Badland Part 103 Pilots and Builders Forum

Starboard Wing:

Located and taped in position the upper spar and lower lift strut leg mounts so that I could position,trim, and drill the 4 strut legs (trial fittings). Once the positioning looked good, I removed the assemblies drilled, epoxied, and riveted in the upper spar mounts. I then tightened the lower lift strut leg clamps in position, then cleaned and painted the 4 jury strut legs. They are currently drying. I will position and mount with AN3 bolts tomorrow.

For a change of pace, I fine sanded the fiberglass cowling. I started by sanding down the center-line seam and then took all the ragged edges off of the perimeter. With this done and the prop still mounted to the engine, I trial fitted the cowl in rough position. Lots of bulges to account for and I must trim back the lower forward edges to accommodate the shape of the lower section of the Polini 303. I still can't quite get up the courage to drill/cut holes in the nice cowl but I know it has to be done as I'm getting close to the "final" procedures before disassembly and covering.


I also routed and strapped the pitot line in place.

I have to say that the round cowl is starting to grow on me. I wonder how much work it would take to add some "nostrils" to either side, a la Carbon Cub...I would also want to remove the "radial bulges". But as it sits, it still looks good!

I guess I'm really old school ... my 1st jb out of Louisiana Tech was at Pratt & Whitney (building Fuel Cells for Gemini & Apollo). I was there when the last radial engine came off and the line was shutdown; retooling for the 1st JT-9D huge jet engines for the 747s. So I like the look of the radials.

I think it would be a lot of work to remove the radial "bumps". Probably easier to wrap and foam then layup a basic fiberglass custom cowl.

ksatter26 wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2023 1:08 am I guess I'm really old school ... my 1st jb out of Louisiana Tech was at Pratt & Whitney (building Fuel Cells for Gemini & Apollo). I was there when the last radial engine came off and the line was shutdown; retooling for the 1st JT-9D huge jet engines for the 747s. So I like the look of the radials.

I think it would be a lot of work to remove the radial "bumps". Probably easier to wrap and foam then layup a basic fiberglass custom cowl.

Hey Peer, we have a real Rocket Scientist on the forum! Freaking Awsome!

Todd