Important notice
Please remember that people from all over the world read and post on this forum, and that every country has its own rules, regulations and standards. This forum is based in the USA and so much of the information posted here is for the benefit of people who operate aircraft in the experimental/exhibition or experimental/racing categories. Advice given on this forum may be region specific. A person from Europe, for example, may make suggestions perfectly appropriate for a U.S reader, although not acceptable in his home country!

Please take this into account and carefully consult the authorities, standards and approved documentation where you fly.
Fournier Forums Upload picture | User Cp  |  Register  |  Members  |  Search  |  Help
    |- Fournier Aircraft > Miscellaneous Post New Topic   Post A Reply
My Dunsfold hangar printer friendly version
next newest post | next oldest post
Author Messages
Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Friday, September 19, 2014 @ 05:56 PM  

Since Tony Hoskins (who occasionally posts on this forum as 'Tony') has taken my red Fournier and so I have nothing to fly in England, I have been concentrating on re-erecting my hangar at historic Dunsfold aerodrome, better known these days as the home of the Top Gear TV programme.

My last post, on 15th December 2013 showed the components heaped on the concrete of the plot I lease.

This week, I started clearing up:

[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Friday, September 19, 2014 @ 07:02 PM]

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Friday, September 19, 2014 @ 06:10 PM  

...then there was the painstaking marking out, with long measuring tapes and taut string.
Twelve metres by twelve metres (forty feet square).
I was happy the diagonals were within a couple of milimetres of each other.
Then some serious hole drilling into four inch-deep, diamond-hard, seventy year-old wartime concrete with an animal of an SDS drill.
I melted a dozen bits before I was done.
Next I squirted super German epoxy stuff into the holes and screwed in the studs and went home while it set.
Finally I fitted the base plates.

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Friday, September 19, 2014 @ 06:12 PM  

The next few days I spent assemblng the trusses on the ground, leaving all the nuts & bolts a little loose so that they could be adjusted once they were in place.

As you can see, it rained quite a lot.

[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Friday, September 19, 2014 @ 06:13 PM]

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Friday, September 19, 2014 @ 06:28 PM  

Then lovely Tim came along with his teleloader and hoisted up the trusses into place.
Kevin and Paul eased the ends into position while I scampered around taking photos.


[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Friday, September 19, 2014 @ 06:29 PM]

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Friday, September 19, 2014 @ 06:34 PM  

Then a day's work of attaching the side longitudinals and diagonals, plus the rear end woodwork, and we have something that's starting to look like a hangar.

I guess that's not a bad couple of weeks' work, so now we're off to visit friends & relatives for the weekend.

Yours, Bob

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Tuesday, September 30, 2014 @ 06:13 AM  

Next, there was a week of aligning everything, inserting the three wide and two narrow longitudinal ridge poles, adjusting alignments & diagonals, and finally tightening every one of those 200-odd joints. Then we had to fasten every joint with a whole bucket of Tek screws.

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Tuesday, September 30, 2014 @ 06:19 AM  

Then we installed the guttering and all the rails (top & bottom) for clipping the sheeting to, so that we could start skinning the walls.

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Tuesday, September 30, 2014 @ 06:28 AM  

With a netting door, particularly because it faces south-west into the strongest prevailing winds, it's important that there is a big open panel in the rear to allow the wind to escape. Otherwise the whole big polythene bag inflates and blows away. This anti-blowout panel is covered by netting. Experience has shown that a single layer of netting allows a fine spray of rain through, so I'm using a double thickness.

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Tuesday, September 30, 2014 @ 06:37 AM  

Now to wait for a calm day for the roof. I've crewed many times on a square-rigger, so I know just how much power a huge 400 square foot forecourse generates (the area of my hangar door).

This curved 40x40 roof is more than 1700 square feet, so it would drive the whole hangar across the concrete in the slightest breath of air.
With a forecast of CALM, CAVOK, we met at dawn.
The guys unrolled the sheeting.

Then they attached a rope, heaved the other end to the far end of the hangar, and hauled aloft the heavy, damp bundle of polythene. (Forgive the thumb of a professional photographer who should know better!)

As they dragged it over the trusses one-by-one, my job was to run along inside with steps and a pole, to push the bundle up and over each hoop (without puncturing the fragile plastic).

Then they spread out the sheet, while I prayed for the air to stay completely calm.

[Edit by Bob Grimstead on Tuesday, September 30, 2014 @ 07:03 AM]

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Tuesday, September 30, 2014 @ 07:22 AM  

Once it had been pulled taught, square and symmetrical, the job could begin of clipping it into place.

Finally, trimming off the surplus...

...and in an hour-and-a-half, the job's done.

[URL=http://s1298.

Finally, we have to organise a door.

I hope this has been of some interest.

Yours, Bob

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

Jorgen
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Lund, Sweden
Registered: Apr 2007
Status: Offline
Posts: 833

Click here to see the profile for Jorgen Send email to Jorgen Send private message to Jorgen Find more posts by Jorgen Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Wednesday, October 1, 2014 @ 06:16 PM  

Hi Bob,
nice to see you've got a home again. The hangar looks very well set up and I'm sure it will cope with the climate. It's been a warm summer, I bet the autumn rains will be substantial... Done a bit of 4-commuting myself but my GoPro got stolen so not that many pictures I'm afraid. Hope to be back with some reports later.

