Setting
the Foundation for Properly Aligned Wing Panels
The ultimate goal when joining wings is to have them align correctly in
all respects, have the correct
dihedral and have a join that is capable of
withstanding flight stresses imposed upon it. All of these
things are vitally important if you want your model to fly properly.
Aircraft with twisted wings will fly in most cases, but they are also
speed sensitive. What that means is that if the model is
trimmed for straight and level flight at one speed, the model will
roll in one direction at higher speeds and in the other direction at
lower speeds.
If the wing is absolutely straight, the speed of the aircraft will not
bank the model.
Presumably, the designer engineered the wing so that all you must do is
build it properly. Improper assembly, poor fitting joints or a
poor
glue bond will significantly weaken the wing.
Proper alignment entails several things:
-
The angle of the root ribs
must be correct to provide the proper
dihedral.
-
When the wings are mated they
should match the plan view. That means all outlines should
line up directly over the plan without unintentional sweep.
This is a mistake that can easily be sanded into the wing root.
-
The incidence of each
panel should match exactly. Building two absolutely straight panels
will be for naught if the panels are joined such that they are twisted.
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