Sopwith Corner

nomma · 13 March 2005, 01:33 PM

Wow, it worked. Thanks Langdon!!

Best regards,

Magnus

PS Having discovered this excellent media, I'll just show you a picture of the 1/4 scale Pup I started doing, before moving to full scale. This is the tail, with the steerable skid. My first attempts at "weathering" can be seen.

wolfenbill · 14 March 2005, 09:51 AM

The tiny screws on the capstrips for attaching the capstrip to the webs are really not necessary when using modern adhesives. Back then they mostly used hide glue and maybe casein glue. With today's epoxies, aliphatic resins, resorcinol or urea-formaldehyde resins, the strength is now in the glue and you don't have to worry about bugs wanting to eat your glue.

nomma · 14 March 2005, 11:09 AM

But what about the infamous T-88 bacteriae that love to eat epoxy glued ribs?

Thanks Wolfenbill - I am not using the screws for strength. I am using them because it feels right...

I have heard that their glue was not bad at all - they just didn't have the time for letting the ribs dry in the jigs, so they used screws to be able to lift the ribs out of the jig and start producing the next one. I don't know whether this is commonly accepted knowledge or a theory though...

Best regards,

Magnus

24 March 2005, 04:01 PM

Maybe you guys no the answer to this one. Sopwith drawings show the part numbers such as A2810 and then B2436 or even D2410. Can some one tell me how the parts got numbered ? Does the Letter stand for something ? It looks like "D" is a wooden part for instance.

Thanks

Mike

William · 24 March 2005, 07:10 PM

Hello Mike,
Good to hear that you are still around. Based on our Camel drawings and other Sopwith drawings that we have examined the A,B,C,D refer to the size of the drawings. They correspond with the standard sizes of engineering drawings still in use by draftsmen and printers.
Sadly we can find no clear pattern in the numbering of drawings.
Best,
William

nomma · 25 March 2005, 05:15 AM

Hi Mike and William,

The Pup drawings do not have the letters. I guess it was a later invention.

William - nice to see you! I haven't seen you around for a while. I would like to discuss the castings with you. Do you still have the same mail address?

The Pup progress is kind of slow now - the weather finally permits me to work with the Cub (cold hangar). As soon as it's flying I'll start sanding spars again...

Best regards,

Magnus

25 March 2005, 05:51 AM

Hey guys. Well that's strange. I thought for sure that the numbers would mean something.

Hey William....ya I'm still around ! I still have your order of chrome molly too !

Mike

William · 25 March 2005, 10:37 AM

Mike,
The numbers may well have had some meaning but we haven't sorted out what that is yet. Even assembly /sub-assembly numbers lack a clear pattern. In an ideal world they might reference with R.A.F./Air Ministry numbering but have no proof of that. I must have forgotten about the CM order, drop us a line and refresh my memory.

Magnus,
I think our Pup drawings have letters but will have to have a look for certainty. We're still here but have been overwhelmed with work, kids, bronchitis, and website server problems. Took this week off to catch up. Aero stuff is a bit behind. Castings in progress are oil pump, Rene Tampier throttle quad, pulsameters LR type (Gnome in the works), and some other odds and ends. We will ear mark some for you just let us know what you need. Also found a local custom aircraft tyre manufacturer who is willing to make or at least talk seriously about making Palmer-Cord tyres (possibly certificated) so have been involved in trying to sort out the feasibilty of cost of set up etc....
Keep up your good work!
Best,
William