The tail (used in place of the familiar elevator) is built on to the rear end of the fuselage, and is composed of two pieces of yellow bamboo, 9¾ in. by ⁵/₁₆ in by ⅛ in., tapering to ⅛ in. square at the end to which the propeller bearings are attached. These bearings are made of No. 18 or No. 20 s.w.g. piano wire, and their shape is clearly shown in [Fig. 100]. The bearings are bound to the inner edge of the wood with glued thread or fine flower wire. The wide ends of the bamboo lengths are held over a bunsen (the blue flame of an incandescent burner is very suitable), and bent to the angle shown in [Fig. 96]. The trailing edge of the tail is made of No. 26 s.w.g. piano wire, or a G banjo string. The wire is taken right through the end of the fuselage, a small hole being carefully drilled ½ in. from the end. A bead of solder should be run on the wire on both sides of the hole, to prevent movement in a lateral direction, and the two ends are taken through the bearings and bound to the bamboo with fine wire, leaving sufficient to form hooks for the two bracing wires to be afterwards attached. The whole of this tail framework is covered with proofed silk on both sides, thus forming an approximate streamline surface, which has proved remarkably efficient. Two triangular pieces of silk should be cut out, just large enough to give sufficient overlap. They should be attached with fish glue, and stretched as tightly as possible.
Fig. 96
Fig. 97
Fig. 98
Fig. 99
