December 2003
Article by Mike Whaley
To assist with creating the side formers and the side panels, the lower wings and tail were attached to the fuselage while posterboard templates for the side panels were attached to work out the panels and how they would overlap and intersect adjoining structure. Suspending an old Yak cowl in front for fun really made it look like a Golden Age racing monoplane! Curtis visited early in the month to make progress on the upper wing center section and cabane system.
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- Posterboard is used to work out the panel boundries and shape fuselage skin will take. It’s a lot cheaper to work in posterboard than in 2024-T3.
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- The penetrations for gear legs, cabane tubing, etc. all present challenges. The goal here is elegant symplicity, ease of construction, and low weight.
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- With the lower wings and side panel templates temporarily mounted (not to mention the spoof Yakolev cowl), it really looks like a Golden Age racer!
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- The gang gathers round the plane for some hangar flying. Jere and Paul are behind the wing, with Curtis and Chris standing in front. When Curtis walked into the high-bay and saw the shape and form for the first time, he just beamed.
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- The wingtip bow carries has a lot of stress both from the fabric and from ground handling. Here is the tip brace truss structure.
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- J.C., Barrett and John conference on the wingtip.
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- The fuselage former bulkheads have been made in aluminum and fitted. Production parts will be cut on the waterjet and will incorporate lightening holes.
