Due to the enforced stop on the wing strut support brackets I started to cut the pitot tubes. I had these bent by a local boating supplies shop. They had a natty little pipe bending tool which had a curved boss that you wound in with a socket set and simple .. no kinks just a neat bend.. we went slightly over the 90 degrees as the natural spring brought it back.

Now just need to cut an access hole for the tubing to route through, then pass through ribs lightening holes to trailing edge root before fitting to frame and passing to the rear of the P1 panel.

Yes, things do go wrong …. I was on a roll with the wing strut support brackets … get organised, lay out the tools, 4 support brackets to shape and prep and chamfer both ends, 8 doubler plates to do likewise, 8 saddle clamps to shape and finish….

So started by waxoyling the inners of all 4 tubes (WT14), then triple measured the angle and cut all 4 the same…

Oops, came to finish the first lower one last night, all saddles and chamfers complete and sitting exactly as per plan (with the 2mm gap at the bottom spar connection).. then offered the top one up ….

As the top support strut sits at a slightly different angle the chamfer I had cut was too acute …. and you cant put metal back !

Yes, it could probably work as the doubler triangular brackets still pick up the large majority of the pipe … but it leaves a gap that is too large and I will ALWAYS know it is there !!

One of those ones you cant sleep on … emailed Ivor at TLAC and asked him to bill and ship two more tubes … they cost pence and the time to prep is very short .. just not worth even contemplating making do !

UPDATE: – Within 12 hours Ivor had emailed to say replacement parts were in the post – what a team ! Thanks …..

Its a time for completion now ! … having focussed heavily on the wing bolts and alignment I am now in catch up to get all the other little bits completed and tidied up.

We have a major air display over here in early September and I am hoping to show the Sherwood on static display – uncovered .. so want to get all the ailerons connected and completed (just aligning the return closed loop cable this week), all hinge points completed (last night) and then I can go for scalloping the leading edges (as per the model in Little Snoring). This will mean the material lies better.

Then, when all the woodwork bits have been completed I need to treat the wood with 10% thinned polyurethane to protect.

The wing struts (now in position) have rear mounted support brackets that brace against the short rear spar that the aileron bellcrank is mounted on.

The doubler plates need to be cut down slightly so they don’t protrude beyond the centreline of the vertical strut, then curved to take the shape of the strut then finally hammered over the edge to curve it slightly to follow the contour smoothly

Then the triangular support plate is prepared and smoothed before being offered up and cleco’d

Note the bracket requires a small bend inwards to pickup the support bracing bar (see above)

Now the wings are properly located with pins etc (and NOT going anywhere !) I can finish off the aileron connections. These are crimped in the normal way with Ferrules and Thimbles (slacken off the turnbuckles first to allow you to take up the slack).

Then check the run lines … I have noticed I will need to slightly extend the rib lightening hole so that the cable doesn’t catch.

The primary connection runs through from the bellcrank to the lower arm on the bottom of the Control Column. These are pinned and washers ensure a smooth fitting.

The next stage is the ‘Closed Loop’ cable which runs between both opposite bellcrank ends. This needs to run through cable guides (prepared ages ago !) that direct the cable across the body underside and ensure the run does not foul the other cables.

A few shots of what all this wing drilling is heading to. A picture is worth a 1,000 words (probably 1,000,000 in this case !) Here are a couple of shots I took of the TLAC aircraft on the recent open day… to give some idea of what the resulting wing fittings will look like

I bought the alloy root strips so these can go on once trimmed and shaped and the brackets are all completed. TLAC uses a neat spring / stop arrangement to help single handed use when opening and closing the wings. The wing peg is fitted to an alloy shaft but has a pin protruding either side .. this then catches (once turned) onto a small raised alloy right angle bracket which holds it back (ie out) whilst manoeuvring the wing into its seated position.

Having used cable ties to temporarily hold the rigging in place on the starboard rigging in position I have now replicated the work I did on the port wing and swaged and ferruled them properly.

Once these are done the wing pair become almost a single unit and (coupled with the jury strut) everything just tightens up nicely.

In the is new state I can consider properly folding the wings back in turn and checking the fit under the fuselage and also the alignment with the tailplane.

One other thing I can start to manufacture is a board clamps that we effectively clamp either side of each wing strut to provide additional security when towing on the trailer. (See picture below from the original TLAC board)

Last night saw the final few holes drilled for the port wing, with Mike and I running through the logged routine of prep and drill/boss sequence.

A welcome support member to the evening event was our local Chief Flying Instructor – James Evans.  James immediately rolled up his sleeves and was holding wings, drill bits, lining holes as well as looking at the progress from the last time he saw the build which was over a year ago.

There was a slight moment when, having drilled all the holes and reamed them the bottom wing just wouldn’t align and the pin was slightly out. Eventually we remembered that we had spotted this on the starboard wing where the spar comes up against the main fuselage bracket and has to have a very small notched filed to allow it to clear (once it has settled on its 3 degree dihedral).

Notch duly filed and hey presto … the wing slipped into place, the peg fitted like a glove – tight but fully seated and no play. Then the FINAL cross check – although it did look all aligned to the eye ….. out with the dihedral boards to re-check 3 degree bottom, 1 degree top.. perfect…

James had the honour of slipping in the final pin.

Thanks for all your help guys …. as we discussed last night .. so many quiet nights over nearly 2 years … its great to have enthusiastic and such knowledgeable company .. all of whom are so willing to give up hours of their time to help keep things moving.