The fins use a prefabricated airfoil section that has to be cut per the plan, then fit to the steel tube spar.  Cutting to shape was no problem, but I committed my first helicopter part  butchery on the lower section.  The tube spar has a curved lower section.  In jamming it through the airfoil section I made a faint crease in the very thin aluminum skin.  What I should have done is drill out the lower rivets to allow for easier fitting and riveted it back together on final assembly at the end.  Oh well.  Apparently I am not the first to have done this.


A replacement fin has been ordered, and surprisingly has arrived within a week.  The box it came in also contained a turbine.  Hooray!!!  I have been pestering Eagle for almost the last year asking about my turbine.  The answer was also “two more weeks”.  Well pester-no-more.  I have no immediate use for it, but I feel so much better having all the major helicopter pieces in my possession.  No matter what happens to Eagle - not that I think anything will - I will be able to complete my machine.

Tags: Fins