Posted Thursday, September 3, 2009 @ 01:25 AM
Things have been moving slowly (too much fun this summer).
I did manage to strip the empenage and prepare for recovering. Getting it off the plywood with Jasco paint remover was the toughest -- one square inch at a time. Stripping the fuselage will be a winter project. I hope to start some recovering before it gets too cold. The wing will be next year.
The fuel tank had to be recessed to fit the magnito rotated to an up position. Fortunately a friend of Colin's is an expert at welding aluminum aircraft parts and was willing to make the mod. Here it is tak-welded to check fit. It only looses about a quart.
Made a new stainless steel firewall since the original one was full of holes in all the wrong places. Photo shows the new "bowl" and placement of new gascolator.
Revised instrument panel design and in progress. Note the throttle moved above the longeron so it doesn't hit my knee, and the AeroCarb mixture below and forward of the knee. I added a variometer with audio -- probably an overkill for this, but I got the plane for (psudo) soaring and I realized that I would be looking at the VSI alot instead of the beautiful view outside. Small grey box on lower-right is a very accurate volt meter to monitor the charge with the engine off or at idle since the alternator only works above 1200 RPM. Also note the new Andair fuel valve.
More pics on the Picasa site.
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Dann Parks • RF4D #4051 N2188 • now flying!
Pictures at: https://picasaweb.google.com/111628310900713778468/RF4D_N2188?noredirect=1
