How to Build an A-1H Skyraider

Review your plans for your Skyraider to familiarize yourself with them. Measure and assess the amount of balsa wood, spruce strips and basic hardware; type of engine; and electronic components needed for construction. Organize your work area, placing all tools within easy reach.

Make a copy of each part of the plans for your model plane, then flatten the original on the work surface and cover the plans with the wax paper or clear plastic wrap to protect them. Cut around the parts templates on the copies you've made for the balsa parts needed, such as the wing ribs and fuselage bulkheads, leaving room for easy handling and positioning. Place the pieces face-down on balsa sheets. Dampen the sponge or clean rag with the lacquer thinner in a well-ventilated area and wipe it along the back of the copies of the parts to transfer the images of the parts on the balsa. Let them sit for five or six seconds before removing the paper.

Cut out all of the pieces with a hobby knife. Cut and shape the harder woods for pieces such as wing spars, bulkhead reinforcement, and engine and landing gear mounts with the saw. Bend, shape and trim wire pieces such as landing gear and push rods with the pliers.

Set up the parts and components in the order to be assembled. Assemble the vertical stabilizer and rudder pieces, keeping the pieces aligned, gluing the cloth hinges as flush to the surface of each piece as possible. Follow this procedure with the horizontal stabilizer assembly. Use a full-size copy of the wing plan as a template on a flat, level surface to position and pin the balsa ribs to the leading and trailing edges of the wings, inserting the spruce reinforcement pieces in place. Position the fuselage sides on the plans, then glue and pin them together. Insert and glue the landing gear and motor mounts in place. Bracket the landing gear in position beneath the wings and tail gear in the tail. Trim, steam, curl, glue and pin the balsa to the top of the fuselage and cowl bulkheads. Assemble, glue and pin the tail section, stabilizer and wings to the fuselage. Let the assembly dry overnight.

Sand all of the surfaces of the Skyraider smooth, then wipe them clean with the tack cloth. Install the engine and all RC components -- the receiver, battery, servos, antenna and pushrods -- in the fuselage, connecting them to all control surfaces and throttle. Hinge the bottom panel of the fuselage behind the wing to allow easy access to the electronics.

Cover the wings with AeroCote or UltraCote polyester coverings, allowing an extra inch of material all the way around to be trimmed later. Adhere, then carefully shrink the wing covering with a heat gun. Trim, paint, affix the canopy and decorate your Skyraider.