99.9% Finished

After 4 years and nearly 3500 hours, the Lincoln-Page is mostly finished.  I've got 3 items yet to complete, with only the last one being a critical, airworthiness item:

1. Fabricate the wheel covers
2. Fabricate the cockpit combing
3. Ground-run/break-in of engine

I'll mention more about those, but here's what I did since the last post.

Javelins for the flying/landing wires were made and installed.  I made them from maple and they are attached with rib lacing cord.

These are the inspection covers I made for the upper and lower wings.  They go on the bottom near the root of the wings.

Upper wing inspection covers

Lower wing inspection covers

Clear inspection covers are installed over the aileron cable pulleys on each wing panel.

With the full weight of the airplane now on the gear, I could make and install the bungees.  I was fortunate to still have one of the originals - it is shown on the right in the photo.  An interesting way to terminate the loop.  It is wrapped with copper wire and soldered.

Here are the bungees installed...

And finally, I got the propeller permanently installed along with the spinner cap.

With the airplane fully assembled, it was time for weighing it and completing the weight and balance report.




Here I am hooking up cables and fiddling with the control box.

Getting ready to roll the airplane on the scales.

If you've worked with any airplanes from this era, you'll know that very minimal weight and balance information was provided by the manufacturer.  They assumed that the airplane could be loaded to the extremes for which it was designed and still safe to fly.

For this particular airplane, it has a gross weight of 2200 pounds with no CG or CG limits published.  

It weighed exactly 1500 pounds, providing a useful load of 700 pounds.  I guessed the airplane was going to be 1600-1700 pounds, so I was very happy that it came in at this weight.

It was now time for the mountain of paperwork to be completed so I could schedule the FAA for the Conformity Inspection.  For this inspection, the airplane and all the paperwork has to be completed along with the airplane signed off for an annual inspection.  Then, an FAA Form 8130-6, Application for an Airworthiness Certificate is submitted to the FSDO.  So, here is what I had to have ready:

• All the 337's completed
• Weight and balance report
• Operating limitations
• Logbook entries for the restoration and engine overhaul along with the annual inspection sign-off's
• FAA Form 8130-6

Two inspectors from the Milwaukee, WI FSDO came out this past Friday to look everything over.  It ended up being more of a learning experience for them, as they never dealt with an aircraft that has only 3 things on the Aircraft Specification (Type Certificate Data Sheet).  

The inspection went very well with no issues found.  There is a requirement that they have to see the engine operate, but told them that I was going to wait until spring because of the cold temperatures.  When I am ready, they will either come out again, or I can send them a video of the engine running.  They will then issue the airworthiness certificate - 90 years after the first one was issued!

The items yet to finish...

Cindy and I are going to make the cockpit combing over our Christmas break from school.  I have the original, so it will be a matter of duplicating it with the cobra-grain material that the rest of the upholstery was made from.

Then, I need to make a set of wheel covers which I have already started on.  They will look like these in the photo - an inner and outer set of covers that I'm sure will make the airplane extremely fast by reducing drag!

The last thing will be an extensive ground run for break-in and check operating limits.  Back in the 20's, Parks College, who was operating a fleet of OX-5 powered airplanes, came up with a break-in procedure that most people still use today.  It's what I will use, and want to end up with about 6 hours of ground run prior to its first flight.  Being a single ignition engine I don't want to take any shortcuts!

So that's it!  I'll put in a post or two on the cockpit combing and wheel covers as well as the first engine run - perhaps a video too.

In the meantime, Have a Merry Christmas!

Wings On

Pink Floyd had a song Pigs on the wing.  I hope this airplane doesn't live up to that title, but regardless we have an assembled and rigged airplane!

The careful measurements I took when assembled prior to covering now paid off.  The final process went without a hitch.  Like some of us were discussing, though, even if the rigging is dead nuts on, there's no guarantee the airplane will fly straight and level.  We'll just have to wait for the first test flight.

Here are some shots of what I did the last couple of weeks.

I borrowed this lift from my friend Kent McMakin.  Made installation a one-man job.














Once in position, I supported the wings with a wooden structure.  It's adjustable to set the dihedral and angle of incidence.

Both uppers installed and leveled.

 I'm skipping a lot of steps here, but same process for the lowers. 

Before the wooden structure can be removed, the struts and wires obviously have to be installed.

Then, the ailerons and slave struts.

Notice the sleek, aerodynamic, high performance look of this four-aileron aerobatic wonder!

 Here are some detail shots of the assembly...






Cabane struts and transverse wires.

Interplane (N-struts) and aileron slave struts.

Misc. wire attach points.

The airplane was rigged with 0 degrees dihedral and 1 degree angle of incidence on the upper wing, and 2 degrees dihedral and 1.5 degrees AOI on the lowers.  These are the original L-P specs.

What's next?  I have to attach and rig the aileron cables, make the wire javelins, inspection covers for the wings, wheel covers, and cockpit combing.  Soon, I'll be at a point to weigh the aircraft and set up a time with the FSDO for a Conformity Inspection.  We're getting close!

Work Resumes!

