Pietenpol-List Digest Archive

Sun 08/07/05


Total Messages Posted: 7



Today's Message Index:
----------------------
 
     1. 11:14 AM - covering taughtness (Douwe Blumberg)
     2. 02:20 PM - wood landing gear (tmbrant1@netzero.com)
     3. 02:44 PM - Re: Long time reader, first time writer (wdmelvin@netzero.net)
     4. 02:46 PM - Tail fin orientation (John and Phyllis Smoyer)
     5. 03:44 PM - Re: covering taughtness (Harvey Rule)
     6. 08:29 PM - Re: Piet at Stinson Field (Mike King)
     7. 10:25 PM - Re: Piet at Stinson Field / Der Faker Fokker (Mike Whaley)
 
 
 


Message 1


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    Time: 11:14:22 AM PST US
    From: "Douwe Blumberg" <douweblumberg@earthlink.net>
    Subject: covering taughtness
    Hey, I bought my project partly covered, and I'm now ribstiching and taping. When I do the final 350 degree ironing though, it doesn't seem as drum tight as others I've felt. IT's taught, just not tight like a drum as most I've felt. I've calibrated my iron so I'm pretty sure that's okay. I'm guessing he just left the covering a bit loose when he covered it, so there's just not enough slack to leave it drum tight. My question is, what if I used some tightening nitrate dope for the first coating, instead of non-taughtening? any thoughts?? Douwe


    Message 2


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    Time: 02:20:18 PM PST US
    From: "tmbrant1@netzero.com" <tmbrant1@netzero.net>
    Subject: wood landing gear
    --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: "tmbrant1@netzero.com" <tmbrant1@netzero.net> I'm about to build the landing gear and as I study the plans I see that both sides angle back toward the tailwheel. Several people have told me that when they build theirs that getting this angle just right causes difficulty. I just don't understand why you'd have to angle it anyway because the axle passes straight thru. Con someone enlighten me? Tom B.


    Message 3


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    Time: 02:44:35 PM PST US
    From: "wdmelvin@netzero.net" <wdmelvin@netzero.net>
    Subject: Re: Long time reader, first time writer
    Rick, Yhanks for the info. I have been to the flycorvair site before and was looking for responses from those in the know. Thanks. Rick, Yhanks for the info. I have been to the flycorvair site before and was looking for responses from those in the know. Thanks.


    Message 4


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    Time: 02:46:55 PM PST US
    From: "John and Phyllis Smoyer" <jpsmoyer@verizon.net>
    Subject: Tail fin orientation
    We're about ready to install the tail fin on the Air Camper under construction at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, PA. Does anyone out there know if the fin should be installed at an angle to the aircraft centerline, or should it be aligned parallel to it? We're thinking that maybe one doesn't really know until the airplane flies, and that the fin's mounting brackets should be slotted so adjustments can be made later. Any comments/suggestions would be much appreciated. This is a great site, and we're learning from it every day. Thanks, and best regards to all. John Smoyer


    Message 5


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    Time: 03:44:56 PM PST US
    From: Harvey Rule <harvey.rule@sympatico.ca>
    Subject: Re: covering taughtness
    --> Pietenpol-List message posted by: Harvey Rule <harvey.rule@sympatico.ca> I may be wrong but I think it tightens up after your first coat anyway. > Hey, > > I bought my project partly covered, and I'm now ribstiching and > taping. When I do the final 350 degree ironing though, it doesn't > seem as drum tight as others I've felt. IT's taught, just not tight > like a drum as most I've felt. I've calibrated my iron so I'm pretty > sure that's okay. > > I'm guessing he just left the covering a bit loose when he covered it, > so there's just not enough slack to leave it drum tight. > > My question is, what if I used some tightening nitrate dope for the > first coating, instead of non-taughtening? > > any thoughts?? > > Douwe


