The Diary of a Turb Re-Build

[Monocock]

For the past 12 months or so I have been keeping a re-build log of Druine Turblent G-ARIM. It has been running on another forum, but for various political reasons (moderators scared of a certain overpowering member and tiptoeing around him...), I have decided to continue it here.

The first few posts will be a summary of where it is to date (with dates), and as long as PPRuNe don't mind, I will continue it here, with a hope to be flying by the end of April.

A friend and I decided in 2011 that we needed a project. He's recently retired and a clever man with aircraft building, having built and re-built his own LAA type, and with a very keen eye for detail and accuracy. We decided it would be a 50:50 owned aircraft and I had to quickly think of what I could offer to be of any value to the project bearing in mind what he'd be offering from a technical perspective. So, an area of a farm building was cleared out, and the Turbshop was born. The arrangement is that he provides the skills and all engineering input and I provide the premises and the funding for the project, as well as some of the monkey work. Put even more simply.... He's the brains, and I'm the bank. Despite us both wanting a stunning Turbulent at the end, I won't go as far as to say the project was without an upper budget spend, but if she needed it, she would get it.

We didn't know what we wanted to restore from the outset. I've always had a hankering for a single seat, open cockpit low wing monoplane. We scanned the ad's for a few months and one day G-ARIM appeared. She was started in 1961 by an Adolf Schima and despite then being owned by various parties since then, was never actually officially flown, despite being granted numerous Permits to Test. Her PFA number is 501, so she is certainly an early bird.


Adolf Shima, with G-ARIM in the 1960's. Note the strange engine he was using.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/3cf482fd4b351ea24f1ea0d178d27bf3.jpg

We have been told that Mr Shima died before 'IM was complete and she was then sold to another party, who also died before she was completed. If I start feeling a bit peaky I'll let you know....

We found her in Cambridgeshire, with another of her many owners (who looked refreshingly like he wasn't about to die), and she was still in many bits. Little bits of work had been carried out by each owner, and she had travelled around the country with a surprising amount of hardware to get her completed. A deal was done, and she was duly collected in a glider trailer the following week. Sam decided we shouldn't buy the engine that came with her and that we'd source another one. The provenance of the engine she came with was not known, and it looked like it would be a major overhaul job, which, for the money being asked for it, made it unviable.

Shortly after, an engine was sourced from a lovely man up in Lincolnshire direction who was building a Hurricane replica. It was Autumn 2012 by that point, and Sam wisely decided to focus on getting the engine sound while it was cold and damp, rather than work on the fuselage. I had a call one morning from Sam telling me he had managed to rig up an engine test bed. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the Turbshop to see a cleverly adapted bomb trolley, that was now a mobile engine test bed!!

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/8124a9eddece7fe1e2e31b68ac44034d.jpg
The little VW, being tested by Deppity Dawg. I know it looks a little bit 'Yeehaa' but it was all carefully planned.


A little clip of the third run since major overhaul...
AFHJ78-rILk

Many happy hours were spent over the Christmas spell freezing my baubles off in the propwash of the little VW, making sure the carb was properly set up, that the heat system worked, that the timing was spot on, and that she did a good few hours of ground running before we inhibited her prior to final installation. A word of advice..... aircraft engine test beds and horse livery yards aren't perfectly designed to mutually co-exist, but Mrs M didn't complain once.

When we bought G-ARIM her fuselage was bare of fabric (but surprisingly intact) and her wings and control surfaces were fabric covered.


The wing, as we found it
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/084383fd4d09208cac0026e550cea497.jpg

The wing, after a stripping session.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/c7dac9be4da6ffc7217882cb27b82fc1.jpg


We had planned to turn out an immaculate aircraft, and although one option would have been to accept the wing as it was, we decided to be completely thorough and strip the fabric off for a full inspection. Once this was done, the structure was surprisingly clean, constructed to a very high standard, and in good shape, although there was evidence of dampness at some point as some of the bolt heads were corroded. This wasn't a concern, as the plan had always been to replace them all anyway. The LAA inspector visited, and said what the man from Del Monte frequently says. We could keep progressing...


Many internal hardware items had rusted, despite their external ends being sound. A bit of an eye opener as to what could be lurking inside older aircraft...
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/df54b2b98a7fafaac4b4fd7a111c6f99.jpg

Each and every bracket was removed, stripped and re-painted (that was one of the jobs I was trusted to do). Pulleys were replaced with new were necessary, all other hardware replaced with new regardless, any tiny wood joint weaknesses were strengthened, and new ply skin added where required. A slick little production line of metal parts worked their way through the home-made paint shop department of the Turbshop and then back into the assembly line for installation.


Paint shop
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/1687ee91ebf0f029f477f585a9ad0bb6.jpg


Sam's careful work
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/68db3fe2ed74c918aa23c33e9bbfa51c.jpg


The wing as it is today, and pretty much ready for fabric
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/47e2ac99fa98cb18f04de6b1fe5dd9bf.jpg


Items such as the undercarriage were sand blasted and thoroughly checked before re-priming and painting. The fuel tank was sent away for the addition of a new filler cap and neck, and for pressure testing. Rudder pedals were overhauled and put aside for installation, as were the wheels.

Sam has finished fabric covering the control surfaces and they're ready for painting.

Rudder with fresh fabric
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/Photo11-05-2013172212.jpg


Control surfaces, fabric covered, bubble wrapped, stored, and ready for attachment.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/d8c0c78c679478cf6a9ebacc186d5d26.jpg




The next job is to fabric cover the fuselage and wing which will be happening in the next week or two.


Fuselage waiting for fabric.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/80dac5c9156c985f3a040def0c11232f.jpg

We've been asked several times what colour scheme we will be going with. The main aim is to keep it period, and there were therefore two options.

1. A single colour, as most Turbulents are, with registration and single stripe in a different colour.
2. A classic two-colour scheme.

I was all for number one, until I saw a well known Turbulent at a fly-in I went to, and I fell in love with it. In my opinion it is a simply stunning scheme, with lovely colours (Ipswich Bus Green apparently).


G-ASHT - the prettiest little aircraft I think I have ever seen.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/Photo16-12-2012224801.png

We couldn't really copy it as that would have been cheating, but we decided we could use the scheme with different colours. So, Sam made up a little fabric test panel and the two colours, (after much deliberation) were chosen.


Fabric test panel for trying out paint
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/dcc49b13e55455e9b62d92b8cf53e9fa.jpg

The Oxford Blue will be instead of the green, with the County Cream being the same. It'll look more like a Turb from the same clan, rather than a copy, I hope!! We took the opportunity to test out the strength of the fabric with the test panel. It has been:

1. Punched by my 12 year old son in an attempt to demonstrate his toughness. His fist came off worse than the fabric.
2. Bounced on like a trampoline by my 7 year old son.
3. Used as a axle stand for my quad bike when it had a puncture.

After such scientific test situations, I can formally report back that aircraft fabric is unbelievably strong and durable!!



17/09/13
A few weeks on, and harvest has been and gone. Sam has diligently been working on the Turb in the workshop, and I've been helping out when I can.

The focus has been on the wing and getting it finally ready for fabric. The control system had to be rigged up, with the freshly covered ailerons temporarily attached to their hanging brackets for new cables to be connected up to the stick, and pulleys were replaced with new. It all looks pretty darned snazzy and I now know why people say it's almost a shame to have to hide all the sexy bits with fabric.


Control system temporarily rigged up.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zps76dc16a7.jpg

A couple of layers of glue over the wing later (to make sure the glue that goes all over the fabric has something to stick to) and we were ready to go.

We had to make sure the pitot system worked properly before we considered covering, so a new pitot tube was made with some aluminium tube bought from LAS and the ASI was connected up and checked for sensible readings. It's a lovely instrument, and was found on eBay for £45!! It's brand new, with a manufactured date of circa 1950.


The next time 80kts is shown on this ASI we will be over the Berkshire countryside.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zpsed6044c1.jpg

[Monocock]

With temperature for fabric work being important, we managed to get the poly-booth up to at least 16 degrees for the glue to dry properly. A little electric heater and some free-standing lamps did the job, and we were toasty.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zpsd2421994.jpg



The fabric was laid out across the underside of the wing (underside done first so the top layer overlaps over the leading edge by a couple of inches). Sam spent a good 10 minutes making sure the weave in the fabric was nicely lined up with the wing.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zpse24035dc.jpg



It was then clamped out, to ensure it doesn't move when applying the glue. Starting at the middle, the glue is applied so it penetrates the fabric and bonds with the previously applied glue layers on the plywood airframe. We worked away from centre, keeping the fabric straight, re-clamping when required, and brushing away to get as much adhesion as possible.


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zpsda0d9e4a.jpg
The first glob


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zpsc877071d.jpg
Getting the positioning right to avoid any creases or air bubbles.


After an hour or two we'd pretty much finished most of the underside of the wing, and were at the point where the fabric could be glued to the trailing edge. I won't deny I was pretty high on the fumes of the glue by this point....

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zpsc6443296.jpg

Tomorrow, the plan is to attach the fabric to the trailing edge and then leave it for 24 hours to dry before we start the shrinking process.

I probably should have worn gloves today.... The glue drys and leaves a layer of well bonded gunk on hands. Peeling it off is almost as satisfying as popping bubble wrap, but it doesn't half feel weird.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zps807c69a4.jpg
Turb' leprocy.


A quick before and after pair of pic's, just for interest...


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/084383fd4d09208cac0026e550cea497.jpg
Before...


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zpsa5a83c4d.jpg
After...

More to come later this week....


02/10/13
Gluing of underside of the wing finished today.

Fabric tightening tomorrow/Friday, and then the top side to do.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zpsd6533b21.jpg





03/10/13
And today was the day. We finally have a wing that looks like a wing.

After much doping, gluing of fabric to ply sections and tinkering, it was time to shrink it.

Pre-shrink...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/20131003_120933.jpg


Followed by some smooth wrist action by Sam with the Morphy Richards...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/20131003_121649.jpg


The temperature has to be taken up in stages, starting at 130 Celsius, and gradually increasing the temperature to 175 Celsius as you go. Max temp is 200 before it all goes pear shaped.

The fabric looked stunningly taught after shrinking and makes a satisfying twanging noise now when flicked.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/20131003_122711.jpg

After another hour the other side had been done and the wing is now ready for taping and stitching. Before anybody notices and comments, we are fully aware that we havn't yet cut out the wingtip hand-holds. That'll be a 5 minute job.

The Turbulent is a tiny aircraft, and the last few weeks have made me appreciate the number of hours that would go into doing a re-cover on something like a Cub/Auster sized aircraft.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/20131003_124848.jpg

We will be wrapping the wing in a protective layer of bubble wrap and putting it aside now. Although the taping and stitching is next, we are waiting to hear from the LAA as to whether our proposed painting system will be acceptable. Their response largely determines the method/timing of stitching. More on that later.

