20407 Update

[1938BF50]

Here are some pics of progress on 20407. We hit 80 here in WI yesterday....what a perfect day to work on "SWEET-T" all day!

The new tailwheel springs lifted the tail several inches which looks much better. Refinished and added the new(to me) trim flippers and restored Heath tailwheel. Nearly ready to put the lexan on the skylite. I see why doors are serial numbered! I am guessing that each may have been custom fit to that fuselage. The replacement LH door that I rec'd does not even come remotely close to fitting. Lot's of mods will be needed to make it work.

[1938BF50]

Re: 20407 Update

Oops...I see Sweet-T is taken. I'll think of another Hank. I already have a sweety daughter anyway.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: 20407 Update

Here are some pics of progress on 20407. We hit 80 here in WI yesterday....what a perfect day to work on "SWEET-T" all day!

The new tailwheel springs lifted the tail several inches which looks much better. Refinished and added the new(to me) trim flippers and restored Heath tailwheel. Nearly ready to put the lexan on the skylite. I see why doors are serial numbered! I am guessing that each may have been custom fit to that fuselage. The replacement LH door that I rec'd does not even come remotely close to fitting. Lot's of mods will be needed to make it work.

I have run into that problem as well with a 41 we have here as well. I will have to seriosly modify or start from scratch to get a pair to fit. it sucks

Mike

[VictorBravo]

Re: 20407 Update

Lookin' GOOD!!! You're doing a fantastic job on it.

Don't expect a whole lot from those trim flippers. You might consider giving them some vitamins... anabolic vitamins

[mulwyk]

Re: 20407 Update

Mike:

Beautiful plane, What's that skylight design? Is that a STC skylight?

[MNJoe]

Re: 20407 Update

Mike,

If your using Lexan on the sky light I believe it is much softer then plexiglass thus will scratch much easier. I know you can punch and even bend lexan without heat.

Joe

[crispy critter]

Re: 20407 Update

We just used Lexan for the landing light lenses in Crispy. It's the first time we ever used any for anything,so we decided to test it a little bit....a 1/16" piece of Lexan will bend in a sheet metal break without any type of padding around it or heating it,it will bend past 90 degrees. You can drill it,bend it,punch it,warp it,twist it,use it in a metal break to put sharp angles on it,and if your careful you can fold it right back on itself like folding a piece of paper in half. As for scratching,we used a scribe,screewdriver,and a scotch brite pad....of course it would scratch but not as bad as the piece of plexi. Using a scotch brite pad we scuffed the plexi and the lexan....you could still see enough through the lexan to be able to do whatever you needed to do but the plexi was destroyed....try this little test for yourself someday...you'll be amazed at the results.

[1938BF50]

Re: 20407 Update

The skyite design is Bill Berle's. I am working with my very supportive IA in using this well thought-out design. Getting this done and approved should lend support to Bill's design and approval process.

Acrylic (Plexiglass) has 10 times the impact resistance of glass. Polycarbonate(Lexan) has 100X! It is about 10% harder than plexiglass. I used Lexan so that I could step down in thickness to 3/32"(.093) to save weight. Forms to the contours very easily. As Kevin stated, it is nice material to work with. The hardest part of working with it is leaving the darn protective film on until completion! I want Soooo bad to peel it off and see SKY! I should be able to get some pics tonite of the lexan installed.

[Dick Huish]

Re: 20407 Update

I've used 1/16 Polycarbonate for the rear greenhouse on the L-2's for years. I bend the center on both sides of the center spine on a brake. Drops right on. Look at the gallery picture set Fastback to Greenhouse picture 40304 007 for a good picture of it installed. Dick

[1938BF50]

Re: 20407 Update

Lot's of blue sky above!

[Dick Huish]

Re: 20407 Update

ike, I found that using less than 1/8 on the overhead window on the L-2s the window will sag after it has been exposed to summer heat. Dick

[1938BF50]

Re: 20407 Update

Thanx Dick,

I appreciate the advice, I'll watch for that. Did it take "set" where it sagged?

I sure wish my new seat sling would arrive. I want to climb in, throw my head back, sip a Chief Blackhawk Porter and bask in the sun!

[Larry Lyons]

Re: 20407 Update

Thanx Dick,

I appreciate the advice, I'll watch for that. Did it take "set" where it sagged?

I sure wish my new seat sling would arrive. I want to climb in, throw my head back, sip a Chief Blackhawk Porter and bask in the sun!

New Seat Sling? Where did you find one of those, Forrest? I do not know yet but suspect I will need one when the fuslage gets rebuilt. Speaking of Forrest, where is he? I need to talk to him.
Larry

[dedrekon]

Re: 20407 Update

Larry,
Seat slings are available through Airtex and most of the major aviation catalogs.

Mike,
If you'll send me a bottle of Chief Blackhawk Porter, I'll be glad to sit in my T and drink it for you! You could enjoy it vicariously as I bask in the.....rain.
Maybe we could swap...there are some tremendous micro-brews here in Oregon.


Vincent

[VictorBravo]

Re: 20407 Update

Wow Mike, that looks gorgeous! I'll drink a Sam Adams here for ya' (just did another test flight yesterday)

If you have any small wrinkles in the fabric after it's all said and done, you can sand off all the dopes down to the clear dope, use a small model airplane covering iron set to the minimum heat level for the fabric, shrink out the wrinkles, and build up the dopes again.

DO NOT use a heat gun or other ignition source of course! The model airplane iron is a great thing to have for when you recover anyway... cost you less than $20 through any hobby shop.

You are gonna be one happy camper when you fly it!