Byron Pitts Project
05-12-2019, 11:39 AM
#1
Byron Pitts Project
I purchased this 1/3-scale Pitts a few years ago as a restoration project. One photo, of the aircraft outside, was taken before I had purchased the airplane. It is glassed and painted. It was crashed at one point as the fuselage was glued together and glassed over on the interior and exterior of the fuselage. If I were to guess, I imagine it occurred on landing. The fuselage was cracked in a few spots and the bottom wing, creased. However, the spars on the bottom wing are OK and not damaged.
I decided to strip the fuselage down, as you see it, removed the glass over the fuselage cracks (as it was over paint), and applied new glass as well as a landing gear plate out of 1/8" aircraft ply. All areas were glassed and filled. When I glassed the aircraft (damaged areas), I used the toilet paper approach to absorb all excess resin and to add a minimal amount of weight. and masked off areas that I applied the glass over (edges), so I could simply use a little sandpaper to obtain a nice crisp edge.
I fabricated spacers to mount a DA-50 (engine not included), purchased stand-offs, made a choke linkage plate for a manual linkage to control the choke, and fabricated a new throttle/elevator/rudder servo plate and tank tray. Realistically, the firewall needs a 1/8" laminate on the interior to increase the firewall thickness, and the fuselage is ready for additional preparation, primer, and paint. The fuselage and tail section are very close to being complete. Pushrods are complete and currently connected to servos (servos are not included).
The bottom wing has a crease on the upper skin. Interplane struts are included but need to be repaired. Both the upper and lower wings need preparation (filling, primer, and paint). Also, the wings currently have the original Byron torque rods. Personally, I'd install a single servo per bottom aileron with a direct linkage and connect each upper and lower aileron (per side) together.
Great project, but I am just limited on time. I will include the original canopy (cracked), as well as a NIB canopy that I purchased from another fellow member.
$300, picked up in the Boston area. Price is for the airframe only. Again, this is a project for the builder/Bryon enthusiast.
E-mail me at [email protected] for additional photos or questions.
Best,
John
I decided to strip the fuselage down, as you see it, removed the glass over the fuselage cracks (as it was over paint), and applied new glass as well as a landing gear plate out of 1/8" aircraft ply. All areas were glassed and filled. When I glassed the aircraft (damaged areas), I used the toilet paper approach to absorb all excess resin and to add a minimal amount of weight. and masked off areas that I applied the glass over (edges), so I could simply use a little sandpaper to obtain a nice crisp edge.
I fabricated spacers to mount a DA-50 (engine not included), purchased stand-offs, made a choke linkage plate for a manual linkage to control the choke, and fabricated a new throttle/elevator/rudder servo plate and tank tray. Realistically, the firewall needs a 1/8" laminate on the interior to increase the firewall thickness, and the fuselage is ready for additional preparation, primer, and paint. The fuselage and tail section are very close to being complete. Pushrods are complete and currently connected to servos (servos are not included).
The bottom wing has a crease on the upper skin. Interplane struts are included but need to be repaired. Both the upper and lower wings need preparation (filling, primer, and paint). Also, the wings currently have the original Byron torque rods. Personally, I'd install a single servo per bottom aileron with a direct linkage and connect each upper and lower aileron (per side) together.
Great project, but I am just limited on time. I will include the original canopy (cracked), as well as a NIB canopy that I purchased from another fellow member.
$300, picked up in the Boston area. Price is for the airframe only. Again, this is a project for the builder/Bryon enthusiast.
E-mail me at [email protected] for additional photos or questions.
Best,
John
