPAR

RIGGING DETAIL

D

C

FOR REINFORCEMENT

DETAILS SEE PLAN 6

B

AWF-PE14

PLATE BENEATHWING WARPING PULLEY

3RD STRUT FITTING ON LEADING EDGE

LANDING SKID BRACINGPOINTS C AND D

ELEVATOR

28MM (1.1”) LONG 115MM (4.55”) LONG

ROLLER

BRACE

ELEVATORCONTROLCHAIN AND

WIRE

ELEVATORCONTROL

ROD

DIAGONALSTRUTELEVATOR CONTROL CHAIN

AND WIRE

ELEVATORCONTROLHANDLE

WF-PE15

19

glue WF-L16 to WF-L17 for the twosides of the elevator control frame. Addthe diagonal strut flush with inside offrame. Taper brace from 1.5 x re. Addbrace to inside surface of diagonal strutand frame. Glue to diagonal strut, butDO NOT GLUE BRACE TO FRAME oryou will not beable to get the elevatorson.Add the upper and lower cross ties asshown on Plan 7 and Figure 28. Add theroller to the lower cross tie. There arethree rollers that are used as “wheels”during the launching of the Flyer. One ison the lower cross tie and the other twoare on the launching dolly. The WrightBrothers used bicycle wheel hubs for therollers. The roller is detailed in Figure36. The axel 2.5 mm (3/32”) dia. alu-minum tube is 3.2mm (.125”) long andis bonded to the front roller bracket,WF-PE12 as detailed on Plan 7 and Fig-ure 26. The hub body 3mm (1/8”) dia.aluminum tube is 2.8mm (.11”) longand is bonded to the side plates. Thus,the hub can rotate on its axel.

The elevatorsDetails about the elevator are on Plan 8and Figure 26-30. There are two, identi-cal elevators mounted on the front ofthe airplane. They can be made opera-tional on this model. Using Plan 8 as aguide, build each elevator from a leadingedge WF-L13, trailing edge WF-L14, ribsWF-L12 and center spar. The outer ribsneed to be trimmed to length shown.Before building, if you want the eleva-tors to operate, drill small holes (<1mm(1/32”) dia.) part way through the lead-ing edge, trailing edge and center sparwhere shown in Plan 8. See details ofthis assembly in Figure 29. The ends ofshort lengths of thread, used as hinges,will be inserted in these holes.The components of the elevator actua-tion mechanism are shown in Plan 8.Figures 26-29 show the details. Begin bymaking the lever arms from 1.5 x 2.5mm (1/16 x 3/32) strip. Split it as shownin Plan 8 and wrap with thread asshown. Glue the lever arms on the eleva-tor control rod as shown in Figs 26, 28and 29. Cut the rod from 1.2 mm (3/64”)rod 98.4mm (3-7/8”) long. Glue the con-trol pulley WF-L21 in place. Make thefront and rear operating struts from 1.5x 1.5 mm (1/16” x 1/16”) stock. If youwant the system to work, poke or dill asmall hole in the end of each operatingstrut and glue in a short length ofthread. The thread “hinges” are detailedin Figure 29.Assemble the elevator and the actuationsystem as shown in Figures 26-28. Notethat there are six rear operating struts,three on the trailing edge and three onthe center spar, one at each tip and onenear the centerline. Once the assembly

PLAN 7 ELEVATOR CONTROL FRAME

FIG. 27 FRONT VIEW OF ELEVATOR ASEMBLY

FIG. 28 ISOMETRIC OF ELEVATOR ASEMBLY

HOLESFOR

RIGGING

CHAMPFERED BETWEEN ARROWHEADS AS IN PLAN 6

WF-L16

UPPER CROSS TIEBEHINED STRUT,

SEE FIG 20.