    Message 6


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    Time: 08:29:52 PM PST US
    From: "Mike King" <mikek120@mindspring.com>
    Subject: Re: Piet at Stinson Field
    Terry, Oscar and the Gang, I stopped at the Clifton airport several years ago enroute to Dallas. The folks there told me about a black homebuilt airplane that resembled a Piet or GN-1. There were not sure what it was but a museum in the Texas Rio Grande Valley came up, bought it and trailered it back to Rio Hondo. A year later, I was in the Valley for a Masonic function but stopped by the Texas Air Museum in Rio Hondo to see the plane. As luck would have it, the museum was hosting its monthly slate of events which included a re-enactment of what they billed as the first aerial dogfight in this country during the days of Poncho Villa. The Piet/GN-1 was dressed in German colors going up against a vintage biplane. John Warren Houston, founder of the museum, flew one of the planes. Both pilots, cropdusters by trade, flew very tight maneuvers just feet above the crowd and did things with those planes that would envy many veteran stunt and aerobatics pilots. By they way, John Warren Houston was featured in a Discovery Wings episode involving the restoration of a World War II fighter that was shot down. Ironically, John found the pilot that was shot down in that plane, flew to Germany and personally invited him to return to Texas. The veteran German pilot flew to Texas where he saw his restored airplane and sat in its cockpit just as he did over half a century ago. Tears were seen on both John and the German aviator. It was a great episode. John later passed away short after the show aired. Since then, the Texas Air Museum in Rio Hondo has moved its planes to other Texas Air Museum Chapters located in Slaton and Stinson Field in San Antonio, the home of the black PIET Oscar made reference to. For more information about the Texas Air Museum, you can go to its web site: www.texasairmuseum.com. When you click on the Slaton Chapter, you will find pictures of the late Jimmy Franklin signing autographs just after his performance there last June....just week before his tragic death. Another great loss. FYI, I have pictures of the black German Piet/GN-1 I photographed at Rio Hondo. If anyone is interested I will send them to you. It is a sweet looking airplane with a radial engine and distinctive markings. Maybe somone can direct me on how to post pictures of the plane for the rest of this group to see. Keep up the great work guys......maybe we can make a Texas Piet/GN-1 fly to Stinson Field. Mike King GN-1 77MK Dallas ----- Original Message ----- From: BARNSTMR@aol.com To: pietenpol-list@matronics.com Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2005 10:52 AM Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Piet at Stinson Field Hey Oscar, I saw this airplane about 15 yrs ago. It was sitting in a hangar in Clifton TX. It has taylorcraft wings adapted. It has German markings. Search the archives and you should see some discussion. According to someone's post, it supposedly was flown in dogfight performances a few times while at the Hondo museum. If they need any engine parts, let me know. I have a friend here in Waco that knows how to scrounge that stuff. He had a complete LeBlond radial and some Lambert parts a while back. Terry


