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  1. skydad

    Grumman F4F: Why fabric covered control surfaces?

    The DC-3 had fabric covered elevators & rudder. I was surprised that the DC-6 & DC-7's had fabric covered rudders when I went to work for the airlines back in 1956. I was told it was to prevent flutter.
  2. skydad

    Slop in wing fitting holes in spar

    Mix up a good thick paste of WEST System Epoxy and Colloidal Silica or the epoxy of your choice. Fill the hole in the wood spar with it. Grease a 1/4" bolt and shove through the hole. Wipe off the excess epoxy. When it sets up, remove the greased bolt. You should have a perfect tight...
  3. skydad

    Hello from Southeast Louisiana

    One of the guys at our local airport saw a Bearhawk that someone had used Cessna wings on. I think the Patrol is a great airplane as well. I am also thinking that the LSA, after reading some of the reports on it might be a better choice for me to putt-putt around the area here in. I've has a...
  4. skydad

    1946 Aronca Chief Airplane Price Reduced For Quick Sale - $4000 (Shelton)

    Looks like a prewar fin & rudder. Might be the fuselage is pre war also no matter what the data plate says.
  5. skydad

    T-88 vs EA 9410 for aluminum to woood

    During the building of my Kingfisher, I needed to glue large aluminum gussets to the frames where the front & rear wing attach fittings are bolted and also on the frame that the main landing gear attached to. I tried various epoxy glues on samples and on most of them the bond between the wood...
  6. skydad

    Holes for Fittings In Solid Wood Spars

    Have any of you removed bolts that have been in solid wood for a long time. I think if you do, you may be surprised at the condition of the bolt in many cases. When I constructed my Kingfisher Amphib, I coated the inside of the holes with, in my case, WEST System Epoxy although any real thin...
  7. skydad

    looking for a fishing plane

    You are going to want an amphibious float plane. Using the Lake or any of the homebuilt amphibious flying boat types won't do the job for you with two of you fishing. With the floats, you can each fish on opposite sides of the fuselage. I think the Bearhawk Patrol would be ideal since the...
  8. skydad

    Need Help Determining Vertical Suspension Travel

    I measured the slot in the shock stut for a J-3 and its right at 2 3/4", so that is the amount of travel for the gear.
  9. skydad

    Need Help Determining Vertical Suspension Travel

    I had a Super Cub with big tires. They only carried 4 psi. pressure and did absorb most of the landing impact. If you're going to be installing these, I would think you wouldn't need much gear travel. Measure the slots in a Cub gear where the bungees are installed. I don't think it is...
  10. skydad

    Anderson KingFisher Float Planes

    I built a Kingfisher and sold plans for it for several years after Earl Anderson decided that his hearing had gotten so bad he couild no longer communicate with folks. Don't use the Tri-Pacer wings. It needs more wing than that. There were drawings in the plans that Earl had and that I sold that...
  11. skydad

    Metal spar & Wooden Ribs

    In the Anderson Kingfisher plans, Earl Anderson had a choice of using metal Piper ribs with wood or metal spars or wood ribs that he had a full size drawing of. He mentioned that the wood ribs could be attached to metal spars with epoxy glue.
  12. skydad

    Metal spar & Wooden Ribs

    No wood ribs in a Cub, but the ones through mid 1946 had wood spars.
  13. skydad

    Scarf Joint Questions

    They have just recently changed to 15 to 1. It used to be 12 to 1 recommended with 10 to 1 being the minimum. I have an old copy of Manual 18 which became 43:13 and that is what it states. Also the FAA no longer approves of using glues like Weldwood Plastic Resin on Type Certificated planes...
  14. skydad

    Fabric systems choice

    I agree with what you said, PT. If the fabric balloons up, its either not rib stitched, screwed, ot pop riveted down. I think the poly fiber system is a great system. The fabric is dacron, just like Ceconite. You could finish the Poly Fiber just as if it was Ceconite and there wouldn't be...
  15. skydad

    Fabric systems choice

    I have covered a good many airplanes, even back before the polyester fabrics, using Grade A Cotton and Irish Linen. I now use nothing but Ceconite with Randolph Dopes. There are a couple of Citabrias on our little airport and whatever American Champion uses is high gloss and starts getting...
  16. skydad

    Hello from Southeast Louisiana

    I'm new here on this site. I am a retired airline pilot and also have my A&P certificate with Inspection Authorization. I've restored several Cubs, Champs, a Super Cruiser, & a Piper Pacer and scratch built an Anderson Kingfisher. I have a set of plans for a Bearhawk Patrol and want to buy...
  17. skydad

    Louisiana student willing to learn

    You didn't state your age, but if you are approaching college age, I recommend Louisiana Tech at Ruston, LA. My grandson graduated from there about 10 or 12 years ago and is now flying captain for an airline. If you plan on doing it just for the fun, check out the flight school at Shreveport...
  18. skydad

    experimental help

    There was a Sonex at a local fly in a couple of months ago with a Jabiru 3300. Sure did sound good on takeoff. :)
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