Building this aileron has definitely been a learning experience. Some things that I didn’t think would make a big difference early on in the process have come back to haunt me… and of course I’ve learned how the whole thing goes together, which isn’t always 100% clear when comparing the plans to the parts received in the kit. The end result will be fine, but the next three will be a lot less hassle to build.
Lessons learned: All of the plywood bits need to align perfectly with each other and with the wing ribs. That means CW36 needs to be shortened and the hole moved, and CW35 needs the hole moved. I will also pay more attention to getting the aileron spars perfectly flush with the rib caps — otherwise there’s planing and sanding to be done. Ditto for the stringer on the leading edge; I’ll want to make sure the notches I cut for that are exactly the correct depth.
As my CW35 pieces were about 3/16″ high on each end, I glued a couple strips of the 1/8 lamination stock along the bottom edge to fill the gap. Once that was dry I planed and sanded to match the profile of the ribs. I had to sand the top down to match the ribs and CW34 contour, and finish getting the bottom of the spar flush with the ribs. There wasn’t much hanging down, but it was still fussy work. With that done I was able to glue the bottom layer of plywood to the aileron. Once that’s dry I can go to work on the rest of the plywood — of course the angle cut in the spruce piece at the bottom of the aileron doesn’t match the angle of the CW34/35 plywood pieces, so I’ll just have to sand a good profile for a smooth transition. Then I’ll be able to figure out the rest of the aileron bay.