Thorp Air Command - T18.net

As many of you know I have a 2011 project at home. At first it seemed like a one year "clean-up and re-plumb" project but the more I look into it I'm at more of a 3-year one inch at a time type of thing. The saving grace of this project is that it was made entirely from Ken Knowles pre-punched parts so airframe-wise it's straight .. but I'll be damned if not every rivet head has a nice smiley face around it. As a result I'm looking at re-skinning most of the airframe.

Here's a tid bit of what I've found and done so far;

FYI this airframe has never flown ... all of what you see was done as part of the initial building process.







How does this happen?!?!?!






AFTER (almost): I'm installing a rounded tunnel and electric flaps anyhow so no harm done!






Hard to see but not one of these was hammered square, most are not even set on the hole.






Another shot, easy to see the hack job someone did on the tank support here.






AFTER: All better now!






Someone just went crazy on the firewall. Each red mark is a whole or hacked out portion of the FW.






AFTER: All cleaned up, still debating on a new firewall though.

More to follow ... I'll keep you guys entertained.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Looks alot like the project Bill and I have sitting in my garage. There is a reason not everyone builds airplanes.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

Wanna sell those seat mounts? [:D]

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In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.

Dick,
In the time you've been looking for those seat mounts you could have made a set a dozen times over! [;)]

BTW I have a set of seats if you are interested as well as 12.5 spinners too.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Lee
I have a spare stainless firewall that use to belong to you. I installed a galvanized one that was bent up and fits well.
Do you have a need for this one.

Steve Peirce

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Stephen R. Peirce
S/N#078 Ph 256-461-0233
Rocket City
Huntsville, Alabama

Lee - am sure glad we did what we did - I can't imagine having continued on with my current level of experience and running into those things not knowing what I was seeing. Am glad it is in your hands knowing it will be done correctly and whomever ends up flying it will have a solid aircraft.
In the meantime, I am leaning to work with metal on the new plane and am two fridges into the four fridge baffling and engine compartment modernization of the new plane.

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

Roger that Frase! Thanks!

Take some pics of that engine compartment overhaul ... love the before and after shots!

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Steve Pierce,
Thanks for the offer! Hurant was kind enough to offer me a piece he had laying around. can I keep you on standby in case I buggar his up?

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Walmart has some seats with aluminum hinges, for fold down, in the sport section. I didn't have a tape to measure the width and maybe the seat back isn't high enough.

Noticed the firewall does not have the pyramid shaped doubler at the bottom where the lower LG mount and the centerline angles meet. A frequently overlooked piece. I know.....I overlooked it until David Read pointed it out on the plans..... Hardly noticable amongst the other patches. Definitely a new firewall....definitely........

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Scott Stine
Vincennes, IN
812-881-7923
Arrow 545WA

True true Dr. and yes that was noticed but when faced with double digit holes to patch I was saving that for later. And yes again .. the firewall is getting replaced!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD