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Merlinn, untold skills and his patience
bpost
Member Posts: 32,664 ✭✭✭✭
I read with great pleasure and awe the EAA magazine article on the Spitfire our member Merlinn built. I can honestly say that project impressed me as much as any work of a man, including the works of the master in art, machine and construction.
I replaced the propeller on my airplane, it sounds simple enough. It is a POWERFIN prop with the angle set by an electronic protractor. The static RPM (the WOT rpm with the plane tied to my truck) is a 200 RPM window. I was splitting tenths of a degree to get it correct.
It took HOURS of tightening, testing, loosening turning the blades, torquing to 175 inch pounds to get that RPM window nailed down. Every adjustment required the loosening of 14 bolts, turning the prop blade 1/4 of a degree or so and re-torquing the bolts to 175 inch pounds.
The static RPM is supposed to be 6000-6200 RPM I got it dead center at 6100 RPM. The blades are OK at .20 degrees difference, I got them to .05. One is set at 12.90 degrees the other at 12.95.
I have about eight hours into that project!
When you look at the work Merlinn did to actually build that FULL SIZE Spitfire, from scratch to plans, it makes me feel very humble. I can only imagine the skills and unfathomable patience he must have to get it right so it would fly.
Flight is optional; once air born landings are not.
Merlinn, my hat is off to you sir, you are truly an amazing human being.
I replaced the propeller on my airplane, it sounds simple enough. It is a POWERFIN prop with the angle set by an electronic protractor. The static RPM (the WOT rpm with the plane tied to my truck) is a 200 RPM window. I was splitting tenths of a degree to get it correct.
It took HOURS of tightening, testing, loosening turning the blades, torquing to 175 inch pounds to get that RPM window nailed down. Every adjustment required the loosening of 14 bolts, turning the prop blade 1/4 of a degree or so and re-torquing the bolts to 175 inch pounds.
The static RPM is supposed to be 6000-6200 RPM I got it dead center at 6100 RPM. The blades are OK at .20 degrees difference, I got them to .05. One is set at 12.90 degrees the other at 12.95.
I have about eight hours into that project!
When you look at the work Merlinn did to actually build that FULL SIZE Spitfire, from scratch to plans, it makes me feel very humble. I can only imagine the skills and unfathomable patience he must have to get it right so it would fly.
Flight is optional; once air born landings are not.
Merlinn, my hat is off to you sir, you are truly an amazing human being.
Comments
I love a challenge and like designing and building things. The Spitfire is truly a beautiful aircraft. The elliptical wing really sets it apart from other warbirds.
Stay safe!
I sent some detailed model airplane plans to a fellow in St Louis some years back. I saw a picture of a full size and flying WWI Fokker Triplane that he built from my plans. By the way, I have one of the largest collections of model airplane plans in the world.
Really? ...... This will require a lot of pictures .... sorry, it's the rules. [:)]