Next job will be to get the fuselage onto the operating table. That also requires fabric covering. That dope/glue doesn't half send you high :p

[Monocock]

15/11/13
Interestingly, I was reading an old copy of a PFA magazine the other day, and saw this advert', for our Turb', which was printed several years ago. It was quite a spectacular asking price for a single seater, and with no Permit!! Added to which, it's an interesting place to test run an aircraft, in a hangar, and in front of another aircraft!!

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/ggggggggggg-2.jpg


I've also been contacted by a forumite who is another past-owner of G-ARIM, and who also has done some work on her!! He too saw evidence of flight when he bought her, so she's clearly got an interesting history, that nobody actually knows....!

Since finishing the wing covering there have been quite a few bits to do on the fuselage before the fabric could be applied. Firstly, we had to store the wing somewhere dry and safe.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/jjjjj.jpg


After that, the fusealge needed to have the cockpit area cleaned up and painted in my favourite colour - cockpit green. Note the "Rioja Locka" behind the pilot's head; a perfectly formed and sized storage space for wine, beer, gin and/or toothbrush. Note: this picture has been rotated as the fuselage was on its side when it was taken.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/photo4-2.jpg


Then, the rudder pedals had to be attached. These had been overhauled beautifully by Sam some time ago, so was mainly a case of bolting on. Note the two metal footplates too, perfectly cut to size.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/hh.jpg


Following that, that tricky job of calculating where the rudder cables will exit the fuselage had to be worked out. Sam used some clever calcuation and his result came out absolutely spot on, with very little further exit point needing to be sanded/filed in the ply fuselage wall. Had that been me trying to do it, the exit hole would have been larger than a cat flap...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/23.jpg


The fusealge fabric was started this morning. I felt a bt guilty as I had to rush out and repair some fencing that a horse had destroyed over the weekend so Sam had to fabric over a curving wooden surface on his own - and a lovely job he did too. We ironed/doped out any imperfections and the other side is now ready for the same tomorrow.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/photo2-2.jpg


From here, and when the fuselage surface is finished, it's a case of attaching the firewall and instrument panel and sorting out the cable installation for throttle, carb heat, instrument cable drives etc. That will be a case of installing, getting it all sorted, and then temporarily uninstalling while painting takes place.

Several people have asked me how much space is needed for such a project. The answer is, not a lot really. It is amazing how clever you can be with space, and although we have plenty of it, the actual area needed is really quite small, especially for a small aircraft like this.

I've also been asked about costs involved. To be honest, it's hard to say as although we have kept a close tally on what we have spent, we haven't added it up yet. We will do this at the end, and as long as Sam is happy to disclose what has been spent, then I will summarise it if people are interested.

The thing that has amazed me, is how attached one can get to an aircraft when being involved so closely with its creation. I have spent over 20 years poling around the sky in aircraft I have had nothing to do with the construction of. I have never been able to say that I know an aircraft inside out, and have always slightly envied people who do. On this occassion though, I really do feel like she is a creation, rather than just an aircaft if that makes sense.

PS And you thought I was joking about the Rioja Locka...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/1111111.jpg




03/12/13

Fuselage fabric is pretty much finished now, with tapes going on today. It's all looking remarkably aircraft-like now, and getting progressively exciting to see less surface wood, and more surface fabric as the process proceeds.


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zpsda3314f9.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/null_zps4992336f.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/ACAC9848-28F1-4E20-90CD-054A51B33A85.jpg


There are some paperwork matters to deal with now (with the LAA) to finalise the painting method, and I'm hoping this won't take long... In the mean time, we have the panel to sort and the firewall to get installed. Next update pre-Christmas...

Having realised I need to be 12 stone to fly this, I've started my weight loss programme already. 9 lbs in 4 weeks, and with 19 to go. I'd like to get to 11 stone 8, which will allow me to carry full fuel, toothbrush, AND the Rioja, but will see how it goes.

[Monocock]

18/12/13

Well, the fabric work is all finished, and has been prepared for painting. I've learned a lot about fabric work, and the importance of careful preparation before going ahead with each stage. I'm now very conscious of the fact that the fabric application work isn't actually what takes the majority of the time, it's the attention to detail to get it looking really good that eats up the hours.

In the last week the firewall has been installed, along with a secondary fire retardant material shield between the fire wall and the wooden fuselage. The neat cable holes have been made for the carb heat, throttle and choke to pass through, and these controls have been attached to the panel. We had to make sure (by temporarily installing the fuel tank) that the cables weren't going to foul on the tank as they exited the back of the panel, and it's all looking pretty neat. We opted for carb heat and throttle to be on the left hand side of the panel, and choke to the lower right by the pilot's knee, to keep all flying controls above the level of the base of the panel.

Today we decided it was time to temporarily attach the wing to the fuselage to firstly check it all lines up since the fabric work has been completed, and also to allow us to mark the points where the two colours will start and stop for the paint scheme.

As I think I have mentioned before, we are going with an Oxford Blue and cream version of the scheme below. It should look quite nice.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/Photo16-12-2012224801.png

We lay the airframe out and it fitted together well, and without any difficulty. The bubble wrap on the wing (before anyone asks....!!) is purely to protect the recently shrunk/glued fabric whilst being stored and waiting for paint.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/1DF1FFC3-FEF9-4FDE-9903-CAAC7A223181.png

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/C8456832-5BB4-4EBE-B928-49E721E5C583.png

We are sorting out various trim parts at the moment too, such as the frame for the windshield which I'm in the process of painting.

Paperwork has been submitted to the LAA for a modification to the standard dope painting system, and we are hoping to hear back from them sometime soon.... As this mod' doesn't apply to the fuselage, we will be going ahead with the painting of that early in the New Year.

Looking at what's left to do, it's mainly a case of assembly once the paint is on. Sam (quite rightly) focused on various aspects of the restoration project at an early stage which now leaves us with putting it all together, rather than having restoration AND assembly to do at the same time.

Excitement level has gone from a 7 to an 8.5 for me in the past few weeks...!!!


02/01/14
We decided to tackle the windshield yesterday, making sure that painting (the next major step) doesn't happen before any of the fiddly jobs. The last thing we want is to be trialling different windshield shapes on and off the fresh new paint.

We made up a new template from one we already had which wasn't the best of fits. After using up a Christmas present packaging supply of cardboard, we finally cut one that had the shape we were looking for. The Lexan (my son asked if this was a lesbian from Texas (honest, he did )) will be cut later this week and mounting holes drilled before being put aside for final installation.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/AD5F126A-1A1C-490B-A78E-123E4DA6B01F.jpg


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/CFA07166-2306-49E7-A72D-F3938C2B6F42.jpg

I've been putting off the cleaning up of the brake assembly as it looked fiddly. I went for it this morning and it turned out ok.

Manky brake assembly unit

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/C2903BFA-47E3-4B8B-9D9A-B0F34C8EF161.jpg

After some whizzing with my over-sized power tool...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/452CFE12-7EFF-4AEA-B6E3-2046A0A2B49D.jpg

And after painting.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/09AEE32C-D8DC-4BD1-9785-7C735504FE3C.png

I need to source some inner tubes/tyres for the wheels in the next few weeks. Does anybody have any good links for good scooter parts websites? We are pretty sure they'll be able to help us.


17/01/14
Well, it's taking shape nicely.

We've been building up to painting, and making sure nothing is forgotten beforehand. The last thing we want is to find we've painted her, and then there's something that needs doing that'll cock the paint finish up.

We needed to get the fuel tank plumbed in and we did this on Tuesday. The tank was temporarily installed so we could work out the direction of the pipework. After a few minutes of huffing and puffing, we (well, Sam actually), got the angle that was needed (with inbuilt 'spring' for engine movement) and we cut the ends for a secure fit.

The first photo took 4 takes because Sam was adamant I couldn't get his bald patch in the frame (!!) so please respect the fact that this was a carefully selected photo!!

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/4FFDA015-DB6E-4B68-A022-91900F7F55BE.jpg


Fuel pipe after some time of careful bending. The pipe was filled with salt and sealed so that the pipe wouldn't kink when bent to shape. Clever stuff.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/1BBA7110-73D5-476B-9887-CE7288220BCD.jpg

Fuel pipe from tank, all neatly lined up. Note new tank outlet, pressure tested and good for years to come.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/9C20092C-00C2-47EF-97D0-575A7153997D.jpg

As part of our new paint system, we have been asked by the LAA to create a test panel. This is it, with rib stitching being done, ready for painting. It'll then spend several years being 'weathered' to assess how it deals with UV etc.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/2302F847-463C-4058-A92B-25D0E4AC08BA.jpg

What I'm doing tonight, undercoating the flying surfaces. The new system is a case of undercoat x2, and then a finishing coat. It's 11 times cheaper, and has built in UV protection, a finish that's as good (if not better) than standard aircraft paint systems, and it takes a fraction of the time.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/08D218B0-F262-4655-9856-6BDE46E09581.jpg

Next week, we will be painting the fuselage...

[Monocock]

18/01/14
While my painting of the control surfaces continues, Sam has been busy getting the panel sorted. He's pretty much finished, and here's how it looks.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/674FD522-ABEF-4799-9E37-FD9CE13E9A6E.jpg

The paint scheme is a system that's used a lot in America, and that we are currently getting approval from the LAA for, for use on the wing's (unsupported fabric) structure. To save the traditional long-winded spray system requiring various coats of stinky and expensive paints, the system involves applying two layers of smooth exterior paint, followed by a coat of external trade standard gloss. All layers can be rollered on, creating a superb finish when a fine grade foam roller is used. The paints have inbuilt UV protection, are fire resistant and are non-toxic. As a system, it has been used on various aircraft (Minimax etc) with success, including some well known British red display jets...

The test panel we have made is a requirement of the LAA as a panel that will be stored outside once completed to allow is to regularly check it's condition.

18/01/14
If someone had told me five years ago that there'd be a day when I chose to stay in a workshop working on an aircraft build instead of go flying, I'd have laughed. Well, the sun is out today and the Cub has stayed in the hangar, so I can paint!! My wife put my headsets out on the breakfast table and was a bit surprised to see them still there at 1100 hrs.

Lots of progress in the past 48 hours. I've focused on the control surfaces first, giving them two base coats and two light gloss coats. I'm pleased that the fabric weave is still visible through the paint, indicating that the coats have been the right thickness. The finish provided by this system is pretty impressive, although it does require one to be a little on the obsessive side to get it right.