    Message 7


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    Time: 10:25:29 PM PST US
    From: "Mike Whaley" <MerlinFAC@cfl.rr.com>
    Subject: Re: Piet at Stinson Field / Der Faker Fokker
    I believe that this is "Der Faker Fokker" that was up for sale earlier this year on eBay. I have all the photos and info they posted at that time. Here are the relevant parts of the eBay listing as well as a couple of photos from it. Following the EBay listing is a re-post of a message to this list in which museum director Lee Labar describes the plane, posted here by Mike King on 1/11/2004. (The Jose with an L-19 that Lee mentions is Jose Cano, who helped put the wheels on and some other stuff, but never actually flew this plane. I can provide Jose's email address if you really wanna ask him about it.) Hope this helps. Nifty airplane... I've never seen it in person, unfortunately. -Mike Mike Whaley merlin@ov-10bronco.net Webmaster, OV-10 Bronco Association http://www.ov-10bronco.net/ Pietenpol Air Camper & Radial Engine, WW1 Fokker 7-day listing, Ends Feb-13-05 20:32:29 PST Seller information: texasairmuseum ( 0 ) Feedback Score: 0 feedback reviews Member since Feb-06-05 in United States Pietenpol Air Camper & Radial Engine, WW1 Fokker Vehicle Description Der Faker Fokker This is the most unique Pietenpol Air Camper you'll ever find! Dubbed "Der Faker Fokker," it was designed to resemble a 1918 German WW1 fighter. Instead of the conventional Model A Ford engine in a standard Pietpenpol, this plane has a very rare 1932 Lambert 5 cylinder radial engine. It also has Jenny style landing gear and replica machine guns. This Air Camper has been owned by the Texas Air Museum of Rio Hondo, Texas since 1993, and was a real crowd pleaser at airshows and fly-ins. It was issued it's Airworthiness Certificate in December of 1979. Technical Details: Engine - 1932 90 HP Lambert Wing Span - 29 ft Length - 17 ft, 8 in Height - 6 ft, 6in Empty Weight - 610 lbs Fuel Capacity - 10 Gallons Landing Speed - 40 mph Cruise Speed - 70 mph Engine Total Time - approximately 1290 hours Der Faker Fokker was last flown in December of 2003, when the museum's flying activities were ceased. It's last annual was on 2/1/03. It has always been hangared and does not have any damage from crashes or otherwise. While we do not expect any problems getting the plane current again, you are encouraged to inspect the plane or ask questions before bidding, as we will not be liable for any problems incurred. Buyer must pick up aircraft from it's current location in Rio Hondo, TX (south Texas, near Brownsville, TX). It will need to be trailed from the location. There are airports nearby with repair facilities available. Please visit http://www.texasairmuseum.com/pietenpol/index.htm for high resolution pictures. Email any questions to tam@rgv.rr.com Thanks! --------------------------------------------- Hello Mike, Nick forwarded me your inquiries about the Texas Air Museum Pietenpol Air Camper. First, to give you some background, I took over as director ( a volunteer position) for the museum when John Houston died in November of 2002. I had the privilege of working with John for several years before his death, but I mainly handled his crop spraying and personal business interests. My knowledge of the museum and its exhibits is rather limited. Nonetheless, here's what I know about the Pietenpol. According to the paperwork I have, N36RN (serial number RN1) was built by Robert H. Northcutt of Monterrey, California. He built the aircraft to resemble a WWI German fighter, using Jenny style fixed gear, fake machine guns, insignia, and paint scheme. The airplane is dubbed "Der Faker Fokker" for obvious reasons. The airworthiness certificate I have was issued on December 20, 1979. The specs and performance stats I have for the aircraft are as follows: wing span- 29', wing cord- 5', length overall- 17' 8", height overall, 6'6", landing gear tread- 56", propeller- 6' 4" diameter, weight empty- 610 lbs., fuel capacity- 10 gallons, climb full load- over 200' first minute, hi speed- 90 mph, landing speed- 40 mph. The engine on N36RN is a 1930 Lambert model R-266 five cylinder radial, serial number 3076-TC-38. It is rated at 90 hp at 2350 rpm and weighs 214 lbs. Over the years around here, I have heard it referred to as "Babe Ruth's engine," implying that this particular engine may have been owned at one time by the baseball legend. That may or may not be a bunch of baloney as far as I know. There seems to be a lot of that produced within aviator circles. As of yet I haven't seen any documentation to back up this claim. In April of 1984, the aircraft was registered to Ted F. Mayo of Nemo, Texas. I have no idea where Nemo is, but I believe it's correct that the Pietenpol came here from Clifton, Texas. I went to the airport there a few years back to look at an Agcat that was for sale there and I ran into a guy who said he was a member of the Texas Air Museum and that he had helped get the Pietenpol to Rio Hondo some years back. A nice fellow; I think his name was Jose something-or-other. He was restoring an L-19 Bird Dog at the time. I am assuming that the museum acquired the Pietenpol because of its appearance as a WWI German mockup. John Houston owned a 7/8 scale SE5a replica (lost in a crash here last month) which was used to battle the Pietenpol during some of the Fly-Ins here at the museum each year. It was an impressive sight, enhanced by the unique drone if the Lambert radial on the Pietenpol. As far as the flight characteristics of the aircraft are concerned, I wouldn't know as I have never flown it. I have been told it is a little squirrelly in the turns and that if landed on pavement, it seems to get faster and faster after touchdown. Judging from a couple of the squirrels I've seen flying the aircraft, it can't be all that bad. That's about all I can think to tell you about our Pietenpol. I am attaching a few of the pictures I have of it. Feel free to pass this information on to people in your group. Please keep in mind my lack of qualified knowledge of the information I've given you. The fellow you spoke to here the other day is Glenn Vance. He is one of the long time volunteers here at the museum. I know he has some pretty good photos of the Pietenpol he intends to scan and email to you if he hasn't done it already. I appreciate you letting your group know about our museum. Please let them know we are in constant need of financial support (of course.) Publicity within aviation circles is a big help. We aren't very well known yet, but there is a really nice collection in the making here. I hope to take the ingredients that John Houston left behind and form them into a tool for educating future generations about aviation history. Stay tuned to the Texas Air Museum website for updates on our progress. If you get the opportunity, come down and take a look for yourself. Sincerely, Lee Labar Museum Director Texas Air Museum of the Rio Grande Valley 1 Mile East FM 106 PO Box 70 Rio Hondo TX 78583-0070 phone (956) 748-2112 fax (956) 748-3500 email: tds2@att.net




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