Airdrome Aeroplanes Nieuport 17

[bookmaker]

Hello All.

Although I have a build thread going on at www.theaerodrome.com, I thought I would follow Frank's lead and post something of my project here.

I am building the full sized version of the Airdrome Aeroplanes Nieuport 17. Since I am 6'2" and range between 210 and 220, I felt the 7/8 scale would not suit me. I got the bug to build one of these planes when I attended Dawn Patrol Rendezvous in 2007. I was bitten bad, but got over it. I went again in 2009, but really didn't get much of the bug that time. However, for some reason in the fall of 2010, I got the bug again, and the rest is history.

I ordered the Graham Lee plan book first, then decided I needed a kit rather than try it from scratch. I chose the AA kit as I felt it was one of the few homebuilt plane projects that I had a reasonable chance of completing. (It took me 6 years to build a car kit.) I was deeply interested in the Nieuport 28, but was drawn to the N 17 as I have a 1/6 scale VK N 17 painted in Lufbery colors. My other possibility was the Sopwith Pup. I also have a 1/3 scale R/C Pup painted in black and white checkerboard. A full scale version would be a real show stopper. However, at the time I was making my decison, I did not like some of the aspects of that kit (since corrected) . Therefore, I chose the N 17.

As for motor, I have a Rotec R2800 7 cylinder radial on order from down under.

Now some about me. I am a licensed private pilot with instrument rating. Although at the time I started this project, I had a tailwheel sign off from flying in a Stearman several years ago, I did not feel comfortable with the signoff, plus it had been several years. I found a fairly local gentleman with a Citabria and have been building tailwheel (and aerobatic) time with him.

Athhough AA advertizes that these planes can be built in 400 hours, reality has set me toward a 3 year project. My goal is to have it flying and restriction time flown off by September 2014 when the next Dawn Patrol Rendezvous is scheduled.

We spent two days in May at the House of Pain working on it, then brought it all back home. Due to work and family committments, plus my desire to "upgrade" certain areas, progress has been slow since we returned. Here are a few photos of where it is now.













Here is what it is supposed to end up like



I am currently working on modified V plates and atachments for the lower ends of the landing gear legs. After several hours, here are the basic patterns.







Dale

[Chad Jensen]

Excellent!!! This is great, another Nieuport build thread, I love it!

[Frank Giger]

And Dale's plane is never going to be parked next to mine.

Unless he wants to really win awards, as it will shine mightily against mine.

[bookmaker]

It's been awhile since I updated this. I have since reworked the stabilizer, elevators and rudder and got them mounted.



Dale

[bookmaker]

Well, it seems that I have taken 2 steps forward and 3 back. While working on the control horn setup on the elevators, and cleaning up some issues with them, I managed to break one of the ribs. This in itself is not such a big deal, but when added to all the other fiddling, redrilling, reriveting, moving things, etc, I have decided to scrap the current stab and elevators and start over with them. At least now I can start with the finished layout and systems as direct goals and fabricate them without having to modify or "rig" things.

Here is how it looked before the decision.



Oh, well, the pile in the scrap bin gets taller.

Dale

[bookmaker]

As is obvious, it has been quite a while since I posted here. I have mostly been posting on www.theaerodrome.com. While things have been progressing slowly, this project has progressed.

Since the photo above, I scrapped the original stab and elevator and built a new one. The landing gear is substantially complete and I am now working on the wing internal structures.

Here are a few photo updates.

Landing gear:






New Stab:




Upper wing structure




I've started on the lower wing structure, but that's pretty much where this project is at this time.

Dale

[Frank Giger]

Not only is my plane 7/8 scale, it's only 7/8ths as pretty as Dale's!

I think the 400 hour build time is based on the Robert Baslee "House of Pain" schedule, not the "oh dear, let me redo that" one that we're on.

Looking great!

[eiclan]

Gday from Australia,First of all congrats on some fine looking work.I can relate to the two steps forward and three back but it is all worth it in the end.Many years ago ,in my youth,I worked for the Western Australian Dept of Agriculture building experimental Farm machinery and it was the same,to achieve the outcome we wanted meant doing two or three different things till it worked how we wanted it to and also, for me, it had to look good.Form and function ,if it flys but looks like rubbish then why would you,so do it as many times as you like till you get what you want and a big plus practice makes perfect. Cheers Ross

[bookmaker]

The lower wing internal framework is complete. Got this completed several days ago.



Unfortunately, every weekend in October is scheduled out so little work will get done on the Nieuport. But that included attending an EAA Sportair workshop on electrical and avionics.

I have decided to go back and complete the final items on landing gear, tail gear and stab and elevators before moving on to other areas.

On another note, I bought a 1965 Citabria 7ECA to build tailwheel time. Unfortunately, it went in for annual mid February and got completed late September. But, now my Citabria is back flying so I can continue to build tailwheel time.

[Charlie Becker]

Dale,

Great seeing you at the workshop and now that I know your project is online here, I'll be keeping tabs.

Charlie