Wagabond build

[todd2391]

OK. Thanks. Should it be glued to the tubes or the aluminum floor boards?

[Steve Pierce]

Piper glued it to the tubes.

[todd2391]

Copy, Thanks again

[todd2391]

I continued cutting out and fitting the floors and front seat panel. I installed the aileron pulleys also. I cut out a aluminum doubler and installed blind rivets for the control tee leather boot cover.

[todd2391]

I continued working my way back on the floors and then started from the front to the rear and up the sides, I will have to do some more trimming and add a few bends when I remove them for cables, fuel lines, and add a few inspection panels. I installed the last of the aileron pulleys on the fuselage. The side panels are mostly 016 2024 with a few of them 020 2024.

[andya]

Aluminum side panels look nice, any idea how much that cost you in weight over fabric?
Are you configuring for stick or wheel controls? The opening in the front floor looks like
"tri-Pacer" configuration. Love your attention to detail and workmanship on this project.

[todd2391]

I'm sure it will add abut 5-10 lbs over fabric. The side panels are mostly 016 which is pretty light, add a couple of bends for rigidity. I should be able to make that weight up with no vacuum system, no DG, no artificial horizon, light weight starter, alt, and a odyssey battery. I am using control wheel.

[todd2391]

I do appreciate all the compliments I receive on my work. So quick story the first airplane I built was a SE5a, 7/8 scale. All wood and fabric, I sold that when I finished my 2nd airplane, the sport trainer. The guy I sold it just sent me pictures that the SE5a was sold to a museum in China. It is now on display by shanghai China. The pic with the Chinese flag is what he received from the museum. The other picture in Chinese writing is what I found on the web. Was kinda unbelievable to me why they wanted a SE5a. So after some research I found out that the first fighter aircraft that the Chinese government owned were 2 SE5a's they purchased in 1919 from the Royal aircraft factory in Great Britian.

[Steve Pierce]

That is awesome.

[todd2391]

Hope everyone had a good holiday. I got back to work on the project this week after I finished my annual on the sport trainer. I finished the last of the interior aluminum covers at the wing roots. I then started to disassemble them and finish trim where I needed to and add inspection panels for the trim and rudder pulleys. I also started to rivet angled aluminum to the bottom of the sides in the baggage compartment to attach to the floors. I then made 2 storage bins for behind the seats and covers for the rudder cables where they pass through the baggage compartment.