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Old 11-06-2018, 08:58 AM
  #1607  
sjhanc
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: williston, FL
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I haven't even broken in the DA 60 and my Mustang has serious cracks in the wing center section and on the left side of the fuse at the rear of the wing, just under the canopy.. I had saved a damaged wing from my first Mustang so I put some strain on the wing to see what happens. The wing in front of the spars separated from the spar structure, coming apart easily. I can see all the way through this area and found no broken wood, only separated parts, AND NO GLUE!! There is no load carry through from the wing leading edge to back behind the spars, the front and rear wing structure is free to separate. The wing spars were not glued to the wing joiner, only laying under the wing skin, waiting for enough 'G' force to tear the wing off in flight. I have two of these wings and they BOTH have the same issue! Glassing the wing center section to upgrade these wings for safe flight is NECESSARY!

The fuselage crack became evident as a tear in the film covering. Close inspection shows the left side fuse skin is cracking down to the wing mounts, the only possible repair is to glass the fuse. This second plane only has 60 flights since brand new, and had 1 dead stick landing in tall brush that damaged the left gear mount on about the 5th flight. I had to cut out the original fake wood gear mounts and replaced them with aircraft grade plywood, the parts are easily removed with a hot knife and a little prying gets them out intact to use as a pattern for real wood parts, no further gear mount problems.

I have retired this plane until I can rebuild it properly. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!! I can post pictures if anyone wants to see this.

Last edited by sjhanc; 11-06-2018 at 09:16 PM.