Speed
400 Cloudster Project
Well, I am up and running again, even
though I still have a few computer issues and settings to work out. The
reformatting of my computer caused me to loose all of the group folders in
the Outlook Express e-mail address book including the Speed 400
group. Therefore, I have had to develop a new Speed 400 e-mail address group
folder from memory, which will not have some on the original list.
During all of this down time, I did get
some work done on the Cloudster wing's center section.
As part of the Cloudster's on going weight saving effort, a significant
portion of the center section's top and bottom 1/16" balsa planking was
eliminated to save weight as shown below. Also shown is the center rib of
the five center section ribs.
Here you can see the five center section
ribs glued in place between the main spar and the trailing edge. You can
also see the 1/16" X 1/2" plywood plate attached to the center section's
trailing edge with a 2-56 cap screw in the center for the rear attachment of
the wing to the fuselage.
This picture shows the center section
planking completed.
This is just a shot of the complete wing
showing the planked center section.
The wing is attached to the fuselage at
the front with a plywood hold down plate that slips onto two 3/16" dowels as
shown on the plan excerpt below.
The wing's hold down plate was made
from 1/16" plywood as shown below. Notice that eight 1/4" lightening holes
were made to reduce weight as part
of the Cloudster's on going weight saving effort.
This shows the hold down plate inserted
into its wing slot near the leading edge, but not yet glued in place.
Since this completes the Cloudster's wing
structure, it was weighed and compared to the construction goal of 2 ounces.
As shown below, the wing structure weighs 56 grams or 1.98
oz..................................Tandy
