Teaser Pics
Extreme "Hangar Rash"
While adjusting the left wing as it hung from ratcheting cargo straps on the hangar wall one of them let loose
The inboard end of the wing fell to the floor before I could catch it and struck a metal stake
which punched a nice big hole in the leading edge
So you can read all about the adventure of procuring and transporting a new leading edge here
To replace the leading edge you've got to darn near disassemble about half of the wing
Because the rivet lines for the leading and trailing edges and skins are on the inside of the spars
I'll actually have to remove and replace three lower skins in order to reach the rivets for bucking by doing one panel at a time
and working my way inboard
It's not a total disaster though because I had intended to remove the tanks for inspection and to remedy the way they had
originally used countersunk screws to attach the lower skin panel.
This will be covered in detail later in future updates
Out of the tank come the finger strainers and I notice something a bit weird
One of them was packed full of, what looks like, leaves. There wasn't gonna be any fuel delivery through this conduit
So having the tank out is a good thing. I can also give it a complete inspection and pressure test
I'm also mulling over the idea of installing sump drains as they currently don't have any.
A couple of hangars down we've got this going on
Sometime last year the owner was out here "practicing" crosswind landings
Well, the practice didn't go that well and so about 9 or 10 months later....almost ready to go try again
On another Project front, back home in the garage I'm getting started on assembly of my own engine
The cylinders were all in good shape. I had them honed, valves ground and exhaust ports resurfaced
I love putting together shiney new parts
and I've got boxes full of them
Now, when I have this completely assembled, shiney new C85 on the stand
you can just imagine the fire under my ass to get the rest of the airplane ready to accept it
This picture is actually just a mock assembly. I'll publish the whole process in detail with lots more pictures over the next month or two
as well as putting the wing back together.