smithfj

You are welcome Snoopy. Yes the split cowl is nice. Fibertech did a very nice job on it as it even has a splice piece of fiberglass tape inside. I just drilled my holes and screwed it together then I removed the screws and epoxied 1/4 inch ply doublers over the screw holes. Makes for a decent job . You will find the cowl, pants, canopy and small scoop from them is top quality.
Frank

rcdfnut

Any updates so far??

jperkinstrades

My Feedback: (25)

jperkinstrades

My Feedback: (25)

Quick update. I have been working on one wing half that I have almost completed, just put the top wing skin on tonight.

Snoopy

It is coming along great. And looking good. Man don't you wich sometimes that we lived a lot closer so that we just hop over a look at it discuss things.

smithfj

Well fellow builders here's a couple picture of where I am at. I am having black square cut for the checkerboard on the rudder and wing tips and will finish trimming out then. Still have a long ways to go.
Frank

jperkinstrades

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Looks awesome ! Thanks for sharing.

rcdfnut

Looking very nice.

smithfj

I started working on the cowling today and ran in to a big problem with the mufflers. The plans show modifying the mufflers so they will be fully enclosed but for some reason mine would need a lot of modifying and quite an extra expense. I am using the DLE 60 twin, just like Wendell shows, but the fronts of the mufflers would need to be tapered back quite a bit. As soon as I get it fitted around the mufflers I'll post a photo or two. I am cutting the cowl around the mufflers up front and the cuts will be below the teardrops, in the radius of the teardrops. It's a bummer but I had to do it.
Frank

OldScaleGuy

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Great looking project(s). What are you fella's using for landing gear?

smithfj

I bought my gear from TNT Landing Products. It's a two piece gear and very rugged.

Frank

TomCrump

Frank

I had this done on my 50 twin. It wasn't all that expensive. If it isn't too late, you may want to check prices before cutting up your cowl.

smithfj

Tom, I had one done for my Mustang and it cost me around $35.00. I figured this would have cost me at least another $100.00 to chop and channel them so I elected to cut the cowling. You can see by these photos that it could be expensive since it would be cutting in to the screw areas and that would need additional welding. I think it will be okay once the cowl is painted and all pictures taken from the top. I do plan on cutting the muffler exhaust pipes two inches shorter.

TomCrump

I paid around $40.00 for the two, but they stopped before the mounting bolts, Frank.

Yours doesn't look bad at all. I wouldn't worry about it.

jperkinstrades

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I have been working on the main wings and now have both sides completed. I also have the horizontal stab and elevators done and sheeted. I am currently working on the vertical stabilizer and rudder and hope to have that completed tomorrow. I am hoping to receive my fiberglass parts and landing gear soon.

jperkinstrades

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Frank,
I don't think that looks bad at all , you will never see it from the top.

smithfj

Thanks jperkins for the boost in my endeavors.
Your model is coming along very nice and hope you get great satisfaction from it. I wish I could paint indoors but the fumes are pretty bad especially when they waft upstairs. It will be April/may before I can do painting.

jperkinstrades

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I had a good friend of mine who is a Hot Rod builder/ fabricator make me a set of aluminium landing gear this week and they turned out awsome. If anybody is interested in a set I know he will make more. I completed my vertical stab and rudder and have been rough fitting the tail group. Also received my cowl this week from Fibertech N More and it looks great.[h=2][/h]

DRCRAIG

My Feedback: (31)

Does the fiberglass gear have the airfoil cross section and the skirts at the fuselage?
What did he charge you for it?
Thanks.

smithfj

Well here is the landing gear fairing pictures. Took me 2 weeks just to get this far. Can't work on them all the time as I have to many irons in the furnace. I did finish my rudder cables and steering cables today and now I'm almost at a standstill until Spring so I can paint and finish up the small stuff. I can sand some between other projects to get her ready.
Frank

DRCRAIG

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Gorgeous work Frank.
What glue did you use to attach the balsa fairings to the aluminum gear?

smithfj

I used epoxy to glue the fairings on. I cleaned the gear, a slight rough sand, and put them on. The fairing, gear to fuselage, was done in blue Styrofoam, in two pieces, glued together then glassed with two lightweight and two medium cloths. I then removed the foam with a soldering iron, fitted the fairing and CA'd it to the gear fairing. Now I just need to sand and paint.
Frank

Snoopy

The faring looks great and must take time and patience. Have a question when landing and the aluminum gear flexes will the balsa not snap off or have you done this before and worked if it does I am very interested in this. How thick is the balsa. It must look great.

smithfj

Snoopy, this is a fairly heavy landing gear made of 1/4 inch 6061-T6 aluminum and is pretty stiff. I hope the 3/16 balsa fairings (shaped) do stay on. I'll know this summer-I hope. My Stinson Reliant had shaped fairings which I applied the same way and the held up okay.
Frank

OldScaleGuy

My Feedback: (2)

You may want to considering fiberglassing the fairings as well. Not only will it make the gear slightly more rigid it will protect them during taxi against grass, weeds, etc.