Melchizedek

This is going to be a 1/3 scale Wendell Hostetler Gilmore Red Lion Build.
I have taken his 1/4 scale plans and enlarged them by 125 %.
Wing span 105 3/4 inches.




This is my first plans build. I will also make my own cowl, wheel pants, and pull the canopy.

A couple of changes I will be making to the design :
Adding wing tubes
Adding a field joint in the fuse right behind the wing trailing edge. This to aid transportation.

It will be powered by an EME 70cc twin.








The plans call for the main spar in the center wing section and about 8 inches into the outer panels to be a lamination of upper and lower wood spar sandwiched between 3/32 aircraft. This creates a pocket for a wood wing jointer. I will be using a 1" aluminum wing tube instead of the wood jointer. So to save weight I changed the 3/32 ac ply lam to 1/16 ac ply.

To begin, I made a 1/2 mdf template of the center spar. I then laminated up the wood portion of the main spar. I used aspen and cut it up into 1/8 by 3/4 strips. Each spar is a lamination of three 1/8 by 3/4 strips glued together with epoxy. Then the spar was squared up to 3/8 by 5/8. The rear spar is 1/4 by 1/4 aspen.





The wing center section is flat with the outer bays rising at 3 degrees for the dihedral. Extra stock was glued to the outer bay portion of the center spar. To accommodate that 3 degree rise and maintain 3/8 by 5/8 spar.
The spars were tac glued to the 1/2 template and the outer edges trued up with a router.
The inner edges were parallel cut on table saw on the lower spar and disc sanded to shape on the upper


The ac ply skins were cut with the same template.



One of the spar skins was 77 tack glued to the template and the template was blocked around the perimeter and spacers in the middle to keep the spar on the perimeter of the skin. This was epoxied in place.




Next the wing rib templates were cut out of 1/2 inch mdf.




Till next time,

Kevin

acerc

Looking good Kevin.

Melchizedek

Thank you Robert

With the lower skin dry, decided to put some vertical braces in. Wendell uses this pocket for a wood plug that is a wooden wing tube.
Since I don't need that space, thought it prudent to bulk up the 1/16 ac ply skins where there is a wing rib.
I left the ends open cause I intend to us a plug to align center and outer wing halves during construction.





Once this is all set up. I will run a flushing router around the template. Cleans the hard epoxy line very clean.
Then it gets separated from the template and the template gets saved (least another gets built in the future).

Kevin

VincentJ

Followed you over here Kevin, as always looking fine... A friend at the flying field built one a bit smaller, but it flies great!

Melchizedek

Glad to have you Vince & Robert.

Good to have first hand flight report.
I have seen a few fly on YouTube. Not many build logs of this bird though.
I originally wanted to build a GeeBee. But the inherent instability of the gb made that a non starter for my pilot skills.
The Red Lion has a GB,ish look to it. Also has a sinisterly fast look about it also.

Kevin

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Good start Kevin, I'm subscribed! I had to read up on the original it's amazing built by a guy that can't read blueprints and started building airplanes by drawing the outline on the hanger floor!

Mike

jeffo

My Feedback: (68)

Looks good,being a race plane you'll want more power.I built a 1/3 scale clipped wing Monocoupe with a 100cc gas(94 inch W.S.),and it's a blast to fly.jeffo

Melchizedek

Hi Mike,
Welcome aboard, so glad to have you .

I did not know the history of this plane. Just thought it look great and would be a challenge to build, but not overwhelm me.
If you have any links on the history do share ?


Welcome Jeffo

The 70 cc is the big end of Wendells engine suggestion for the 1/4 scale. I figure it will put me just a little north of in the middle on the 1/3 scale.
Will try and keep this as light as I can. I can always re engine it when the time comes.

Kevin

Melchizedek

When I got home I ran the router around the perimeter to clean the epoxy glue line off. I am very satisfied with the result.
I was a little worried the 1/16 ply would make the spar box a little twisty (plans called for 3/32 ply).
The spar box is as stout as a pipe. I can make it twist, but only with tons of force.



Kevin

Cub Flyer Fresno

Great! Another thread to follow. I just can't say no though!

Looking good Kevin. Since this is your first scratch build, I need to follow along. I'll do my best.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I would recommend to anyone following this build to read up on the history of this airplane and the builders it was very interesting. They started out to build an airplane that could fly 400 mph and that any pilot could fly, all with no formal training just their flying experience to fall back on. Measurements were taken after the airplane was built!

