I tried doing a search, but nothing popped up.  I’m trying to figure out the best way to deconstruct some models.  My wife’s pretty set on moving out of the area and finding a good place for retirement, and I’m about ready, too.  We’re going to just downsize and do a minimal move, getting rid of almost everything.  I’m good with that, but I still want to take a bunch of planes with me, mostly profile.   The question is how.  I don’t have room to take them as built, so I figured I’d deconstruct them to the ARF stage.  The tail surfaces are easy, a couple of minutes with a Zona saw and they’re free.  I’m just trying to figure out the best way to get the wings out without doing major damage.  The best that I can think of is drilling a small hole in the fuse at the wing leading and trailing edge, and using a flexible saw blade to cut the wing out.  Then re-gluing them in place should be pretty easy.

Does anyone have experience with deconstructing their planes purposely?

Mark

"The horror! The Horror!" --Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

I've used an oscillating saw. it will cut threw the fuse around the wing pretty accurately and pretty quickly.

I use the most narrow blade I can find to do the job.

At the leading edge I use a coping saw to finish it off.

Otherwise I just take the plane to the field and fly it. That typically will separate the fuse from the wing in short order.