WATT AGE P-47 Thunderbolt EP ARF Assembly Instruction Manual - page 13
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❑ When you are satisfied that the stabilizer is square to the wing, draw
a couple of marks on each side of the front of the stabilizer where it and
the fuselage sides meet, then use a couple of small pieces of masking
tape to hold the stabilizer firmly in place and aligned.
❑ With the stabilizer held firmly in place, look from the front of the
airplane at both the wing and the stabilizer. When aligned properly, the
stabilizer should be parallel to the wing.
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If the stabilizer is out of alignment, use thin shims cut from scrap
plastic, slid between the stabilizer and the fuselage, to make the stabilizer
parallel to the wing.
❑ When satisfied with the alignment, draw a line on each side of the
stabilizer where it meets the fuselage sides. Do this on both the top and
the bottom.
STEP 2: MOUNTING THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER
❑ Remove the stabilizer from the fuselage and carefully cut away the
covering material from between the lines you drew. Do this on both the
top and the bottom.
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✦WARNING✦
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✦ When cutting through the covering to remove it, cut
with only enough pressure to cut through only the covering itself.
Cutting down into the balsa structure could weaken the stabilizer and
cause it to fail during flight.
❑ To make it less messy during installation, apply masking tape to the
fuselage around the side of the mounting slot that the stabilizer will slide
into. Apply masking tape to the top and bottom of the corresponding
side of the stabilizer, too.
❑ Partially slide the stabilizer into the mounting slot.
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✦IMPORTANT✦
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✦ Because the stabilizer has to slide into place through the fuselage, apply epoxy only to the stabilizer. This will
prevent the epoxy from spreading over the entire length of one half of the stabilizer when you slide it into place.
❑ Mix and apply a generous amount of 5 minute epoxy to ONLY the top and bottom gluing surfaces of the stabilizer.
❑ Push the stabilizer into place and realign it, double-checking all of your measurements once more before the epoxy sets up.
Quickly remove any excess epoxy, using a paper towel and rubbing alcohol, and hold the stabilizer in place until the epoxy sets up.
❑ After the epoxy has sets up, look closely at the glue joint. If there are any gaps between the stabilizer and the fuselage, fill them
with 5 minute epoxy for added strength.
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