After a long and busy year and a half I have rebuilt my crashed Duellist and finally flew it today. The wing survived the Feb 2004 crash but I completely rebuilt the fuselage.

The wing was built from the Pica kit but the engine mounts were "zero'd" to the wing. The fuse is from the Mk II plans so all is at zero. The mains were too short on the first version and I kept striking props on our runway in San Antonio. I'm sitting up quite a bit higher now and flying off of grass so that should not be a problem.

The engines (TT Pro 46s) have been sitting and not started since the crash back in Feb of 2004. They fired right up and are both running great.

It was a short flight (about 3 minutes) but she tracks great and hauls *****. I forgot my neckstrap and having to hold on to the radio and flip the retract switch and dual rate switches was kinda tricky and nerve racking.

A safe successful second maiden flight. Can't wait to fly it some more.

Tim:

Looks nice, glad you got it going again.

I had not thought about moving the engines in one bay, but it still looks good. Prop clearance OK? How large a prop can you mount?

I guess your flight pattern is always from your right to left, otherwise "Duellist" would be wrong side up on an inverted pass, no?

Enjoy it.

Bill.

Bill,
It depends on which way the wind is blowing and whether or not it's an upwind or downwind pass! Honestly I didn't put much thought into it, just wanted to get something painted on the side to break up the yellow and that's the side that ended up inverted.