1:4 1928 RRG Professor

[ARUP]

Thank you very much, Chris! These old timers can't help but be pretty because they are what they are... very simple but elegant machines. I don't have much to do with it. I plan to fly with y'all at Cumby come July and the Professor will come along.

[ChrisL]

ARUP, you make ART. Hope you bring her to Cumberland and the Summer Winds are gentle.

[ARUP]

Thanks to Len B,Peter G and Stephane R for helping me maiden the model. It flew fine but because of high winds only flew twice.

[ARUP]

Merci mon ami! I can't wait to see everyone and I am getting 'antsy' for more aerotow action!

[French1]

well done Mike, see you in couple days, can't wait to see it in person

[ARUP]

Hallo! The Professor is done! The box with foam inserts to hold components is finished. The wing gap covers from lithoplate are finished. The pilot has a seat belt so he won't make an inadvertent dirt dive. The receiver and satellite are in place and all controls wiggle the proper amount in the proper direction. Lastly, the balance is at 28% MAC. 2019 Horizon Aerotow at Muncie Indiana here I come!









Gute nacht!

[ARUP]

Thanks, Len! Get the logbook out so you can enter another 'maiden'!
Dion, the tie might make a comeback but I certainly won't be able! It goes back to the days of what a 'well heeled' alternative music fan might wear to a show! lol

[Dion Dunn]

I can't believe he sacrificed one of his leather ties. They will make a comeback one of these days....

[lenb]

not only did we learn a new technique, we learned you wore a LEATHER tie??

Nice job bud, looking forward to seeing this plane in Indiana next week.

[ARUP]

I asked my buddy Bill about wet forming leather. Bill is the same friend who helped me put the engine and tranny in the '59 Bug! He is a really good re-curve archer and leather worker! Soak the leather in hot water then stretch it around the form to dry. It'll pretty much hold its shape. It was put on the headrest which is 'cover' for the wing retention system at the pylon! A socket was used to fit over the mold for compression by clamps while leather dried. The same method was used for epoxy cure, too. After the epoxy cured the leather was trimmed with a new X-acto blade. All that is left on this build are seat belts and wing gap covers.









Gute nacht!

[ARUP]

I started building the box and the cockpit coaming was put in place using leather from an old tie.





more...

[ARUP]

Than you, Jim! That Giant Swallowtail is beautiful!

[JimD]

Michael, impressive build as usual, you are a master craftsman!

Spotted this Giant Swallowtail Butterfly on my way up the mountain last week...this seemed like the right place to post the photo!

[ARUP]

The venturi is finished and just needs to be mounted. Brass tubing was cut to size then Stay-Brite soldered onto brass sheet then the central air pass hole was drilled. A hole was drilled into the side for the 'tube' to mount. The tube is music wire. Metal cutting shears were used to rough cut the assembly free then a Dremel was used to trim a little closer. I taped the tubing in case the Dremel wheel touched the tube. Hand files used for final sanding of the sheet edge to the tube's edge keeping things 'square'. A paper pattern was used to fashion the venturi's rear cone section. When satisfied the pattern was traced onto lithoplate. The lithoplate was cut and carefully rolled into a cone then epoxied into the tubing/sheet assembly. After epoxy cured the fore portion of the venturi was masked while the rear cone section got lots of primer and sanding treatments to hide the seam in the lithoplate. I forgot to take pictures of the 'cone rolling party' but I'll tell you a secret... it was a bit of a pain in the rear getting it quasi-proper! I could always have it 3-D printed but then it wouldn't be 'mine'! I'll finish the gap covers and head rest tomorrow. Look at the beautiful iris!







C'ya!

[ARUP]

Thank you, Gene! Just as with Dion this one would look great flying with your Ka! I would sure like to get 'out west' to fly with y'all!