thailazer

Wow Leroy, that looks great. That thing is a real sleeper with the gasser hidden away and all your other mods. Are you going to post any videos?

sensei

That really turned nice Leroy, are you going to video the maiden?

Bob

TonyBuilder

My Feedback: (11)

mnmopar

My Feedback: (1)

Great build! That Tiger pilot is a great touch. Plane is turning out wonderful. Gives me the itch to start one of my kits.

Leroy Gardner

I got sidetracted, play catchup on some other stuff and a death in the family took some of the fun out of life. I'm getting beyond and have been working on the engine run up stand, can't wait to hear that 20cc run and also have the DLE 55cc to do the same thing to. Really need some air time before I put the mustang up and the tiger could be a hand full for now. I have other planes to fly but weather this time of year sucks, lot's of rain and wind and it's not very warm yet. All in good time.

I have a 12.1 mp camera that shoots video and I hope to be able to do the tiger maiden to post here. Should get out to the field and shoot one so I can learn to use this camera and down load it. Have'nt got a clue how to post one but will work on that also.

Leroy Gardner

Time to kick start this bash back up as plane never was finished. I built a engine run up stand and ran into a problem with the Pitts muffler. You can not adjust carb with it on the engine. I turned the carb 180 deg. and the needles are on the bottom now. Muffler will have to be cut off at second discharge tube and weld a new end on it in order to adjust needles when it's all in the plane. Not a big deal, just didn't expect it. I have been running the engine with stock muffler, sweet little engine, runs like a top and gets8,000rpm with a Zinger 16-8 prop and will idle at 1,600 rpm., starts just great and is a real fuel miser, takes over a 1/2 hr. to burn 14 oz. of fuel at 7,500 rpm. Anyway as soon as I get the muffler welding done it's ready to go in the plane.

Everything on the engine stand goes in the plane, I tested it all, engine kill is on gear channel, will be good to have it on radio. Engine stand is easy to build if anyone needs one.

There will be more to come,

TonyBuilder

My Feedback: (11)

Good to see your back at it.

bikerbc

Hi Leroy
I am very sorry to hear of your loss , Things like that can really take the spice out of life... I am glad to see you back , I have wondered about your Tiger and if you had maidened it or not.. I thought you would share that with us for sure ..I am looking forward to seeing it fly...I have been flying my Tiger this spring and I was worried I might not be able to fly anymore so I am relieved .. I hope your Tiger fly's as well as mine and I am sure it will... Tigers make my tail wag...If ya know what I mean..

Leroy Gardner

It's good to be back, it's been a tough year with 2 family members lost within 2 months, a boat in the shop and some motor home work and then theirs the tiger to try and get put together. Managed to get the tail wheel mounted, it's a Sullivan and a 1/16" brass tube with a 1" brass tang soldered to it and inserted in rudder, tracks straight and a easy set up. Lots of room up front, top side will have a second tier over fuel tank to mount the ignition module, kill and a battery, there is also a lower hatch for radio battery and balancing as needed. You will notice the muffler can has been shortened and one tube removed in order to get at carb. adjustments after it's all done. Runs fine that way, a little noisy but no worse than the stock one.

I painted the cowl blue and it doesn't match the other blue any better than the white did the white, it really don't look that bad with the chevrons on it. There will be more to come as I get it done.

Biker glad to see you at it and making a good recovery and I hope mine flies well also. Should get some action with my rudder, want to be able to knife edge with it and go into a hover.

Sorry about pict. quality, batts must be low.

TonyBuilder

My Feedback: (11)

Welcome back! Looking good Leroy, that DLE20 will hover, my chippy would hover, but couldn't hold it with the small control surfaces.

stevenmax50

My Feedback: (1)

Leroy, I'm curious about your weight and balance.  my Tigers all were tail heavy and I had to add nose weight.  your tail wheel assy looks heavier than mine.  But that 20 cc is probably heavier than the 90 4s I installed.

Leroy Gardner

Steven the tail wheel is not heavy at all and with the weight of 20cc engine, ignition and batteries all right behind the fire wall and add the main landing gear and wheel pants it should balance without any added weight. I'm just about there and I will have weight shortly, I'm guessing between 9-10 lbs. I never was concerned about weight with that engine turning a 16-8 prop there will be plenty of power.

I built the entire plane around that engine, a stock tiger would never handle it. I'll let you all know weight and how it balanced out shortly.

Hope to do a video of the maiden which I will post.