Aileron x1, tailplane and elevator.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/72B7C4B1-E80F-4BBC-A8E3-7070EEC050DC.jpg

Fuselage with two base coats and awaiting first light gloss coat. I plan to do that tonight.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/A1EF0A52-8B77-420A-975E-BD4582D51E7A.jpg

Bit more of the fuse

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/864AB1ED-10FA-4848-924B-B128FB0872F1.jpg

A half finished aileron

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/26FCC207-C29C-4D91-9116-C31CB921098F_1.jpg

Ideally, I'd like to have the painting all wrapped up by the end of next week. Getting the lines in the right place where the two colours meet will take some planning, but I'm pretty sure I've worked out how to do it safely.


21/01/14
Well, today was a boy's trip out to buy a propeller for ARIM.

We knew there was only one real option for something that would maximise performance and I called Rupert Wasey at Hercules Propellers yesterday to check it was ok to call in and see him today. He said to call in whenever, and that he would be there.

What a lovely chap and what a superb business!!

We had a full guided tour of what can only be described as an aviator's heaven. We saw the whole system in detail from the beech raw material 'planks', through the bonding process, then the CNC process, followed by the hand crafting section, and finally followed by the finishing and painting section.

We knew we were going to buy one before we arrived, but by the time we left we were very close to ordering three. One for the Turb, one for my Cub, and one for Sam's Luton. The Turb one is ordered, and the Cub/Luton ones are very soon to be...

Thanks Rupert (in case you ever read this). You gave us more of your time than we expected and it was appreciated.

There's no point in a boy's trip out without a pub lunch (we tried driving to Kemble's Aviator but couldn't find the right way in once through the main gate to the airfield! ) so we went to an old haunt of mine when I was at Ag' college near there.

When I arrived home I was pleased to see that the registration lettering had arrived. Mirage Signs (Warminster) did them and they were incredibly helpful throughout the whole ordering process, and I can highly recommend them. Ask for Pete; he's a top chap.

Then, an hour's painting of flying control surfaces, and it's time for meatball arrabbiatta with linguine.

I can feel another project coming on.....




21/01/14
Had a look at the reg letters that arrived a couple of days ago. They are spot on, and it feels like she finally has an identity.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/9E0A7491-393C-42FB-8C28-A78B395C7ADE_1.jpg

I didn't realise quite how much time it would take choosing a suitable font. The initial ones we were offered were either very modern looking, or just too 'harsh'. In the end we trawled through loads of other Turb pics and found a font we liked. It turned out that it was an option and is a post-war RAF font. We like it anyway. Does anyone know its official name?

When discussing the reg font with Mrs M a week or two ago, she (with her reasonable GA knowledge) asked if we had considered re-registering the Turb in Germany. I asked why on earth we would want to do that. Her response, which was well thought out, and still makes me laugh now, was...


"Well you could register it D-UREX, because it's a pretty good contraceptive with you out in the workshop all night".




24/01/14
fKF_25FNAHU


28/01/14
With the fuselage set aside for a week to let the first colour of paint harden (I'm still worrying that removing the masking tape after I apply the second colour will take a neat line of the first colour off...), we decided to make the most of the time and get the wing ribs stitched and taped.

Putting the one-piece wing back in the cowshed reminded me how big it is compared to the fuselage.

For those who don't know, the purpose of rib stitching is to attach the fabric to the ribs that run throughout the wing. This stops the fabric lifting away from the wing in flight, retaining its aerofoil shape. The faster the aircraft's VNE, the closer together the stitches need to be. The Turb is having two inch spacings on the wing, sufficient for a VNE of 150 kts.

To start with, the spacings are carefully marked out, ensuring that no stitches will fall somewhere where they might foul on part of the internal pulleys/cables etc. After cementing a narrow fabric strip to the wing fabric along the line of the rib (to add strength for the stitching and to stop the stitch chafing on the rib), small holes are made either side of the rib with a stitching needle. These help a lot when doing the stitching. I did wince a a little doing this, as it seemed rather bizarre to be stabbing holes in such a lovely covering...

Marking Out
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/08A4862F-F0B2-4E69-843A-5DD7FCC06EB1.jpg


A Finished Row
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/F5E8DB6A-6B71-43C7-8BB6-D1CAB8A477D4.jpg

Wing Ready for Stitching
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/F7A8EF91-EC98-42BA-9649-57D778FD9D3B.jpg



Today we will be starting stitching. When I asked Sam if we might manage to do both sides by tonight, I was met with another of his 'don't be so impatient' looks, so I agreed that one side would be just fine. My job will be lying underneath on a big heap of bubble wrap passing the needle back up through the wing for most of the morning.


31/01/14
We'll, after 174 stitches, a few swear words, enough tea and cake to feed a Scotsman, and some sore fingers, the stitching is done. This leaves the tapes to be cemented over the rows of stitching, and then it's time for painting the wing.

A neat row of completed rib stitches.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/68ca8cb91852606b53544b219d41cc6d.jpg


We decided that it would be easier if I was below the wing (to verbally guide needle into hole, and then pass it back up the neighbouring holes to enable Sam to do the actual knot from above. So, it was 8 hours lying underneath the inverted wing, on a big heap of bubble wrap, with the following view....

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/7f789156ec185da49bf0f1af6168e49e.jpg

As mentioned, the prop is now on order, and the deposit was paid this week. We have gone for one that'll look like this; a lovely light grey with matching tip colours for the paint scheme. Rupert thinks it'll be 6 weeks before it's ready, which we are hoping will time nicely with when we are putting it all together.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/ad99451a7e68753c16babdf80b7b6641.jpg


I don't know about everyone else, but I'm getting pretty twitchy about the length of time ago that I last flew. It's a fortnight now, and the strip has had yet another dose of water today, with even heavier rain forecast next week, and some pretty awful winds in between. Still, at least it's giving us plenty of time to focus on this project.

[Monocock]

03/02/14
I'm in a bit of trouble..........

On Friday, Sam asked me to make sure that the Cowshed was nice and warm this morning ready for us to cement the tapes over the freshly stitched wing ribs. I diligently went over to the workshop at 0800 hours and set up the heater from the farm office in the Cowshed and left it running on FULL to allow it to heat up. The idea is that when the heat is up and the humidity is lower, there is less chance that the cement will bloom, and go all white as it dries.

I popped back to get something from the house an hour after we got started work (1130 ish) and couldn't find Mrs M anywhere in the house. So, I called in to see if she was in the office, only to find her doing the VAT return on her computer with two Puffa jackets on, gloves, and she was sporting a rather blue hue to her face. I think that'll be dinner somewhere nice tonight.....

Anyway, the tapes are on (both sides) and tomorrow's job are the tapes on the trailing edge, wing tip, and leading edges.

Then, after some checking over the fabric for any raised areas of cement, it'll be time to don the roller again.

Applying cement to give the cement that is brushed onto the tapes something to bite onto:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/0151B079-AC6C-4B70-82B7-E8D3F51C2546.jpg


Getting ready to attach the tape, making sure that it runs perfectly parrallel and that it has a nice round (pinked edge) front to it:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/985FE131-4603-46B8-8EFE-23A9D1EEC5D0.jpg


All done:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/450AE40B-8694-4A4E-A7BA-4F3AEFC85BF3.jpg



04/02/14
Mrs M had defrosted by about 1900 hours last night, which was good. It was also just in time for her to realise we were going to be taking the heater again for another day.... I blamed Sam, and he went along with it which was good... It's not a problem, and the VAT return can just wait for a few days.

We had some more tapes to apply today, and we did the trailing edge, the wing tips and some other ones in the aileron recesses etc. These are to make sure that the rib tapes etc don't peel in the future, and basically tidy it all up nicely.

A 3 hour session reduced to 60 seconds is shown below...

1aHdysYtjH0

Tomorrow, we have a small admin' job to do as part of the paint MOD process, so the rest of the tapes (leading edge) will have to wait until Thursday.

By 1430 hrs today we were both getting hungry ad grumpy so we decided to call it a day. I'm limiting myself to 1600 calories a day for the next 8 weeks to get down to Turb-weight of around 12 stone. I see it as a good way for me to retain a racing-snake-like physique (!!) through my 40's and beyond! Well, I'm burglered if I'm going to spend all this time on the aircraft and only be able to look at it for the next 20 years!!

After some lunch and sorting some emails I decided to conquer a fear of mine. I've been worrying that the Frog Tape (posh masking tape) will remove a neat strip of cream paint when I remove it after adding the blue colour trim. So, I decided it was time to go for it. This time, (I don't really know why) I decided that the kitchen table would be a good place to do it. Warm, clean, light, and near the kettle*.

So, I set about masking the line that I wanted and getting the Royal Regatta (blue paint) ready. It does go on very well compared to the cream that requires more coats. I'm also really pleased with the two colours and how they go together. So, within 20 minutes I had a stabiliser with a nice blue leading edge, and a sudden (well, that's what I told her) realisation came over me that it couldn't be moved until it was dry....

An hour later a Domino's scooter came down the drive and the kids were chuffed that they could eat their Meat Feast pizzas I had ordered them in their TV room without being moaned at. Mrs M is just eating some pasta I made for her on her lap in the drawing room.... She isn't aware of how long the kitchen is out of bounds for, but I reckon it'll be a coupl'a days, at least...


Stabliser nearing completion

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/9A0E587F-D789-4AA8-B467-B4EBF3774697.png

* Not for any clever technical reasons, just for some occasional Assam Pekoe.




05/02/14
We spent a fair bit of time today going over both sides of the wing making sure any imperfections in the surface (any small lumps of fabric glue, hairs, dust etc) were all removed. A couple of final tapes were also applied in the wingtip slatted sections to ensure a tidy finish in this area.

It was then a case of going over the wing with a fine mist spray (water) and clean cotton cloth to make sure there was nothing that could get below the paint.


Wing completely finished and ready for paint
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/photo-1.jpg


First coat of paint on top side. Second one later tonight.
8o-5p6BmcJc




08/02/14

Second undercoat applied late last night to underside of wing.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/2AFCE157-54C4-4066-99A5-26AF3D193522.jpg



First top coat this morning. Leading edge will be in the Royal Blue (after careful masking), hence I've left it.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/9A493391-7C5C-49EF-9E95-21F9707FA63C.jpg


10/02/14


Second and last coat of blue on underside of wing tomorrow. Then, we'll flip her over and do her top. I've got the masking process sussed now, after learning from a minor dropping of a bolleauk when doing the rudder.

The farm might flood, but the Turb will go on regardless. If needs be, I can put the Turb in the house and the house furniture in the farm buildings.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/A22F2C22-047B-4276-AB82-84F29756AC5E.jpg


19/02/14
I decided the cream coat was dry enough to apply the blue leading edge to the top side of the wing this morning.

Masking (Frog tape, as advised) was used to create a decent paint seal and to stop any seepage into the cream. I took ages over getting the line right, even though as someone correctly pointed out, if it's a few mm out either side it is impossible to tell when each end will always be 25 feet apart!!

