+1 You should ask for volunteers to come and help..sure there would be plenty of helpers on this forum
Russ; looks like a good candidate for volunteer housing! Has the right vibe.... Image Unavailable, Please Login
Russ, this is an exciting and worthy enterprise and I wish that I could be an active part of it. I don't know if I have mentioned it but when I was 11 years old and sick with something that knocked me out of school for a year I stayed home and built 1 /48th scale WW1 models of the Allies and the German Air Forces, Fk D-7's, Spads, Camels, and Albatrosses. Much to my parents displeasure, I built an aerodrome in the living room on the carpet complete with the old hangars and tail skid dollies. I think that I had 12 airplanes that were staged " and flown" there in the living room. The models were carved carefully out of balsa, I think that they were Megow kits that came not only with the wood and plans but with little bottles of the correct paint. I loved the smell of the dope when they were opened. No one paid any attention to my passion but I didn't care, I was with my heroes doing battle in the skies over France... in our living room.
Roughed out plans taking shape: Phase 1: Field, Hangar and cottage Phase 2: Driveway, Carriage House and Ops building Phase 3: Orchard and henhouse Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Land bought. Got cottagre elevations back from builder for changes(attached, I added a little color). Settling in on hangar and ops building plans (see attached elevations). Found a place that makes Bessoneau hangars, and will add next year or so. Would also like to have a small agricultural thing going for fun, but something fairly simple. Folks have suggested a nut tree orchard, a few chickens, christmas tree farm, and others. One friend even suggested some illegal crops which I will not do. All advice welcome. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Aerodrome: Began dragging the field today and prepping for the grass seeding this week. The seeded useable runway area will be 150 x 1600 feet, extending from the hangar pad to the opposite property line. The hangar wood started showing up today as well, and the post holes were placed. Posts go up tomorrow, and trusses next couple of days. The fine gravel/powder topcoat for the driveway went in today as well to hold the larger stones together. Also attached is a drawing of the final cottage elevation. Do-it-yourself Bessonneau: Talked to the wood supplier today - he estimated the cost of supplies for a 63' wide x 40' deep Bessanneau was about $8K. I have located a fabric guy, and will see what his envelope will cost. The envelope consists basically of the sides, a front piece and a top piece, held by heavy lacing. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
There are approximately 2 acres of land between the drive and the airfield going up to the cottage that will be a unfarmed meadow. To decorate this, about a pound of Papaver rhoeas seeds will be planted. While once considered a common weed in Flanders, I think $65 of seed will add a lot to the ambience. Flanders Field Poppy Seed, Gardening Tools from the Wildflower Seed and Tool Company Catalog of Napa Valley, California Papaver rhoeas, the Flanders Corn Poppy: Image Unavailable, Please Login
I followed the RFC model closely but the hangar (technical shed) turned out a wee bit more than I thought.... Cottage has run into contractor challenges. I think my small house project is a nuisance to him. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Maybe a few vines as in the attached photo - Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Note the deadstick landing! Image Unavailable, Please Login
You bought the land in January, and now you've got the framing well under way. Nice progress you're making. Keep up the good work, this is an inspiring project.
Out buying tall thin baby trees to line the driveway (Route Guynemer ) to give that European look, and provide a modest windbreak. In about 2 years they will be about 20 - 30 feet high I have begun taking testosterone injections in preparation for converting the Camel's tailwheel to a steerable skid like the original. Before we put the Gnome engine on, I may require transplantation of a third testicle. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Russ, we all cheer your orchestration of this wonderful project. What a fine thing to do! I wish that I could help with the third cajone but I don't think that you will need it. Keep your eyes on the target at the end of the strip and keep the feet alive like you are with your project. I really do wish that I could help with this endeavor but maybe down the line some WW1 style art would add to the atmosphere.
If you ever make it out here in the next couple of years, we'll saddle you up in the Penguin, tailskid, blip switch and all if we get it made.
Russ- The good news is most of the guys with rotary experience say the torque is not that big a deal and Fred even says there is not that much difference in right and left turns in his 120 LeRhone powered F.I Triplane. Looks like another overblown wive's tale from WW-I. Many of the guys crashing Sopwith Camels in WW-I had less than 100 hours total time. Penguin should be a fun trainer.
Taz, I am always amazed at the airplane reacting to the torque when the rotary is unleashed to full power. In the videos of the Camel, the airplane rocks considerably when the engine is goosed. I think that there has to be some reaction in flight, particularly at low flight speed.
I am a bit concerned about the torque. A mitigating factor is that I am using the smallest engine to power Camels, the 100 hp Gnome. The 160 Gnome Camels, such as in NZ and California, have been described to me a much more of a bear to handle. The 100 Gnome was used on Avro 504 trainers, so I am hoping for straightforward characteristics. I have watched most of the You tube videos of the NZ 160 Camel and a NZ 100 gnome Avro on approach landing and taxi to get an idea of the blip rhythms. Another psychological barrier I am going to need to cross is turning off the gas for prolonged descents. I know it was common proceedure, but it will just be hard for me to basically shut down a perfectly well running engine.
Russ- Air starts on a rotary are just about automatic. You are not really shutting down the engine by shutting down the fuel valve. The ignition is still firing, the propeller and engine are still rotating and the valves are still working. When you add fuel to that, the resumption of power will be pretty much instantaneous. You will get used to shutting down the fuel. Just think of it as using the throttle. The first time you forget, the result when you restart will make sure you remember the next time. Bob- There is a torque reaction, but it is not that bad. Most of the Camels had Clergets and the throttle on those only gave a small reduction or increase in revs inflight. Had more affect on the ground, but to give you some idea, even on the throttled LeRhones and Clergets, the throttle could not be reduced enough for landing in most cases. The blip or coupe switch is used to cut power during landing. With carburetors, the Clergets and LeRhones did not have the same problem with fuel collecting as the Gnomes with their fuel injector/sprayer. As mentioned in another thread, the 160 Gnome used on Camels and Nieuport 28s had a system for changing the firing order to use like a throttle mechanism. Use the original firing order and then fire one, skip one. Because of the odd number of cylinders, all cylinders fire. For less power, fire one skip two, etc, and all cylinders still fire, just not as often. Very ingenious.
