Thorp Air Command - T18.net

I was cannibalizing some parts off the ailerons that came with the 2011 project last night. Thought you guys would like to see this, or at least warn those who are contemplating buying a project. Make sure you get someone to look it over first.

Things like can will ruin your day in a big way.





Note the location of the AN3 bolt on the hinge and the accompanying AN3 above it. I can imagine what the builder was thinking but can also safely say he had no engineering reason to back it up. The intent of the end bolt is to tie into the rib and most importantly the counterweight and the control horn on the other side.




...and again. Before anyone asks, the bolt is simply drilled into the beam, I put the aileron on the outer wing panel and watched the bean flex due to just the friction of the hinge.






And now this nut does little or nothing more than a rivet would. Safe to say that if installed on an airplane this aileron would have cracked itself to pieces and or fluttered off in short time.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

That would be funny if it wasn't sad. Speaking of backyard engineering, anyone out west want to talk about a certain Thorp that had its horizontal push/pull installed externally?

_________________
Cubes
831GR
Las Vegas

I hate to say it but, IMHO, it is workmanship like this that taints the T18 fleet and keeps the values down.

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

I can assure you this one won't taint the fleet Dick. I'm afraid it's the Thorps undeserved reputation and size that keep the prices down. Of course now that rv's are in the 40s there's something to be said for a crapy market too.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

oh I know it will be a show-stopper when you are done with it... I'm just saying... there seems to be a broader range of workmanship levels in the Thorp fleet than in the RV fleet. (Mostly due to the difference between building the hard way vs. building a kit.)

Also, the RV culture seems to be much more about fancy panels, fancy paint, glitz and bling, wheras we are (I think) more grassroots. (ie trying to keep flying affordable.)

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

You know the sad thing about this project is that it started out as a Ken Knowles kit. That alone is what makes it worth saving ... it's straight ... just banged up really good! Of course that still left it to the builder to drill the pre-punched holes ... amazing how much damage that exercise caused.

_________________
Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Read the RV web site, half of these guys could not build a Thorp.

*** admin posted for Willie Williams ***

_________________
Forum Administrator