Developed
by

Canadair CL-215 Water Bomber

by Andrew Curless

Kit construction

I have built quite a few model aircraft over the last 18 years or so but I have never bothered to cut out a complete kit before. So when I agreed to build the Airborne Canadair Water Bomber I thought it might be interesting to spend the time to cut out a kit and see what, if any difference, it would make to the construction task or sequence.

So let’s get started by having a good long look at the plans, at least 1hour or maybe, on and off, over a couple of evenings. I find it is usually best to examine plans more than once to get a solid idea of what sort materials will be required and in what order the construction is to proceed.

I copied the formers and wing shapes using A4 white paper. Just trace the wing rib or former onto the paper then cut out the shape with a pair of scissors and you have yourself a template. Now pin the template to your timber and run a soft pencil or fine tipped felt pen around the outside to transfer the shape onto the material and you have the shape required. Next cut all your parts and assemble them into components i.e., tail group, wing group, fuselage group, etc.

Now that you have your kit cut out and piled into little groups on your work bench it is a good time to "PANIC", this is where I start to wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew. This is also a good time to hide all the components except the ones you need to start building. I always like to start with the wing so that is where we will start our CL215.

Wing

The wing is a one piece built up unit with no dihedral, it is fully sheeted with 1.5mm balsa and has two motor pod bays set into the leading edge. Don't forget to drill service holes in the ribs for servo leads etc. Lay out the plan on your work bench and cover with plastic wrap to protect it, then pin down your trailing edge spar and bottom main spar, using a small square lay out the W2 wing ribs gluing as you go. Once all the ribs are in position pop on the top main spar then fit the wing brace into the centre, remembering to check all the ribs are square as you go. Let all the glue joints dry then fit and glue all W1 ribs and the 3mm false leading edge and WB2. This is a good time to make up the ply motor pod boxes, when assembled mark one left and one right then using them as the spacers cut away the false leading edge and fit and glue ribs W2a for a snug fit making sure not to glue in the motor pods, remove pods once W2a ribs are secure and fit wing shear webs, (this is where keeping your ribs square pays off), then the throttle cables, fit WM3 and fill up the gap with some scrap balsa.

Now sand the trailing and the leading edges to rib contours and fit the top wing sheeting. Once dry lift the wing and turn it over and sand the trailing and leading edges to shape, then pin down the wing again and fit the bottom sheeting. When dry, lift the wing and fit the aileron trailing edge and the leading edge balsa and sand to shape. Now fit the wing tips and sand to shape, cut out the ailerons from the aileron trailing edge sand their leading edge to a V shape and hinge to the trailing edge spar. Also cut out aileron servo wells and motor pod bays, now build up some servo plate rails inside the wells and fit a servo mounting plate. I screwed mine in so it could be serviced later.

Now that the wing is mostly done hide it away somewhere and lets make something else.