RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Nice work there.  Good he has a compass deviation card on the panel as I'm sure that power lead will give 'em about 20degrees off.

Kidding of course.

Ray W.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

just got done with the flying wires.. what a difference, they made everything nice and tight, im not sure how to tension them, they are Tight like a guitar string ( too tight???) we will see tomorrow. As for anyone else building one of these, i highly recomend flying wires, i feel much better flying this plane now, no fears of the wings falling off or folding, those wood spars just didnt seem to be enough strength.

cheers.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

As with most typical biplanes except Fokker DVII for example its the flying and landing wires that keep them together actually.

nice looking plane

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Guitar string tight might be a bit too much. Enough tension to be just snug. I've flown my Fleet with "snug" for some years now and no problem. They do stretch in time if you use solid wire tho. I use braided fishing steel leader and seldom need much tuning.

I was hoping to fly mine tomorrow but I'm still waiting for a servo extension to be delivered.

On the 3rd scale Fleet , the plans call for flying wires as is mandatory. I build lots of beef in the attach points.

Ray W.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

I've a pic somewhere of the full restoration of a JN04 down at Week's Fantasy of Flight.   Fuse was uncovered and I never seen so many turnbuckles and wire.  Could have saved some money on glue with that one.

Ray W.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Kinner, you hit the nail right on the head, i noticed the fabric was a little wrinkled around the mounting plate i attached to the lower wing, so here in a min im going to cut into the wing and add some strength to the strut / wire mount, and beef up. and YES, i backed off the tension a little, and also i used stainless fishing leader for the wires, LOVE EM.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

If anyone is interested, Hobby King has ASP 5 cylinder radials back in stock:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...ow_Engine.html

$777.00

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

I'm sure some of you have already run across this guy's website, but I though it was worth sharing here, for the good storytelling and the many superb detail pictures of a Fleet Model 7.

http://www.usaviator.net/aviation/19...etpretrade.htm

I love the rounded rudder and extended fin. I think I will do that with my Fleet.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

That's the first time I've seen that site. Great stuff! I had to chuckle to myself when I saw the use of the black spring clamps with orange tips. Looked like my use of them when I re-covered my first Fleet.

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Ok  guys, Im back in tx. Great time in N. J. . Weather was pretty good . Catching up on pass news with the brothers. Waiting for UPS  to bring  3 fleets  back, that I built years ago. Im going to recover them. Hope everyone had a safe holiday.  HANK</p>

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Thanks BOB for the info on ASP 5cly.  They already notify me. Have 2 on their way to TX.  HANK</p>

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Dgliderguy... Here are some updated pix on the featured Fleet. New Owner according to my latest Fleet sources reports it is a gas to fly.

My 1/4 Fleet is done and ready for the sky. Weather has been perfect but rain is coming. Hopefully, the trailer mods will be done and I can go to the field in style.

Ray W.Speed ring and scallops pretty the girl up. I'm not a fan of the green, however.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Thanks for the update, Kinner. Personally, I think the green is an improvement over the rather hackneyed primary colors, but man, that engine is a HUGE hunk on the nose, ain't it? Seems like overkill to me. I will detail mine as a 5-cyl Kinner or Scarab variant (if I can find some acceptable jugs, that is).

d.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

The Kinner jugs are so very simple to duplicate with thin ply and balsa stacked on a dowel ala Concept plans. The Continental jugs are a bit more stylistic with complicated rocker boxes but then....

I chickened out on my 1/3 Fleet and went the RCAF orange/yellow with roundels.

US type certificate for the Fleet 16 calls for solo from front seat only. My friend who owns a 16B likes the added perkiness of flying solo from the rear seat. All a null issue wth the Continental sitting up front. I wonder how much lead was added to the tail.


Ray W.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Just two?

I'm jealous.

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

I'm jealous too, but since it doesn't come with them he'll have to buy 10 glow plugs! Ha!

Oh well, maybe one of these days.

Dave

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

  YOU SAY NO PLUGS com[:-]e with them !!!!!!. Hope my auto supply has them . HANK.                                               

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Fox Miracle Plugs should work just fine at about half the cost of O.S.

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

I"ve OS  "F" plugs in my Enya and had to trim the remote head locks to make them lock.   Base of that plug is some what lower than most others.   Plug reach is the same, just the top end.

Fleet schedule to take to the air tomorrow.   I wold today, but no one else can make the field.   I don't do solo flying.

Ray W.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

  THANKS   BOB, FOR THE INFO. I WAS LOOKING IN TOWER HOBBIES CATLOG FOR PRICE RANGE.  THEY SHOULD BE HERE TODAY.  ILL ORDER 1 SETT  TO SEE HOW THEY WORK.  YOU SAID YOU HAD  1 CYL NOT WORK RIGHT ON TAKE OFF. DID YOU GET THE PROBLEM FIX.  ALSO DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PROBLEM THAT I SHOULD LOOK FOR.   HANK   #20

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

I wold today, but no one else can make the field. I don't do solo flying.


Smart man Ray !!!! me neither !



Denis Winters
No. 3 or 4 or 7 errrr

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Hank, sometimes a cylinder would drop out and sometimes it wouldn't. It was a crapshoot with mine. I usually make sure the engine is temperature stabilized by running it at moderate speed with the glow driver engaged before taking off. After an hour or so of engine run time, start to tweak the low speed adjustment by turning the screw in about 1/8 turn at a time to lean out the low end. This will give you better fuel economy. Make sure the high end is near peak before adjusting the low end and that the transition hasn't suffered as a result of your adjustment. If it does, back off on the low end.

Ray - good luck on the maiden.

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Not a very auspicious maiden.  Never got off the ground but I really didn't plan to.  First problems was getting the engine to fire and when it did, get both cylinders to work at the same time.   Took a while and a few nistart batteries but off she went when we got rid of the kinked fuel feeders.   Some low idle adjustments and now it is on to re working the EPA on the throttle servo.   I usually have the engine shut off via max low throttle but this bird still wanted to run. 

Did pass the range check with flying colors but I had an intermittent elevator servo that would not respond only until the engine was running.  Checked all the connections to no resolve.  So, it's yank the servo for another NEW one.

I did forget how long it takes to put this beauty together.   Good day anyway as the wife packed a great lunch, spectacular weather for January and a dozen or so bald eagles thermaling overhead. 

I'm bushed but pleased.  Now we got and settle up with glitches.

Ray W.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

      THANKS  BOB FOR THE INFO . ALL MY FLEETS , AND THE MOTORS CAME  YESTERDAY.  JUST WAITING FOR THE PLUGS NOW. I MADE A COPY OF YOUR INFO.  BEEN A LONG TIME  PLAYING WITH GLOW ENG'S. I BOUGHT THESE MOTOR'S SO THE GIRLS WILL LOOK BETTER.  I HAVE ONE THAT HAS A  38 ZEN.  FLIES VERY WELL. HAD TO MAKE A NEW COWL FOR IT.  NO CYN SHOWING. FLEET HAD A STRAIGHT 4 CYLN AT ONE TIME. BUT CHANGE BACK  TO  5 CYL. TOOK ONE OF THE FLEETS FROM N.J. . ASHAMED I HAD TO TAKE OFF COVER, DUE TO WASPS OR HORNETS MAKING A HOME INSIDE . AFTER 20 YRS  LAYING AROUND, BEST TO INSP THE AIR FRAME. MY FRIENDS WHO HAD THESE BIRD'S HAD PASSED AWAY.  HANK  #20.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Hank, what are you going to re-cover it with?

Bob