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Thread: Heath Super Parasol/ general old replica Questions

  1. #1

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    Heath Super Parasol/ general old replica Questions

    My son and I have a set of Heath Super Parasol LNB plans and are planning on building one. The plans are Heath drawings revised by Lambert in the late 50's and early 60's.
    Has anyone built a Parasol using these plans? I've got a couple questions concerning tubing sizes, etc....

    The other question I have is that most of the fuselage tubing was mild steel with some noted 4130 exceptions. What are the implications of using all 4130? I know it's stronger but I've been told it is also more brittle. Any input?

    Thanks in advance,
    Steve Jones

  2. #2

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    Steve Jones, Heath Parasol

    I was just about to advertise my genuine original Heath Parasol tail wheel. It's in very good shape and I would love to entertain an offer.

    Thanks
    Louie McGinnis
    quest@bacavalley.com
    719-680-3445 cell

  3. #3

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    I have not seen "mild" steel used in aircraft construction or repair. All Aircraft Spruce sells is 4130. I will suggest that for the last 50 years steel tube fuselages have been built with 4130 and you will not find any issues that involve "brittleness". Having seen aircraft built with 4130 tubing hit the ground and other objects, 4130 looks pretty tough to me. I think that the FAA expects repairs to steel tube fuselages to use 4130 replacement or reinforcement following the instructions in AC43.13-1b Chapter 4.

    Order up the stock you need an start welding without worry.

    Best of luck,

    Wes
    N78PS

  4. #4
    Aaron Novak's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WLIU View Post
    I have not seen "mild" steel used in aircraft construction or repair. All Aircraft Spruce sells is 4130. I will suggest that for the last 50 years steel tube fuselages have been built with 4130 and you will not find any issues that involve "brittleness". Having seen aircraft built with 4130 tubing hit the ground and other objects, 4130 looks pretty tough to me. I think that the FAA expects repairs to steel tube fuselages to use 4130 replacement or reinforcement following the instructions in AC43.13-1b Chapter 4.

    Order up the stock you need an start welding without worry.

    Best of luck,

    Wes
    N78PS
    Wes,
    Then you have not looked very hard . Piper used 10xx series steel tubing on the J3, as did Taylor ( and a host of others ), with 4130 in "stategic areas" . The FAA allows the direct replacement of the 10xx series with 4130 for repair, but does not requrire it by any means. Aggreed that "brittleness" is not an issue providing you follow good welding procedures. It is however, not forgiving if procedures are not correct. So to answer the OP's question, you can either use the original material per the plans, or all 4130. 4130 will not give you much if any advantage, so in reality about the only thing you are changing is cost. Also as a fun side note.....if you are working on a aircraft from the '40s that is supposedly made from 4130.....there is a good chance its actually 8630

  5. #5

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    Mr. Paul P. designed a modern version of the Heath Super Parasol. I'm fairly certain the plans he had drawn up for builders specified 4130 tubing.
    However, if you are a stickler for authenticity, 1020 steel tubing is still readily available.

  6. #6
    TaildraggersInc's Avatar
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    Something I put on the site a while back. Hat tip to Hal Bryan for hosting the info at the link below:

    "Consider it the backbone of the classic aeroplane. Steel tubing has been used in aircraft structures the world over for the last 100 years. We Americans weren’t the first to adopt steel as a primary material, we learned it from our European brothers who pioneered it’s use and figured out the engineering for us. We were still building everything out of wood. Which comes from trees, in case you didn’t know.

    Now, I’m no authority on the history of structural steel, but I found the following article very informative and easy to read. Much like knowing the heritage of your family and country, it’s worthwhile to know a little more about the heritage of materials you’ll be working with. Consider it an important part of your aero-education.
    This article was published in the September 2012 “Vintage Airplane” publication, a division of the EAA. Thanks to Hal Bryan for putting the article up on the web."


    Link: http://www.issuu.com/halbryan/docs/v...hittier_tubing


    It’s also available on the Vintage Airplane Assiciation’s Facebook page: http://m.facebook.com/EAAVintage?id=340235005008&_rdr

    -Wayne

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