Today's Message Index:
----------------------
1. 06:16 AM - Re: Kolb Firefly/Firestar fuselage questions (Richard Pike)
2. 06:54 AM - Re: Re: Kolb Firefly/Firestar fuselage questions (Pfatchantz)
3. 09:56 AM - Re: Kolb Firefly/Firestar fuselage questions (Gary Aman)
4. 10:08 AM - Re: Kolb Firefly/Firestar fuselage questions (Jay Dub)
Message 1
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| Subject: | Re: Kolb Firefly/Firestar fuselage questions |
Don't know if I can answer all your questions, but I can answer some. Back in 2017
I bought a wrecked original Firestar, 1985 vintage, 5 rib wings. Wings and
tail and boom tube undamaged, fuselage was totaled.
Herb of this list gave me an upper fuselage tube and a front end off a Firefly.
The Firestar wings mated perfectly to the Firestar upper fuselage. The original
Firestar wings are longer than the Firefly wings, so probably a bit heavier.
Simuntaneously with this I also had a FSII that had been dismantled and was being
sold. The original Firestar had Kolb's original tail folding mechanism, which
was cumbersome to say the least. The FSII had the current quick fold mechanism.
Did a lot of measuring and could not find any difference between the two,
so swapped them out.
Went to the Kolb factory and took lots of pictures of Firefly fuselages and rebuilt
our Firestar cage to conform to the current Firefly setup.
Short version; with bicycle disc brakes, a 9 pound hand deployed parachute, and
a Rotax 277, it does make legal weight. And flies very well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?vcfoOJJDpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulIJ_WHLMfY
--------
Richard Pike
Kolb MKIII N420P (420ldPoops)
Kolb Firefly Part 103 legal
Kingsport, TN 3TN0
Forgiving is tough, being forgiven is wonderful, and God's grace really is amazing.
Read this topic online here:
http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=494525#494525
Message 2
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| Subject: | Re: Kolb Firefly/Firestar fuselage questions |
Richard,
Good to see that you turned that wrecked fuselage into a nice looking Firefly...I
rebuilt the wings that you gave me and they are sitting the barn along with
tail feathers and tail boom tube .
I can see that you like a little extra dihedral..:-)
The story that developed around the rebuilding of that firefly is sad.
I met a fellow from Southern Va. at the Kolb Factory , for he was buying a new
cage for his Firefly...so he brought his bent cage and sold it to me..Needed
very little repair..taxiing accident..
He discussed the desire for flight training which I tried to reinforce...Said
he was going to Fla and would check there...Some time later and back in Va...He
took off on his maiden flight never to return...likely stalled in...around
Staunton as I recall?
By the way...I need some photo's of the 750 Brs canister install on a Firestar
II...I took it off of mine and now have a jumble cords from several BRS models
and the manual seems to be a bit short of diagrams or pics of the install..
so do not know which is which..
by the way..I have BRS 950 for sale..needs rocket and repack...came off of a
challenger..I hear that unit needs factory repack using a hydraulic press..??
Herb
Sent with ProtonMail Secure Email.
Original Message
On Thursday, January 30, 2020 8:15 AM, Richard Pike <thegreybaron@charter.net>
wrote:
>
> Don't know if I can answer all your questions, but I can answer some. Back in
2017 I bought a wrecked original Firestar, 1985 vintage, 5 rib wings. Wings and
tail and boom tube undamaged, fuselage was totaled.
> Herb of this list gave me an upper fuselage tube and a front end off a Firefly.
The Firestar wings mated perfectly to the Firestar upper fuselage. The original
Firestar wings are longer than the Firefly wings, so probably a bit heavier.
>
> Simuntaneously with this I also had a FSII that had been dismantled and was being
sold. The original Firestar had Kolb's original tail folding mechanism, which
was cumbersome to say the least. The FSII had the current quick fold mechanism.
Did a lot of measuring and could not find any difference between the two,
so swapped them out.
> Went to the Kolb factory and took lots of pictures of Firefly fuselages and rebuilt
our Firestar cage to conform to the current Firefly setup.
> Short version; with bicycle disc brakes, a 9 pound hand deployed parachute, and
a Rotax 277, it does make legal weight. And flies very well.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?vcfoOJJDpg
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulIJ_WHLMfY
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Richard Pike
> Kolb MKIII N420P (420ldPoops)
> Kolb Firefly Part 103 legal
> Kingsport, TN 3TN0
>
> Forgiving is tough, being forgiven is wonderful, and God's grace really is amazing.
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=494525#494525
>
Message 3
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| Subject: | Re: Kolb Firefly/Firestar fuselage questions |
Fire star 1and2 are physicaly similar more ribs in the 2 but firefly is all by
itself,dimensional and tubing size
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jan 29, 2020, at 9:25 AM, jaydub <bearhawk@gmx.com> wrote:
>
>
> I posted the following at HBA but thought I'd ask here too because of the specialized
nature of this list.
