Hi Dave, I don't think the tank was leaking all this time or if it was it was a very small leak. It just started dripping out of the nose wheel area the last time I flew it. If it was leaking before that could have been part of the problem with leaning out in vertical lines.

If you remember, Robart had replaced the air up/spring down retract cylinders with air up/air down cylinders. They only charged me about $15.00 to send the cylinders to me and I put them in the retract units myself. They worked just like Rhom Airs. Problem is they started leaking after only about 10 flights. At that point I decided to can the Robart's and ordered a set of Spring Air Retracts. Took a few weeks to get them but they are working perfect. I don't know why I had so much trouble with the Robarts. Our field is very smooth grass.

As I posted above when I put the Max Dailey Handcrafted 10 3/4 x 7 1/2-7 prop on my OPS the engine came to life. Very little leaning out in verticals even with the hole in the tank. I only have 3 of the Handcrafted props and I don't want to fly them as I consider them collector items since I was a personal friend of Max Dailey. I'm going to try an APC 11 x 7 composite prop in hopes that it works as well as the Handcrafted. I discovered I have a friend who has several of Max Dailey's props but I'm not sure what size and pitch they are. He indicated I could have some so we will see.

Tell Jim Oliver HELLO for me. I sure do appreciate him loaning me the OPS carb for testing. I should be done with it soon. I'm about ready to put my carb back on the OPS to see if it runs the same as his after all the changes I am making.

I am going to try to get down to one of the contest in your area this summer. Will probably be the Huntsville contest since I have a sister-in-law living in Madison.

Ralph