May the 4s be with you/ Jörgen

SteveBeaver
General

Gender: Male
Location: Columbus, Ohio - USA
Registered: Jan 2007
Status: Offline
Posts: 454

Click here to see the profile for SteveBeaver Visit http://www.bucker.info Send email to SteveBeaver Send private message to SteveBeaver Find more posts by SteveBeaver Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Wednesday, October 1, 2014 @ 07:37 PM    YIM

Can I come and watch the Stig?

Collin
General

Gender: Male
Location: McMinnville. Oregon
Registered: Oct 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 711

Click here to see the profile for Collin Visit http://www.cfiamerica.com Send email to Collin Send private message to Collin Find more posts by Collin Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Wednesday, October 1, 2014 @ 10:54 PM  

Me too.
Bob Grimstead
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Perth, Western Australia or West Sussex, England
Registered: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Posts: 2027

Click here to see the profile for Bob Grimstead Visit http://www.redhawksduo.co.uk Send email to Bob Grimstead Send private message to Bob Grimstead Find more posts by Bob Grimstead Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Thursday, October 2, 2014 @ 01:02 PM  

Thanks Guys,

I am really sorry Jorgen that your GoPro has been stolen.

And Guys, you're all very welcome at any time.

I would love to see the Stig too, but regrettably, my hangar is quite a long way from where the Top Gear action takes place. This blue dot marks the spot.

Whereas, the Top Gear circuit is a mile or more away at the western end of the airfield...

However, we do hear lots of squealing tyres almost every day, as Maclaren, Mercedes, Noble and others test their cars up and down the runway. There are also the Everyman Racing types in a variety of supercars and a trio of Ariel Atoms, plus motorcycle driving lessons over at the eastern threshold.

It's such a shame that this historic airfield will soon be ploughed up to become a new town with 2,600 houses.

I just hope I can do some actual flying here before that happens.

Yours, Bob

--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV

SteveBeaver
General

Gender: Male
Location: Columbus, Ohio - USA
Registered: Jan 2007
Status: Offline
Posts: 454

Click here to see the profile for SteveBeaver Visit http://www.bucker.info Send email to SteveBeaver Send private message to SteveBeaver Find more posts by SteveBeaver Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Thursday, October 2, 2014 @ 01:26 PM    YIM

That's terrible news. I had no idea such plans were in the works.

At least for now when we watch Top Gear we will catch glimpses of your hangar. The James Bond 747 is frequently to be seen in the background, so we should be able to work out where you are too

Donald
Command Sergeant Major

Gender: Male
Location: Scotland
Registered: Jan 2007
Status: Offline
Posts: 489

Click here to see the profile for Donald Send email to Donald Send private message to Donald Find more posts by Donald Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Thursday, October 2, 2014 @ 04:21 PM  

Hi Bob,

Good to read that things may be moving for you again, even if it is just news of your hangar. And why the heck do developers always have to build on airfields? Or if they do why the heck can't they incorporate an airstrip into their plans? It'll be down to money I suppose, as always.
Whatever, I hope you can soon get back to that other thing, you know, the flying activity that you write so well about.

All the best,
Donald

Jorgen
Captain

Gender: Male
Location: Lund, Sweden
Registered: Apr 2007
Status: Offline
Posts: 833

Click here to see the profile for Jorgen Send email to Jorgen Send private message to Jorgen Find more posts by Jorgen Edit or delete this message Reply w/Quote
Posted Thursday, October 2, 2014 @ 04:55 PM  

Bob,
don't be sorry about my GoPro- it will give me an excellent opportunity to upgrade! Also, to be honest my old one had stopped recording sound and had become a bit unreliable, perhaps as a consequence of me hanging it at the end of sticks trailing along iceboats, windsurfing boards, Aeroplanes and the likes....

Far worse was loosing the laptop! Beware everyone out there- make sure you upgrade your files often!!! Or as someone is quoted saying: "-I'm not afraid to die, I'm just afraid of loosing my calendar!"

Bob, I wish you many happy moments in and around your hangar, please keep us updated!

May the 4s be with you/ Jörgen

Post New Topic   Post A Reply Jump to:
Contact Us | cfiamerica.com | Privacy Policy All times are GMT -4 Hours.
Welcome to The Fournier Forum, Guest!  
Login
Username :
Password :
In order to fully utilize the abilities of this board, you are required to register as a member. Registration is free, and allows you to do lots of things including turning on or off certain features of this board. Register now!
Forum Rules & Description
Who Can Read The Forum? Any registered user or guest
Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered user
Who Can Post Replies? Any registered user
Who Can Edit Posts? Any original author
For RF Motorglider news and other stuff
Currently Active Users: 110
There are currently 0 members and 110 guests on the boards. | Most users ever online was 822 on 08-01-2020 10:15 PM
Search This Forum
Search Keywords: Search From:
Powered by CuteCast v2.0 BETA 2
Copyright © 2001-2003 ArtsCore Studios