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It is starting to look like an airplane

N395V

N395V

Well Known Member
Have finally closed the wings and getting ready to mount the gear and mate wing to fuselage. Expect to start hanging the engine and installing systems in 3-4 weeks. Jeff and Mark at New Century Aerosport have been really great teachers and mentors in the mystic art of fiberglass and plastic.

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Great teachers but they break out into hives when I fabricate something with aluminum. :rolleyes:
 
4-5 days work after the Blue Mountains arrive and the panel and electrical will be ready to install in the plane. Now just lacking the EFIS's Prop and a bunch more work.

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Cool what is it

What is it? sorry I really don't know. Also what radial is that and where do you think you are going to put that? :D Thanks Milt
 
Are you building the FG or the RG?

I really like it, but to me the FG one looks a little... off. Kinda like a nosewheel RV.
 
FG, there is no retract version

The prototype has smaller wheels and pants than the production and that should help the proportions a little. Problem is keeping a 98" prop high enough off the ground when you lift the tail.

I agree from a proportional viewpoint a retract would look much nicer but the tradeoff in weight complexity and insurance just wouldn't be worth it.
 
The initial articles I read about in is Sport Aviation said there would be a retract available. It probably wouldn't go much faster, but the cool factor would be incredible. To me this airplane looks like a FG Bearcat
 
osxuser said:
The initial articles I read about in is Sport Aviation said there would be a retract available. It probably wouldn't go much faster, but the cool factor would be incredible. To me this airplane looks like a FG Bearcat
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The kit makers/designers have shelved the idea of a retract. There just isn't enough room in the wing or belly pan to stow the hardware without some significant redesign. This is the same exact wing as the turbine legend (same guys) and they really weren't happy with the gear design on that. In addition it robbed enough space that the TL just really cannot carry enough fuel. We discussed retract before I started and I opted for extended range tanks and a whole lot less $$$.

You are correct it was the F8 Bearcat that the plane was modeled after.

There was talk of a metal version of a bearcat called the bear360 mfg in the old soviet bloc. It had retractable gear but the mods to the wings and belly made it really ugly.

Project seems to have dissappeared.
 
Now about a month behind where I wanted to be. Finally have it on the gear and panel just about done. The prop has arrived but still waiting on Efis's and engine mount.

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OH my!

I just went weak at the knees!

Don't let my Wife catch me drooling over that thing or she'll think I'm the first guy to have a "Thing" going with an another airplane...:)

Frank
 
Very Nice!

Just curious what the attach points are like from the gear to the wings - the gear is so tall that it seems like there could be a lot of side loads put on them very easily and the potential for folding. :confused:

Absolutely beautiful plane!

Brandon
 
curious what the attach points are like from the gear to the wings
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This the most frequently asked question I get.

The gear legs mount into 2 steel box structures that are flox pressed between 2 extra heavy duty reinforced ribs and the forward spar then bolted to all three with heavy duty steel backing plates.



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It will be going to the paint shop in about 6 weeks.So time to finalize the design. I have found designing an attractive paint scheme for a radial quite a difficult task.

I have polled my "panel of close advisors" and they are split about50/50 on 2 of the 4 designs submitted.

So how do ya'll vote.

(please no comments about how well 1 design or the other fits with your perception of my personality, I got enough of that from the advisory group.)

Griffen
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Bulldog
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Hey Milt!!!

How about the Bulldog fits the airplane's personality better?!?!?!?! I like it best! But they both look good!
Gregory Stone :D
 
The griffin is classier. What a machine! If it were made out of aluminum it would be perfect....just kidding. Did you consider a Gulfhawk paint scheme?
 
Griffin

I vote Griffin ... the bulldog could be taken to be a football team mascot.... :)

gil A ... it also has links to the big engines at he end of WWII on the last piston engine fighters....

http://fighter-collection.com/images/pk6241.jpg

And, since it is a combination of a lion ("King of the Beasts") and an eagle ("King of the Skies") ... it sounds really powerful... :)
 
that is cool! is it going to look kind of like a Gee Bee, but much safer to fly?

NICE milt.

edit-- oh no something out of pearl harbor :eek:
 
I vote for the Griffin but I compliment you on the rest of the paint scheme. That will look great!! Nice airplane. I can't wait to hear about the first flight.
 
