Warped stabilizer on my Super Sporster Mk II ARF

[VanSheppard]

A question for the more experienced people out there.

I just received a new Super Sporster Mk II ARF kit this week and have started to assemble it. Tonight I started to work on the stab, and when trying to get it installed parallel to the wing, I noticed that there is a twist in it. Once I saw the twist and took the stab out of the fuselage to get a better look, it is easily seen when you are looking for it.

I would expect that this will have a negative impact on the flight characteristics of the plane. I am considering calling the manufacturer about this, and am wondering if anyone else has had this kind of a problem in the past. The kit is by Great Planes. They do say in the manual to call if there are any pieces missing.......:confused: :confused:

Any advice would be welcome.

[cgroves]

Is it monocote covered? Open balsa frame or sheeted? It is usually pretty easy to take the warps out of open frames by counter twisting while heating the coating with a heat gun.

[VanSheppard]

Corey,

There is balsa under the monokote. I'm not sure if it's solid or just balsa ply covering, but it is definitely not open framed.

I wouldn't have thought to try to remove the warp with a heat gun though, so that is still good to know. I'm just not sure it will do the job in this case...

Also, I just got off the phone with product support for Great Planes and they are sending out a replacement Stabilizer to me today. So, problem solved at the cost of a little time to wait for more parts in the mail. Good product support, didn't give me any hassle at all, just took my address and said it would be in the mail today.

[John Weekes]

The tailfeathers on Sportsers are solid...at least the kits used to be. Nevertheless, you can still try to twist the warp out and hit the covering (Monokote because it is a GP product) with the iron or heat gun and see what happens. Corey is right, open frame is much easier to fix when there's a warp.

Give it a try...

JOhn

[Mark Winstanley]

In the good old days of tissue and dope (yes I can smell it now) we used to hold the offending warped surface close to a car exhaust and twist in the opposite direction until it was flyable! Than may explain why I became an engineer and not a phsyciatrist (apart from the fact tht I cant spel it!).

Any way I think it is appropriate for John to have a warped surface! I have many!! - see comment about being an engineer!

Just joking John!

Try pinning it down on to a building board and cut some slots running chordwise. Insert balsa of the same thickness into these slots and glue in place. Do not glue to the flat surface!. If that doesnt work, while the tailplane is pinned down - apply a couple of coats of dope - you will love the smell and so will the whole family. Leave to dry. Again do not dope to the flat surface!

[Rick Ramalho]

Mark - phone Great Planes. They'll send you a new piece ... with very few questions asked.

:)


-Rick.

[John Weekes]

Mark:

Judging from your spelling...I think you must have breathed in too much dope fumes in your youth (I know I did...all kinds of "dope" as a matter of fact...airplane paint...and otherwise...;) )

By the way the proper spelling is: "Psychiatrist" :)

Hope to see you sometime...I am about to start building the big 33% Laser...finally!

John