Just finished a Baby Lightning Streak from a Brodak kit.  Will add it to the fleet of planes for the next flying session with the kids at the foster care center.  I visit there each month (except December and January) to help about 25 kids to build & fly 1/2A CL model planes.

Looks nice.

What are the webs in the last rib bay for?

Divot

Out there, it does nothing for wing bending strength, so to call it a shear web is beyond misleading. The best I can come up with is that it keeps the tip plate and tip rib from leaning over if you were to pull too hard on the covering when installing, or, if the covering tension was unequal after all was said and done.

It may also be handy for installing tip weight, but it really isn't in the right place.

The kit comes with this "feature?"  Just curious.....

Still, the plane looks good and like a capable flyer!

Dave

Hello All:

I have Brodak 1/2A plane that I think is called the Baby Flite Streak. It looks just like Jim's red model shown above except that the motor is beam-mounted to the side. No webs in the outer bays. Hope I'm not confusing things here.

Dave Mo...

            My Brodak Lightning Streak didn't have those pieces. Even if it did, I wouldn't of put them in. As Dave suggests, they're not doing anything of value.   As for the Brodak Baby Flite Streak, the wing is pretty much a identical outline but the Baby Flite Streak is a bit more complex than the Baby Lightning Streak. However, the Baby Lightning Streak represents the real Top Flite Baby Flite Streak as it's comprised of solid leading edges and trailing edges. The Brodak version has a pieced leading edge and half ribs which the original didn't have. There's considerably more pieces in the Brodak Baby Lightning Streak. I built both the Baby Lightning Streak and the Brodak version and I enjoy both of them. They fly terrific. My Baby Lightning Streak went in early on with mild damage to the wing and fuse, I will replace the fuse at some point. Ken