DIAGONALSTRUT

1.5 X 3MM(1/16” X 1/8”)

71M

M

(2 3

/4”)

BRACE1.5 X 3MM (1/16” X 1/8”)

TAPERED

WF-L17

4MM(.1”)

UPPER CROSS TIE

LOWER CROSS TIE

FRONT ROLLER35

MM

(1

3/8

”)

BRACING WIRES IN CONTROL FRAME

ELEVATOR RIGGING

NOT SHOWN

in Figure 29 is completed it should bemounted on the elevator controlframe. Either the center spar is gluedto the outrigger or, if motion isdesired, short lengths of thread areused as hinges.The elevators are actuated by thepilot’s left hand moving a lever foreand aft. The assembly of the lever onits shaft is detailed in Figure 31. Thisassembly can be glued directly to theframe or made to pivot by using shortlengths of straight pin as shaft andshort pieces of tubing as the bearings,glued to the frame The pulley is con-nected by chain and wire (thread) tothe pulley on the elevator control rodas shown in Plan 8 and Figure 26 and27. The chains wrap around the pul-leys with thread between.Fasten the front elevator assembly tothe landing skid and the leading edgespars of the wings as shown in Figure32. This can be done while the wingstructure is in the wing assembly jig,but then the jig will need to bedestroyed to remove the model, or themodel can be removed from the jig atthis time.

The rear ruddersThe rear rudders are a box like struc-ture that pivots around a vertical axis(see Plan 9 and Figure 33. They aredirectly linked to the wing warpingsystem. Build the two sides and con-nect with 6 spreader struts, and upperand lower spacers using the layout inPlan 9 and details in Figure 33. Beforeassembling the two halves drill holesin the upper and lower spacers forpins to act as pivots. Build the outrig-ger struts, two simple Vs and bracethem with ferrules WF-PE16 and WF-PE17 as shown. These also serve aspivot points for the rudder. Assemblethe upper and lower outrigger strutsto the rudder. Attach the upper sup-port to the top wing and the lower tothe rear of the landing skids usingpair of eyes as shown in Figure 33 and34. Add bracing wire (#1) as shownand connect the rudder to the wires(#2 an #3) from the wing warping sys-tem.

FIG. 29 ELEVATOR ASSEMBLY

FIG. 30 ELEVATOR RIGGING

PLAN 8 ELEVATOR AND ACTUATION SYSTEM LAYOUT

LEVER ARM

THREAD HINGES

ELEVATOR CONTROL ROD1.2MM (3/64”) ROD

ELEVATOR CONTROL ROD 1.2MM (3/64”) ROD

FRONTOPERATING STRUT

1.5MM (1/16”)SQUARE

3 REQUIRED

DRILL HOLESFOR THREAD

HINGES INOPERTING

STRUTS ANDLEVER ARM

SEE FIGURE 19FOR LOCATIONS

LEVER ARM1.5 X 2.5MM

(1/16”) SQUARE6 REQUIRED

BIND

BIND

PIN

HANDLE

SHAFT1.5MM (1/16”) SQUARE

CENTER SPAR1.5 X3MM (1/16 X 1/8”)

WF-L12 RIBPIN HOLES FOR THREAD HINGESWF-L13

LEADING EDGE

WF-L14 TRAILING EDGE

REAR OPERATING STRUT

1.5MM (1/16”)SQUARE

6 REQUIRED

71MM (2-3/4”)

ALL RIGGING IN PLANE OF THE

ELEVATOR CENTERSPARS

FRONT

20

FIG. 31 ELEVATOR CONTROLHANDLE ASSEMBLY

FIG. 32 ELEVATOR ASSEMBLYCONNECTION

PLAN 9 RUDDER

FIG. 34 RUDDER ASSEMBLY ATTACHMENT

HANDLE

PIN

SHAFT

PUT PULLEY ON SHAFTBEFORE BINDING

MAKE 4 FROM SELF ADHESIVE

BRASS TAPE

MAKE 2 FROM SELFADHESIVE

BRASS TAPE

TAPER OUTRIGGER BOTTOM WF-L16 TO SAME WIDTH AS SKID RAIL

JUST BEFORE JOINT TO FIT METAL “U”

BINDINGPULLEY WF-L21

UPPER OUTRIGGER STRUT

LOWER OUTTRIGGER

STRUT

FRAME 1.5MM (1/16”) SQUARE

1

2, 3

STRUTS AND RIBS1.5MM (1/16”) SQUARE

RIBSEE

FIGURE333/32” DIA.

