Well I have researched SC.org, google, etc. etc. and decided to start a light wing building thread to try and get some of my questions answered. Many of the threads I followed ended without conclusion. IE whatever happened to the carbon fiber wing build? Did it fly? How much did it weigh? I don't really need the answer to that, it was just an example of how some of the threads went along and then no "ribbons on it" so to speak.
I'm attempting a 1320# gross weight super cub build based on a 1977 totally bare fuse I have. I have built tail pieces (six) from scratch. I have a box of "schneider" stamped ribs (3 piece type for the main wings). Control surfaces will be scratch built. So my parameters are safety, and lite, lite, lite. At this point I'm mainly interested in conventional construction, not carbon fiber etc. I am of course planning the usual "lightning" methods. No electrical at all, 6" wheels (looking for cheap wheels), single puck (I have the cleaveland calipers), bungees, no interior, No rear seat (if thats what it takes), narrow deck o-320 (I have firewall forward <300# measured).
The wing: Like the tail this will have to be mostly scratch built. I want to base it on the PA-18 with flaps. I'm not interested in speed so minimal ribs would be fine. I'm think 13 ribs/wing. I have purchased D&E front and rear spar blanks.
Questions:
1. I would like to make the leading edge skins (other than tank area that would be .025) from .016 2024 T6. Dis regarding dents etc. would this be strong enough? .020 adds about 4# to leading edge. 8# if trailing edge requires thicker. This question comes because of a comment Mike made concernig 2024 being stronger than stock 3003.
2. How about .016 for the trailing edge? To weak for supporting flap hanger/hinges? If to weak maybe double up for a few inches in that area?
3. The D&E wing uses a heavy sheet of aluminum under the tank bay as a "drag strut?" to replace the tube going through the fuel tank. Actually in stock wing it's two tubes since there is the "welded to the tank" tube and the actual drag strut tube passing through it. What does everyone think about the concept both strength and weight wise of the torque plate vs drag strut tube? If it wasn't any heavier I would want to incorporate that "torque plate" idea and avoid the more complicated fuel tank construction.
4.Using the extruded compression (D&E) parts is tempting but it looks to me that the original type square tube compression struts would be lighter. Maybe not with all the extra little parts.
5. I am looking at Christian Sturms site for diagrams but find some are not there for the PA-18-150 as per the parts book. Does the Northlanmd CD have all those missing diagrams like 14387, 14389 concerning the LE skins?
Comments? Thanks
I'm attempting a 1320# gross weight super cub build based on a 1977 totally bare fuse I have. I have built tail pieces (six) from scratch. I have a box of "schneider" stamped ribs (3 piece type for the main wings). Control surfaces will be scratch built. So my parameters are safety, and lite, lite, lite. At this point I'm mainly interested in conventional construction, not carbon fiber etc. I am of course planning the usual "lightning" methods. No electrical at all, 6" wheels (looking for cheap wheels), single puck (I have the cleaveland calipers), bungees, no interior, No rear seat (if thats what it takes), narrow deck o-320 (I have firewall forward <300# measured).
The wing: Like the tail this will have to be mostly scratch built. I want to base it on the PA-18 with flaps. I'm not interested in speed so minimal ribs would be fine. I'm think 13 ribs/wing. I have purchased D&E front and rear spar blanks.
Questions:
1. I would like to make the leading edge skins (other than tank area that would be .025) from .016 2024 T6. Dis regarding dents etc. would this be strong enough? .020 adds about 4# to leading edge. 8# if trailing edge requires thicker. This question comes because of a comment Mike made concernig 2024 being stronger than stock 3003.
2. How about .016 for the trailing edge? To weak for supporting flap hanger/hinges? If to weak maybe double up for a few inches in that area?
3. The D&E wing uses a heavy sheet of aluminum under the tank bay as a "drag strut?" to replace the tube going through the fuel tank. Actually in stock wing it's two tubes since there is the "welded to the tank" tube and the actual drag strut tube passing through it. What does everyone think about the concept both strength and weight wise of the torque plate vs drag strut tube? If it wasn't any heavier I would want to incorporate that "torque plate" idea and avoid the more complicated fuel tank construction.
4.Using the extruded compression (D&E) parts is tempting but it looks to me that the original type square tube compression struts would be lighter. Maybe not with all the extra little parts.
5. I am looking at Christian Sturms site for diagrams but find some are not there for the PA-18-150 as per the parts book. Does the Northlanmd CD have all those missing diagrams like 14387, 14389 concerning the LE skins?
Comments? Thanks