What's this, a new blog post?  I'm happy to say that after taking possession of our new hangar in Brodhead on June 1st, I officially finished getting it ready on October 7th.  This, of course, involved the move, but most time was spent building and setting up my new shop and the rest of the hangar.  

I was spoiled in my last hangar - the whole thing was heated.  Here, it was going to be too much work, so I opted for building just a shop that I can heat and air-condition.  It gives me enough room for fabrication as well as room for a wing panel or fuselage.

 Here's a couple shots of the inside...

I then celebrated the completion by immediately starting on the L-P again.  I actually got a few things done prior - I was getting nervous that I would run out of warm enough weather to paint and there were a few things I had to get done.

My previous posts talked about my disappointment with the red paint.  Well I got it re-sprayed with a very good match this time.  I also wanted to get the flying wires painted.  Painted?  Yes, early aircraft did not use stainless steel wires.  They were carbon steel either painted or covered with spray metal - a molten aluminum coating.  I use an aluminum epoxy coating from Tenaco that is the perfect color and very durable.

 Here they are, ready to be installed.

 And here's the fuselage.  Sorry it's covered up.  I just grabbed some quick shots as I left the hangar today.  I think you can tell, though, even under the plastic how much better the match between the red on the metal and fabric is.

Also, the fuselage is leveled longitudinally and laterally in preparation for the wing attachment.  That is next on the agenda.  I like to build a wooden structure to support and adjust the wings when I install them.  I can get the rigging much more precise this way.

So, over the next couple of weeks I hope to have the structure built and the wings installed!

Things are drawing to a close on this project.  I doubt I'll be doing any test flying yet this fall, but will certainly continue to keep everyone posted on the progress.  Stay Tuned!

Hangar Move Update

Thought I would update everyone on how the move is going.  Well, it is going very good - in fact I am almost done!

Today was the most exciting part of the move - taking the L-P up to Brodhead.

 Here she is, ready to go to her new permanent home in Brodhead, WI.

Kent McMakin brought down his 22' trailer.  Just enough room to roll the wheels between the fenders!

My pals from Brodhead who came down to help:  Kent McMakin, Pat Weeden and Mike Williams.  Couldn't have done it without them!

Somewhere between Mt. Morris, IL and Brodhead, WI.

Some Bachman-Turner Overdrive Roll on Down the Highway seems appropriate.

At our new hangar in Brodhead. The trip went really good - everything arrived safely.

All tucked in, safe and sound and ready for some wings.











I got a few more loads to take up then all done with the move - about a month ahead of schedule.  Unfortunately, the work does not end there.  I will be building a shop and loft inside the hangar which I hope to start on in a couple of weeks.

Make sure you stop by if you are at the Pietenpol fly-in or Grassroots!

Almost, But Not Quite, DONE.

I really can't believe I am at this stage.  Almost 4 years, and nearly 3500 hours and all that is  mostly left is mounting the wings and rigging!

I am sorry to say, though, that this will be the last post on the restoration until probably next year.  I'll be moving my shop from the Ogle County Airport in Mt. Morris, IL to the historic Brodhead Airport in Wisconsin.  The move itself will take a while.  Then, I'll be building a heated shop and making other updates to the hangar.  We are very excited about being at Brodhead.

I want to thank all those that have read this blog and supported me along the way.  Many have stopped by and seen the progress in person, and I welcome anyone to come and see the airplane at Brodhead as well.

A lot has happened that last couple of weeks...

 All the painting is finally done!

This particular red has the been the worst I have ever sprayed.  I've been painting cars and airplanes for about 40 years, and I have never had anything as translucent as this color.  The match between the dope and enamel is very poor.  I am going to see how bad it bugs me out in the sun, but I may spray the red on the fuselage again.

Rear Cockpit Cover

Sheet Metal Forward of Front Cockpit

Misc. Cockpit Pieces

These pieces stiffen the cockpit as you climb in and out and provide a hand-hold.

The LP used leather as the anti-chafe.  Here you can see the rear, side cowling support with this laced in.

 Here is the original turtle deck.  In good shape overall.  Like most of the other sheet metal, just needed some smoothing.

One thing very cool I found - the original owner's name was written on the inside of the wood that the head rest attached to.  Hard to see in this picture, but it says "Chuck Balling, Wheeling, IL.  Chuck ordered the airplane new in 1928 and ultimately crashed it in 1929.

Here's an "action shot" of Cindy sewing up the new head rest.  It is made from the same cobra-grain leatherette material as the rest of the upholstery.

Got the windshields fabricated and installed too.

I took the exhaust over to my local powder-coating guy.  I had them ceramic-coated in flat black.  More than likely, these were originally coated with stove black paste, but wanting something a little more durable, I opted for the ceramic.

I am a sucker for the little details.  I found brass tags on the original flying wires that Macwhyte installed when they made them.  I made tags for all the wires.  Here they are on the tail brace wires.

Here are some misc. overall shots...

Sorry for not including much detail, but the pictures pretty much speak for themselves.  I'll probably add a post or two to update everyone on the move.  Otherwise, I'll pick this up when the final rigging and engine runs happen.  Thanks again to all those who have faithfully read over the years!

Happy Easter everyone!  Go to church tomorrow!