GREAT PLANES Super Stearman Instruction Manual page 13

6. Remove the bottom wing from the fuselage.
Temporarily install the fin into the slot in the top of the
fuselage. Using a fine-point felt-tip pen, mark the outline of
the fuselage onto the fin. Cut the covering from the fin using
the same method used earlier.
7. Test fit the fin into the fuselage. Check to be sure the
fin is perpendicular to the stab. If it is not, sand the side of
the fin to make minor adjustments. Once you are satisfied
with the fit, glue the fin to the fuselage with epoxy.
8. Using the same installation method used previously,
install three hinges into each elevator half. Then install the
elevators into the stab. Glue the hinges using thin CA.
Did you know?
...Built as a private venture by the
Stearman Aircraft Company of Wichita (bought by Boeing in
1934), this two-seat biplane was of mixed construction. The
wings were of wood with fabric covering while the fuselage
had a tough, welded steel framework, also fabric covered. In
1936, the Army tentatively bought 26 airframes from Boeing
(the Model 75), which the Army named the PT-13. With war
on the horizon, this trickle of acquisition soon turned into a
torrent; 3519 were delivered in 1940 alone.
Did you know?
...The Stearman gained a reputation as
a rugged airplane and a good teacher. Officially named the
Boeing Model 75, the plane was (and still is) persistently
known as the "Stearman" by many who flew them. It was
called the "PT" by the Army, "N2S" by the Navy and "Kaydet"
by Canadian forces. By whatever name, more than 10,000
were built by the end of 1945 and at least 1,000 are still
flying today worldwide.
9. Locate the tail wheel wire. Test fit it into the two slots in the
back of the fuselage. Use your hobby knife to clean out the slots
if it is too tight. Once satisfied with the fit, remove the wire from
the slots. Apply a couple of drops of oil to the wire where it
passes through the nylon bearings. This will prevent glue from
getting onto the wire. Apply epoxy to the nylon tabs and then
install the tail wheel wire into the fuselage.
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