Trim Tab Installation Pictures on Mini-Nimbus N871T
Gil Alexander, owns mini nimbus serial number 16, and has sent these
excellent pictures of the all flying tail plane, and the 'trim tab'
modification. These were a mandatory modification for UK gliders, before the
fixed tail plane was available.
The section below has been copied directly from Gil's own webpages here.
So for the latest version you might want to check there too.
| Picture of the trim tab. It was just cut out from the
all-flying tail, the gaps filled with epoxy/filler and a couple of brass
Stanley hinges inserted. This is a view of the bottom of the
horizontal tail |
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This picture shows the steel weldment that was attached to
the trim tab. A small steel pin is at the aft end (facing away from
the viewer), and was inserted into a drilled hole in the tab. The
screw attaches the weldment to the tab. The screw was epoxied in for
extra security. The inner hinge also shows on this photo. The
pin that is visible rides in a slot on the vertical fin. |
| This picture shows the slot in the vertical fin. The
tape just prevent scratches during assembly from the screw head that
attaches the weldment to the trim tab. The slot has to reach around
to the the top surface so the trim tab pin can get inserted during
assembly. The pin drops into the slot before the horizontal tail is
slid back onto its mounting assembly. |
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| These are two assembled views with "down
elevator". Again, the piece of Mylar tape on the weldment is to
prevent assembly scratches. Note that down elevator gives down tab -
making this assembly an Anti-Servo Tab. |
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| Neutral elevator and no relative tab deflection. This
view also shows the portion of the slot that the pin drops into during
assembly. |
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| In the "up elevator" position, the tab is
deflected UP. |
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| Same position, bottom view. |
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| Top view of the assembled horizontal tail. There isn't
a lot of room in there, hence the tape to prevent assembly scratches.
Once the tail is locked, the weldment fits nicely between the horizontal
and the vertical fin, with no rubbing. I have a few surface gel coat
cracks here. The filler was very thick in this location, and I guess
I didn't remove all of it when I refinished the fuselage in 1985. |
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| Mini-Nimbus s/n 16 with it's tail sticking out of the
trailer - note my hangar (50ft x 50ft) construction going on in the
background. When I moved to Tucson, Arizona I bought a house on 7
acres at La Cholla Airpark. This hangar is on my lot.... |
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