Guillows Zero RC conversion

I decided to convert a Guillows balsa Zero to RC using conventional stick and tissue techniques. I found the biggest problem to be the delicacy of the balsa, an issue that would haunt me later.  I began the build in a conventional manner.

After the basic stucture was done I cut out the ailerons and installed a 9 gram servo in each wing.  It was not a work of art but it was functional.

I decided to make the horizontal stabilizer and elevators from thin sheet balsa and just used the instructions as an outline.  I used 1/2 inch nylon hinges.  A dab of vaseline was added to each hinge point to prevent glue intrusion.

I repeated the process for the vertical fin and the rudder.  I left overlap on the sides to help with attaching the fin to the fuselage.

After mounting and aligning the tail I mounted the horns and prepared to install the servos.

Once they were in I began the covering process with tissue which was sprayed with atomized water to dry and tighten.  Following that it received 3 layers of dope.

Now I had to mate the wings and cowling to the body.

Now the engine and speed controller had to be mated but there was a  mishap.  I am a clod and balsa is delicate, need I say more?

 A refit with a much sturdier base for the mount also added needed weight to the nose.

I added bent wires to further brace the mount.  This may have been overkill but the engine was secure!

Once the engine and speed controller were mounted and wired it was time to finish skinning it.

The weight and balance required almost no adjustment.  I put in a 2 cell lipo where the cowl guns would be and slid it forward until PRESTO!  Perfect CG. 

We hung it under a fan to check for roll tendencies and then I made a wind tunnel to run some control tests in the video below.  A control horn popped off of an aileron and had to be fixed.  

Then we were off to the airfield

Once at the airfiled I had on old pro fly it for me.  I tried to video the flight but mis-set the camera.  I only have the warm up footage.  I had given it way too much control authority and power.  If you recall my earlier comment about the delicacy of balsa coming back to bite me, this was it.  We over stressed the wing and after about 1 minute of flying the wing failed...BUT IT FLEW! 

Here is the video,