As you can see, I got bored waiting for the cream to be dry enough to apply the masking tape safely, so I had already casually applied thin coat of the blue (well within the planned final line) and timed it so the next coat would go on at the right stage of drying (just past tack dry).

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/E0D1BD87-E4DA-4D40-9B86-4B82209E4848.jpg



I then find it best to do a single decent coat along the mask line before getting the tape off mainly because I find it best to remove the tape reasonably quickly (within 15 mins) after applying to minimise the risk of any paint uplift when peeling off. So, after tape removal I then fill in the gaps. This is with 1.5 coats with a final one to go on tomorrow.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/D8463B12-06F4-46ED-ABD5-A92E7554C57E.jpg


I ordered the wing walk paint this morning from LAS, and that'll be going on by the end of the week too. Then it's time for application of the registration letters (after some clever working out how to avoid inspection hole panels....) and then wrapping up ready for assembly.

All that'll be left to do then in terms of painting is the blue on the fuselage. That'll be next week, and when that's being done Sam will be able to start fitting out the fuel tank, final panel installation and various other fuselage bits.

[Monocock]

I applied the wing walk compound paint last night. That's some weird stuff that is!

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/824398A9-29ED-40A7-B5CE-BA70E31DFCDD.jpg

This afternoon it's under-wing registration application time.....

More later.....

[Monocock]

We've just finished tidying up the green painting for the control bay that lives under the seat. Sam also attached the supporting brackets for the wing attachment bolts to make sure that they didn't foul on the brackets.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/36EA6034-4F02-47B9-8684-14DDF448E4A0.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/DE53569F-F8E3-42B7-895C-461BC2990644.jpg


Then, it was time for the underside wing registration to be applied. It was a bit nerve wracking, but in the end it went on quite easily:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/55CCAF09-2F9C-4B30-A7C0-A4BF367FFE29.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/8ACD46E3-06C3-45C5-B17B-23E3D89A720E.jpg


Finished! Some clever painting will be done on the access panel where the 'R' is.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/C593CF98-C883-4291-BAD8-0194A47DBDDD.jpg


Next week, the fuselage will have the final painting finished and start to be kitted out.

[Silvaire1]

I sure enjoyed reading that. Nice workmanship and attention to detail.

The period art deco inspired exterior colors are right. The traditional UK cockpit green is also good, and a whole lot more attractive than the Douglas or Russian turquoisey versions of same!

[3 Point]

I've followed this tale so far on the other forum; glad to find it will be continued here.

Good luck with the remaining work!

3 Point

[PPRuNe Towers]

Delightful thread and a superb job. Heaven would be having a side by side thread on another great build like the Comper Swift.

ROb

[dubbleyew eight]

I built most of a turbulent once upon a time and I have flown one. delightful little aeroplane.

with my fuselage almost complete I sat in it on the bench and to my eternal frustration found I couldn't fit in the cockpit

it took ages to find out what size roger druine was.
closest I came was a photo of him and henri mignet together. they were about the same size.
in henri's plans for the HM293 he mentions a flying weight for the pilot of 65kg.
this accords with a pilot of about 5ft tall and slim build.

I was well underway with a second fuselage that had the seat 2 inces back when I was told that the turbulent I had flown already had this mod.

I eventually gave the entire project to a short guy to complete.

overall an interesting but very frustrating little aeroplane.

[Solar]

Excellent thread Monocock.
Very interesting and informative, keep it coming.

[SawMan]

This lovely story deserves a 'sticky' as it will be highly interesting to all for ages to come. My highest kudos for the approach being taken to create another flying jewel and for sharing it with us here here :ok: :ok: :ok: :ok: :ok:

[cockney steve]

Mono, glad to have spottedthe update here.....a beautiful bit of restoration and Conservation,with no need for white gloves ;)

Funny how the "beat the Mods" game is shunting traffic between the two sites.:)

You should be done by the time the monsoon season is over....but will you be "down to weight" in time?

Perhaps Henri was dyslexic ...his name should have been spelt "midget"

Pen loaded with opprobrium and vitriol for the troublemaker over the way....Dummy or Cigar?:E

[PPRuNe Towers]

The Snipe makes me a bit helpless Bral. Bedtime reading is often the Albatross profile on it, text books and I have the Jim Kiger 1:5 th scale complete plan set for it.

I'll discuss stickiness with Saab as the stats show such threads become 'invisible' to readers after a relatively short period. I might suggest a compromise of 7 days sticky each time Monocock offers up a photo update.

Whether it's mods, building, restoration, recovering, paint stripping or repainting I'd love to see threads on them. I'm also intrigued with the paint process being used on the Turbi above. The crosslinked Polyfiber roll on or perhaps something different given the involvement and testing requirements of the LAA?

Rob

[Monocock]

I'm glad you like it Rob. :ok:

The 'sticky' is a kind offer, but on the basis that it jumps to the top with each update anyway, please don't feel you have to go out of your way. Cheers all the same. :)

I will normally update it once a week (at least) unless nothing of interest has happened.

[Monocock]

bral,

The rib stitching is specified in the designer's plans, hence we did them. We have gone with 2 inch spacings as that is what is required for a speed range of up to 150 kts.

I took a picture today of the inside of the wing which looks like the interior of some kind of industrial building...

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/A683079C-F666-41EB-B3A2-02DBD7096881.jpg


We then burned out the drain holes in each rib bay, located on the lower end of each bay to allow any moisture out, and for the wing to effectively "breathe". After all the hours of work spent covering, stitching, taping and painting, it almost seemed criminal to burn little holes in it! :ooh:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/A24C7B83-7A04-471A-B373-6CE2FA629637.jpg


The wing is now completely finished and it was time to take it out of the workshop to allow space for the fuselage again. I couldn't resist a picture of it just before it was put away; it did look lovely, even if I say so myself...:)

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/7538AFA0-CB21-4CA8-907B-CAC60F1EAF13.jpg


With the fuselage now on the work table, I am hoping to be able to post a picture of it by early next week with the painting fully completed and ready for assembly to start.... :ok:

[India Four Two]

Monocock,

Wonderful workmanship, wonderful pictures and descriptions. Thank you for sharing the restoration with us. Your comments about dieting confirmed what I had suspected. I'm long past the age where my weight would have allowed me to fly one. :(

I love that picture of the wing interior - to me it looks like a model for a futuristic film-set.

I've always liked the Turbulent ever since I first saw one at a Tiger Club display at Ramsgate airport in the late 50s. A red one, I think. My dad was highly amused by the pilot doffing his bowler hat to the crowd as he made a 50' fly by.

I gather from cockney steve's comments that this is a continuation of a thread on "the other site". Is that thread still there or has it been deleted?

Rob,
You must have made a slip of the pen there. I'm sure you're aware that Turbi is not the diminutive for a Turbulent, but is the name for a larger, two-place derivative. ;)

[Monocock]

I gather from cockney steve's comments that this is a continuation of a thread on "the other site". Is that thread still there or has it been deleted?

No, it's still there but I have stopped updating that one and have decided to do it here instead. I don't want to go into details, but let's just put it down to a new moderator who is rather trigger happy...

It's as much a place for keeping a record of the whole process for myself - and if it can be of interest to others them so much the better. :ok:

[dubbleyew eight]

monocock is the photo of the internals of the wing "looking like an industrial building" taken with the final finish in place or before the final finish?

I ask because that is nowhere near the level of uv opaquing required for polyfiber.
you should not see any light at all coming through the fabric.
ymmv.

[Monocock]

It is after the final finish, but bear in mind that this paint system is 100% UV proof, even more so than a silver UV painted standard system. It uses titanium dioxide and has retained UV protection far longer than standard systems in numerous tests.

[dubbleyew eight]

sorry mate I disagree. if the light can get through the uv can as well.
I'll go for opaque silver as per the polyfiber system any day.
the LAA are right to want a test panel out in the sun.

[Monocock]

I've been out this morning and continued work on the blue part of the fuselage painting. Getting the masking right took rather a long time, but I got there in the end.

Tail post:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/DF5EA7EA-AA6D-4EF7-A762-717765800BDE.jpg


Fuselage on its side:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/AF03C0F5-323E-4859-A6A6-13AA2FE28E02.jpg


Hoping to finish this side of the fuse today, and then the other side should be done by Weds/Thurs.

After a long discussion about what we should have in terms of text/moniker etc on the tail (if anything at all), we have decided to simply have the serial number. It'll be a simple case of three letters and three numbers, and won't look too busy, or detract from the looks.

[mad_jock]

if the light can get through the uv can as well.

You can get selective filters which only block certain wave lengths.

I have a lovely Hoya UV HD filter on the front of my camera lens blocks 100% UV-B and 100% UV A and everything above 400nm.

And its opaque to everything below that allowing photo's to be taken.

[Monocock]

dubble yew,

No worries, I can understand your concerns about going away from the norm. I was equally as sceptical until I investigated it in detail and got to understand how Titanium Dioxide is used in so many industrial applications.

The system has been used in America for years with great success and also on the Minimax here for many years too, with no problems.

UV doesn't actually need 'darkness' to be filtered out. Yes, darkness is a pretty robust method of eliminating it, but this system utilises a more modern approach, and one that is included in many commercial anti-UV applications.

As you say, I agree it is a good idea for a test panel too. It will give us peace of mind that we can monitor something that has had far greater exposure to UV and the elements than a Turb that'll spend 98% of its time in a hangar!

[PPRuNe Towers]

I'm sure you're aware that Turbi is not the diminutive for a Turbulent, but is the name for a larger, two-place derivative.I used to be and I am again now! A lovely green Turbulent at my home strip.

Whether airliner windows or photographic optics, UV killing properties haven't ever just needed opacity as the key. Thus my interest in the system Monocock has used. As a Jodel owner it's something I'm keen to follow as titanium dioxide changed some specialist paints a good while back. From artists' paint to the exterior shots we've all seen of the gleaming white Saturn V rocket it is long established as a pigment with some very special properties.

Rob

[Andy_R]

A great account of your hard work Mono....enough to drag me back into here after a very long absence :ok:

Looking forward to seeing the finished product (if I can ever get out of the strip!).

[Monocock]

You're welcome to drop in to the strip and see her, Andy. :ok: I'm looking forward to getting a pic of our two Cubs parked next to each other.

We hope, subject to admin delays, to be flying her by the end of April...

[Echo Romeo]

Mono, was approval from the LAA needed, prior to using this paint system on an open fabric covered structure?

[Monocock]

Yes.

Saying that, it is more of a formality on the basis that it isn't actually a revolutionary paint system - it has been used on the Minimax for years. The Turb has a very similar wing structure too, with little unsupported fabric.

[Echo Romeo]

Okay, thanks, tis very interesting. The Turb looks great by the way :ok:

[Planemike]

Mono,

Great to see the work you have done on RIM. I know it is while off yet but do hope you will bring her to the PFA (err whoops, LAA) annual rally at Sywell in September.

