Skyray Slats and Flaps

[MiG31]

I'm working on the Tamiya 1:72 F4D, and the majority of reference photos I've seen show that the l/e slats are drooped while the aircraft is shut down. The inboard flaps/speedbrakes (?) also appear to deflect upward slightly on occasion.

The kit, unfortunately, doesn't provide for drooped slats or deflected inboard flaps. Are there any photos of operational Skyrays with these surfaces in neutral? I'd like to avoid more work than necessary on what's intended to be a pretty casual build, but I'll take steps to pose the flying surfaces if it would be more accurate.

[CrowTRobot]

I have the Ginter book on the Skyray, and virtually all of the photos of parked aircraft show the slats extended and the pitch trimmer in the "up" position.

[MiG31]

Thanks for that, especially for the term for that trailing edge device. The photos I've seen show a variable pitch-up on the trimmer, so would deflecting them slightly above neutral be okay?

[CrowTRobot]

The photos I've seen show a variable pitch-up on the trimmer, so would deflecting them slightly above neutral be okay?

I think so. There are some photos in this book showing the trimmer in neutral position, but the vast majority of them appear to be deflected up to some degree. I built the Tamiya 1/48 Skyray, and it allowed me to adjust the trimmers:

I think the slats just hang down freely when the aircraft parked.

[Jennings]

The l/e slats are gravity operated, just like on the other famous airplane designed by Ed Heinemann - the A-4. Always deployed when the airplane isn't flying above the speed required to close them.

J