I am attempting to post a picture of my Champ, N83147. I just finished the fuselage. Almost anyhow. A few cotter pins and nuts needed here and there. Just the wings to go. Maybe I will complete it the first half of this century.
Dennis
Here goes:
fuselage done!!!!!
fuselage done!!!!!
hey Guys,
I am attempting to post a picture of my Champ, N83147. I just finished the fuselage. Almost anyhow. A few cotter pins and nuts needed here and there. Just the wings to go. Maybe I will complete it the first half of this century.
Dennis
Here goes:
I am attempting to post a picture of my Champ, N83147. I just finished the fuselage. Almost anyhow. A few cotter pins and nuts needed here and there. Just the wings to go. Maybe I will complete it the first half of this century.
Dennis
Here goes:
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Paul Agaliotis
- Posts: 2589
- Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 18:49
- Location: San Martin, California
- Contact:
Dennis.
Beautiful job on the fuselage. It looks like you've done a lot of 'quality' work. Fill us in on the wings: did you replace the spars and the ribs (they look new)? Did you buy the spars or make your own? Only asking as I'm going to be facing a wing rebuilding project fairly soon.
Mike
Beautiful job on the fuselage. It looks like you've done a lot of 'quality' work. Fill us in on the wings: did you replace the spars and the ribs (they look new)? Did you buy the spars or make your own? Only asking as I'm going to be facing a wing rebuilding project fairly soon.
Mike
"If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money"
Mike,
I bought the spars from Safair about 5 years ago. Predrilled and marked for rib placement. Very nice and easy to assemble. The ribs are also new predrilled for rivets. Some from Safair, some from Wag. The wing tanks were bought from Wag about 10 years ago. Their installation is going slowly because I an trying to figure out how they should be installed verses how I think the STC implies they should be installed.
According to the STC, to install the tanks, remove the fabric covering the first bay on the wing. Install a provided board on the bottom of the lip of the butt rib and the first inboard rib for the tank to set on. Set the tank in the bay with a "j" bracket securing the tank to the front and rear spars. After securing tank replace fabric. Sounds simple? Here are the problems:
If you set the tank on top of the ribs...
1. The "j" brackets are long enough but the tank will not set on the bottom provided board, about a 1/4 gap. This implies that the tank mounts under the ribs.
2. The top surface of the tank does not match the contour of the wing. Not even close. This also implies that the tank mounts under the ribs.
3. The top surface of the tank is about 0.080 give or take. Are you to drill it to attach the pk screws or rivets? Once again this also implies that the tank mounts under the ribs.
If, however, you sit the tank below the ribs but on the board...
1. Contour is no issue.
2. Reattaching frabric is no issue.
3. But, the "j" brackets or too long and
4. Inboard rib must be repositioned on the left wing and temporarily moved on the right wing to get tank under the top lip of both ribs. This would only be an issue if you are installing the tank in a "built" wing.
A Wag rep told me to sit the tank below the ribs but as I said the "j" brackets are about 1/4" too long. The STC seems to imply that the tank sets on top of the ribs.
Unless someone here can shed a little light on the installation, I will fabricate new "j" brackets to position the tanks under the ribs. Any thoughts or experience?
Dennis
I bought the spars from Safair about 5 years ago. Predrilled and marked for rib placement. Very nice and easy to assemble. The ribs are also new predrilled for rivets. Some from Safair, some from Wag. The wing tanks were bought from Wag about 10 years ago. Their installation is going slowly because I an trying to figure out how they should be installed verses how I think the STC implies they should be installed.
According to the STC, to install the tanks, remove the fabric covering the first bay on the wing. Install a provided board on the bottom of the lip of the butt rib and the first inboard rib for the tank to set on. Set the tank in the bay with a "j" bracket securing the tank to the front and rear spars. After securing tank replace fabric. Sounds simple? Here are the problems:
If you set the tank on top of the ribs...
1. The "j" brackets are long enough but the tank will not set on the bottom provided board, about a 1/4 gap. This implies that the tank mounts under the ribs.
2. The top surface of the tank does not match the contour of the wing. Not even close. This also implies that the tank mounts under the ribs.
3. The top surface of the tank is about 0.080 give or take. Are you to drill it to attach the pk screws or rivets? Once again this also implies that the tank mounts under the ribs.
If, however, you sit the tank below the ribs but on the board...
1. Contour is no issue.
2. Reattaching frabric is no issue.
3. But, the "j" brackets or too long and
4. Inboard rib must be repositioned on the left wing and temporarily moved on the right wing to get tank under the top lip of both ribs. This would only be an issue if you are installing the tank in a "built" wing.
A Wag rep told me to sit the tank below the ribs but as I said the "j" brackets are about 1/4" too long. The STC seems to imply that the tank sets on top of the ribs.
Unless someone here can shed a little light on the installation, I will fabricate new "j" brackets to position the tanks under the ribs. Any thoughts or experience?
Dennis
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Jim McCartney
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2004 08:32
- Location: Lake Tapps, Washington
- Contact:
Wing tanks
Dennis, I installed the Wag tanks not too long ago. They sit on top of the ribs. The plywood board adds rigidity to the tank bay and replaces the angle brackets that are removed from the butt rib. It is necessary to recontour the aluminum flanges on the top of the tank with body dollies and a hammer to approximate the shape of the ribs. You do drill through the flanges to install the PK screws. It is necessary to rivet an aluminum angle to the lower side of one of the ribs to mount the plywood board. Once the whole installation is complete it looks pretty good. The fabric spans the gap created by the flange on the tank. Hope is helps, Jim
Jim, IF the tank is installed on top of the ribs then it will not set on the plywood board. As I understand the instructions, the board sets on the bottom rib lib, except for the left side which requires an angle to be installed for the board to set on. Did your tank set firmly on the plywood board? Did you attach with screws, etc. the plywood board to the rib lips?
Maybe the problem is due to a poor fit. Once the tank is hammered into the proper contour, it will set lower thereby contacting the board. Just speculating. What are your thoughts?
Thanks for the help.
Dennis
Maybe the problem is due to a poor fit. Once the tank is hammered into the proper contour, it will set lower thereby contacting the board. Just speculating. What are your thoughts?
Thanks for the help.
Dennis
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Jim McCartney
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2004 08:32
- Location: Lake Tapps, Washington
- Contact:
Wing tanks
Hello Dennis, The tank does not sit on the plywood. It is suspended from the spars by the 'J' brackets. The plywood is attached to the ribs with screws. I followed the same screw pattern as the ones holding down the fabric for a uniform appearance. Jim