Pin one wing back to the plan and join it to the other wing by gluing together the inside edges of the center sheet pieces. Use a hardcover book or something similar to prop the opposite wing tip 6" above the building board.

Spread glue generously over one side of the dihedral brace and clamp it into place, binding the 2 spars together. Add the R1 ribs, ensuring they assume an angle symmetrically between the ribs on either side. Let dry overnight. I accidentally cut the inside ends of the leading edges too short, so I filled the gap in between with a bit of balsa.

Use 1/16" balsa to sheet the topside of the wings’ center sections, then turn the wings over and add the bottom center sheet piece forward of the spar. Allow to dry.

Use a foam-block sander to gently remove burrs and hard edges on all external surfaces, except for the hard corners where the wings and tail will mate to the fuselage.

Cut two 2 1/4"-long pegs out of the spruce dowel and round the ends. Insert the pegs into their holes in the fuselage. Mount the wings to the fuselage with rubber bands, using the pegs as end posts. Check for straightness both from the top and (especially) from plumb center rear, sanding where the wings meet the fuselage if there’s a discrepancy.

Pin the tail components temporarily into place to again check the fit and alignment, making small adjustments where necessary. Again do so viewing the complete airframe from plumb center rear.

Step back and admire your work. Hey, I built that! Have a beer and just check it out. This is a moment to be savored; allow yourself to do so.

Drill holes in the fuselage rear for the 2 pushrods to exit.

Mount 2 servos approximately where shown on the plan, using 3/16” x 3/8” spruce to conjure up a support framework for your system. Mount the pushrods to run to the servo heads unobstructed.

Follow the instructions that come with your covering material. A single 72" roll will cover the entire model if you plan ahead. Here’s the usual procedure for iron-on plastic.

Cut out and lay a piece of covering over a section of the airframe. Smooth out the covering. Use a 350°F iron to first tack down the corners, then seal down the perimeter. Shrink and smooth the entire section by working the iron gently over the surface. Repeat for all model surfaces.

Cut a fringe into any curved edges to seal them down without wrinkles.

If you’re using R/C, mount the control horns and hinges on the rudder and elevator. Locate the hinge slots you cut in Step 4 and re-cut them through the covering. Wood glue won’t stick to plastic, so you need to remove the covering anywhere you’re bonding to. For a model this size, I cut the hinges in half lengthwise.

Glue the wing-mount pegs in place in the fuselage. Attach the wings with rubber bands.

Glue the elevator to the tail fin, and glue this assembly in its mount between stations 8 and 9. Attach it to the fuselage with 1 pin centered in its leading edge. While the glue is still wet, center it so each tip measures the same distance to a common midpoint centered on top, and then pin down the trailing end.

With the glue still wet, adjust and pin the rear stabilizer so that it lines up symmetrically below the wings. Let it dry 1 hour. Glue and pin the vertical fin centered in place, and use a T square to ensure that it’s perfectly perpendicular. Let it dry 1 hour.

Trim some hinge material, then glue it to attach the rudder to the vertical fin. Glue the ventral fin to the fuselage and use more hinge material to connect it to the bottom of the rudder. Run a bead of glue around all fixed joints on the model. Check for square along all aspects, and let dry undisturbed overnight.

IMPORTANT! To adjust the wing “washout” for flight at low glider speeds, the trailing edges of the wing tips need to be twisted upward. Prop up the wing trailing edges with scraps of balsa, and then tape or clip small weights to the other 3 corners of each wing. Iron out the resulting wrinkles in the covering, and allow to cool to “lock” the new angle in place.