[mwavesdave]

That's pretty easy, it's just boxing in the areas. I've got a really detailed 1:24th scale plastic kit, just requires a pencil, ruler, and calculator! lol

[mwavesdave]

Notches for the six rows of stringers all done tonight, and test fitting on the go. I'll have to cut a few more stringers tomorrow, right after work, and then get them all glued in place. Saturday, hope to sheet that area, then flip around, and get the wheel wells done.

[Max]

Are you sure you dont want to build it so that I can fly that thing?

[mwavesdave]

I would love to, and it's certainly not overly difficult. The analysis of the use of Baltic Birch Plywood for homebuilt/experimental aircraft has already been done, I've used it on two homebuilt aircraft that I've done in the past. It's a matter of substituting the pine with either aircraft grade Sitka Spruce, or Yellow Cedar (only avail in Pacific NorthWest. The structural math for figuring out wing spar thickness would have to be done, but again, I've got all that from the Santa Anna I built, which is of similiar size and wing loading to what this would be. I'd probably opt though, for a 2 pc wing, joining at the centre, just for ease of construction, compared to the 3 pc. I've got all the diagrams for running controls, wiring harness, instruments, etc, from the real Hurricane, there's nothing stopping the build of a full sized flying replica. Oh, except for the whole $$$ thing. Basic Airframe, that's cheap, well under $5000 for that. Killer is engine, instruments and controls, which could easily bring the cost up tenfold, for a Hurricane that flies like a Cessna, or significantly more, i.e. six figures, for one that flies like a Hurricane.

Complete airframe for my Pietenpol, that ran me under $1000, got the Subaru EA-81 for $200, complete rebuild, with custom built PSRU and engine mount, basic instrument package, controls, etc, it was ready to fly for about $8,000! The Santa Anna, with same engine, but a much larger performance aircraft, was around $15,000, ready to fly. Bumping up from 100 Hp, to a minimum 300 Hp, would hugely increase the cost. Go up to 900 Hp, for some fun, ouch. If you've got oh, say $100,000, you could have your Hurricane! lol

[bbbair]

It's nice to know that you have done your research.

[mwavesdave]

I've mostly borrowed other people's research! lol The designer of the Santa Anna I built happened to live about 10 minutes away from my place! He was an aeronautical/structural engineer, and had done all the work ensuring that the use of Baltic Birch ply would fit the bill, and that Yellow Cedar would as well. Yellow Cedar is about 15% heavier than Sitka Spruce, but twice as strong. As an added bonus, it's rot proof, and insects hate it! Perfect for planes.

I did a ton of research on Clive Du Cros' full sized spitfire. Going all wood, he built the prototype, K5054, and flew it successfully on a 300Hp Jaguar engine conversion. Given that both aircraft were powered by the RR Merlin, one can expect that an all-wood Hurricane would fly nicely on the 300Hp Jaguar as well. Just wouldn't fly like a fighter. Still, would be nice to putter along, at around 200 MPH in a full sized Hurricane....
Now if anyone wants to commission me to build a full sized flying Mosquito, I'd happily retire from the CF, and concentrate on that! I know the Shearwater Aviation Museum really wants a Sea Fury, but rather build a Mossie. Sigh.

[mwavesdave]

Just picked up a pile of plywood, 1/8th and 1/4, for the weekend. The 1/4 is for the fuselage formers, aft of the cockpit, 1/8th I need for outer wing panel ribs, horizontal and vertical stab ribs. Hoping to get the wing center section completed enough by Sunday that we can truck it over to the museum early next week, which will clear space for getting all the fuse/tail/wing parts lofted, cut, stacked, and work progressed. The ribs for the tail and outer wing panel will be done as per my Santa Anna. Ribs are all cut from 1/8th ply. Lightening holes are drilled, and notches cut for spars. After that, ribs are capped with 1/8th ply 1 inch wide strips are attached all around the edges. Fillets are made from epoxy thickened with sawdust, and inch wide fibreglass tape run around all the fillets. Makes for super light but incredibly strong ribs.

[mwavesdave]

Last of the stringers glued in, and drying. Bit of sanding tomorrow, then the box spar gets installed, tapered, and the rest of the sheeting installed.

[mwavesdave]

Oh, and the poor 1/4 scale fuse, wondering when it's going to be used for lofting the full size fuse! lol

[mwavesdave]

Got the box spar completed, just working on tapering the top to match the airfoil. A bit of a long process, but it's in, finally. Outer wing panel main spars insert into the box spar, and will be bolted in place. I'll recreate the gap that existed in the real Hurricane, which was then covered with thin metal strips. It allowed for quick disassembly for repair or transport.