Pitts S1-S Rebuild

Technology updates..

2011-08-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

I've had to redo a lot of things on the gear/engine mount deal...I've really had to work the pedal on the big gray welder...I end up with excess heat into the CM tubing.Last december I went to Airgas in Salinas and got a sweet deal on a Lincoln Invertec 160 DC pulse tig welder...Oh My God!!! This machine makes welding CM tubing easy! The heat and pulse can be set to get welds just right without warping things. I used the new machine to do the supports for the metal sides on the S2-S
The cool thing is that I don't trip the 20 amp breaker that supplies my hangar with 110volts,yet i get enough current to weld most aircraft CM tubing projects..

Currently building spray booth in my garage in Prunedale..The S2-s fuse is covered and ready to paint..Have to bring it home More photos to come..Also have a lead on a cherry set of stick-built S1-S wings for the rebuild project..

Time really flys1

2010-10-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

Haven't taken much time on this blog.

The flying S1-S was sold in May 2010 to a nice young lady from Socal...She really enjoys it.
The engine is done on the S2-s and installed..Prop has been back from Whirlwind since March..
I devised a spray booth at work and have stripped,etched , alodined and repainted all of the sheet metal.Many hours of tedious striping layed out
We got right down to "let's put it back together and i had a change of heart. We were going to just spot in the chips on the dope with auto primer and reshoot the fuse....But ..smoke oil and leaking master cylinders have really oiled up the fabric on the belly so, off came the fabric..While i'm at it..I decided to metal side the fuse back to my elbows..( the same as a s2-b has..) So this week I formed and welded the supports on to the fuse and nut plated everything.I have 3 of the 6 sheet metal pieces fit on to the fuse..Today I'm making a die for the sheetmetal brake to form the radius I need on the bottom of the fuse sides..I'm lucky to have Sean Tuckers old plane close by to go look at..It's saved me from having to reinvent the wheel!
Picked up paint to spot the fuse in ..Jeanie is going to sew an envelope for me out of ceonite101 .. that will save me from doing the 3 piece method on the fuse..Should be able to put fabric on day after Halloween..

That's it for now...photos later.

General Update on Pitts' stuff

2010-01-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

The engine parts should be here from AERO tomorrow...Jeanie will take them over to the machine shop in Los Banos on tuesday..I had the pushrod tubes and engine mount powder coated here in Salinas for the engine in the S2-S.. Sean did a great job.. powder coating is really cool nowadays. I had to move one of the tubes on the engine mount over an inch to make room for the B&C sd-8 alternator to clear...I'm tired of the battery charger routine and want a somewhat more normal setup..My aerobatic experience level won't be able to tell the 3 extra lbs.....
I finally finished the crate to fit the Whirlwind prop in...I'll have that dropped off at the freight company tomorrow..Should take a month or so to get it back..I'm thinking the budget will allow me to switch it from a 400 Rocket to a 400C...
I've been selling "treasures" on Ebay ...With those funds I bought my own powder coating setup..I have to get all of the lower wing parts beadblasted and coated to send to a builder in N.M. Also going to pickup a used oven to do the parts curing/ cooking in tomorrow off of Craigslist...

RV-3 gear in Straight!

2010-01-03T19:49:00.000-08:00

I had to make a new assembly, the first one was too wide due to using the wrong blueprint..
the first one I had drilled the tubes and the gearlegs at the same time and then welded ...When I had finished the assembly I had gotten too much heat into it and messed up the alignment of the gear legs.That created a impossible to get straight situation with the gear/fuselage alignment..
The new assy. I welded a little at a time to keep from warping the assy. Then I drilled one hole in the top assy, installed the legs and jigged them straight and centered.I filed the hole to match the gearleg holes...Then chucked up the assy. in the drill press and used the gear legs to line up the back hole...Everything turned out straight this time..
This time I clamped the assy. into place and measured off of the tail post...less than a 1/16th in. difference !!the assembly also sits perfectly in the middle of the fuse centerline! I'll go with it! I tacked it into place and have to tack the remaining 4 support tubes in place, then remove the engine mount and finish weld a little at a time to keep from heat warping/moving anything around.

The New Machine

2010-01-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

I've been having a hard time borrowing welding machines back and forth with my buddy Jack due to his hectic schedule ,so I bought this machine from a friend of a friend...400$ and it works perfect..

S2 and S1 work

2009-12-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

The S2 is down..560 hours on the plane and engine.Engine just didn't run as smooth as i'd like..Found 2 blades were loose on prop..Prop on it's way back to whirlwind for overhaul...Compressions were down into the 60's on 4 cylinders...removed cylinders to find surface rust spots aren't going to allow High 70's....New P10 pistons on the way and cylinders are being ground and ohauled..

