Thanks Ron- I just got time to look at the pics. That foo fighter is kinda neat, sorta an anorexic aircobra <grin> Heres a couple pics of a VP-1 that I was going to follow had I gone the VP-1 route. Maybee a "stock" flybaby with the paint job and turtledeck/ headrest wouldn't look half bad. http://members.theglobe.com/VPRic/glen1.jpg http://members.theglobe.com/VPRic/glens.jpg (if I did this right the picture should open in a browser window. If I did it wrong my computer will probably self-destruct and you'll never read this ;-) The reason I am looking into aperances now rather than when its really apropriate is the climate around here, and the appearance will affect my choice of glues. HOT humid summers and c-c-c-cold winters. (I am on the north shore of lake erie.) A light paint job, with a superstructure that can have good air movement and I will probably use one of the one part "gorrila grip" type glues (I actually have lepages in mind). and an epoxy (I still have a bit of west system) for the laminations. If I commit to a darker color in the summer sun I have to look elswhere for something that wont soften in the heat. Mike -----Original Message----- From: Ron Wanttaja <ikvamar@gte.net> To: FlyBaby <FlyBaby@listbot.com> Date: Wednesday, December 01, 1999 9:27 PM Subject: Re: Fly Baby Fakers (was Fly Baby vs. Volksplane) >FlyBaby > >Frank Stutzman wrote: >> >> FlyBaby >> >> On Wed, 1 Dec 1999, Mike Lund wrote: >> >> > Besides, it saves me the trouble of making a VP-1 look like a flybaby--now I >> > can make a flybaby look like a P-26 <grin> >> >> One of the thoughts I had with my FB project (quick status update: I >> bought the plans a year ago ;-). To do it right you kinda have to change >> the landing gear, IMO. I know its been done ala the PT-22 which is close >> enough for me. Has anyone here done it or seen it done (I have the >> pictures that came with the plans, but there really isn't much detail to >> be seen). > >Since I've got computer drawings of the Fly Baby, I tend to do a lot of >"doodling" on how it might look with a little cosmetic help. > >I did some thinking on the faux P-26 notion a couple of years >back...adding the stringers and standoffs to the fuselage to round it, >with a fake radial cowl around the Continental like they do with the >fake Fokkers. I took one of my computer drawings of the Fly Baby and >fiddled with the standoffs and such. The result didn't look too close >to a P-26, alas...in fact, didn't look too good at ALL. > >The PT-22 gear does let you have shock absorbing gear, but the biggest >problem is that the wing has to be modified to take the landing loads. >Typically, that means a box spar in a stub wing. As you might expect, >this engenders some interface difficulties when you do to the "normal" >wing outboard. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine once was >considering buying the rights for the design from Pete. He asked what >could be done to "snazz" it up, so I made one of my quickie drawings >with the shock-aborbing gear. I called it the "Fly Baby 1C," but that's >neither an official designation nor something that went beyond the >sketches. > >Feeling REAL weird one night, I decided to try make a 'Baby look >somewhat like a Spitfire. So I assumed a Subaru engine (running it >forward to get the long-nose look), shifted the cockpit back (to balance >the engine and contribute to the long-nose look) and added the Ryan-type >gear. Turned out fairly weird-looking...and not too reminicient of the >Spitfire. Called it a "Foo Fighter" instead. > >Anyway, don't know if Listbox supports attachments, but I've added these >old drawings as Jpeg file attachments. Lemme know if it doesn't work, >and I'll stick 'em on a corner of the web page or something. Keep in >mind that these are just doodles, not engineering sketches. > >Best Faux Fly Baby idea I've heard was from somebody planning on a GEE >BEE look. Remember, the Granville Brothers didn't just build the R1 and >R2...there were other models with longer, more graceful fuselages that >were a bit reminicient of the 'Baby. > >Ron Wanttaja > >