Thorp Air Command - T18.net

I agree with Bob. If the fittings have been "repositioned" during the original construction there will be holes in the spar that are very undesirable. This is a highly stressed area of the spar. As I recall, the riveting of the three fittings and the skin to the spar was one of the easier tasks to perform. I wonder how the builder got the #10 bolts into the holes?
Steve Hawley
N9008Z
S/n 810

Getting the bolts into the holes would be a magic trick I would like to see ! Must have welded a rod to a socket...only way to install them and keep the head from turning when tighting the nut ? The whole bolt/rivet thing does not pass my smell test and should be redone . Might be able to save the skins/doublers and ribs ? BOOM !

RB

No pictures today.
When I put this plane apart I just removed all the stuff and made quick work planning.
I start metal work by the fire-wall via the main fuselage and direct to the tail section. Each time I inspected something the parts removed was just broke, crack or to bad to repair.
Again this week the vertical fin and rudder was a completed mistake. Same for the horizontal stab with the mix bolt and rivet. All the bolt on the stab torque tube was just not torque out of tolerance and all the rivet.....
I almost prime all my parts today. I finish the rest tomorrow and my next week of family vacation was perfect to recharge my own battery and made better work plan for my return in March. I have to change my mind about this plane. It's a real wreck, I have to do all new surface controls, wing centre section was scrap and vertical fin and stab...

I try to save the most part is possible but if I save 15% of the original plane is good

Ok guy's French lesson: J'en ai plein le popotin!
voila

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091

We of enthusiasm all "get fed up with this poop" on occasion - you're doing great work it seems so far - a good time to take a break - a wise old (well, not THAT old - sorry Bob) colonel told me once when I got discouraged....."With airplanes, it's always sumpthin Frase,.....it's always sumpthin". I'm currently chasing wires around inside my panel that lead to nowhere - electrical shorts just waiting to happen - all left there from the previous owners version of his new panel - through at least 100 zip ties it seems - who does a new panel and leaves old wires in the plane AND up in a new panel?????

Prendre un vacation Tierry - then get back to work - you are doing a great job and helping people out on these threads perhaps more than you know.

Salut!!

Epoxy primer drying time!



Riveting started. Tail wheel front pick-up in place.



Vertical fin front attatch point. I do a homemade doubler on the oder side with small aluminium angle.



All my stuff is ready for the big riveting. I bring back home the stabilisator and I decide to strip the entire part. I want to know all the secret about this monobloc elevator!
Cheers.

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091

I bring back home stabilisator, rudder and vertical fin.
I post fresh pictures when I start the demolition schedule.
Hopefully for my wife I work in my garage not in my kitchen

Cheers.

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091

I have to install the Anti Servo Tab Stiffener as per SDR. After I sand blast the steel attatch plate I made a good inspection of the welding area.



Some rivet missing. I want to removed all pop rivet and put Cherry Max.



First victim at home. My Clue:
Col Mustard with the drill on the garage!!!



Another bad sheet metal job
Soft aluminium pop rivet....



See you later!

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091

Tierry - I don't have the plans handy, but I do know the weld at the trim arm/anti servo tab on mine is a full length penetration weld. That weld is one of the most inspected items by "me" - every time I am withing 5 feet of the tail, I seem to look at that weld - I'm far from being an aerodynamic brain trust, but think I would rather have the engine seize during a flight over the ocean than have that weld fail. The safety wire job on those bolts is not something my mech would approve of either, but that's getting a bit picky

I'm glad you are really giving this plane the work you are - it will definitely be better for it.

Cheers!

Fraser

Thierry: The arm/anti servo tab looks like it was only spot welded at the 2 ends.
I agree that this should be one continious weld, with full weld penitration.

Your rudder needs some care and attention, some very poor metal work that you will have to address.

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Victor J Thompson
C-GIRQ
In memory of Dad

Some seriously bad riveting and metal work . Did this aircraft actually fly ? How did it get signed off ? You are doing an outstanding job with the repair work ! BOOM !

RB

Yep flying condition!!!

Last log book entry "Annual airworthiness aircraft in very good shape"
Dated at the last flight.

So with my magic stirck and a hour later this is the result. The only part I want to recycled is the steel bellcrank and maybe some stiffeners.



I found in a old enveloppe a treasure...some old diaporama about 25 of them. I have to found a machine to project on the wall.



Close-up.



This is the first builder. See my fire-wall has no hole at this time. Wow!!!



My idea was correct first builder around 1975. Project was stop I dont no why!
New owner in 1990 was completed the Thorp. I always found 2 differents worker job on this palne. Now I understand my S/N 91.
Mr Colombo was proud of me

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091

Neat old 35mm slides of the building process ! You can have them converted to digital or pics . I don't recall a "steel" bell crank in the rudder ?

RB

Rich,
The -579 Mast rudder, 0.090 "normalized" 4130 steel

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Bruce Finney
N18JF T-18C #262
Yelm, WA USA

It's been a few years...for some reason I thought it was aluminum ? Silly me ! BOOM !

RB

Ok!

I removed all the stabilisator skins and ribs. I have serious questions about the integrity of the stabilisator torque tube. All the rivets was crush or dumped on her side. When I start to rebuild this component I take the time to make nice and long bucking bar.



March break project. Forward tunnel with the wheel trim assembly and the 90 degres transfer box installed. Fit perfectly inside the fuselage.





I prefer to re-installed the mechanical trim. Bad story one day with a Turbo Lance when the electric trim pitch to nose up position. Hopefully on PA-32 both system was installed (electric and mechanic).
I dont want to installed both system on my T-18. To complicated!

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Thierry
French Canadian T-18
C-FPVE #091