>
> I've read the history of Kolb pdf and gathered some info but there are some blurry
parts in my mind.
>
> I know the Firestar started out as a UL with a 277. Then they made them heavier
with a 447 and 503 in the "fat ultralight" years. Then they differentiated
between Firestar 1 & 2. Then, to make a legal UL Kolb did something to lighten
them again and made the Firefly model to hit legal weight with a 447.
>
> Does anyone know if the early Firestar fuselages (and even later ones) are the
same dimensions and tubing thicknesses as the Firefly? IIRC I read somewhere
the weight was reduced in the wings for the Firefly but that might not be true
so I'm seeking advice.
>
> What brings about all my strange questions is that I have a lead on everything
for an earlier Firestar with everything included but the fuselage. Without a
fuselage and serial number I can't determine much as the current owner is at
least the 2nd or 3rd owner or even later. I'm wondering if the wing has the same
chord between the Firefly/star models or not and would it connect up just fine?
In other words, can Firestar wings, tailboom, tail, etc fit on a Firefly
fuselage or do I have to stick with the Firestar fuselage? I want to keep it light
and under 254 lbs if possible. It comes with a 447 so it's possible it could
already be a Firefly but how would I be able to tell? Is the tailboom a different
dia or thickness on the Firestar 2? I'm just trying to figure out which
of the Firestary/Firefly fuselages would work with the parts I may pick up.
>
> And lastly, does anyone have or know of someone who has a fuselage with landing
gear they'd like to part with that will fit the Firestar wings and tail? I
have experience cutting out bent tubes and welding in new ones on certificated
and homebuilt planes so a wrecked/bent fuselage is OK as I can repair one as
long as it's not rusted badly. If you know of one please contact me as I'm interested.
>
> Thanks,
> Jay Dub
>
>
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=494521#494521
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Message 4
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| Subject: | Kolb Firefly/Firestar fuselage questions |
Hi All,
Thanks for the info. Good to know the Firefly is it=99s own design w
ith different dimensions and different tubing sizes.
I talked with the 2nd owner yesterday and found out the wings are the large
r spar and 7 rib design like from a Firestar. That means I=99ll have
to LSA whatever I do with the wings and all the other parts. If I have to
LSA maybe I=99ll try to do a F2. Which that thought leads me to ano
ther question, would a Firestar 2SS fuselage be possible with the 7 rib win
gs and tail from a Firstar since I=99m going to have to get a fuselag
e no matter what?
Thanks,
Jay
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: Gary Aman
Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2020 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: Kolb-List: Kolb Firefly/Firestar fuselage questions
Fire star 1and2 are physicaly similar more ribs in the 2 but firefly is all
by itself,dimensional and tubing size
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jan 29, 2020, at 9:25 AM, jaydub <bearhawk@gmx.com> wrote:
>
>
> I posted the following at HBA but thought I'd ask here too because of the
specialized nature of this list.
>
> I've read the history of Kolb pdf and gathered some info but there are so
me blurry parts in my mind.
>
> I know the Firestar started out as a UL with a 277. Then they made them h
eavier with a 447 and 503 in the "fat ultralight" years. Then they differen
tiated between Firestar 1 & 2. Then, to make a legal UL Kolb did something
to lighten them again and made the Firefly model to hit legal weight with a
447.
>
> Does anyone know if the early Firestar fuselages (and even later ones) ar
e the same dimensions and tubing thicknesses as the Firefly? IIRC I read so
mewhere the weight was reduced in the wings for the Firefly but that might
not be true so I'm seeking advice.
>
> What brings about all my strange questions is that I have a lead on every
thing for an earlier Firestar with everything included but the fuselage. Wi
thout a fuselage and serial number I can't determine much as the current ow
ner is at least the 2nd or 3rd owner or even later. I'm wondering if the wi
ng has the same chord between the Firefly/star models or not and would it c
onnect up just fine? In other words, can Firestar wings, tailboom, tail, et
c fit on a Firefly fuselage or do I have to stick with the Firestar fuselag
e? I want to keep it light and under 254 lbs if possible. It comes with a 4
47 so it's possible it could already be a Firefly but how would I be able t
o tell? Is the tailboom a different dia or thickness on the Firestar 2? I'm
just trying to figure out which of the Firestary/Firefly fuselages would w
ork with the parts I may pick up.
>
> And lastly, does anyone have or know of someone who has a fuselage with l
anding gear they'd like to part with that will fit the Firestar wings and t
ail? I have experience cutting out bent tubes and welding in new ones on ce
rtificated and homebuilt planes so a wrecked/bent fuselage is OK as I can r
epair one as long as it's not rusted badly. If you know of one please cont
act me as I'm interested.
>
> Thanks,
> Jay Dub
>
>
>
>
> Read this topic online here:
>
> http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=494521#494521
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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