[stegl]

Horizon replaced the parts needed and back into float flying and flys great. Mods to the glue used arround the engine pod has been replced. No longer any issue. Actually they gave me a brand new aircraft as the parts came to more money than a new one. Had a number of discussions with them on that one !

[stegl]

Here is twin otter #2 on floats and ready to go.

[RBIRON]

What did you guys go with on the floats and length???

Originally Posted by stegl

Here is twin otter #2 on floats and ready to go.

[stegl]

Scratch built; 42 inch max. Machined front top mounts to fit into the factory mount spots with 4-40 socket head screws. All mounting hardware custom made by myself. Water rudder not required as the radio does it all with motor steering. You pretty much have to scratch build to change the mounting spots/pads if you want it close to scale.

[stegl]

Bit of a revival here on the float equipped TO after many years of float flying. So that’s about 8 years. Had a situation last fall at a Fall Float fly when I lost signal , I guess , at extreme range and the aircraft did a wide spiral into the drink. The front mounts broke away inside the aircraft when she pancaked onto the water.as you can see the main aluminum fixture was bent pretty badly. No damage to the built up floats so don't let anyone tell you that built ups are not reliable , if built properly. In most cases it is all hearsay that is passed from listener to listener and lot real life situations.

So decided last week to get her fixed and the pictures tell the story. The aluminum mains are straightened ; bit of a job; as harder aircraft aluminum; but done and ready to install. The belly stringers were replaced with 1/4 in. basswood as the original ones were very soft 4mm balsa with no strength. The aluminum bar was ( in picture 3) used to keep the aluminum mounts square as the plywood parts glue set. I am convinced that insufficient gluing of the forward wood mounts caused them to breakaway easier. Better assembly on the factory parts and woods used might not have required fixes. The reason the main gear mounting did not let go was a rebuild using 1/4 inch sq basswood stringers as I did with this forward repair/rebuild a few years ago due rigid
mounting of the floats and no flex.
Thanks for reading.

[stegl]

All fixed and loosely mounted on the floats. Just have to wait for warm spring weather to pull the floats off and do some float paint touch ups. Easier than I first thought .