Golden Era Model Service Clipper Mk II

Golden Era Model Service
High Quality Plan Sets for Radio Control Aircraft
Carl Goldberg's 1938 Comet Clipper

                            Bottom sheeting installed. Note that the sheeting stops at the inner edge of the stabilizer perimeter parts. The upper sheeting was also modified
                            to this join to conform to the plan. Operator error! Otherwise the fit to the saddle on the fuselage will be off. When sanding the stabilizer, most of
                            the 1/16 X 1/4 ribs will be removed but the plan is to leave as much as possible for better strength.

All of the ribs have marks that align with the front edge of the trailing edge parts and the aft side of the leading edge parts. To allow gluing of the leading and trailing edge parts without gluing
to the "feet" that they rest on half circle reliefs have been cut in the gluing areas.

The first step is to slide the upper spars through all the ribs of the inner wing. A slightly loose fit makes for easier assembly. This can be done by rubbing the spars in each spar slot just to wear away a little material. If the spars fit too tight you will not have a good time with this part. The spars here were stripped out of 3/32 basswood sheet using a dremel table saw.

Cutting the main spars. Note that the blade is set to just barely reach through the wood. This will give the smoothest cuts. The board clamped to the saw was spaced from the blade by placing a known
3/8 wide block between it and the blade. A test cut was made and was trial fitted in a rib. When the proper width was set, spars were cut.

With the left hand holding the outer end of the basswood upper spars, ribs are slid on from the butt end. When all of the ribs are spaced about right, slip the balsa first and third spars in from the butt end. This was a little tedious getting everything in the approximate right places, but once done the wing becomes self jigging.

Build the spar fence using the laser cut 3/32 ply base and angle plates and 1/8 scrap balsa. Pin the fence down next to the line on the plan as shown. This is the center of the middle rib. If you are building a two piece wing you will have to space it back 1/32". Two #1 ribs are supplierd for constructing a two part wing with joiners at the middle but you will have to engineer the joiners yourself. After making sure the inner wing section is over the plan accurately, pin down the #10 rib and using a hot glue gun glue the spars to the spar fence as shown. Make sure the main spar is all the way up in the top of the slot in the #3 and #4 ribs so there is room for the reinforcing spar that will be installed later.

The # 10 rib pinned down. Note the pin sticking through the base at the rear of the rib. There should also be one at the front of the rib, that one was added after this photo.
The spars are longer than they need to be at this point, they will be cut to length in a later step.

Once all the ribs are in position and perpendicular to the building board, apply Titebond III to the intersections. Be careful not to get glue into the slots for the upper spar doubler that will be installed later in the #3 and #4 ribs.