experimental: Tell me about your project...

Hi everyone,

Since we are now in one group maybe we can share our experiences in building and motivate each other to finish that seemingly endless project.
Would be nice to know what everyone's status is with their experimental project

I'll kick off.
Been working on this project for about 3 years now, but not getting a lot of hands on building time in due to work and family.
Goal is a replica PA18 supercub, widened fuselage design, build from Northland CD and Univair blueprints and fittings etc from Airframes Inc.
I have build a rudder and a fin and I am now working on the fuselage; I have build 2 sides that I laid out on a long table and tackwelded together. Now the 2 sides are standing up and I am trying to bend the sides and fit in the bottom and top area truss members. Welding with Oxy-Acetyleen.

Hi there!!
I can tell you, it is lots of work. I completed a replica and flew on Jan. 11,2003 it now has logged 153 hours all over the Pacific North West. Construction took me about 5 years and when I started I wasn't sure what I would end up with. It all started with the WAG-AERO Cubby plans and went from there. I spent 13 years in Alaska most of that flying Twin-Outers and LOTS of Cubs and learned that there isn't a better airplane for general off airport flying. I hav'nt been to envolved with this web site yet because it seems most members are kinda against EXPERMENTALS. Well my Stumpjumper [Cub] is a one of a kind and consist of idea's from the J-3, PA-11, PA-18, and PA-14. It has an all wood wing with no flaps [yet] no electrical system and a 0-320 up front. It's all scratch built and only has PA-18 Lift Struts from Univar and a PA-18 windshield in the way of bought parts. It's beefed up in area's that I knew needed it from my Cub years. Check my Web Site out for pictures.......Happy building, Tony Long

Tony, How about posting some pictures in the photo gallery here. I couldn't get yours to open. That was a neat idea for the wright anniversery. I wanted to fly but it was IFR here that day.

Hello again, I'll try and get the time on the computer sometime this week-end and post some pictures. The "Wright Flight" as we dubbed it was lot's of fun, a friend , myself and my son Travis spent the better part of the day enjoying aviation totally. I had planed those landing's along time ago and it was a very moving day for all of us involved in aviation. I've been flying since I was barely 16 years old and went on to a Multi-Engine ATP. Some of my favorite memories and good times though were in long wing Piper type airplanes. take care.....Tony

I've been working on mine for a year now. I started with some small parts and then began working on the fuselage last December. My website hasn't been updated since just after New Years, but things have been slowly moving along. The halves are together now and complete from the front of the door back to right under the jackscrew tower. I'm slowly going over it now trying to get all of the welds complete before I build a jig for the tail post and tower.

When I first started thinking about this project I had visions of the SuperCub from hell with everything on it. After a year of building and some stick time in a J3 that vision has changed to a very basic, light SC with nothing to fancy, but I do want a starter and lights. Probably nothing more than a handheld radio to, but who knows, I anticipate another 2-4 years of building/money scrounging before I really have to make a decision about that stuff. I can always change it later to.

Wings will be either Dakota Cub, or Univair. The motor probably a mid-time 320 with a cruise prop, and small tires as I don't think I need to be landing off runways till I get a lot more experience.

Hello there Jr. Cubbuilder, Ya know, there is nothing wrong with a very basic Cub. I've owned a 65hp J-3 and a 90hp PA-11 along with sevral other types, but it was the PA-11 that was the most fun. You just had to be careful on the takeoff weight on short gravel bars. I see your web site is C.W.U. , do you teach there? and to everyone else, KEEP ON A BUILDING, stay in touch......Tony

No I just work there, and I'm building away. Things got kind of bogged down with the building for a while, but now I've got the fever real bad since I started getting lessons in a J3. I always thought it was fun to leave the window open on the 152, but the J3 is way more fun with both sides wide open, and more fun to fly also.

My project.........

Project #1: Aronca C2 with SC wings and a R-985 powerplant. I'm having a hard time finding a prop short enough.

