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Washout in the Aileron


neil martin 1
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I want to add washout to a wing and the instructions specify a 1/4" tapered piece under the ribs (note the plural) at the tip end of the wing. This is fine and I understand the reasoning here, however the aileron begins at the second rib in from the tip and the rib is therefore in two sections so to speak. In order to build the washout into the second rib, id be interested to learn of how you experienced guys are managing this. My thoughts are that if I lift the trailing end of the first rib at the tip by 1/4" as instructed and then measure the gap that is produced between the bottom of the rib and the bench at the same position in-line of where the second rib ends (before the aileron), id pack the second rib up by the same amount less the difference to the first rib? Being as the second rib is bigger.

 

Ive also seen pictures of wings completely built with washout in and then the aileron cut out after skinning. Id be interested to learn of how this is achieved.

 

I hope this makes sense

Edited by neil martin 1
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Cutting the aileron out later is the way I've done it when there's washout required (and sometimes when not).  It really just boils down to accurate measurment of where the cut should be and then carefully cutting the aileron out with a sharp hobby knife.  As a guide, when you've sheeted the first side, you can then push pins through to mark where the cut needs to be.  Then after you've sheeted the second side and everything is set, you start the cut on the side where you made your marks, and the knife will then be guided by the ribs and spars to the other side.  Hope that makes sense!

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22 hours ago, neil martin 1 said:

 . . . Do you clamp the aileron in place to get the correct aileron rib incidence?

 

I'm not quite with you there; the aileron doesn't exist as a separate entity until you cut it out.  You just build the complete wing, with all the aileron sub-components in place, and sheet over the whole thing, taking care to note where the aileron outline is meant to be.  I may use pins, or even acetate-sheet hinges, to hold the aileron sub-spar to the wing's spar while attaching the first side of sheeting, so then that sheeting will hold everything in place while you attach the second side.

Edited by Allan Bennett
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I know the problem well. The best thing to do is to taper a piece of balsa from nothing to a 1/4" and prop up the rear of the ribs with it but I realise that this is not easy to do without the proper workshop equipment, but you could cut some packing pieces at, say, 1/16th, 1/8th up to 1/4 at intervals. You do not state the model type but most do not need washout anyway.

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Thanks for the feedback. Once the washout has been built in, holding the aileron in place using pins in the sub spars as you have mentioned makes sense. The plane is a Tony Nijhuis Beaufighter. There are a few threads on this forum of previous builds which are very detailed and extremely helpful too. 

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