Melchizedek

Welcome aboard David

Mike, thank you so much for the background. I will read up on it

The size of the cowl looks like they went out and found the biggest most powerful radial on the planet and built a plane around it

Kevin

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

They weren't shy on adding horse power that's for sure! Still its a great looking plane, very much like a Gee Bee but without the bad habits. Great choice! The more I read about the more I think I would pick a Red Lion over a Gee Bee to build.

Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

Will also follow along. I built a Byron WWR a few back and it still fly's great.

Agree with FlyerinOKC about the history of this plane. This book gives a great story of the rise and fall of the Wedell Williams Air Service. The book "Wedell-Williams Air Service" By Robert Hirsch and Barbara Schultz.. Several websites also had info.


Pete

Melchizedek

Welcome Pete

So glad to have you. Your WWR turned out fabulous. First class job.
Hope mine comes out that nice
I think I am going with the blisters if I can pull it off. Just looks mean with em. Like a bulldog with spike collar.

Kevin

Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

Thanks Kevin. I have the cowl blisters left over from my build that I didn't need. They are made of ABS plastic, they were to be glued on the appropriate locations then feather in the seam with body filler. The scale may be off but they could help. If you want them let me know and I will dig them out.

Pete

Leroy Gardner

Sorry you got bummed out on the spacewalker, I thought you were getting close to covering it. Anyway this looks to be quite a project it's self, it's an interesting looking plane with some likely challenges, should be fun.

Leroy

Melchizedek

Hi Leroy

Bummed out is to strong a word. Just the passion tank was to low for the SW. It deserves a tank on full.
A change of scenery was needed. I will get back to the SW some day soon with a full tank

Kevin

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Does anyone know of a good source for cowling blisters? I need a set for the Ryan project I have going.

Melchizedek

Mike can't help on who would carry such a specific item.
I can tell you how I plan to go about my blisters. (This will be a first time for me)

Make 1 out of balsa or foam. Glass and polish it. Right now planning on using ultracal 30 to pour a mold of the blister.
Then use the mold to make all the glass blisters.



Pete,
Thank you very much for your kind offer. I might get back to you on that.
I did want to ask you about the Williams Brothers plastic model kit.
Does it come with the blistered cowl ? Also do you know if the kit is very scale ?
I'm thinking of picking one up.

Kevin

VincentJ

Happy New Year Kevin!

Melchizedek

Thank You Vince

Happy New Year to ALL.

My new year hope is that your Best day of 2014 will be your worst day of 2015.

Kevin

Melchizedek

Well the preliminary spar work is done.

With the main center spar done next I cut temp wood wing rod (plug) to fit the interior space. I used poplar for this.
I machined the poplar to fit snug (no slop). Then chamfered the corners to clear the epoxy fillet.
It took some time to get the fit just right. I am glad I opted for wing tubes instead of would plugs like the plan calls for.
Fitting a set of wood plugs just right and tight but not to tight would be a pain in the hinny.
The poplar was then waxed up real nice.



They were then inserted into the center spar to create the correct plan for the out wing spar.
The 4 plates for the two outer spars were left wide, to be sized after glue up.
This meant I only needed a square plane at the but joint.



The outer aspen spars were then epoxied into place ends pre squared.
They were just finger pressed against the wood plug. Needs to come back apart easily.


I did not glue the top plate down until the bottom was set so I could assure nothing slipped.



Then the plywood was routed flush with the outer edge of spar.



With that the spar work is complete.


Next up wing ribs.

Kevin

Rocketman612

My Feedback: (85)

Kevin,
Happy New Year.

Yes the Williams 1/32 Model Kit is well worth the purchase. It is very scale and more important it has a set of decals for all the versions of the WWR the 121, 92 and 44. Also it has great three views of each version with wing top and bottom so graphics and location was a breeze. I sent the decal sheet to Denny at Cajun RC graphics and he did an incredible job for mine.

Pete

Melchizedek

Thanks Pete for the info on the Williams Kit.
I called my local HS and I was surprised, they had one on the shelf.
They are going to hold it for me till I can make it by to pick it up

Did some work on the ribs today. Still more to do.

I had cut patterns. I sanded all the patterns till there was just a faint smidge of a line.
When I set them all together there was some variation. This is a hand drawn drawing blown up. No surprise.
So I bondo,d the low spots and feathered things in. l think I got it right.

The ribs a # 6 to 10.
There are 19 #6s. From the center out. Most split ribs some whole. All the same shape.
When the wing gets to the aileron it begins to taper. There are 2 each of # 7 thru # 10.

I focused on the #6 ribs.
The blanks were all band sawed large then routed to size with a top bearing cutter.





Lots to do yet before wing assembly can begin.

Kevin