Project #2: A stretched cessna 150 airframe with SC wings and flaps.
180 hp franklin engine. Really flys well, but hard to get in rig.

Project #3: a Republic Seebee modified to a twin engine plane. One engine in tractor, the other a pusher. have CG problems, but plenty of power with the two I0 540's.

zeek

CptKelly, I'd like to see pics of them.

Another project.....

My latest project intails installing SR-71 wings (stolen) on a kitfox. Engine is a PT6 from a U-21. Doesn't seem to have enough power to lift off. Pehaps I need the other engine too? Fuselage kinda droops due to the PT6's weight. Hmmmm. Back to the drawing board.

Mike

You might want to sharpen your crayons before you do that, and put the binki back in your mouth.

I have a Tri-Pacer I want to stretch the fuselage on, add SC wings and a few other mods. Kinda like Mark Erickson of Dakota Cub. Been collecting stuff but have to wait to finish my Clipper and then my L18C.

Log entry Star date 2004 Sold my 94 Supercub and it's project time. I'm going experimental and going to need a whole bunch of parts. Nothing to contribute at this time.

I never really had much interest in experimental cub clones until I saw the Smith Kit at the trade show. There is an awful lot of good stuff there for the money. The guy who owns the kit that was on display had lots of mods built into the fuselage before it left the factory. Stuff like 4' wider fuse. left and right entry doors, extended baggage, baggage doors, etc. etc.

The fuselage looked first rate and was powder coated. He plans to also put a small turbine engine on as well. I figure he'll need the 4 fuel tanks (68 gal) that he has installed in the wings if he's going to burn jet fuel.

The sportsman by GlaStar was kind cute... if it had about 10 kt slower stall speed. Lots of interesting stuff out there.

Mike and All,

The replica cub kit that was at the show in Anchorage is typical of all of the kits that roll out of the door at Smith Aviation. On the order form, the purchaser of the kit simply picks from what options are available (standard or wide body, extended or standard wings, one or two doors, aux. tanks, extended baggage, one piece or two piece doors, standard or extended gear, etc., etc.). Just simply check the box next the option that you want included in your kit. The Smith PA-18 kit that we are building here in North Pole is identical to the one on display at the show, except ours has yellow powder coating rather than white, and has the "D-section" windows rather than the L-21 observer windows.

It was great meeting and talking with so many of you at show. I had a great time, and am sure I can say the same for Nick Smith Jr. as well.

Stan

I would certianly offer my encouragement to keep at your projects. I started a Wagaero Chuby Cuby project in "82" and 3 years and 1800 hours later finished. I have throughly enjoyed the experimental category.
The building process was a never ending thought and labor process, lying awake figuring how to best accomplish the next task and getting up early and making material orders. But when all the work was finished the pride and knowledge of the plane you fly means a lot.
Jim

Hi Fellow builders

I started my SC dreams two years ago. I purchased the PA18 plans from Northland Aviations and at first did not want to work on the fuse. I am no welder. I was fortunate to stumble on a fuse that was basically complete and grabbed it. This started the slow prosess of building from scratch. In South Africa parts are very hard to come by. It is also very expensive as it is all based in USD. When you earn Rands it goes very slow! Tail feathers are complete and we are busy with the landing gear. I opted for the Univair mod that uses a spring suspension rather than the normal bungee system. So far so good. I would like to hear form all of you out there that are also slaving away. Please send any info that helped you.

Regards

Paladin

experimental

I purchased a 1955 tri-pacer and am going to strip and change it. Convert to conventional gear, extend fuselage behind baggage compt 12 inches, extend wings 18 inches, extend flaps. add stol kit, add wing tips, reshape rudder and elevator, and mount 0-470. Ought to be a journey. Very low time airframe that needs recover. Might as well make what I really want while I am doing it. I just finished 0 timing my cherokee 180, very expensive, took a long time to pay for but I have something to fly while I am working. I am sure I will learn many new skills and this forum will be a great resource. I know the 470 is heavy but I live in Nevada and would really like the extra power( lots of mountains and very hot). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.