Planemike

[Monocock]

She'll be there. :ok:

[sappho]

Mono

Like Andy I have come over to keep an eye on progress.

Glad to see the painting and reg has gone well.:ok:

Steve (Tarnish).

[Monocock]

Hi Tarnish/Sappho

It's going nicely thanks. I've just come back from the workshop and have been painting the other side of the fuse.

I didn't think any pictures of the second side would be of much interest so I didn't bother taking/posting any.

The next few weeks should be pretty cool as we start assembling her, after months of sorting out various individual parts etc.

[JonathanB]

Also popped over to keep track.
It's looking great - I wish had the skills, space, patience and of course finances! :ok:

[Monocock]

Hi Jonathan! :)

Skills - I'm lucky that Sam is my co-owner as he has most of the skills we need. I'm just the general skivvy (turned painting man!) :O

Space - I'm lucky that I have enough space, and if I had to pay for it the costs would have gone up considerably.

Patience - not being particularly patient by nature, this project has been excellent in teaching me to have some! Without it, a quality finish just can't be achieved and I've wanted it to be a beauty right from the start.

Finances - you'd be surprised at how little a re-build like this costs if there are no labour costs. We could easily have done it even cheaper than we have if we hadn't (at my insistence) replaced everything with new (mostly anyway).

So, a project like this can be turned around very very cheaply indeed if you want to. Added to which, the understanding one gets of the aircraft is superb once you have done this kind of thing.

[londonpommie]

Looking lovely Marj! :ok:

Bhb

[Monocock]

Hi BHb,

Thanks - she's getting there...!!

I know you all think I'm probably taking far too long over the painting (and I think Sam does too!!), but I know that when I say "the painting's finished", that's how she's gonna look for the next 20 years that I fly her. So, on that basis, I am making sure it is right. I also know what a critical eye some LAA rally goers will have in September....:O

Saying that, after a final coat tonight/tomorrow morning, I'm pretty much there.

She is back on her belly now, and below is pic' of each side. As with the wing, the curvy line was done pretty much by eye, with the help of a cardboard template.

I have decided that the less sticky Frog tape (the yellow one) is much better for this kind of work.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/0E7396E7-0E47-449D-B999-600F2CACAD70.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/BDB88EFF-8E9D-46E0-B50C-42630639B3E4.jpg

[thing]

I envy you greatly. I wish I had the time (and skills) to do a rebuild like that. Hope all goes well and I look forward to seeing it in the air.

[Monocock]

Next week, and after the fuselage registrations have been applied, the following is the list of jobs to get on with:

1. Tailwheel fitted (already overhauled and painted up)
2. Seatbelt harness fitted (already overhauled and length checked).
3. Rudder cables fitted.
4. Fuel tank installed and connected up (already overhauled, pressure tested and new filler cap installed).
5. Windshield fitted (already made, just needs bolting on).
6. Full IFR panel fitted* (as above)

Then, it's a case of temporarily dismantling the polythene cocoon we have been working in, to allow us to do a trial assembly of the fuse/wing.

Excitement on the 10 scale has now reached 9.9993....:)







* Yeah, ok, I was kidding. We are both purists, and have kept it as simple and authentic as possible. Pic available if desired.

[Cusco]

Still would like to fly in to the first flight celebrations even though you've decamped to the dark side....

[SEP Flyer]

Truly wonderful. I've enjoyed watching this rebuild for months, I'm almost longing to see her fly as much as you!

Does she have a name? (surely she must!)

[Monocock]

I've delayed giving her my own personal name until I have flown her. What she is christened will most probably reflect how she flys/handles.

I just hope I don't end up calling her Emu!!

[Monocock]

Due to other commitments today, I only had time for some tinkering this morning. So I decided to:

Add the NO STEP graphic to the port wing root. It's an inch high, and done in the same post-war RAF font as the registrations, and in the same colour.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/01CB5A4B-A503-414D-9866-19CC6BCFA3F5.jpg


As mentioned, Sam and I debated about the best thing to have on the tail, and in the end we decided to go for a subtle, lower down the rudder serial number, once again in the same font and colour. Many of the Turbulent fleet have old PFA serial numbers of between 450 and 550, so we felt this was fitting to its age, and somewhat respectful to the good old PFA, without whom many of us wouldn't be flying today.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/270EC3FE-AC4F-4CBD-ACFC-BD21127F0337.jpg


And finally, some really obsessive tinkering, the painting up of the fuel tank filler!! The filler has had a little protruding tube that we had welded to it to support the fuel gauge wire, which is simply a piece of wire with a petrol/ethanol proof float on the bottom. I have one in the Cub and it's guaranteed to be accurate every time!

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/8DBB9ED1-E98B-4D9F-9B87-4E249E378F37.jpg



Registrations going on fuselage tomorrow....

[cumulusrider]

Love this thread. i am so jelous. One question . Why did you go for a Matt paint finish rather than gloss like this?
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTpLvt-Q0XB9JTjWJ0LUfSzjhn6tnhlbTh-mGunwkJ-M1We5QxfbQ (http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=hDehIZ1tE2GqGM&tbnid=iN83UHb6zx8HaM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbookergc.********.com%2F2011_07_01_archive. html&ei=wREOU8PSGcGh0QWbmYGICw&bvm=bv.61965928,d.ZGU&psig=AFQjCNECcA858JXZcctbYmyC1fvlMLYtxA&ust=1393517330410472)

[Monocock]

It is a gloss paint, but it is possible to matt it down with a light 'dry roll' when it's partly dry. We prefer a less glossy finish ourselves, but everyone's taste is different I suppose.

That's a lovely glider you have there. :ok:

[Russell Gulch]

Cumulusrider, are you sure it is gloss on and not dope that has been buffed to a fine finish. ?

Gloss paint did not exist for aircraft when the turbulent was designed.

[mary meagher]

MC - hello! Beautiful photos, beautiful project, and Mrs. M. should be grateful as years will be added to your life and your new youthful slender frame should make up for all the evenings devoted to your beautiful baby! Alas, though provision is made for the vineous cargo, where is the second seat to take her for a flight with the wind in her hair? - guess it will have to be the Cub, with the doors off...

So much work goes into frame, fabric, finish. My beloved GOFER Supercub was sold to White Waltham, in superb condition thanks to the labours of my engineer, who spent a very cold winter in a similar plastic construction breathing fumes! I will forward your epic to him to enjoy.

My daddy was a boatbuilder and sailor, so educated me properly in the ways of navigation, met, and caution...so many happy hours flying and good company.
Do drop in to Shenington (Edgehill) when your baby is fully fledged....

Mary

[Monocock]

Mary,

Thank you for your kind comments - I will make a point of contacting you about a visit to Shenington when she is flying. :)

[Monocock]

She finally has an identity. :)

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/4DB1C191-20A7-4B48-BF4F-699433BBB455.jpg


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/3333B2B6-9CF0-4206-98B9-55531E7E9481.jpg

[Monocock]

Next week will see some more progress.

Cub Permit was this week, and other minor set-backs like kids breaking hands playing rugby, flooding returning and a few problematic issues with unwanted visitors... :sad:

Weirdly, I'm also finding Light Aero Spares are taking ages to deliver these days, compared to their usual 24 hour turnaround. I made an order on Tues and have been told it'll be next week when I get it.... :(

There must be a few 'internals' going on there.

[treadigraph]

Everybody should have a Turb. Never mind this that and the other...

[Monocock]

Progress has been good this week.

Tailwheel is now on:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/17432787-79F7-45C6-B0C4-107014026BE5.jpg



Mounting brackets for the stabiliser have also gone on:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/82614310-4F72-45E6-BA8C-65EA88FA22E6.jpg


Next it was a case of getting the rollover bar and windscreen fitted. This was finished off with some neat trim around the perspex:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/AC31B6AB-A4FA-4DED-B59E-CC0D20388BE9.jpg


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/F5D9D51A-A2AA-4759-8DCB-6B01D706D953.jpg


The finished job:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/283D5E63-1038-431B-8763-CD0DC023F601.jpg


There were some annoying bits of dust that had got trapped so we decided to blast them out:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/8EB7ED96-9D00-4639-BB09-649CA8035856.jpg


We will be adding some trim where the windscreen meets the fuselage, mainly to ensure no air creeps underneath, and also for aesthetics.




The fuel tank was tricky to get in, but we managed it eventually:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/DD582962-2A16-4E71-B82B-95142E825560.png


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/E54443BD-7C38-4DFD-A069-C7ECB4445FC4.png


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/CFBC90C2-BF6D-4848-B8A9-E555AF0DF80D.jpg



Sam spent a fair bit of the morning like this...!

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/98E806D4-D003-49CC-A8BD-BE36182B6037.jpg




Firewall all installed:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/C426802F-7566-46B0-B470-8157615C190A.jpg



Rudder cables are installed and ready for crimping at the correct length when the rudder goes on, and the pilot harness cables are all ready for a simple attachment to the harness when it goes in.

The panel will be going in next, followed by some trim on the side of the cockpit/fuselage side. After that, and a few other smallish jobs, we will be putting the undercarriage on the wing, ready for trial wing/fuselage assembly....

Would write more, but pretty tied up with other bits and pieces this afternoon.

[bingoboy]

Looking good.

Take care when filling with fuel as the screen looks close to the filler neck.

[Monocock]

Hi bingo,

You're right, it is. It was a toss up between having a bit of 'rake' on the screen, or a really dorky looking vertical one. We went for the slightly more raked one. The filling will be no different to how it is for my Cub, or Sam's Luton. We'll need to be careful, but luckily there'll be no need for ladders etc, and we can always protect the screen with a cloth/sheet during re-filling. :ok:

[Monocock]

Many people have asked what the total cost is to date.....

I'd be interested to hear some guesses before I disclose the figure. Let's just say it's just got to a nice round figure, so now's a good time (with not much left to buy for her) to see what people estimate the complete build costs to be.

[Desert185]

Nice build, but not liking the design location of the fuel tank. :=

[Monocock]

Hi Desert,

Sadly, Mr Druine is dead. If he wasn't, I'd happily pass his contact details on to you as I'm sure he'd welcome your technical views on this matter. As it stands, his design is well proven, so we feel quite happy to go along with it.

The fuel tank in my Cub is in exactly the same place too. Mr Piper built a few Cubs with such fuel tank locations, so we feel reasonably happy that it'll be ok.

:ok:

[Monocock]

All,

Having had some pretty unnecessary and vindictive PMs about this build, I'm undecided about whether to continue this thread. I might just add photos each week for those who are interested. Please don't expect a reply to any messages though, as I have decided to stop opening them. :ok:

[dubbleyew eight]

monocock you should actually publish those comments and expose the tossers.

the Druine D3 Turbulent is a superb wooden design. the design is beautifully put together.
my own calcs of the spar strength show it to be 100 pounds over the 6g ultimate stresses. a near perfect blend of design strength and lightness.
flat 4 engines like the VW are totally free of vibration, amazingly so.

the only weakness I know of in the design is the standard springing in the gear legs.

