---------------------------------------------------------- Kolb-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Thu 04/20/06: 5 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 10:20 AM - Solution to bent aluminum gear legs (Richard Girard) 2. 07:19 PM - Shorting the bow tips (Jerry Deckard) 3. 07:46 PM - Re: Shorting the bow tips (Larry Bourne) 4. 08:07 PM - Nerf Tires (Richard Girard) 5. 09:43 PM - Re: Shorting the bow tips (John Jung) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 10:20:50 AM PST US From: "Richard Girard" Subject: Kolb-List: Solution to bent aluminum gear legs --> Kolb-List message posted by: "Richard Girard" Even though I have gained proficiency in straightening the main gear legs on my Mark III and have the job down to less than 4 hours to remove, straighten and reinstall them, I'd like to avoid the experience if I can. I have 6" steel wheels on my Mk III and until a few days ago they carried 15" X 6" X 6" grooved lawn tires. Then I discovered that Spruce carries an 18" X 6" X 6" turf tire. Running tubes in them I can drop the pressure to 8 psi. It's like having Nerf tires. Five landings so far and they're great. Now that I don't worry so much about bending gear legs, my landings have improved and I'm rolling it on nicely. The Nerf tires also give a nicer ride when taxiing. As for cost, well,it's $140 no matter which you choose. New Legs $140. Press to straighten old bent legs $140. Nerf tires $140. I did both the latter, but I straightened the set 3 times, so I'm actually up $140. Maybe it's the right time to go to Vegas. -- Rick Girard "Pining for a home on the Range" ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 07:19:40 PM PST US From: "Jerry Deckard" Subject: Kolb-List: Shorting the bow tips --> Kolb-List message posted by: "Jerry Deckard" Has anyone shortened the bow tips on the wings of Firestar? Seems to be a lot of drag out there. Doing some measuring, 6" could be done pretty easy. That would be 12" less of nonlift producing drag gone. Jerry ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 07:46:13 PM PST US From: "Larry Bourne" Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Shorting the bow tips --> Kolb-List message posted by: "Larry Bourne" Not sure about the FireStar, but a few years ago, Ron Christensen built a much modified Kolb that he called the Mk III 1/2. It gave me several ideas for Vamoose. There's a couple of pics of it on one of my Vamoose webpages. He originally tried just what you're asking, and lost performance. Then he built several variations of wingtips, including drooped, out of fiberglass. He did a beautiful job, but finally wound up with stock wingtips, and said they performed best. Lar. Larry Bourne Palm Springs, CA Building Kolb Mk III N78LB Vamoose www.gogittum.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jerry Deckard" Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 7:16 PM Subject: Kolb-List: Shorting the bow tips > --> Kolb-List message posted by: "Jerry Deckard" > > Has anyone shortened the bow tips on the wings of Firestar? Seems to be a > lot of drag out there. Doing some measuring, 6" could be done pretty easy. > That would be 12" less of nonlift producing drag gone. > Jerry > > > ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 08:07:04 PM PST US From: "Richard Girard" Subject: Kolb-List: Nerf Tires --> Kolb-List message posted by: "Richard Girard" For those who asked, here is the part number of the tires and tubes I installed on my Mk III. Aircraft Spruce 2005 catalog page 231 lower right hand corner.- Tire part number 06-00366 Tube part number 06-00358. -- Rick Girard "Pining for a home on the Range" ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 09:43:29 PM PST US Subject: Kolb-List: Re: Shorting the bow tips From: "John Jung" --> Kolb-List message posted by: "John Jung" mustangsally(at)semo.net wrote: > Has anyone shortened the bow tips on the wings of Firestar? Seems to be a lot of drag out there. Doing some measuring, 6" could be done pretty easy. That would be 12" less of nonlift producing drag gone. > Jerry Jerry, I'm not so sure that the tips don't produce lift. My original Firestar had stock tips and my Firestar II has shorter tips. I suspect that they do. If I ever build new Kolb wings they will have stock tips. do not archive -------- John Jung Firestar II N6163J Surprise, AZ Read this topic online here: http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=29801#29801