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Now I'm no A&E, but have been around quite a few aircraft and I m' still blown away by how they are built/repaired. Only as strong as it HAS to be. Next time you can, check a typical cabane strut attachment lug welded to the longerons on a Great Lakes or similar bipe. Four postage stamp sized tangs of 4130 sheet with a 1/4" bolt thru each. that's all there is holding that wing to the fuselage! But I don't believe a Lakes ever suffered a structural failure. Only as strong as it had to be.
I suppose that an otherwise faithfull WWI (SE5, etc)repro could be built using more modern wood techniques (Did n't somebody delete the wire bracing in the wings of a Sopwith Tripe- substituting ply wood webs?)
Charlie
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