Gerry's Tailwind Project

[Tailwind W10]

I've been meaning to upload a picture of my Tailwind W10 project.

The attached is how it sits in the hangar today.  I've got the gear legs out at the moment, I've spent the last couple of days chasing a mis-aligned left leg, finally have it sorted, matching the toe-in on the right gear.  I've recently built the elevator, rudder and flap linkages, now working on the aileron linkages.  I'm not using the stock stick arrangement.  I found in a demo flight before Oshkosh a couple of years ago I found that my legs were interfering with the aileron travel.  I could have extended the forward fuselage bay to get my legs laying flatter to the floor, but I want to have a constant speed prop, so the extra nose length will be a detriment.

I have no "reason" for using a CS prop, I just "really want it", so none of your perfectly valid arguments for avoiding it will work on me.  ;D

The holes in the wings are for ADAHRS and Pitot mounts.  The left wing outboard will be the pitot, the inboard hole was where I originally intended to mount the ADAHRS, but with the heated pitot wires running nearby and the tighter proximity to steel bits than recommended, I made the new cutout in the right wing where I will now mount the brain-box.  I'll seal in the extra left wing hole, scarfing in the plywood edges.  That's a job I'm NOT looking forward to.

I'll finish up the aileron controls, add a couple more supports for the rudder cables, then frame out the fin and rudder ribs, and bend up some sheet aluminum for flap and aileron surfaces, then it's ready for pre-cover inspection.  I cut the first rib bits at the end of 2008.  I had about a year and half hiatus to do some home renos, (while having a new airpark home / hangar built BTW) and now that I've moved in I'm back to work on the project.  Hopefully another year and a half to two years will see it ready for flight.  Paying for the expensive bits is the biggest obstacle now.  :)

Gerry

[ScudRunner-d95]

Looking good !

[David MacRay]

You should make it your avatar.

[Tailwind W10]

Thanks guys
Now that you mention it, I have added an avatar.  There's a great cartoon rendition of Paul Barron's Tailwind which will work nicely.
Gerry

[David MacRay]

Very nice.

[ScudRunner-d95]

Any update Gerry? love to see the progress

[Tailwind W10]

Yeah, I've been working on it.  Recently I built the spring-bungee trim system, I added one for aileron that wasn't on the plans.  So now the control system is 100% done.  I'm working on the saddles around the fuselage that hold aluminum stringers, these hold the covering off the square fuselage sides, giving it a little bit of shape.  I've probably got 4 to 6 hours to finish those off.


Last month I got in a good sized box of seal kits, gaskets, and small parts for the engine.  I intend to use a constant speed prop, so I pulled the front plug on the crankshaft.  I was hoping the rear plug with the pipe plug socket would be in place, no luck.  I'm waiting for that plug to arrive, ACS should ship it towards the end of the month, so I'll likely get into building the engine in January.  It'll be the rough equivalent of an IO-360-B1B, with Silverhawk instead of the RSA injection, and P-Mags rather than conventional mags.  Also the Superior forward facing induction rather than the updraft, for a nice clean cowl.  I've got the lightest weight accessories I can find to offset the C/S prop weight as best I can, the prop will be Whirlwind RV series, weighing about 41 lb.  Beats the heck out of a Hartzell or McCauley but still a lot heavier than a Catto.  I've been trying to build it with the C/S prop in mind so I haven't added the extra couple of inches at the firewall most Tailwind builders add, and I've pushed the seats back a couple of inches to gain some leg room.  Hopefully she'll still balance in the ball park.  I'd sure hate to need ballast.


Next up I'll hit the sheet metal for the boot cowl, door skins, and ailerons & flaps.  Then the framework for the windshield which blends into the wing top surface at the rear spar.  Lots of work left to go, but If I keep going I'm hoping for first flight in 2017.


When I get the wings back on doing the windshield frame I'll upload some more pictures.


Cheers
Gerry

[ScudRunner-d95]

I was always amazed watching my dads friends build their various machines,  evolving from pieces on the shop floor to flying airplanes. Folks driving by doing double takes at whats in the driveway.  ;D

Can't wait to see her come together, I know a few of us want to build our own one day.

[Tailwind W10]

Well it appears to be about a year since I last posted a picture, so here's a bunch.


I had the pre-cover inspection this past week, in general the inspector liked it.  I need to address a couple of welds he thought look a little suspect, and pressure test the fuel tank, but otherwise I'm good to seal everything in at my discretion.


Cheers
Gerry

[Tailwind W10]

couple more