erkki67
Well-Known Member
Somehow I admire the look of the Pietenpol Aircamper and Skyscout.
Their design pleases me.
Of course, they were built of wooden structures, as during that time, wood was relatively cheap to get and easy to work with, which by the way is still thru today.
Matrerials have changed, especially Aluminium and its alloys.
I'm wondering why there was never an attempt to redesign the Aircamper or GN-1 or even the Skyscout to use riveted Aluminium-tubing?
Of course, there is the Texas Parasol for the Skyscout, but which one would get close to the 2 seater? :ermm:
I belive too, that an Aluminium Aircamper could be built by far less heavy then the original wooden or steel Aircamper, which would allow to use less hp engines!
:gig:
Good exemples of how to use a well designed aluminium riveted structure are, the German Kiebitz biplane from M.Platzer, the Graham Lee Biplanes, and the Airdrome Aeroplanes.
All of them are very light in the structures and tough as well.
But all of them have a missing feature, they don't have a parasol layout like the aircamper.
Working with riveted aluminium structures do not require a well tempered enviroment like the wooden ones, even if it's no fun to rivet in the lower 30's or in the upper 90's, the builder could still do so, which means that the building season can be longer.
Jut my toughts
Erkki
Their design pleases me.
Of course, they were built of wooden structures, as during that time, wood was relatively cheap to get and easy to work with, which by the way is still thru today.
Matrerials have changed, especially Aluminium and its alloys.
I'm wondering why there was never an attempt to redesign the Aircamper or GN-1 or even the Skyscout to use riveted Aluminium-tubing?
Of course, there is the Texas Parasol for the Skyscout, but which one would get close to the 2 seater? :ermm:
I belive too, that an Aluminium Aircamper could be built by far less heavy then the original wooden or steel Aircamper, which would allow to use less hp engines!
:gig:
Good exemples of how to use a well designed aluminium riveted structure are, the German Kiebitz biplane from M.Platzer, the Graham Lee Biplanes, and the Airdrome Aeroplanes.
All of them are very light in the structures and tough as well.
But all of them have a missing feature, they don't have a parasol layout like the aircamper.
Working with riveted aluminium structures do not require a well tempered enviroment like the wooden ones, even if it's no fun to rivet in the lower 30's or in the upper 90's, the builder could still do so, which means that the building season can be longer.
Jut my toughts
Erkki
