It's actually the predecessor, the Fartfire 3 before the high pressure Squirtstain injection. It does have the Bean-o-matic transmission. A lot of folks think they look like 30's Cheverolet custom trucks.
Russ- Three DVDs, all with left over labels from my previous WW-I aviation deep immersion. No label has anything to do with Camels, but they are pretty photos and they do say 1, 2, 3. Word captions in DVD 3. Credit Colin Owers, Australian War Memorial. Taz Terry Phillips
Many many thanks!! I will probably wear them out playing them every day. Will be in Mizzou next week test fitting the wings and will run up the engine to see what she statics. I am putting together the FAA paperwork now for the DAR. Here's the center section with the window and enlarged rear opening they had in 1918. The struts will be wood at final assembly, and eventually as I can afford it the cabanes will have flying wires. I do have the flying wires for the empennage and wings, though, as I thought them most important. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Roughed in cowl - will work on more tomorrow and make lower cut-a-way. Photo shows Jim holding the Culver prop for effect. Thr prop looks a lot better than I thought it would at only 90". Hope it works. I made the cheeks panels today and placed the Murphy fastener grommets, so lots of filing. Proved to myself for the thousandth time I am not a Fred Murrin quality builder. Hope to mount the turnbuttons tomorrow. Goal is to hang wings and run-up on Wednesday/Thursday. Thanks as usual to Robert and Jim for their patience with me, as I am not a gifted fabricator. These Airdrome planes with builder assist are the way to go if you are a well meaning but zero-experience first time builder as me. Our humble Sopwith continues to sally forth. It's really amazing - it's actually looking like a Camel... Image Unavailable, Please Login
A dreary weather day, but great working on the plane. I got the side panels done. Robert burnished the cowl and other exposed metal parts. Here he is holding the cowling, so a bit out of alighnment, but you get the idea. Also still missing the hump and cockpit surround. Not a big museum showpiece, but I am loving every minute of this. A replica Sopwith Camel... my dream plane...for the price of a mid size SUV. What fun. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Mid size SUV? Really.. I bet you have spent more on nic-naqs for it than it costs for a mid size SUV... It looks really good Russ...
Brakes done; sorting some ignition wiring queerness and trying to figire out how to think like a throttle body. Any experience here appreciated as I am a carb guy. Wings are done, waiting for assembly once electrical fixed. Am approaching the electrical queerness by my usual approach - just re-do the whole thing from the beginning. Here is the new revised schematic attached separating every circuit out uniquely. Will be attacking more details as well once the priority airworthiness & safety issues are more sorted. Have mailed off the application for registration, bill of sale for the kit and builder affidavit to the FAA. Starting the paperwork shuffle. Highly recommend the eaa kit. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Russ, my seasoned eye has detected a rather serious problem. I could see that the prop is turning but the engine IS NOT. I think that you must have a broken crankshaft. Switches
Russ- As currently configured, you have a Penguin. Might actually be a good idea to practice taxiing in that configuration, with no chance of taking off. Will give you a feel for what you have. Once the wings are fitted, take-off roll will probably be about 50 yards. Not much time for thinking. Taz Terry Phillips
Taz, that is a great thought. I remember the Avro 504 K at Abottsford. They took off into the wind which happened to be at 90 deg. to the runway. The pilot went about thirty yards and hit a bump in the access road parallel to the runway and he was airborne. All of the WW1 stuff that operated that weekend was airborne in just a few yards and they climbed out at a steep angle. The torque of those old rotary's is amazing. You could hear the rush of air behind them and that is what made those old birds fly.
I think this is a quite good idea. There is about a 1000 foot grass strip next to the hangar. With the FAA paper process, I have about 45 days of waiting before I can schedule with the DAR. I'll be back up to re-wire it and install the brake cables in a couple of weeks, and if Missouri ever dries out, I'll toodle taxi around a bit and see what it is like. In the meantime, this T-28 guy is getting a BFR in a 100 hp Champ. For a few reasons, I am expecting more Pup than Camel performance levels with perhaps a bit more rear CG handling characteristics. It certainly will not be fast in any event, which is just fine with me. At this stage of my life, I am flying just to be flying. I spent a beautiful late afternoon sunset with the KC Dawn Patrol (see Youtube) and watched them at play with their 7/8 Nieuport 11s. They may not be so accurate replicas, but those guys, all quite older than me, have more fun than anyone. The KCDP have been flying those planes together for 20 years, and with the LSA rules, may be flying for quite some time.
KC Dawn Patrol, with soundtrack! Great stuff! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZHmqUXKaAk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmqcJ5oYf8Q With 1800 cc VW engine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8GtIWp3v1Q
Those KC guys have a ball and really fly thier Nieuports. I see several of them every time I go to the Dayton fly-in at the NMUSAF. An 85 year old was flying his Nieuport during one trip. I will probably be dead when I am that age. Maybe that is what keeps them going to a nice, ripe age. Taz Terry Phillips
Eighty-five ain't so old. heck, I'm 84 and I don't think that I'm old, just well cured. If I hadn't had a small stroke a while back and had some money, I'd be flying too. I do envy the LSA WW1 fly boys. It looks like loads of fun. We have a couple of them up here and it's a blast to see them. Switches
My favorite part below is the white haired gentleman aviator putting on his helmet as he sits in his SE5.... That's my LSA role model: http://exposureroom.com/members/alisterchapman/1f9927f34938455f830a54b348efc964/
