Hookup The Flaps And Ailerons - Top Flite Douglas DC-3 User Manual

Okay, back to the ailerons...
16. Carefully break the left aileron free from the wing.
17. Mark the centerline on the LE of the aileron
using the T-pin and straightedge method we showed
you for making the centerline on the LE of the elevators
on page 13.
18. Cut the hinge slots in the wing where shown on
the plan. Transfer the location of the hinge slots on the
wing to the aileron by marking them with a ballpoint pen.
Glue pieces of leftover 3/32" balsa to both sides of the
aileron core at the hinge slots (just in case your hinge
slots wander off center a bit). Bevel the end pieces of
balsa so they won't contact the covering.
19. Cut the hinge slots in the aileron. Test fit the
aileron to the wing to make sure your hinge slots align.
Make adjustments if necessary.
20. Bevel the LE of the aileron to a "V" as shown on
the plan, using the centerline as a guide. Test fit the
aileron to the wing once more and make sure you can
get enough throw.
21. Fit the right aileron the same way. (Steps 9-20)
DC-3 Fact
In 1942 the Civilian Aviation Agency stated it
would revoke the airworthiness certification of the
DC-3 by 1948, but the transports were "grand
fathered in" and in 1953 the agency declared that
the DC-3 certificate was "good until it wore out."

HOOKUP THE FLAPS AND AILERONS

1. Make a flap pushrod from two nylon clevises
and a 1" threaded rod. Connect one end of the pushrod
to the control arm on one of your flap servos and
connect the other end to a small nylon control horn.
Adjust the length of the pushrod so the flap will be in the
up position when the servo arm is all the way back. Rest
the control horn on the flap and mark where to position
the die-cut 1/8" plywood control horn base on the flap.
2. Repeat the previous step for the other flap pushrod.
3. Cut along the lines you marked on the flap for both
control horn bases and remove balsa from the flap to
inset the bases. Glue both bases to the flap.
- 50 -
4. Drill 1/16" holes in the flap bases and mount
both control horns to their respective flap bases with #2
x 3/8" screws.
5. Glue a piece of leftover 1/8" balsa to the bottom
of the aileron core directly behind the aileron servo arm
where the aileron control horn will rest. Notch the LE of
the aileron and the balsa piece you just glued in to
accommodate the die-cut 1/8" plywood aileron control
horn base. Glue the base in position—you can see it in
the next photo.
6. Make an aileron control rod from a nylon clevis,
a solder-on metal clevis and .074" x 4" threaded one
end rod. Mount a large nylon control horn to the
control horn base on the aileron with two #2 x 3/8"
screws. Connect the aileron to the servo with the control
rod you made.
7. Repeat the previous two steps for the other aileron.