Wing Rigging on a wood Corben Baby Ace wing.

I am restoring a Corben Baby Ace. I am finished with the right wing and there are two small irregularities I can see when I sight down the two spars. I have 4 cells in the wing crossed with adjustable drag/anti-drag wires. Does anyone know the proper procedure for adjusting these wires?

You might try using a trammel, works for me.

How to trammel a wing.. inone short lesson :-))

In some haste... If this doesn't make sense email me at iterk@aol.com and I'll go into more detail or give you my phone number. I used to teach this at an A&P school :-)).

TRAMMELING a wing means to "square" each bay then be certain the whole is "square". Start by accurately measuring out from the wing attach point exactly the same distance on the front and rear spar at approximately where each drag/anti drag wire attaches to the spar. Put a piece of masking tape there so you can make a pen mark at that pint. Measure diagonally across those points. You will need to CAREFULLY adjust the length of those drag/anti drag wires until the dimension is as close to identical as you can get it between these points. This should form an 'X' roughly over those drag anti drag wires. If these dimensions are exactly the same then you have a "square" bay. Next, measure from that point.. or for more accuracy make all the measurements from the wing attach points..to where the next drag/anti drag wires attach to the spars. "Square" that bay as before. Do this until all the bays are square then check diagonally from the inner most mark, across to the outermost mark on each spar. That too should be the same from inboard rear spar to outboard front spar and front inboard to rear outboard spar. Be very careful of tightening the wires. keep losening one wire as you tighten the other so as to have all wires giving a 'low' but musical note when you 'twang' on each wire. Too tight and they will be a higher note, too low...no musical ring,... and they are too lose to do their job. This process takes TIME.. Do NOT RUSH IT! This affects the way your wing will fly until someone re builds the wing in..? 30 years?..

Thank you for the instructions. If I have questions I will ask you by email.

J,

I think you might enjoy this article I wrote about the Corben Ace: http://writingsofjon.blogspot.com/20...orben-ace.html

V/r,
Jon