TUBING

FIG. 33 RUDDER ASSEMBLY

UPPER RUDDER FERRULE WF-PE16OR LOWER RUDDER FERRULE WF-PE17

DETAIL FOR BOTH UPPER ANDLOWER RUDDER PIVOT

ASSEMBLY

TO RUDDERBELLCRANK

2

1

3

SHORTLENGTH OF

STRAIGHT PIN

DETAIL A

A

21

STAGE 5: FINISHING TOUCHES

FIG. 35 PROPELLER DETAILS

FIG. 36 PROPELLER SUPPORT RIGGING

L18

L19

L20

A

A

WF-PE13PROPELLER

MOUNTING PLATEON FORWARD

FACE OF PROPELLER

PLAN 10 LAUNCHING DOLLY LAYOUTRAIL

PROPELLER SUPPORT

BRACING WIRES

MAIN SPAR

REARWARD

CAP RAIL WITH BRASS TAPE MS1810

2.5MM X 6MM (3/32” X 1/4”)

5MM X 5MM (3/16” X 3/16”) WF-PE18

1.5MM X 12MM (1/16” X 1/2”)

3MM X 3MM (1/8” X 1/8”)

FORROLLERDETAILS

SEEFIG. 36

LAUNCHING DOLLY

ROUND TIP3MM (1/8”) RADIUS

FABRIC TIPREINFORCEMENT

BUILD ONE RIGHT HANDED AND ONE LEFT HANDED

A

A

B

B

C

C

WINGTIP

DETAIL

SECTION VIEWS 2:1 SCALE

A-A

A-A

B-B C-C

The PropellersThe propellers are built up of three lamina-tions as with the original Flyer, Fig 35.Laser cut parts WF-L18 – WF-L20 areglued together to make both propellers,one left handed and the other right hand-ed. Laminate by inserting a piece of rodthrough the holes in the three pieces andthen aligning the flat center sections of thelaser cut parts. Check that the laminatesfan to a total tip width of 12.5 mm .5 in).Clamp the sections together well so theseams are tight. Carve the sections asshown in the figure. Sand smooth and addcloth doublers at the tips as shown. Soakthe doublers with glue to fill pores in fab-ric. Sand lightly. Paint the propellers lightgray. Add the propeller mounting plate(WF-PE13) to the forward (front of the air-plane) side of the propeller. Add bracingwires to stablilize the propeller supports asshown in Figure 36.Mount the propellers so that, from thefront view, the right propeller rotatesclockwise to push the airplane and the leftturns counterclockwise. Glue the pro-pellers on the shafts so that they are at 1:00as shown on the box photograph. Paint thenuts (WF-B31) dark gray or black and gluethem on the shaft with the washer alignedwith the propeller.

Launching Dolly and TrackThe Flyer sat on the launching dolly andthe roller under the elevator control framefor takeoff. As the airplane accelerated for-ward the dolly and roller rolled on a wood-en rail. The rail was in sections and couldbe easily moved so that takeoff was directlyinto the wind. In the famous photographof the first flight, Wilbur is seen running atthe tip of the wing to provide balance untilsufficient airspeed was attained.Details for the dolly and rail are shown inPlan 10 and Fig 37. The main beam of thedolly is laminated between the two sideplates (WF-PE18). The rollers are made asdescribed in elevator control frame instruc-tions with the axel bonded to the sideplates. Cover the rail top surface of the railwith brass tape

22

STAGE 5: FINISHING TOUCHES

RAIL

KS101ALUMINUM TUBE2.5MM (3/32” DIA.)3.2MM (.125”) LONG

KS102ALUMINUM TUBE 3MM(1/8” DIA.)2.8MM (.11”) LONG

FIG. 37 LAUNCHING DOLLY

CAP WITH BRASS TAPEWF-PE11

ROLLERDETAIL

23

24

APPENDIX A : LASER CUT WOOD PATTERNS

WF-B26

WF-B29

WF-B28WF-B23

WF-B24WF-B25

WF-B31

WF-B27

WF-B20

WF-B17 WF-B16

WF-B18

WF-B15

WF-B22

WF-B19

WF-B21

WF-B13

WF-B14

WF-B11

WF-B12

WF-B08 WF-B10 WF-B09

WF-B05

WF-B04

WF-B03 WF-B02

WF-B06

WF-B01

WF-B07

APPENDIX B : BRITTANIA METAL PARTS

25

WF-B30

26

APPENDIX C : PHOTOETCHED PARTS

27

MODELER’S NOTES

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TIME NOTES

© copyright 2005, Model Shipways, Inc.

®

DATE

28

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