Hydro Junkie

Okay guys, I'm thinking retracting tricycle gear. Any thoughts on that one? I'm not a fan of tail draggers and the way the stock gear is done looks extremely weak. Besides, if you're going to build something, make it different than everyone else. That is the unwritten rule isn't it

Twin_Flyer

My Feedback: (4)

For a short time they did make a Tiger 60 DELUX kit that came with Robart retracts so it has been done.

Google it, you should find how they did it.

Bill S.

Leroy Gardner

Personal opinion but a tail dragger with sport type main gear and wheel pants gives a very nice look to this plane. There have been retractable nose gears put on this plane where 1/2 of wheel would retract but as I recall they were a PITA as well as the wing retracts. For one thing the structure isn't there to support them in that flimsy built wing.

You may be able to do it but plan on doing some redesigning. I did a lot of design changes on my tiger and it's a great looker something it wouldn't be with trike gear.

bikerbc

I have to agree with Leroy on that one.. I messed with retratcs on a Tiger a few years ago and thats just what it was.. A mess...I am not saying that it could not be done but personaly I don't think it is worth it for this plane .. I have tried the E flite electric Retratcs on an Ultra Sport and I have had a lot of trouble with them too.. The wire legs keep bending no matter how soft I come in...I am constantly tweeking them.. It takes away from some of the fun...They were a lot of work to fit in and would be worse on the Tiger .. I might do it on a scale plane but not a sport flyer..that's just my opinion...Good luck..

Leroy Gardner

Well the plane is completely finished and ready to fly, don't look bad with the new blue nose and trailing chevrons. Maiden will come in the next two weeks, I have a camera that shoots video and I will shoot one of another plane to see if I can keep up with it and see how it comes out, lets hope for the best.

Here is the finished plane ready to go.

thailazer

Looks great Leroy! Apologies for losing your phone number as I was in CDA for a week and wanted to see it. Just drove back to Corvallis today. Great weather for the maiden flight coming up. Really wanted to see how you got the prop clearance.

Leroy Gardner

Hi Tovio, sorry we couldn't have gotten together, could of been fun. Gear is Du-Bro super strength fiber glass with 2 3/4" wheels mounted directly on center of leading edge of wing and clearance is closer to 1 3/4" with the 16-8 Zinger prop which turns 8,000rpm. A 15-8 would also work and up rpm but I don't think I will need to go there. Will see how it all works out shortly.

Was a bit disappointed when the came in at 11 plus? pounds on bath scales, I had to add 28" of 1/4" lead weight to fire wall
, probably because of the 4-40 push rods in the tail plus the gear is heavy. Could be some minor changes after the maiden, just have to see how it goes. My engine should handle it ok but it would have been nicer if I could have kept it at 10 lbs.

Regards, Leroy

Leroy Gardner

I want to correct the length of lead, it was 14" not 24", don't know where that came from anyway still a bit on the heavy side.

bikerbc

Although the gear is heavy it is ahead of the C of G so it in effect is helping you like your engine.. What you need to be looking at are things behind the C of G... the more you can lose there the more lead you can lose...That is where you will really lose weight..

Leroy Gardner

Ken it's a after thought now but I should have taken an 1" off the tail to confiscate for the pitched back vertical fin and expanded rudder and elevator. I drilled them all out to lose weight but still added length to tail which was known to be heavy already.
I knew I was building it heavy to handle the vibes of the engine and thought 10 lbs. was possible. CG is 1" wide, I went for center, should be ok, will know shortly.

Been nice having you along for my build Ken and I'm happy to see your doing pretty good these days, keep it up.

Regards, Leroy

bikerbc

Thanks Leroy... I just Maidened my 1/4 Scale BUSA J3 Cub... yesterday , what a thrill that was for me...It went very well...I hope yours goes as well as mine did.. As always thanks for the kind words...There are a few guys on here that have really helped me with my recovery like yourself and John . A few encouraging words go a long way.. Thank you so much Ken....

Leroy Gardner

Ken your a sweet guy, it shows up in your replies and you are also a fighter and that has as much to do with recovery as some friendly support, I'm sure you have gotten plenty of that being the kind of person you are. I will always wish you well.

I will PM you a bit later as I may be coming up your way, would enjoy meeting you and yours if you have one. Any way, look for a PM and I'll explain what I have in mind and we can do the rest via e-mail.

Take care, Leroy

bikerbc

That would be [email protected]