Absolutely wonderful! How often are you expecting to have to mow the grass runway, and what will you be using? Something from the early 1900's?
Russ, I liked the cottage without the dormer on one side. Is there a room up there for the dormer? Was there ever a dormer one the other side? To me it seems a bit out of balance...just my own thoughts. Everything that you are doing is a wonderful project and I hope that someday I can see it.
Pulling into the home stretch on the hangar. Doors done, finishing paneling, then the door sliders out to the side with posts. Also, a nice shot of the landing field from one corner looking down the entire Aerodrome. While not a big square aerodrome, at 150 feet wide on flat grass with open approaches it will feel much as if you are landing in an open field, at least as much as I can afford. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
That sure looks great, Russ. Where is it in relation to Xenia, like east, west or on what highway? Also I tried to look up the definition or translation of Les Noyes and all I could get was a bio of an English author.
I mis-spelled it -- Les Noyers: The Walnut Trees, or Walnut Grove It is east of Xenia down highway 35, 2 - 3 miles due north of Jamestown on Brickel Road just north of the Hwy 35 / Hwy 72 intersection
Thanks, Russ. It looks like beautiful country, nice farm land. For a chuckle. I went to a " dictionary search" and typed in Les Noyes and guess what? They had located Les Noyes and for a moderate bit of cash they would give me his name and address. His he near the aerodrome? This is a fine thing that you are doing and I can't wait to see it and to hear it when the Dawn Patrol takes flight in the pale light. I think that I'll give Les a call.
Thanks - Here is a drawing of the 12 x 20 "Watch Office" which will be to the side of the hangar. I am planning to get a replica Victrola, tailskid dolly, an icebox cooler for drinks, a small wood stove, a chalkboard for the wall and a small desk. I am teetering on putting an window unit airconditioner in a side wall. I know, I know, but.... Image Unavailable, Please Login
Sorry, Russ, but I think you'll need to ditch the air conditioner, and "rough it" like they did in 1917! I guess the chalkboard is to list the squadron pilots and their tally of "kills"? Maybe you'll figure out a way to give out an occasional "Blue Max"!
Found a nice 1910 - 1920s antique porcelein over metal gooseneck lamp to go over the hangar doors. And, to make it official, I ordered a windsock to go on top of the hangar Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
You would be surprised at the number of younger military types to whom I have talked that don't know what KP means. Russ, I am on the lookout for anything old and WW1-ish that will enhance the ambulance of the place, like old socks, smelly boots, etc.
I'll bet that you and Russ think you're funny. After looking at that for a while, I figured it out. It isn't exactly what I had in mind but they are beautiful. Thanks.
"Always go for the laugh" - God (portrayed by George Burns in the movie 'Oh, God') That said, hopefully next year I can get a small support vehicle. A model T truck seems to be the period specific and accurate choice. Attached is a foto of a T truck in RFC livery at a British Museum... Hendon, I thnk. I have seen running model T and TT trucks well below $10K, ans would like to use one as a fuel bowser with a hand pump on a 55 gallon drum in the bed. Of course the other period option is also shown in an attached foto, and much less expensive... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The French (old Roman, actually) tree lined Route Guynemer (driveway) to Aerodrome Les Noyers. Trees will get about 3x tall and wide. As an old wag friend noted "you're not building a home, you're building a theme park..." Image Unavailable, Please Login
It's a wee bit over 11 acres. Once the dust settles and we have v1.0 done, I'm going to try to get the acreage on the south side to increase the run and Xwind angle offs. Right now, with the prepared landing run a full 150 feet wide, it does give one some play room. I am putting an original type skid on the Camel, which pretty much commits me to turf. Folks have told me that it makes ground handling and landing on turf much easier.
Russ- Affirmative, it does, and stopping distance will be really short, probably about 80-100 yards from touchdown. Even less for a Dr.I, more like 50-80 yards.
The digging in of the tail skid is why many older designs had the landing gear so far ahead of the CG so that more weight was put on the tail. Older designs that had the tail skid replaced by a tail wheel are hell on wheels on solid pavement, specially in a crosswind. Feet have to alive and quick. We are really excited at this new aerodrome, like the trees too.
