A Sky Pup Construction Project
Building the MachNone
10/07/01 My son, Steve, trying the 'Pup on for size. Landing gear, gear support gussets, engine bearers and engine bearer gussets are now completed and varnished with polyurethane.
10/07/01
Pictures above: 12/5/01 (Notice access hatch cut into seat back.)
8/23/03 -- I started to cover the underside of the fuse. I expect to attach the centersection of the wing to the fuse in the next week or so and I figure it will be much more difficult to turn it upside-down later. After lots of questions and experimentation, I have decided to cover the fuse surfaces in standard sheath lining using water-based neoprene contact cement (both are readily available and cheaper than aircraft brands. Cecobond (now called Ekobond) $40 per quart/neoprene $23 per gallon). On the wings and empennage I plan to use light fabric from Aircraft Spruce with Cecobond cement. Sheath lining, as per plans, simply does not shrink enough to be useful on open ribbed structures. I'm confident that the neoprene cement will hold tenaciously on the broad fusilage structures, but I'd sooner trust Cecobond on the small 3/4 inch rib surfaces. I'm coating the styrofoam with contact cement, let dry, then placing the fabric as stretched as I can get and then I apply the cement over and through the fabric. It seems to bond very well this way.
9/6/03 Wing centersection is mated to the fuse with turtledeck formers.
9/6/03 Close up of turtledeck area. Tube on deck is a conduit made of varnished cardboard tubes for possible future wiring (strobe, powered trim tab, etc.).
10/15/03 Rear view of same.
7/13/04 Fuselage is complete. Wing center section is closed up with fuel tank enclosure finished. Initial paint finished.
9/11/04 Airframe is complete except for the control cables. Painting is done except I see that the leading edges of the wings need another coat. All that remains is building the prop, purchasing muffler and fuel pump (and installation). A bit of wiring . Break in the engine and she'll be ready!
May 5, 2001 Sides, bearing blocks, longerons, wing attach member and seat member are assembled in my garage.