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Posted by on Monday, October 14, 2013
Filed in: Aircraft Restoration, Benoist 2014
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The Fast and The Furious

Progress is being made in leaps and bounds as the end of the year looms. Here are some more visual updates from Kermit. Do you think we’ll make it in time?!

All of the fabric for the wing panels have been sewn up and Ken is preparing to cover some of the first pieces. Once we figure out exactly how we’re going to do this (how we attach it, glue it down, tack the under-surfaces, and the number of coats of dope) he’ll turn it over to someone else to grind them out. He’s got to get back on the hull for the final planking!

A-Benoist-Progress-_-Ken

Paul and Dave have been jammin’ on prep-ing and priming all the fittings.

Once the fittings are media blasted, they dip them into a prep solution for a specific amount of time, dip them into the black oxide paint, and then hang them up to dry!

Andrea’s been varnishing and prep-ing the wings for cover. Kermit dug out some pics from our research trip to the Smithsonian that will help determine how it was originally done as they had another model Benoist in the collection. Once we decide on what material we’re going to use for the “drag and anti-drag” straps, we’ll install them on the wings and begin the process of covering 23 pieces!

Posted by on Monday, October 14, 2013
Filed in: Aircraft Restoration, Benoist 2014
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Picking Up the Pace

Progress on the Benoist is happening faster and faster! Check out these progress photos from Kermit’s Facebook Page. Here, Andrea works on making cable ends for control cables and all the numerous wires that hold it together.

A-Andrea-making-cables

This is a special wire-wrapping tool, used to form and solder the cable ends, of which there are almost a hundred!

B-Cable-Making-Tool

Here are two completed cable ends about to be tested for strength. Of course, they will all be tested again once the turnbuckles and fittings are all incorporated.

C-Cable-ends

Here, Paul gets ready to test the cable strength and the newly formed ends with the testing device that Dave (the welder) made!

D-Paul-Testing-Cables

Seems they’re got it figured out. Since the airplane with Kermit and a passenger should weigh about 1700 lbs, so this ought to be strong enough!

E-Cable-Testing

Here, Andy works machines another part for the prop hub drive system.

F-Andy-Machining

And here’s the product of his handwork!  Looks like we’ve now got some nice spacing for the prop drive chain to clear the propeller.

G-Prop-Hub-and-Drive

And here’s another piece of art that Andy, Rick, and Dave made: the fuel cap and filler neck for the fuel tank!

H-Fuel-Cap-and-Neck

Here, Ricky sorts out fitting and polishing the fuel tank ends.

I-Rick-with-tank

It took us awhile to figure out how to properly make the turnbuckle ends out of wire spokes, as per the original. Here, Dave wraps a spoke around itself in a way that it is strong enough for the job, using the most modern tools available!

J-Dave-bending-turnbuckles

It seems we’re making ends meet … and making progress!

K-Turnbuckles-in-Box

Here, Paul primes and paints the turnbuckle ends by dipping them into a paint can.

L-Dipping-Turnbuckles

While everyone else is working on the parts needed, Ken connects up and rigs the aileron control cables to the stick.

M-Controls-in-Hull

Ken ponders, “OK, now where can I run this cable to make it work?”

N-Ken-Rigging-Wings

Here, Ken attaches an aileron slave strut to interconnect the two ailerons on the right side.

O-Ken-attached-aileron-slave-strut

Here, Ken checks to see that we have enough aileron deflection. They didn’t use pulleys back then, so all the control cables are routed through bent pieces of tubing where they turn. Kermit says that he hopes we can find a way to cut down the friction in the system so he can move them if he ever has to use them!

P-Ken-checking-Aileron-deflection

Time marches on… January 1, 2014 will be here before you know it! are you making plans to join us for this historic occasion?

 

Posted by on Monday, October 14, 2013
Filed in: Aircraft Restoration, Benoist 2014
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Earning Our Wings the Old-Fashioned Way…by Making Them!

