[AlexL]

Dear All,

I have recently adquired a Ziroli PT17 built by an old friend. It was done in RCAF colour, hence, with the desigator of Boeing PT27 - enclosed canopy which never happened because Boeing just delivered the open-cockpit versions.

Anyway, a true TOC quality, rivets, piano hinge for all the panels, pinking strip on each rib, true flying wires, etc, etc. But when I put the plane on a scale, that'e where the trouble surfaced. It weights a little bit over 23 lbs, way above the recommended 16-17 lbs as detailed in the plan set.

It has a Zenoah G38 with spring starter upfront, and dummy rotary engine filled with lead inside, and more lead weight inside the tank compartment.

I have since removed the dummy engine and the lead weight to see it will lighten up the plane or not. It helps, and it now weighs 19+lbs, but the other major problem now is the tail-heavy balance.

I had moved the G38 and extended it 1/2 inch forward, but it is not helping, it is still very tail heavy.

It might after all, remains a hangar queen, I hope not. It is a piece of Canadian history when Canada committed to train some CommonWealth pilots, using the PT27 before they transition to Spitfire, Hurricane, or other warbirds.

Any thought on this? Anyway to lighten the tail a bit without major operations, or just fly the damn thing at 23lbs. I just hate to loose it on the first landing which I imagine, would be at a very high speed so that I wouldn't stall it.

Thx in advance,

Alex

[Trumpetman]

I just checked Ziroli's website and he lists the rec. weight for the 77" ws P-17 at 16-20 pounds with a wing area of 1725 sq inches. This works out to about 4.7 ounces per square inch of wing area and should be no problem at all flying it at 23 pounds. The G-38 should fly it in a pretty scale manner but don't expect a lot of vertical!