Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly

[Duck]

So my Mini Arrow finally had more then it could take and the wing ripped from off starting at the underwing bay and all the way along the fusalage. I was practicing low passes and I got a little too low.





Any suggestions on putting it back together? I love my Mini Arrow and would build it from scratch if I had to but it looks like I might be able to build a solid joint. My plan is to:
1) Remove the fuselage entirely
2) Glue the seam edge on with hot glue
3) Laminate both sides with packing tape
4) Reattach the fuselage as if I was building it new

Given the wear I have on the nose I might replace the fuselage entirely with a new one made from elmers foam board I can get locally. I've been wanting a little bit more space as I can't actually fit the power tap for my FPV transmitter and my battery monitor at the same time. I am terrible with timers so I really prefer to always have the battery monitor. The step I am most worried about is actually gluing the seam back together. Given the ragged break I am really doubting it will have any strength.

Thoughts?

 

[Winglet]

I think your repair should work fine. Avoid the Elmer's board if you can. (it is SO heavy) But...you won't actually be using much of it so not that bad. Get her flying again!

 

[Tench745]

I like to build areas subject to greater stress using the Elmer's board to provide more impact resistance. Don't overdo it though, it is very heavy.

 

[Jugsy]

I had about 3 or 4 breaks like this in my first arrow, on both sides. It still flew really well until the day I decided to hang it up. I think the main thing that kept it going was a plastic sheet approx. 30cm wide running from the nose/leading edge back to the CG. I glued it down really thoroughly and smoothly and it held the airfoil really well, helped with durability a lot. The sheet I used was from a "greenbag" or I think they're known as "canvas bags" in the US... the reusable shopping bags, you know what I mean - they often have a plastic insert to keep their shape/protect their contents. It's super strong and light, with a rough side for glue adhesion!

 

[Duck]

Jugsy, I know exactly what you mean. That seems like a good idea. Josh mentioned putting a paint stick on the bottom for rigidity but one of the reasons I picked a pusher was to avoid causing damage when I did run into something. That plastic would add alot of strength without being a hazard. What did you use to glue it down? Hot glue or something else?

 

[Duck]

Winglet & Trench, do you think I should be replacing foam in the wing or did you mean for the fuselage? My idea for that was cutting a nice strait seam parallel to the fuselage and using 1"-2" of foam to meet the seem with the other wing. Or are you suggesting I just rebuild the whole wing?

Elmers is actually all I can find locally. There is a dollar tree about 1h from here but I have not yet made the trek. Of of these days I'll bite the bullet and buy a box of water resistant flite test foam but I have yet to do so.