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Current project progress

There have been no update pictures here for the last several months as I
have been recovering from double knee replacements. I am back at gluing
and making sawdust on the wing spars, so keep an eye here for some spars
and wings being assembled in the near future. (3/17/08)

Progress photos (click photo for full size version)
 

Bottom of tail plane - finished

Tail plane with top colors to finish, soon!!

Tailplane with one of the elevators being fitted for
final assembly


Tailplane with one of the elevators being fitted for
final assembly

Tailplane with one of the elevators being fitted for
final assembly

Top of the Tailplane

Top of the Tailplane

Top of the Tailplane

Top of the Tailplane

Top of the Tailplane

Bottom of the Tailplane
with "dope codes/part numbers" applied

Bottom of the Tailplane
with "dope codes/part numbers" applied

Bottom of the Tailplane
with "dope codes/part numbers" applied

Tailplane fitted for gap seal fabrication
6/23/06


Fuselage ready for the
finish layer of plywood
6/23/06


Fuel tank complete and
in place
6/23/06


Rear wing spar being fabricated on the building table
6/23/06


Inner portion of the rear
wing spar
6/23/06


Right elevator with the
last of the balsa wood in place - ready for the
top skin
6/23/06


Bottom of the elevator
ready for the trailing edge
and finish sanding
6/23/06


Upper and lower beams, rough laminated for the front spars and ready for final shaping
8/29/06


Upper and lower beams, rough laminated for the front spars and ready for final shaping
8/29/06


Front spar viewed from butt end with about half of the webs installed 11/06


Front spar viewed from the tip. 11/06


Elevator top skin and trim tab push rod fairing fitted. 11/06


Elevator top skin installed ready for leading edge pieces and small corner piece. 11/06


Fuel tank cover with access door fitted. 2/07


Fuel access door ready for Dzus fasteners. 2/07


Right side fuselage skins fitted. 2/07


Right side skins ready for nutplates and color. 2/07


Left forward panels fitted and ready paint. 3/07


Left forward panels fitted and ready paint. 3/07

All sheet metal forward of the seat done and painted. 5/07

Another distant view of the sheet metal with the front spar putting the size of the airplane into perspective. 5/07

A close up of the port side, take note of the original rear view mirror. 5/07

Not a real good picture of the panel and gunsight, taken into the sun, but makes one want to climb in and... 5/07

The other wing spar starting to come together, outer pieces next to it. 7/07

The front left wing spar with the first layer of ply and upper beam ready to glue-in. 7/07

Rear spars and left front spars ready for webs. 10/07

Left front spar showing upper and lower beams, ready for 15 ply and spruce webs. 10/07

Rear spar with scarf joint held temporarily with "C" clamps to determine proper angle. 10/07

Rear spar, front side. Note, building table is 20 feet long. 10/07

Front Spars in place ready for wing attach fittings. 4/08

Front Spars left side. 4/08

Rear spar in place with some ribs. 4/08

Left spar in place, ready for drilling. 5/08

Upper wing attach fittings being reamed and pinned in place. 5/08

Upper wing fittings on right side. 5/08

Laser level used to make sure fuselage and spars are on the level. 5/08

A good view from the back of the airplane showing spars in place. 5/08

Another angle of the right wing. 5/08

A box of 4130 chrome-moly steel rods destined to be wing attach bolts, being used to align holes as they are reamed. 5/08

Attach fittings, finished, bushings installed and ready to be bolted down for wing ribs and ply. 6/08

Another view of the attach fittings on the left side, right side to follow. 6/08
     
     
     
     
     

   



 




 

Updates will be more forthcoming in the future to show steady progress on the prototype.

For details on any part of the assembly, please email with request.