I'm interested in your choice of "N" number. This was originally on Marvin Brott's RV-4 built in '91 (New owner changed it). Is there a significance for your choice?
 
Mel said:
I'm interested in your choice of "N" number. This was originally on Marvin Brott's RV-4 built in '91 (New owner changed it). Is there a significance for your choice?
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Nope,

Just asked my wife to peruse available N numbers and find something short that didn't sound dorky as a radio call 91 TX was the only 2 digit number and Tango Xray has a neat ring to it.
 
Andy Griffon...

Yep, the Griffon is the goo, unless your were formerly in the Corps. :)(The Rolls Royce Griffon was another namesake with amazing capabilities...)

Did you consider a Dove Grey color as opposed to white? I used it on my RV4 and it still looks cool 10 years later. My friend JS installed a M-14P in his scratchbuilt Bucker Jungmeister and used an off-white/dove grey. I am fortunate enough to have been one of 3 people to ever fly it...you gotta like cool, simple paint schemes...he painted his namesake "The Swick T" next to the Bucker exactly the same...

check it out..

Rob Ray

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unless your were formerly in the Corps


That was precisely why the Bulldog was considered.


Had my airworthiness inspection today as well as first flight.

Rather exciting.
 
"Rather exciting"

A bit of an understatement I suspect.

Come on, Milt. How about a few details and photos.

Mike
 
Mike S said:
"Rather exciting"

A bit of an understatement I suspect.

Come on, Milt. How about a few details and photos.

Mike
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Actually I was quite exhausted.

After work Thursday I spent the evening and a good part of the night prepping for the inspection. Got no sleep and nervous as ****.

The DAR (Chuck Morris) was on time Friday AM and about as nice a person as I ever have met. Inspection was quite thourough and lasted a little over 2 hrs. He found a few items I had missed and had several excellent suggestions.

Spent the rest of Friday fixing problems and tightening fittings as well as a nose to tail hardware inspection.

Saturday AM tied the tail in a pit and did full power runups.Found a few more issues and fixed them. Had lunch. Put the plane together and taxied out for take off.

I am not embarrassed to admit I was scared sh%tless. I knew the plane was ready and had flown the prototype but I was really concerned because I had replaced the pressure carb with an AFP fuel injection system. I had been told by more than 1 "expert" that this simply would not work. This really worried me in spite of an uneventful full power static runup. I also had the 400+HP engine as opposed to the 360 HP on the prototype.

During runup everytime I exceded 1600 RPM the tail would come up.

Take off was quicker than expected and I quickly was behind the plane.

The plane had a strong tendency to roll left requiring full aileron trim to the right.

When i retracted the flaps it was all I could do to jkeep from rolling right.

Climb and cruise were uneventfiul and most systems worked well.

Engine was running a bit hot so landed after only 20 min. On approach the plane again rolled left as I dropped the flaps. Clearly a problem with rigging.

The porototype has 5" wheels and because I do a lot of grass I put on 6 " wheels with a bit larger pants to tire clearance. The resulting pressure blew off the leg fairings in flight with a rather loud noise and shudder.

All in all not too bad . It has been a long 2 years.

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Milt. Congratulations. Glad you kept her right side up. I have to admit this is one of the coolest planes I have ever seen. Great job.

I am eagerly awaiting the performance numbers when you get the rigging issues dealt with.
 
1st smoke

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1st flight

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Now have about 18 hrs and running strong.

Will start to venture out of runway glide range next week and see what it is really made of.
 
Hey there,

I see that this is an old post! How does your Radial Rocket operate at high alt., say 18,000 + alt? Somehow I have a feeling that you have been up that high, and then some. ;) How does the engine work, and how about the wing? Was this plane designed for such altitudes?
 
pardon my ignorance... but out of my own curiosity how much of the radial rocket contains rv-4 or HR2 parts?

also, is that protective film on the airframe or is that fiberglass? :confused:

only thing i know about the radial is that its a radial, different gear, and looks badass!
 
the4ork said:
pardon my ignorance... but out of my own curiosity how much of the radial rocket contains rv-4 or HR2 parts? also, is that protective film on the airframe or is that fiberglass? :confused: only thing i know about the radial is that its a radial, different gear, and looks badass!
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It is both fiberglass AND badass!! Here's a link for more info. http://www.radialrocket.com/Page%2002.html

I believe that the factory demo aircraft is currently listed for sale on Barnstormers...
 
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