I am building the ranks for my 4. I have the ribs clecoed to the rear baffle, that assembly is on the wing and I have the top of the skin match drilled. I have been trying to bend the skin over the leading edge with cargo straps and I need so much force on the straps that it is crushing the inboard rib but still not lying down on the ribs on the bottom surface near the leading edge. I have 4 cargo straps.I bent a radius into the skin as per the manual. With no straps and the skin clecoed on the upper surface of the ribs the skin sticks out a bit below horizontal. But to get it to lay down with straps alone is impossible. I tried slipping some 2x4s under the straps and it helps, but the skin won?t lay down tight just aft of the leading edge on the lower surface, like the first 1 or 2 holes. I know that if I match drill everything else with that gap I won?t have a good airfoil shape. The gap is about 1/8?. The straps are tight like a guitar string and things are bending and distorting. I know something is not right.
This is a 30 yr old slowbuild kit, as I assume all the 4s are. I know 1000s have been built successfully so I am not sure what I am doing wrong. The wing skin is from flat stock. The only radius in the LE was put in by me. I don?t know if skins from the factory have the radius pre-bent. I am pretty sure that the bending, or lack there of, is the problem but I am afraid to push down more, creat a crease and scrap the skin. Any advice greatly appreciated. Any pics on a build log of how to strap down the rank skins, or pics of how pre bent tank skins should look prior to installation also appreciated. I really want to finish the rank before the end of Christmas vacation.
This is a 30 yr old slowbuild kit, as I assume all the 4s are. I know 1000s have been built successfully so I am not sure what I am doing wrong. The wing skin is from flat stock. The only radius in the LE was put in by me. I don?t know if skins from the factory have the radius pre-bent. I am pretty sure that the bending, or lack there of, is the problem but I am afraid to push down more, creat a crease and scrap the skin. Any advice greatly appreciated. Any pics on a build log of how to strap down the rank skins, or pics of how pre bent tank skins should look prior to installation also appreciated. I really want to finish the rank before the end of Christmas vacation.