ram3500-RCU

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BTW, after we got back we took the cowl off and as yet, we have no idea why she quit. I am going to install another 3W ignition and see what that does. I wish we could find some concrete but can't.

Also, I didn't mention, the cowl was undamaged. With all that 'Steel Powder' in the ring, it is almost indestructible.

jeff naul

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Hey Gary... you got to love these guy's hanging around!!! This guy hung out in the heat all day waiting for me to fly. He was a B-24 pilot and had to bail out.... Piece of advice....due to my experience of belly landings these birds..( I won't say which gear caused all these belly landings) If you know for a fact you can make the field put the flaps down!! This plane wont slow down!! You know that now soon as you know your about to touch the belly the put the flaps up and watch her slide!! The one in question I finally added 1/16 ply to the bottom ahead of the belly pan and added the fiberglass belly pan filled with foam..only one belly in since but that was my fault because a wheel fell off!! Later man, Jeff

heres my bubble in the background... My weekend bird..

ram3500-RCU

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Nice pictures and good advice on the flaps. Hope I don't need to try it, at least for this season.

ram3500-RCU

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Here is a link to club photos from the event. Lots of cool planes, and they got a shot of Zombie being retrieved from the corn field.

www.alliancebalsabees.com/photos.html

BTW, you will see a couple pictures of a 3 blade hover craft. It has a camera on it and was going around taking some of the pictures you will see.

ram3500-RCU

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This plane won 'peoples choice', Zombie came in second.

ram3500-RCU

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Zombie being retrieved.[]

43 flights, 3 dead sticks for various reasons, and one belly landing under power due to gear malfunctions (before conversion).

Seams I'm getting plenty of practice with emergency procedures, and this year, I have had more take offs than landings.

Mustangman40

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Gary,
you been getting my Pm's, I sent you a couple?

ram3500-RCU

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Thought I replied to the ones I got. I'll go back and take another look.[]

luckyb

Hey Gary........you had better give the ignition and fuel systems a long look. Seems I remember this happening at WOG as well. Maybe the heat? Wouldn't want to kill that breathtaking 47. 3W was always a bit twitchy according to my 3D buddies. Jeff was right about throwing flap, as they won't slow down quickly.At least you had corn.......we have water. They will take a beating though, love that Meister..........Doug

ram3500-RCU

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Hello Doug. Yes. I have another 3W ignition that we are going to install for tests. The engine has new reeds in it, and a new reed holder. Don't think that is the problem. I'm leaning toward the ignition taking a crap. One other thing I thought of just tonight is the plug. I never checked it after the last incident. It could have been cracked and then broken from the vibration of running. The cowl was not damaged in either accident though. I'll put a new plug in anyway.

At WOG we found an obvious cause, the broken throttle arm. This time, there is no clear cause. Very frustrating.

The wings plowed thru the corn stalks with almost no effects. The left wing only had the lens knocked off, the right wing has several small dings in the leading edge, and lost the lens as well. No other damage. We actually like the little dents in the leading edge.

In this incident, by the time I the 180 over, I was 1/3 of the way down a 600' runway, had a slight tail wind, and was still 30' high. Just no time to get her down on the runway. I was, however, lined up with the center line. I held the wings perfectly level and just let her settle in over the field. It was a very gentile landing, just glad we had not put the guns and pitot tube on. They would have taken a real beating.

The newly repaired gear works well though.

She will be ready for her next event in two weeks.

luckyb

Looking forward to seeing you guys at Monsters so please don't break it( lol ). I'm beginning to think you're practicing to be a test pilot like Dean. Just remember you're supposed to do this with other peoples aircraft ( lol ).......Doug

john534

Hi guys,
Ram I have been admiring your Thunderbolt from afar and it is fantastic. Sorry to see your miss-hap, but glad its ok. You guys build some serious heavy metal! I am looking for a full size drawing or sketch of the Meister firewall to help with a funky(not so standard) engine install I am working on. Also, could some one throw at me the internal cowl dimensions(front to back, top to bot, any others...)?
Thanks a bunch guys!!!

John

Icemanjr92

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Hi John,
I will mail you the firewall and cowl plate template.

Dino

john534

Thanks Dino! I really appreciate your help,
John

Icemanjr92

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Anytime John!
Was mailed out today....
Hope it helps.

scale only 4 me

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Gary,
We have our Big Bird Fly in this Saturday if you just can't wait

ram3500-RCU

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The Judge is getting worried. LOL Well, not really. Just before the flight with Zombie, I put his big electric P-51 up. 2 minutes in, a wire on the battery broke at a factory joint, shutting down the motor. I left the gear up and got her down. Yes, TWO dead sticks that day!!!!!! It was getting a little ridiculous. Both planes survived though. IMO, it is what happens when things go bad that makes or breaks a pilot, right.

Anyway, I ready for some nice low stress flying this season.

ram3500-RCU

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WOW, I thought we had another week. Time is really 'flying' this summer. Can't do it Saturday. NUTS. When is the war bird event?

Gary

ram3500-RCU

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John, you will not find a more supportive company than Meister and Dino.

Best wishes with your project, and thank you for the compliment on Zombie.

I'll be posting some more pictures of her when we get her out the next time. I'd like to show you guys how she handled the belly landing corn field action. You will be amazed at how little she was affected. Can't say enough about how tough this plane is. NO ARF could have survived what this Miester has been through. I'm certain of that. She has a long life ahead of her. Well worth the time put into her.

luckyb

Gary, my '47 "Junkyard Dog" is so old that the fuse is a Trillium Balsa kit from Canada.It is still up there crankin' around. I love the toughness but also the repairability. The arfs are nice but just don't last if you're in for the long haul. I would buy another one from Dean but I'm waiting for someone to give me another derelict one( remember how this thread started) lol.........Doug

scale only 4 me

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Yeah too quick,
Since I broke my Pitts I don't have a plane ready either, I have a 33% not quite ready,, I hate to rush it in the air.

Jamie Hicks, Casey Rowe and a few other top 3D pilots are going to be there to put on a show,, should be good.
You could always come by and just hang out under the canopy,, that what I'll be doing, I might try to sell a few things too ;-)

August 27th is our Warbird Fly In
Hope to see you there

Icemanjr92

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Doug,
We do have a derelict one at the shop already... its dated 1995...lol

luckyb

My orders were to not touch that one, something about hanging it up and looking at it. The owner was quite specific, knowing that I was eying it up.

Icemanjr92

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HAHA... no that was Waynes thoughts... I never agreed to that 100% :-)

wayne d

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I think you did agree to that.