Had to redoRV gear mount on S1 project..was made too wide per following the wrong drawing.My Buddy Jack and I borrow welders back and forth..he's grumpy from night shift at powerplant..Went and bought used Tig300 Lincoln to resume production repair...

Finished up new assy. last nite..have to line up in motor mount and tack in place..

Flying S1 has found a new home.. 2hangar doors down .

Things Change...

2009-09-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

Well,It's funny how things can change..I closed the deal on a Pitts S2-S...All of the S1 stuff is now for sale...This project on this blog will be put back together bone stock instead of a with fancy upgrades..

Go Pro Hero camera install

2009-07-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

My buddy ,Kenny from the r/c field and now a skydiver ,picked me up this cool little camera to put in my flying S1-S . I mounted it on a tab held in place by the canopy halo.The camera sits right at the canopy/windshield junction, about three inches above and forward of my head.I still have to figure out the sound on it though.The plane has a cut down for Reno canopy but there is just enough room.
The sequence is the 2009 Sportsman IAC . I'm flying over my friends grape vineyard .The dark green that you see in the video is about 3200 feet long and the pond is center box.The sequence begins and ends with the traditional 3 wing wags.I liked this video and will have to get some coaching from the ground as I see some flaws in some of the 45 down lines.(Shortline after roll.)

Had to practice a little

2009-07-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

Christen Oil system

2009-07-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

I picked up a nice inverted system with a pan for a O-320 on ebay a few weeks ago..The original system went with the engine when the salvage yard sold it.I've been looking for one for the rv-4 for over 2 years...

Poor man CNC noseribs

2009-07-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

Here's various photos of how I made 16 nice new noseribs to get started on the lower wings.
I clamped 8 at a time together for left and right, then cut hem out on a bandsaw and finished them up on a belt sander.
The holes closest to the spar were there in the original noserib for the pitot and static lines to run through..

Tailwheel Mount

2009-07-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of the tailwheel mount .I still have to double check the alignment with a laser light when the main gear is installed.

Rudder Pedals

2009-07-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of the install

More things Completed

2009-07-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

Well,the rudder pedals are installed,the whole assembly was removed from the old diagonals and reinstalled via the factory blueprints.This leaves the flying wire attach brackets and the cowl attach brackets ,both which are fabricated, left to weld on.
I had my first day off in 17 days of flying jumpers and got a lot done today.
Stopped by the hangar at SNS and did a little on the RV-4 fuel tanks I'm building then came home and had a brainstorm on how to mass produce some nose ribs for the lower wings that have to be replaced..Icut 16 5by 4" 1/4 thick pieces of aircraft ply.proceeded to make a bottom crush clamp from scrap ply to create the bottom of the clamp,then took a noserib from the wrecked lower wings and clamped it to the top of the stack of plates..I bolted the assembly together with the bolts that hold the bottom of the master cylinders to the fuse..
Cut them out on the bandsaw following the outline of the original noserib and finished them up nice on the beltsander.Having a hard time getting the photos off the sandisk and into the computer..
Last week I finished the tailwheel mount by removing the tube and adding a pinchtube to it.Welded it back on.I have to get the main gear on to finish the tailwheel.(Want to make SURE it's perfectly lined up..I've already been off roading due to a crooked tailwheel.NOT FUN!)Tommorow I will start making a rib jig..I figure I will make ribs at work while i'm waiting on parachute repacking..1-1/2 hour wait 3-4 times a day will give time to make a few ribs...I cut one of the ribs out of the broken lower wings and will make a cool jig from the outline.

Where does time Go??

2009-04-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

It's already the middle of april.The fuselage repair is almost done.I've had to conjur up a sheet metal brake to make the cowl attach brackets.Those and the floorboard tabs are all that's left up on the front of the fuse.
I picked up the stabs and elevators from the sandblasters yesterday.I'll prime them at work along with a parachute rack I fabbed for the company. I sent Jeanie to the EAA workshop at WVI in march,she's ready to start covering ! I have to get another bottle of blended gas for the mig to finish the rear of the fuse.

TailWheel idea.

2009-03-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

I wanted to put a Stinker/Model 12 tailwheel mount on this plane with a locking tailwheel.
This plane has had reinforcements welded into the inside of the lower horizontal tubes joining the Fin post. It would be a lot of work to duplicate the setup.I remembered the locking tailwheel I got off of Ebay afew months ago was a Haigh adapter type anyway. I stopped by Team Oracle's hangar and and looked at Sean's showplane and borrowed that idea. it's a combo Haigh/model12 Stinker mount. I tacked it into place ,but still have to add the pinch bolt roid to it. It's held in place by a -6 bolt and the pinch tube that lines it up. I'll also have to have a metal wedge machined to go under the front of the tailwheel spring about where the old leafpring sat.

