Got a chance to fly some Classic Pattern this past weekend @ the Fountain City Flyers Field in Prattville,Ala. I can't tell you what a thrill it is to fly these old Pattern planes again !! If a BPA/CPA contest comes up close to you ,I would suggest you give em a try.
Dave..

Guy's

Got a new set of orignal Bootlegger wing and stab cores on the way !!! This will be one of those fun builds as I enjoy building wood airplanes. The Fiberglass top half is just Icing on the cake !!

Dave..

Dave

Please share your ideas on the fuse I need all the help possible. Its great to have resources like Eureka to help the classic community out. Post pictures when cores arrive please.

Tim

Ok Tim,
As you know The plug for the top cap is being made and was all most ready the last time we spoke !! I have the plans for the Bootlegger from Paul, Sooo I guess we are on the way...

Dave

Dave,

Are these going to be available to purchase?

Bryan,
I don't know just how to answer that ?? If you would like one for your build, I'm sure we could make that happen.

Dave...

What is it about the Bootlegger that seems to require a glass fuselage. It doesn't look much different than a Curare, Compensator, etc., build wise.

The Bootlegger was never built out of wood !! It was built out of fiberglass so it could use a rear exaust motor and the tune pipe went under the canopy !! I'm sure you could build one out of wood if you wanted too !!!

Dave

Dave,

Thank you, Iwould like one.Didn't mean to jump the gun about selling themit sounded like you were going to reproduce a few andI was just thinking if you were going to make a mold for them that it would be niceto have one instead of me having to reinvent the wheel so to speak.

I also have beenworking on the mods required for a Compensator to Bootlegger conversion. Just cleaned up the Bootlegger plan that Paul generously shared and doing measurements. Hope to start some cad work tonight or at least get the tif's I made from the Comp & BL pdf into cad.

I reviewed both plans and I think it will be an easy mod. The Compensator fuse is a simple box fuse with only five formers and nose ring.

Anyway I'm working on it as well.
Bryan

Bryan

Sounds great the project is making progress I look forward to your drawing for compulegger/bootlegger which is really a wood Bootlegger. Radios tend to like wood better last longer less vibration transmitted to on board parts

Tim<br type="_moz" />

Here's a pic of apreliminary Compulegger.

I just pasted the bootlegger upper half over the Compensator fuse. I also moved the nose gear back 5/8in to line up with the Bootlegger 3/8" firewall. The Boolegger plan shows the main gear 1 1/8 in back from CG and bent backwards at the wheel.

Working on formers

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">
Bryan, if you need pics of an actual fuse for reference or dimensions let me know.</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"></div><span style="font-size: 12pt">It looks like this is moving right along !</span>

Bryan,
That looks just like what I had in mind !! The pipe floor will be the top of the fuse. and will build upside down !! Just for your info ,the top cap is the same width as the Compensatior. On your drawing you are using the Compensator stab and location ?? are you going to build it that way ??

Dave

I have 3 Bootleggers that are from Southern R/C kits built in 1980 by Jim Simpson. One has never had the equipment installed into it.

Hummmmmmm ?? The next question is, Do Ya want to sell em ????

Paul, How old it that Tipo next to the bootlegger ??? Look's like the epoxy has cured !!

Dwayne,

I have not seen this but took a quick look. It is all very interesting and from people that don't have a lot of knowledge that the first 2 Bootleggers were built from wood with foam wings and stab.

Steve Helms

I just received this from Steve.

The more I look at the superimpositions between glass Boots and other wood planes, the more I feel that the wood version should be simply drawn from the Boots glass planform plan. There is nothing compelling about a Compensator or a Deception that facilitates the "adapting" of those designs to the Bootlegger. I'd venture that one would find similarities between any two classics.

As Steve put it in the statement above, a wood (or some other non composite material) fuse must have been built to produce a plug initially, otherwise the glass ones could not have been made. The question is, did Steve ever draw or at least sketch up his original wood version? Dwayne, If you were able to get some more insight from Steve on the subject, it could help to redraft plans for a wood version.

But I do think Dave's idea of using a glass top canopy/pipe tunnel deck is a good one - makes the build quite a bit easier. Dave, are you planning to produce a mold of the deck?

David

Dave,

Most of the Tipo's I have seen of early 80's production looked like that. I bought one of the very first kits released by GP in '82 (GP's inception) and it looked the same. I just finished painting it last fall actually - it was a slow build...

I also have a late 80's fuse and it looks a little lighter in color but also in thickness. No side and seam reinforcements either. About 18 oz vs the 20+ of the early 80's production. I suspect the first GP kit fuses were done by Bill Keller who was making some of the fuses for Dick Hanson at the time.

I wonder how much Don's modern day fuses weigh?

David

David,
We are going to make a mold out of the top cap and try to reproduce some !! Don't know how many ????
As for the build, I'm going to build the same as the Bootlegger but using the Compensator build method !!

Dave..

David

When I get the top cap from Dave I would like to send the dimensions to you. If you have time and the inclination you could make drawing that would be great. Am in total agreement with you that the top cap will simplify the build from pipe tunnel standpoint.

Tim

<br type="_moz" />

David

When I get the top cap from Dave I would like to send the dimensions to you. If you have time and the inclination you could make drawing that would be great. Am in total agreement with you that the top cap will simplify the build from pipe tunnel standpoint.
Dwayne does Steve have drawings of wood fuse that would be awesome to have and use. I live about 1 hour from Huntsville and could meet Steve to obtain,buy,steal, or borrow drawing, scan for distribition if he is willing to provide information.


Tim

<br type="_moz" />

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Verdana">
Hey Dave, yup that epoxy sure has cured, very stiff fuse this one. Like David stated it's an 80's fuse. <o></o></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><o><font face="Verdana"></font></o></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Verdana">It just happens to be a 1983 or so 825 Hippo Tipo, the one with the pipe channel running down the fuse.

The Bootleggeron the other handlooks like it's still curing! Ha ha LOL. </font></p>

As best I can tell the root and tips are 14" and 9 3/8".

Hi y'all

Plugs for the Bootlegger and Deception canopies are ready and have 10 coats of parting wax. I am wating for the brown truck to deliver the Tooling Gelcoat, in the mean time I will start spraying the PVA. The other two items in the pictures are a mold for a Compensator canopy and a cowling that I intend to use in my next Compensator.