This is the completion of the winglet fairings for now. I still have the ends to do and I have an idea for that. I’m also unhappy with the thickness of the fairing. Its not a big deal but would need me to do several full days work to correct. Its not worth it for now. I’ll see how much it bothers me in a few months and next time the wings are off. Structurally its really strong being a touch thick. Correcting it would probably be no less drag. Its just optics and I want to keep going with the build.

I had some decisions to make as to how wide these fairings would be and where the curve would begin and end.

My trusty set of french curves helped and I made it ‘pleasing to the eye’. Too big and its just more wetted area for more drag. Too small and I’d ask why did I bother? I cut the ends in line with the rudder which worked out nicely.

I checked for interference and made some small adjustments.

The close out is quite neat.

I did a flox corner on the inside curve which you can see above with some peel ply. The other issue I’m addressing is that the bottom of the winglet is just slightly wider than the rudder. My fix is to add a few plies of BID to the inside of the lower winglet and then I’ll sand the outside a bit to fix the problem, knowing that there is enough ‘meat’ left. Its one of those things thats been on my mind to sort out and now is the time to get it done.

Here we are all sanded back, the darker areas is where I’m into the glass. I’m just doing a little filler to tidy up the outer area too.

It is now acceptable. Not perfect but quite OK.

I’ve also lightly trimmed the TE of the rudder to a perfect fit in the winglet. It just needed about .05″ at the top. Probably close to the gap that the hinge required after I’d cut the rudders out. Its all in line now.

While I was doing all this rudder work, I revisited the tip light fit. Don’t be too alarmed at the amount of filler. When I made the wings I put an indent for the light into the glass and foam so I could do exactly what you see above. This way I could bury a little of the light’s foot print without diminishing its function. In other words that 0.15″ or so of useless ‘light base’ I’ve sunken away.

Here it is with a good fit all the way around.