Thursday, August 5, 2021

Nitroplanes Pitts Model 12 All Up!

Its all done. Dry weight is 10 lbs, CG a touch nose heavy, going to leave that alone and see how it trims out. All that is left is the maiden flight.



My cowl securing shenanigans continue. The cowl securing screws were designed to be tightened from inside the cowl, one at about 10 o'clock and one at 2. I don't have a hex driver long enough for that, so thought I would turn the screws around and put on a nut from inside the fuse, even bought thumb nuts, but I just could not get to the screws, the space was so tight. Plan C. There is about that much space between the cowl frame and the canopy. I made this platform...



... and fixed a screw onto a cross bar I placed inside the cowl, which interfaces with the platform. I secured the cowl leaving the two Plan B screws in place to help support and stabilize the cowl, and on this center one use a bonded washer and one of the thumb nuts. That nut passes through a space in the front of the canopy. Works perfectly.
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All up and ready to go!



The aluminum 3-blade 2.5inch spinner came in. Mounted the Master Airscrew 15x7x3 prop, with my custom painted tips. Balanced the prop yesterday.

















The pilot is just the cockpit!

I am going to hold off the maiden until my iX12 comes back from the shop.

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