Angier,
Too late now..... Gap seals are really easy to do before finishing and
painting. Gap seals have been a topic before.
For me, gap seals have added 6-8 Knots. In my case I have added
curved Mylar strips (self-adhesive) with the leading edges of
the Mylar covered with 1" inch safety tape that is very thin and
ensures that the Mylar won't lift (1/2" on the Mylar and 1/2" on the
fuselage. This application of gap seals/tape will, uh, disrupt a clever
paint scheme. Ailerons and elevators needs both surfaces sealed. The
rudder needs the wider Mylar tape and also needs to seal both sides.
While I sealed both upper and lower flap gaps, only the lower actually needs the
seal. I have recently removed the upper seal with some difficulty.
One con is that once stuck down, one must be careful in removing these
seals because it may lift the clear coat or paint. Another is that hinge
screws (and the hinges) will by covered by the Mylar, thus maintenance
access is more difficult. Another is that the Mylar will eventually mar
the control surface paint.
Was it worth it? You bet, 6-8 Knots for very little investment.
The Mylar and safety tape are available from soar plane supply sites.
Use Google. Remember that gliders seldom operate beyond 100 KIAS.
Pay attention because the loss of a gap seal may lead to less than symmetric
effects.
I don't care, you will have to pry my seals from my cold dead hands - well,
maybe not so dramatic as the NRA claims.......
Below is a really fuzzy pic but it show seals on the lower surfaces
and rudder as taken during a low pass at the LOBO Branson flyin. The
reason it's fuzzy is that at that altitude above the runway I am really at
a blazing speed......
Grayhawk
LNC2 320