Either our wood shop is getting a lot smaller, or Ken and the rest of the gang are rocking on the Benoist build. We hit a milestone this week as we hung the starboard wings for the first time. Here, the gang all pitch in to hang the upper:

A-Benoist-wings-up

With both the starboard wings up, you can see why we say the shop is getting smaller. How will we fit both sides?!

B-Benoist-Wings-on

Below, Ken fits the planking for the floorboards in the hull. The metal piece to the left is the beginnings of the foot throttle. In the Benoist, the pilot’s right hand controls the stick for the elevator and ailerons, and their left hand controls the rudder stick. They did things a little different back then.

C-Floor-boards

The fuselage is shaping up as well. Below, the seat is being assembled. Makes those airline seats look comfy, doesn’t it?!

D-Seat

Ken’s not the only one working hard either. Andrea has taken on the job of beginning to seal all the wood components.

E-Andrea-Varnishing

And here, Andy is machine up more parts for the propeller drive system.

F-Andy-machining

Rick and Dave have put the beads in the fuel tank where the hold down straps will go and have set the cap on that Andy made.

G-Fuel-tank-beaded

We also heard this week from our friends at Vintage Auto Rebuilds in Ohio.  Check out the progress on the 1913 Roberts engine they’re building us from scratch. The crankshaft is done and it appears that the align boring is as well. We can’t wait to hear it run!

H-Roberts

I-Roberts

 

Posted by on Monday, October 14, 2013
Filed in: Aircraft Restoration, Benoist 2014
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Picking Up the Pace

With the January 1, 2014 deadline looming, the pace of work on the Benoist is increasing. Ken has made great progress on the fuselage/hull. He still needs to put the last layer of planking on the hull but not until he gets all the inside sorted out and the hull flipped over. Here you can see some of the stringers in the front that are temporarily in position showing the shape of the nose that gets covered with fabric. The controls are temporarily installed. And of course, Kermit strikes his trademarked pose:

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Rick made up a mock-up fuel tank out of aluminum, shown here, to fit the mounting brackets and check for clearances. The actual tank will be made of brass which Rick will fabricate once the sheet brass arrives.

Ken has also been laying out where the rudder and elevator cables run down the inside of the hull, through the top turtleneck, and back to the control surfaces.

1a

Andrea and Dave are working on sorting out the wire cables and adjustment ends, which has turned into a bit more than we expected. Andy is machining away on the drive train that includes the prop hub, prop shaft, and sprockets.

1b

All in all, we’re making a lot of progress, but we can all hear that clock ticking in the back of our heads. Will we make it in time?

Posted by on Monday, October 14, 2013
Filed in: Aircraft Restoration, Benoist 2014
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A Milestone in Building

We hit somewhat of a milestone last week as Ken cleared out around the Benoist hull jig in preparation for flipping it over!

1

After rounding up much of the gang . . . we lifted up the hull and began to rotate it . . . trying not to break off any of the delicate pieces that still need more structure attached.

2

Almost there! It is not as heavy as it’s going to get as it still needs another layer of 1/4″ planking. The finished hull should weigh in at around 350 pounds.

3

After taking out a jig piece or two . . . we finally got it to settle in right-side up!

4

Here’s a shot from the front. Check out the two main beams going down the middle of the fuselage. The pilot seat sits on the front of the main beams while the engine sits just behind the pilot in the section without the lightening holes.

There is still a LOT of work to do on this!

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Here’s a shot from the rear.

The top deck in the back gets 1/4″ planking and once it goes on . . . there is no way to get inside, so all the wood needs to be sealed and all the control cables need to be routed.

With the fuselage section open around the engine, and from the experience of our “Lark of Duluth” friends up north, we know water will get back there so Ken’s put drain holes in the bottom of all the bulkheads to make sure we can see any water in the hull before take-off as it should all drain to the low spot under the engine.

Our bilge pump will consist of a small bucket and a sponge!

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