Another upgrade to the Tail

2009-03-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

A lot of S1-S' dont have a leading edge support tube. I ordered the tubes for an S1-T from Aviat."OUCH" 200$ plus each" I'll make some duplicates out of Streamline tubing before I mount the factory ones. I welded a roid onto the stab. I installed a flat strap just in front of the flying wire mount on the lower part of the fuse.It's not quite as clean as the Steen mount but it' will work just as well.I have been warned not to snap my flying plane real hard as it does not have this upgrade yet. the photo shows the roid just MIG tacked in.

Doing Some finish welding

2009-03-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

I fabbed up the up the lower X-brace diagonals today .Got everything tacked in place. I started in on the finish TIG welding .This photo is of the the bottom of the fuse. All of the tubing that is black is the replacement chrome moly.I have to clean up the rudder pedal mounts that were removed from the damaged tubing,then weld them in.I also have to weld the Flying wire mounts up and install those. Iam contemplating changing/upgrading the gascolator so it doesn't hang out the bottom and will be recessed instead. The electric boost/ fuel pump mount needs to be revised also. That and a couple of tabs for the locking tailwheel and we'll be off to the sandblasters1

RV Gear almost Done

2009-03-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

I've been busy flying jumpers and working on the KingAir for the last 7 days.I had to day off to catch up on some welding.
Here's a photo of the RV-3 gear assembly I built from plans.I still have to weld on the lower pinch bolt assemblys to it.I will then weld it to the engine mount.

Fix the fuse first and get it on its gear again

2009-03-05T20:03:00.000-08:00

Being a fiscally limited aviator, I was up against the wall $ wise on what to do with the gear...The plane came with a Grove gear,It's bent but repairable by Grove for the tune of 500$ plus freight both ways..I priced the parts to do the RV-3 type setup and decided to go with that setup.I already have a builder# from Van's from a very slow moving RV-4 project, so obtaining the RV gear legs wasn't a problem.I emailed Bret Davenport on the east coast for some diagrams and a material list.He sent me a very detailed PDF on what I needed to know.In the previous post's photos ,you can see that the engine mount has the tubes cut out waiting for the sockets.I fabbed up the sockets and cut the crossmember tubes I welded up the sockets and they are now at a machine shop getting the thru holes drilled in them. They will be done next week.
Tonite I cut the 5/8 tube mounts for the rudder pedals off of the old center diagonals witha hacksaw, further grinding will be required for the install of these. Here's a photo of the old center section.

What's up with this wrecked plane?What does it need to be made into a flying airplane?

2009-03-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

Well, looking at the EBAY photos initially , my first guess was for sure it needed lower longerons and maybe diagonals also.
Bottom wings are toast... spars have major splits/ cracks in them.
Fuselage longerons were taco-ed from the Grove gear taking a pretty good hit.
Jeanie got the plane home from Colorado , we unloaded it into my hangar at Salinas Municipal...
Tha next day my AP/IA buddy Jay came over to the hangar and we dug into the plane like madmen disassembling it in about 6 hours.
We got the bare fuse on sawhorses ,broke out a hacksaw and begun to straighten with a long bar.
The fuse is now in the garage with replacement tubes tacked in place

What am I trying to accomplish here?

2009-03-05T19:34:00.000-08:00

I already have a beautiful, flying Pitts S1-S..Why another? Well ,My primary Pitts I feel is too pristine to modify.It has a 3200 rpm heli O-320 in it.
I have been intrigued by the Wolfpitts ever since I saw photos of it.I don't want to hack my plane, so I bought a rebuildable wrecked S1-s off of EBAY to make into A Wolfpitts type plane.Since the age of 11 when my grandfather taught me how to weld with oxy/acetylene,metal fabrication has been one of my favorite activities and creative outlets.I quit racing Nascar/IMCA modifieds that I built myself in 2000(Too OLD to continue successfully) Since I've learned how to fly and reached the level where i have a COOL pilot job(skydiving) I've turned my focus to building this really cool Wolf type plane.

2009-03-05T17:17:00.001-08:00

I got this from the Biplane forum...
I ordered some 4130 tubing from Online metals.com
I may just hack the leading edge from the stock rudder that came with the plane.
First i will try forming the wrap-around tabs that mount to the finpost from new metal..
I'm just to picky to not have stuff that's close to perfectly done
That's the difference between custom and just "built"

Initial photos of plane

2009-02-24T10:46:00.000-08:00

Here's photos of the ebay ad .This is what everything looked like when Jeanie picked up the plane from colorado...A genuine wreck!

feb09

2009-02-23T12:24:00.000-08:00

Just started this blog to keep track of rebuild on recently purchased Pitts.
Plane was puchased from
Beegles AC in Greeley ,Co. in January 09 via ebay.