[mwavesdave]

Finished up the spinner, put the prop blades on the hub to check clearances, and it's all good. Just have to finish the blades up, and another component done. Speaking of which, I managed to get a lot of the outside and inside framework done on the canopy. One more evening, and it should be ready for a coat of primer, and then I can start installing the lexan window panes. Hoping to get the prop/spinner and canopy on for some photos, prior to removal of the wings, so we can see the full effect from nose to tail.

[Carlisler]

Super Sweet Dave!!!!

Nice work! I keep looking at all the small items that seem to creep into the photos. lots of them! Lots of work!

Any idea as to your personal man hours into this so far?
and the full team total as well?

Kudos to all for bringing this to life!!

[mwavesdave]

I've refused to track hours, it would probably make me cry, but a rough guess, we are well over 3000. Museum staff did the landing gear, and the fabric work, a couple of hundred I'd guess. Work parties for moving stuff, hard to guess, mostly 20 minute jobs, but with coffee breaks before and after, plus wandering around the museum! Probably about 200 though, collectively, from members of the Shearwater R/C Club. Seeing it being rolled out to the public though, will be worth it all.

[mwavesdave]

Spinner is now black, Leeann is busy finishing that off. The inside framework of the canopy is done, so tomorrow, after painting the spinner, Leeann can work on the sanding, priming and painting of the canopy frame. Today I got the blind nuts installed for the wing spar joiner bolts, and we installed them, on the main spar. I also needed to tie in the aft spars, I'll get pics of that tomorrow, to show how I did that. Wings are now fully supported by the spars, and we've removed the supports for the outer wing panels. Main gear tires needed a shot of nitrogen, so we did that, and she's sitting pretty. Still waiting on the Wing's techs to come down with the scales, to do weight and balance. I'd love to hear everyone's guesses as to the weight! I also laminated some pink Styrofoam onto the top of the prop blades, did 2 out of 3, then ran out of clamps! lol Tomorrow, I can start shaping those while the 3rd prop dries, into the proper airfoil shape. Then, we'll glass the blades, sand and paint, and voila, they'll look as real as we can make them. Also hoping to get the leading edge ribs on the ailerons, my fabric team is bored! Have the forward belly pan to finish off as well. Then it's all the detail stuff, landing lights, nav lights, radio antenna and mast, trim tabs, etc.

[mwavesdave]

As promised, our weekend's worth of work. Wing bolts completed, forward and aft spars, Leeann got the walkways painted, the spinner painted, and well on the way with the canopy.

I laminated foam to the 3 prop blades, and started shaping those. It's quick work, starting with a rasp, then a random orbital sander. Canopy frame completed, over to paint department (Leeann).

1/2 way done cutting the aileron leading edges. Second they're done and attached, ailerons will go to fabric department (John Webber), then over to paint department. Tomorrow night, more work on the prop blades, and hopefully I'll get the first blade glassed.

[Max]

Its all those little details now, Dave.

[mwavesdave]

It is. Looks like another attempt at getting the weigh scales from the Air Maintenance folks tomorrow, and doing the weight and balance. It will be minus flaps, ailerons, prop canopy, and radiator, but with the basic numbers run, any time we add a piece of gear, we measure distance from the datum, weigh the piece, and then do the math for the CG change. Something that could be done on large scale RC planes. Build the basic structure, do the weight and balance, and then you can accurately calculate all the add ons, radio gear, scale cockpit, batteries, etc, etc.

[Max]

.....just like a loadmaster stuffing a C-130

[mwavesdave]

OK, so the weight went very quick, they're still calculating CG, but here's the numbers:

Left Main - 610 pounds
Right Main 615 pounds
Tail wheel 315 pounds, for a total of 1540 pounds. I'd guessed 1500-1700, figuring 300 pounds per outer wing, 200 for the wing center section, 100 for the tail feathers, and 600 for the fuse. Lots figured being all wood, it would top over 2000 lbs, but I built her light!

[mwavesdave]

Today's shots of the weight and balance. Super pleased that we're so close with the lateral balance. The mains are about 8 feet apart, and there's a 5 pound difference. That means about a pound of weight on the right wing, and we'd be spot on! Not bad for a full sized aircraft, our Museum's AME was very surprised, and said we'd be well within limits for flight. Also, the CofG was 116.05 inches aft of the front of the nose, about 50% of chord. Really good, considering no engine, prop/spinner. Radiator will be at and forward of the CofG, only additions aft, are the last belly pan, and ailerons, so we won't be moving it back sufficiently to be a concern for hanging. The numbers are all good!