Turbulent G-ASPU was bought back by it's original builder and is now in Western Australia. I managed to shoehorn myself in the cockpit for an hours flying. The handling is superb.
They are a design well worth keeping in the air.

my fuselage build came to $250. wing ribs seem to be built out of nothing and are a pleasant winter in front of the fire activity, one rib per night.

allan tried wheelbarrow tyres on his and found out that taxying out for 5 flights had totally worn them out. vespa motorbike tyres last much longer.

keep the posts coming mate. the dickeads are only jealous

[Monocock]

Thanks. :ok:

As mentioned, I will update with pic's regularly. :)

[davydine]

Please don't stop posting, it is a fascinating read, if people are being tossers let em, it's a reflection on them. If they have something worth saying they should put it on a public forum so that we can all benefit from their wisdom....

[Planemike]

Mono..........

Really sorry to hear you have had this treatment from some stupid trolls.

Please stay with the thread, great to see all the work you are putting into (re)building this aircraft. As I have said before, certainly hope to see it at Sywell in September.

Planemike

[tmmorris]

Seconded. Report them to the mods. I'm loving the thread and wondering if I could ever do a similar project...

[dubbleyew eight]

of course you could build a turbulent.
you would find it quite therapeutic.
I didn't finish mine, I gave it away to a short guy.
I used a 6 inch steel rule, a pencil, swiss army knife to sharpen the pencil, a 6 inch coping saw, a 1 metre steel rule and a stanley knife to build most of it.

get medium orbital sanding paper and glue it to wood blocks about 10mm thick, 3 inches by 2 inches and you will have a supply of precision sanding tools.

this sounds daunting bit really isn't. there are some 5,000 glue joints in the wings. if you build a jig and build one rib a night, when you have finished the wing ribs you have over half the joints in the aircraft done.

the only problem with a turbulent is that it was built for a guy probably 5ft nothing tall. the cockpit is small, though there are changes made that improve the cockpit size. on G-ASPU the seat was canted back so that it gave 2 inches more space. I'm 5ft 10" and I only just fitted in the expanded cockpit.

knowing what I do now I'd build to the original french plans but with the cockpit space tweaked maybe 2 inches aft and 3 inches at the firewall.

I bought a timber available locally at the time as pool decking and sliced my own. alaskan yellow cedar and queensland hoop pine was the wood I used and Queensland Hoop Pine marine plywood.

I wonder if the mods would be happy for me to post workable photos of the plans?

[Saab Dastard]

Having had some pretty unnecessary and vindictive PMs about this build, I'm undecided about whether to continue this thread. I might just add photos each week for those who are interested. Please don't expect a reply to any messages though, as I have decided to stop opening them.
Monocock,

Please do let the mods and / or admins know the senders and the contents of the abusive PMs.

Please keep the thread going! :ok:

Thanks

SD

[cockney steve]

Mono....As last few posters have said....Nil Illegitimi Carborundum!

You find inadequates in all walks of life....little dicks and a sense of inadequacy lead to this sort of cowardly abuse..
NAME, SHAME...YES , I'm sure , despite your nom de plume elsewhere, you aren't a precious shrinking violet... therefore these knobbers need to be exposed.
It's a terrific project, beautifully executed and irrespective of the impractical nature of an open tourer in the UK's weather, I'm sure there will be many happy hours spent poling it around.

Simple fuel system, one tank , one big tap....yea, monocock!

[Desert185]

Monocock

Hi Desert,

Sadly, Mr Druine is dead. If he wasn't, I'd happily pass his contact details on to you as I'm sure he'd welcome your technical views on this matter. As it stands, his design is well proven, so we feel quite happy to go along with it.

The fuel tank in my Cub is in exactly the same place too. Mr Piper built a few Cubs with such fuel tank locations, so we feel reasonably happy that it'll be ok.

That location was typical in older designs for many reasons. I flew a Porterfield Turner with C65 that had the tank in the same location. Delightful little airplane, but I still didn't like the location for obvious reasons (but at least it didn't hold much fuel:D). The Beavers and Otters (two of my favorites) required you to basically sit on the tanks, and I really didn't have a problem with that as the airplanes were brilliant in so many other ways. The tank location actually made sense given the purpose and planned working environments of the airplanes.

Enjoyable thread to read, and I hope you continue to illustrate and describe the fine, restorative work you are doing. Disregard the dis. They're everywhere in life, and occasionally there sometimes seems to be more than their share on PPRuNe.

[Monocock]

Panel temporarily installed to check everything lines up (control cables etc). The two missing instruments are currently being used in the engine test set-up.

Most of the instruments have been sourced on eBay, and some were found at amazingly good prices.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/iii.png

[Jason Burry]

Monocock,

I'm no aviator, and build nothing with a wingspan beyond 7', but I've been immensely enjoying following your build of this beautiful little work of art. Please continue and, as others have suggested, to hell with the trolls.

This world is filled with consumers. You're one of the rare creators. You and Sam are to be commended.

Jason.

[Sir George Cayley]

Absolutely the right dials for this panel.:ok:

Brings back happy memories of flying a Turb which I helped refabric in a plastic tent in a barn on a farm.

Keep the pix coming - those of us rebuilding this a/c vicariously through you need to feed the need.

SGC

[Maoraigh1]

Tank position:
The Jodel DR1050 which I fly has 2X55L tanks. One behind the firewall, over the legs of the front seat occupants. The other under the rear seat. In a fatal accident, where the spinner was first impact, followed by a wingtip, there was no fire.

[dubbleyew eight]

in an aircraft with wing tanks the wings were ruptured in the impact and soaked the entire aircraft and area in fuel.

moral of the incident. there is no safe place to put the fuel tanks in a prang.
so don't bloody prang.

[dubbleyew eight]

I have legible digital images of the french plans and the australian plans.
sadly Roger Druine died of cancer decades ago and so I believe that there is no copyright issues regarding these plans.

each of the plans images is about a meg in size.
I have found them useful on a laptop since you can zoom in and read all the details.

On the photo bucket page at the bottom right of the image is a magnifying glass. keep clicking on that until you are seeing the original image.
then right click and save the jpg image to your machine.

ok there are 22 plans in all but I do not have a copy of page 20 which I believe is the weight and balance calcs. if anyone has a copy of this page I'd love a copy.

plan 30-01 3 view and specifications
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-013viewandspecs_zps31f17a25.jpg

plan 30-02 tailplanes
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-02tailplanes_zps70ab601b.jpg

plan 30-03 empennage spars
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-03empnnagespars_zps2084515f.jpg

30-04 ailerons
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-04ailerons_zps7391826d.jpg

30-05 misc pieces
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-05miscpieces_zpsf6826bef.jpg

30-06 control horns
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-06controlhorns_zpsd443dba4.jpg

30-07 fuselage
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-07fuselage_zps2ee8115c.jpg

30-08 turtledeck
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-08turtledeck_zpsadbb5d7f.jpg

30-09 instrument panel
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-09instrumentpanel_zps33e01cd2.jpg

30-10 fuselage frames
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-10fuselageframes_zpsffd3d029.jpg

30-11 tailwheel
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-11tailwheel_zps9a06a040.jpg

30-12 undercarriage parts
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-12undercarriageparts_zps081d5bff.jpg

30-13 pedals
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-13pedals_zpsecd64f4a.jpg

30-14 wing ribs
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-14wingribs_zps346366c0.jpg

30-15 seat and control column
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-15seatandcontrolcolumn_zpsf9fb7f30.jpg

30-16 small fittings
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-16smallfittings_zps8d988e19.jpg

30-17 wing spars
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-17wingspars_zpsd7500193.jpg

30-18 undercarriage
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-18undercarriage_zps7f7fb331.jpg

30-19 wing
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-19wing_zpsfe7fad66.jpg

30-20 as I mentioned previously I am missing this sheet. weight and balance I believe

30-21 fuel tank
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-21fueltank_zps14cf780f.jpg

30-22 parts list
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/30-22partslist_zps85aa2d3a.jpg

front cover of the plans folder
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/PlansFoldercover_zpsaafebcce.jpg

inside page of the plans folder
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/Plansfolderinner_zps6e856732.jpg

have we hit a pprune first? first set of plans published on pprune?
these aren't actually the plans. these are photographs of them.
no copyright claimed. all my own work mum. W8

[djpil]

I am looking forward to seeing more of the plans. No interest in building one as I sat in one many years ago and my legs/feet were unable to move. That was when Wally Watkins was looking at beefing up the wing.

[dubbleyew eight]

The Ultra Light Aircraft Association (in australia) guys did a mod to the standard Turbulent that increased the spar strength and added a second mainspar support.
Cockpit is still the restricted size that suits a 5 ft tall Roger Druine though.

the plans were available from the "australian plans holder" for the cost of printing off the dyeline prints. from memory Gordon in melbourne was the guy.
When The SAAA changed structure to chapters and "experimental" they seemed to forget all about the old system of plans holders, which is sad really.

anyway in the interests of keeping the knowledge here are links to images of the australian turbulent plans.

falconar in canada used to sell copies of turbulent plans, maybe they still do.
their plans had no dihedral dimensions on them and in conjunction with a mate in the USA we gave falconar the missing details.

AT-01 the 3 view and specifications. none of the contact details on the page are valid now.
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT01-3viewandspecs_zps75edd179.jpg

AT-02 covering and control runs
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT02-coveringandcontrolruns_zpsc3fef60c.jpg

AT-03 wing
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT03-wing_zps11d0a8c9.jpg

AT-04 strengthening details
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT04-strengtheningdetails_zps6f894208.jpg

AT-04-2 stronger wing spar
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT04-strongerwingspar_zps3550c980.jpg

AT-05 wing ribs
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT05-wingribs_zps5c82d25e.jpg

AT-06 ailerons
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT06-ailerons_zps352472c4.jpg

AT-07 fuselage
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT07-fuselage_zpse823e9f7.jpg

AT-08 fuselage details
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT08-fuselagedetails_zpse30564cb.jpg

AT-09 fuselage frames
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT09-fuselageframes_zps5f292a51.jpg

AT-10 fuselage turtledeck
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT10-fuselageturtledeck_zps6982ee88.jpg

AT-11 rudder and elevator
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT11-rudderampelevator_zpsa2e3ef34.jpg

AT-12 engine and instruments
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT12-engineandinstruments_zps8809a1d9.jpg

AT-13 is a double sized drawing of the undercarriage so there is a left side, right side and overall shot.
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT13-lefthalf_zpseb45d814.jpg
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT13-righthalf_zps8e42584c.jpg
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT13-undercarriage_zps25128738.jpg

AT-14 undercarriage parts
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT14-undercarriageparts_zps1330988d.jpg

AT-15 more undercarriage parts
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT15-undercarriageparts_zps6a2089c2.jpg

AT-16 tailwheel
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT16-tailwheel_zps69659e84.jpg

AT-17 pedals
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT17-pedals_zps4bdde47e.jpg

AT-18 control column and seat.
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT18-controlcolumnandseat_zps8ad0204b.jpg

AT-19 control brackets etc.
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT19-controlbracketsetc_zps42db3188.jpg

AT-20 misc fittings
http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y421/dubbleyew8/AT20-miscfittings_zps4410b09b.jpg

I believe the images posted are good enough to build from.
I ended up doing my build from a computer screen with the images enlarged to show the detail I was working on.

DONT MIX THE PLANS.
either build from the french plans or build from the australian plans.

[dubbleyew eight]

this is an evil grin post. :E

if you have flown the last 10 hours in a turbulent and don't have another aircraft available then your biennial flight review is done in the turbulent.
the instructor stands on the airfield with a hand held radio and watches you fly a circuit, stalls etc.

it is a powerful reason for building a turbulent :E

[Monocock]

D8,

Those plans are great, thanks for posting. :ok::ok:

[dubbleyew eight]

wouldn't be the first restoration I've helped with them :-)

my pleasure mate.
if I get to england next year I'll have a poke around the turbulent scene If I get a chance.

I would love for the plans to cause a hundred new turbulents to be built.
they are a great little aeroplane that deserves to be built. (with a stretched cockpit)
for anyone contemplating building them hunt out a turbulent and beg a sit in one.
there are quite a few tweaks possible in the structure to make the cockpit larger.

power is quite adequate with just an 1850cc VW. Grimstead told me that with cowls on the engine his would reach Vne in straight and level flight.

on a single seat aeroplane you can use single spark plug ignition. so an almost unmodified VW engine can be used. Great Planes in the USA still do VW conversions as do Aero Vee in the USA.

we should really discuss the finer points of gluing a wooden aeroplane.
once understood it is an enjoyable technology along the lines of pottering about in boats in 'wind in the willows' style.
W8

[2hotwot]

Perhaps someone can confirm - but didn't G-APNZ return an average speed over its VNE in the Kings Cup Air Race sometime in the sixties?


People need to discover how good these aeroplanes are/were.


I am surprised that no one has mentioned the 9 turbulent formation that featured at SBAC Farnborough one year.

[Monocock]

The prop we are buying will return a cruise speed of nearly the VNE....

:cool:

[dubbleyew eight]

I'm going to start a thread on here. "Building a Turbulent" as a holder for a technology transfer. hopefully it will make for interesting reading.
don't expect it to be a nice sequential exposition.

btw if anyone comes across a copy of plan 20 of the french turbulent plans set I would very much like to get a copy.

a photo take with a 12 megapixel camera is sufficient if I can read all the details.

W8 ...who might just build himself another turbulent with a longer cockpit.

[Monocock]

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/D826B536-E8B7-48BA-ACB9-5D37E2F8F84B.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/8422C112-263B-49A6-A939-B31AC6CF3C97.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/D2575990-4DA5-42E1-A947-7B2BAC4F7502.jpg

[Monocock]

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/7DB49B43-78BA-401E-B05F-F2A73B053F55.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/C896D5CA-6AE5-4B22-9D7F-B9D3B3405644.jpg

[1d2d3d4d]

Any more progress Monocock? I have been following this thread with great interest as this sort of project, given the time, facilities and money, is something i would love to do. I go away for a few days and have to search for the thread as it's dropped back to about page 3!

[thing]

Me too. Entirely envious that Mono has the time, facilities and skills to do this.

[Jason Burry]

A third reader, eagerly awaiting the next installment! Great job so far, I'd love to see this as you work thru the finishing steps.

J

[Monocock]

Yep, good progress has been made, and here's the latest:

Wheels all sorted with new (Vespa!) tubes and ready to go on.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/A2F6529A-7150-491E-9FA6-D4C8296E19A1.jpg



Panel completed, and installed.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/D582214E-21FB-48DB-B4F2-215B78B9E49E.jpg




Tail plane mounted temporarily to get the incidence angle sorted out properly (ie so she doesn't climb/descend with the stick central).

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/photo5.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/photo1-3.jpg



Windshield trim seal installed.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/photo2-3.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/photo3-2.jpg



New prop made by Hercules, and designed for the airframe/engine combo:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/90027BFA-9DB9-44D0-B677-65698FD10B93.jpg



Trial wing fit today, and undercarriage going on wing next week ready for transporting to airfield for final assembly!!!

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/95789bb72ffd0c91a0d0bfb3e013f679.jpg

[thing]

Looking good. When do you think we are going to see it in the air?

[Monocock]

My guess is about 8-10 weeks. It'll be physically flyable within 4 weeks (hopefully) but there will be some test release paperwork to wait for from the CAA I think.

Sam and I both have our own aircraft so when sunny days come along we tend to go off and enjoy them! That's probably why progress has been so good this winter... ie there haven't been many flyable days.

[Tony Mabelis]

I'm impressed with your project, well done!!

Two observations:-

I like the rubber blocks incorporated in the tailplane attachments bolts, as I remember that in my youth at the Tiger Club, Redhill Aerodrome, that these bolts would come loose in the summer time, allowing the tailplane to move slightly.
If you were to pinch them up a little at this time, then in the winter they would crush the structure as the wood expanded.

Secondly............the tyres you have selected are not very suitable for an aircraft, you will likely find that the tread patern will cause the wheels to 'windmill' in the airflow, causing vibration.
Rollasons fitted nice aerodynamic ribbed tread pattern jobs, as fitted to high speed wheel barrows!!
Keep up the good work!
Tony

[Turb]

Tony Mabelis: my Turb (G-ARLZ) also had wheelbarrow tyres and these worked well on grass and equally well on tarmac and concrete as far south as Casablanca. However that was 30 years ago and the tyres were older than that - I'm not so sure about the rubber they use to produce wheelbarrow tyres nowadays.

My tailwheel was not so successful - Monocock's is better.

This thread is bringing back memories - all good! I do hope it will continue.

[Jerico]

Tried using a supermarket trolley wheel on mine for landing on hard runways, it kind of worked but used the tailskid most of the time and tried to avoid the concrete.

[Tony Mabelis]

I remember RLZ......Yellow?:ok:
Tony

[Turb]

Tony: Yes, Lima Zulu was yellow when I flew her. I was going to put up a picture but I realised that would count as hijacking Monocock's thread which I don't want to do.

[Monocock]

Not at all - it would be great to see her. :ok:

[Monocock]

We moved the wing to the hangar (15 miles) yesterday. It was a case of finding a suitable trailer to put it in, and the glider trailer that a friend loaned me was perfect, if rather long...... :}

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/712F8BF8-247F-4EDF-A703-DE480B532028.jpg



The wing fitted perfectly, and to make sure that it didn't move around en route, Sam "took a trailer ride" with it on the way there. We only passed a couple of Police vans.... :eek:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/B77C3D7D-BA74-4C39-8BBC-086A96CA0F41.jpg



We then set to work putting the undercarriage on which took an hour or two.

Before.....

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/DDD56A42-5EDA-416F-9E5C-0EFD0766B27D.jpg



After.....

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/E5F664DD-4412-40FC-A8DB-005E7A219673_1.jpg



We need to be able to fit the fuselage to the wing next week, so decided that to suspend the wing on trestles was the answer. The fuse' will be lowered onto the wing, bolted, and then the main wheels/brakes attached. Then, with some Herculean feat of strength, we need to lift it all, remove the trestles, and lower it to the ground.... :ooh:

Any ex-Britain's strongest men out there?

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/C2ED4B2C-3C10-4E07-BDEA-4105A6B2B2EA.jpg

[Turb]

OK, thanks for the invitation.
Here's G-ARLZ (and me) overhead Lagos, in the Algarve. The picture was taken by a certain Gerry Breen and appeared with an article I wrote for Pilot magazine about my trip to Casablanca. It won't be long before you are whizzing around in G-ARIM. You will find that she is fingertip-light and gives you a wholly different experience than your Cub. I think the open cockpit and the low wing have something to do with it, especially when playing with clouds. I used to feel that I was flying, not that I was flying in an aircraft, if you see what I mean. I think others have described this feeling as strapping the aeroplane on rather than strapping yourself into it. It also makes a difference that you have to teach yourself to fly it, and you have to fly solo from the very beginning, and you never fly with anyone else. Single seaters are a bit special like that. Of course in the long run it can get lonely, but with a Cub to fall back on you have the best of both worlds. I'm jealous to quite jealous.
https://flic.kr/p/mLzWHGhttps://flic.kr/p/mLzWHG
https://flic.kr/p/mLzWHG

And you can get a heck of a lot more in that locker than a couple of bottles of wine! (well, you do have to sit on some of it).
https://flic.kr/p/mLzXrLhttps://flic.kr/p/mLzXrL
https://flic.kr/p/mLzXrLhttps://flic.kr/p/mLzXrL

EDIT: I don't understand why my pictures aren't showing. I've used this forum software elsewhere with no problems. Hopefully the links will work if anyone is interested.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75506219@N04/13631683954/

[Monocock]

A couple of great photos!

I think I have read your account of your flight to Gibraltar. Was that you?

[Turb]

I came back via Gib. It was in 1986. The complete route was Parham - Lydd - Le Touquet - Deauville - Cherbourg - Guernsey (to see friends) - Dinard - Redon -La Rochelle - Dax/Seyress - Biarritz - Santander - Asturias - Santiago - Porto - Lisboa (I will never forget the look on the tanker driver's face when I gave him my fuel order) - Lagos - Faro - Sevilla - return via Faro to Lagos to get a fresh stock of supermarket trolley wheels for tailwheels (I said yours looks better) - back to Sevilla - Tanger - Rabat - Casablanca (Anfa) - Rabat - Tanger - abeam Gib. (didn't land) - Malaga - Almeira - Alicante - Valencia - Castellion de la Plana - Barcelona (Sabadel) - Perpignan - Mantauban - St. Junien - Poitiers - Chateaudun - Abbeville - Le Touquet - Southend - Parham.

It took 30 days and Pilot published my article about the trip in February 1987. Is that what you were thinking of?

Now, where are you going to go? And don't say "local", that's nowhere near as much fun. Everyone said it was a long way to go in a Turb but it was really just a series of ordinary flights, typically 90 minutes, and the longest leg was 2hr 10min Porto to Lisboa of which 2hr was in the air, covering 151 nm. But instead of pottering around the local area aimlessly I just joined all the little flights up to make a nice trip. It was the best fun I have had in my life so far and my Turb was absolutely the right aircraft for it (except for the tailwheel). Wonderful little thing. When I was taxying in at Santander a delicious feminine voice from the tower welcomed me saying "You are very pretty Lima Zulu". And she was. So is yours. I was a twit to sell mine, don't you make that mistake!

[Russell Gulch]

Turb,

I think the issue with your pics is that they are https (the "S" means secure)

So you could do with renaming them (or posting them on photobucket).

Russel.

[Monocock]

I'll do it for him, if that's ok with you Turb?

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/7002f9079199477bd807619d6ac53c27.jpg


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/c57f363b8c4e4e31e946cadf0eb86ff6.jpg

[Monocock]

Turb,

I've emailed you.

I'd love to meet up some time to find out more about that trip. It does sound fascinating. :ok:

[Russell Gulch]

Turbs posting has 6 pictures not showing.

Thank you for shewing those two of them Monocock

rUSS

[Monocock]

Brakes on:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/2661A489-DBC4-47E7-95CB-E96493369CA0.jpg

Wheels being fitted:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/55E546D2-6DB1-441F-BA76-C601BD925313.jpg


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/628A4735-221D-4B58-94AE-39C7C39251FC.jpg


Fuselage lifted over wing and lined up for attachment bolts:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/EFDD3094-E82F-4473-A5FF-2D370908B32F.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/0D046D20-E3F9-42EC-A50A-FAA1C86B1077.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/5DCF887B-8B04-4684-956A-7B207E66240E.jpg



And, for the first time in quite a few years, she is back on her own three points:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/338C783E-773B-4FDB-A4B3-71FE96E8155D.jpg


And we couldn't resist a quick seat....

Sam:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/CE74D1AF-BA71-4605-BFDA-F2A109FC7513.jpg


Mono:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/BEE385DA-3E69-4215-A6F1-26A57DA7777A.jpg

[Turb]

Marvellous!
How's the legroom?

[Monocock]

Surprisingly good. There's a good couple of inches below the panel for my legs, and Sam's shorter than me so even more roomy.

[Monocock]

Ailerons attached and rigged this week.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/149CA66E-F002-4135-8BD7-3AA9AA35B51C.jpg



Rudder attached and rigged.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/CB3E8019-0CF6-4A63-B8D8-82315C717AA6.jpg




Stick installed and attached to aileron cables.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/JonoHolland/E85F8957-AFB7-477B-945F-AE84BCEE85D3.jpg

[trevs99uk]

Whats the current status of the re-build.
The thread on the other forum (Fxxxx) seems to have vanished..

[Planemike]

Hope it makes an appearance at the LAA rally...........

[cockney steve]

This is a Farmer's busiest time of the year. 18 hours a day, 7 days a week is not unusual :ooh: That doesn't give a great deal of time to be skiving off to the hangar.
AFAIK, all is now finished and the intrepid duo are awaiting the return of the necessary paperwork, without which the Turb cannot (legally)fly.
Do a search "cowshed continued" on the other site....it was still there last night ;)

[trevs99uk]

Definately something funny going on. Search on all sorts of things and can,t find the Thread on Fxxxx.
If you find it post it to the top as i have a friend who want to read it..

[Big Pistons Forever]

So has it flown yet ?

[aceki]

Hello good morning !!

I siguiendol the restaruacion of Druine and are great !!! I am about to purchase one that never ended, and we are in doubt that engine put, here in Argentina, the Vw are smaller than eg United States, and do not serve us, that would weigh to put a rotax 477 or 503 ? has 42 and 54 HP. I await your response and thanks for your time

Marcelo fusse - Buenos Aires - Argenitina

[patowalker]

Hola Marcelo,

According to GINFO Search Results Summary | Aircraft Register | Operations and Safety (http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&aircrafttype=Turbulent)
most of the UK Turbulents are fitted with the Volkswagen 1600, some with the ARDEM 4C02 (based on the VW 1500?) and one has a Jabiru 1600.

I believe the original Tubulent was designed to be powered by the 30hp VW 1200.

Do you have the plans to complete your project? I imagine that it will be possible to fit a Rotax 447 or 503, but they will be lighter than the VW and require considerable modification of the engine support and cowling.

Donald

[aceki]

Thank you very much for your answer! if you flat if we both 3 views as contruccion, my idea is to finish to add hours of flight, so I have to have everything to enroll.

Here in Argentina, the media vw are frowned upon, since the vast majority wants to use for Volksplane vp2 and do not realize that they are vp2 1600 and 1800 and always carries the weight issue

The Druine bears by design 30 hp, I think the rotax 447 is much lighter, thus shifts the center of gravity, but can compensate with a fuel tank say a little bigger

Any advice you are welcome !!

Thank you very much.

[patowalker]

Marcelo,

Is the aircraft you want to finish LV-X136?

If you have any questions, you can write to me in Spanish. I went to school in Lomas de Zamora :)

Donald

patowalker (at) btinternet.com

[aceki]

Is right is the same !! lol got some criticism on it? eh I sent an email

[ecalu]

Hi to all amigos:

It is a very interesting forum for me about the Druine Turbulent but I would like to know if this forum is still alive or open.

Regards.:D

Salvador Castañeda

[trevs99uk]

A friend is rebuilding Turbulent G-AREZ ...

[India Four Two]

Nice to see another Turbulent being rebuilt. I'm pretty sure I saw REZ somewhere in the 60s.

I've always wanted to fly one ever since I saw a Tiger Club display at Ramsgate Airport in the 50s. However, I doubt I'll ever be light enough to try now!

[treadigraph]

Trevs, are those Nipper wings in the background?

[trevs99uk]

The aircraft/wings behind is a New Build Design One ..

[treadigraph]

Thanks!


You can never have too many Turbs...!

[Jerico]

The Tiger Club Turb Team have just completed their first display of the season last weekend at Stow Maries, so you might catch them at one of the airshows during the summer.

[TedZ]

Monocock,
Thanks for all your Turbulent posts, although it's be a while since you made them so this is a bit of a shot in the dark. I'm wanting to build a Turbulent, and have the plans from LAA, but they're not as clear as some, and I'm desperate for some photos of the structure of a Turb without covering. I'm sure you've been asked this, and I apologize in advance for possibly annoying, but it looks like you posted exactly the pics I need in these posts through Photobucket, however they are no longer visible. Can you tell me if these pictures are posted anywhere else? It would be so helpful to a Turb builder. Thanks again, and great job bringing a Turb back to life.
Ted Cannaday

[alex90]

Monocock,
Thanks for all your Turbulent posts, although it's be a while since you made them so this is a bit of a shot in the dark. I'm wanting to build a Turbulent, and have the plans from LAA, but they're not as clear as some, and I'm desperate for some photos of the structure of a Turb without covering. I'm sure you've been asked this, and I apologize in advance for possibly annoying, but it looks like you posted exactly the pics I need in these posts through Photobucket, however they are no longer visible. Can you tell me if these pictures are posted anywhere else? It would be so helpful to a Turb builder. Thanks again, and great job bringing a Turb back to life.
Ted Cannaday

Hi Ted,

Glad to hear that someone is looking at building a Turb!! They are incredible little planes, so much fun, and perfect for summer adventures. The Turbulent Display Team have recently been rebuilding one of their turbs after a mishap, they have posted a load of images on their group: https://www.facebook.com/turbteam/ and if you ask questions, I am sure that they will be more than happy to send more images / give you pointers if you need them.

Good luck with the turb build - and please keep us posted!

Hope this helps,
Alex90

[treadigraph]

Ted, if you are using Chrome, then use this fix which hopefully will enable you to see the Photobucket images posted b y Monocock:

Photobucket Hotlink fix (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/photobucket-hotlink-fix/kegnjbncdcliihbemealioapbifiaedg?hl=en)

Good luck with you project!

[Cusco]

Send a PM to The Farmer on the Flyer Forum (Google it)

[TedZ]

Ted, if you are using Chrome, then use this fix which hopefully will enable you to see the Photobucket images posted b y Monocock:

(It wouldn't let me post a URL, but see original post above)

Good luck with you project!

That worked, and I can't thank you enough. I've now downloaded and saved all the pictures, and this should help me immensely. Cheers!

[TedZ]

Hi Alex,

Thanks for the encouragement. As you see below I am now able to see Monocock's pictures, but I'd really love to see the Display Team's pics (the Tigers?) and hopefully see a lot more details. I tried the facebook link you sent but it doesn't seem to work, returning "Sorry, this content isn't available right now. The link you followed may have expired, or the page may only be visible to an audience you're not in." I'm on FB, of course, but I wasn't able to find anything on this even after searching 'turbteam'. Would you have another lead to this information?
Thanks again!

[alex90]

Sent you a PM - perhaps it was a closed group....



Hi Alex,

Thanks for the encouragement. As you see below I am now able to see Monocock's pictures, but I'd really love to see the Display Team's pics (the Tigers?) and hopefully see a lot more details. I tried the facebook link you sent but it doesn't seem to work, returning "Sorry, this content isn't available right now. The link you followed may have expired, or the page may only be visible to an audience you're not in." I'm on FB, of course, but I wasn't able to find anything on this even after searching 'turbteam'. Would you have another lead to this information?
Thanks again!

[POBJOY]

One of the best if not the best ultra light machines that ever flew on a simple VW engine. It is as much fun as an aeronautical motor cycle with SUPERB handling and excellent controls. They never were an easy build, but more than made up for it when the time came to FLY. I would have another one tomorrow, they are simply GREAT.

[TedZ]

Thanks also to you, Pobjoy, for the encouragement. I heard nothing but good about the Turb's flying characteristics, especially when compared to something like a VP. The only complaint I hear is that they're small, but as long as I can stay on my diet I'll be good :hmm:
I do have a lot of questions, so hopefully will be able to get some help by some knowledgeable folks.

[CloudHound]

Here's a link to the Tiger Club who run the Turb Team https://www.tigerclub.co.uk

I used to fly G-ARNZ (the one that went swimming a while back) they're a blast. You'll love it.

[Chris Martyr]

especially when compared to something like a VP. .
You're not necessarily wrong there Ted , but as the builder/pilot of VP , G-EVPI , I can tell you that one big complaint about VP's is their bad roll rate . In Bud Evans' plans , the aileron sealing is a little open to interpretation. I used B.747 aileron seals [ don't ask] on mine and have never had any problem with roll rate or adverse yaw .
Mine has an 1834cc VW and I get 750fpm climb rate without a problem. I believe that the majority of problems with basic/traditional types of homebuild are defects that the builder himself puts there .
I'm not trying to turn this into a Turb vs VP type thread because I love them all , especially if they're wood/fabric/plans built & VW powered aeroplanes . Flying any aeroplane of that sort is a privilege indeed.