Sopwith Snipe Project

Nick · 9 December 2011, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Parham

As long as your machine is kept in a dry hangar and away from direct sunlight I think you'll find that cotton and linen last a long time. My own Aeronca was covered in cotton in 1985 and is in fine condition, my previous machine was last covered in linen in 1967 and is still flying in 2011.

Quote:

Originally Posted by baldeagle

I vote linen also, it isn't less safe than ceconite, and as pointed out can easily last more than 20 years if taken care of and hangared.

Thanks Jack & Andrew, much appreciated. Linen it is and no more wavering.

Good to hear how long yours have lasted.

Cheers, Nick

hank jarrett · 9 December 2011, 08:26 AM

Well kept she will last longer than any of us will, and if you ever stored something that beautiful outside you would probably have an angry mob of us insuring you didn't last anywhere near as long!
I have seen a well protected plane (a Cub no less) with Grade A cotton that has lasted over 50 years and it is no where near needing recover even now. I would imagine that Cub has been flown a lot more than you will be flying the Snipe. He is only paying for 3.5 GPH and I think he must have flown her almost every afternoon until he just plain got too old.
Hank

j ferguson · 9 December 2011, 09:16 AM

Hank? Too Old? What is too old?

brinesharks · 10 December 2011, 12:06 AM

Nick - I'm away on holiday and could only get updates on my phone and couldn't post ....for what it's worth the linen option sounds great!

It might be worth researching the efforts of the US and British aircraft industries in the 1920s and 1930s to make improvements in linen covering processes. Barnstormers probably set things back a bit during that period though. I read of one flyer who repaired his plane using cotton bed sheets...

Nick · 10 December 2011, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hank jarrett

I have seen a well protected plane (a Cub no less) with Grade A cotton that has lasted over 50 years and it is no where near needing recover even now.

I love stories like that.

A friend who has a Tiger Moth in the UK says his has lasted that long too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by j ferguson

Hank? Too Old? What is too old?

I flew with someone the other day who was 89 to do their biennial check flight. Sure hope I’m still around at that age let alone still flying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by brinesharks

It might be worth researching the efforts of the US and British aircraft industries in the 1920s and 1930s to make improvements in linen covering processes.

Thanks Bryan,
There are a couple of guys round here who have experience in Linen so I’m hoping I’ll be able to enlist some help or at least get lots of advice from them. Still a while off yet though.

In the meantime have just started getting all the parts together required to make a start on the port lower wing.

Cheers, Nick

hank jarrett · 10 December 2011, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j ferguson

Hank? Too Old? What is too old?

He died last month. That's the only kind of "too old" there really is. He was a wonderful man and a good friend to me. I learned to cover with Grade A from him and his partner in an antique restoration business they had about 30 years ago. As his health failed, he loved to have someone come by and take him to the airport. I had planned to drop by and pick him up the week he died. A real missed opportunity to see him one last time.
I will be waiting for that feeling he is with me when I get my Taylorcraft back in the air pretty soon. An awful lot of good friends are up there waiting for me. It's incredible when you feel that presence on a perfect flight. All the great souls who have inspired you in your life and are gone now, coming back to share a ride again.
I have lost 4 good friends this year. Not a good year.
Hank

brinesharks · 12 December 2011, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick

There are a couple of guys round here who have experience in Linen so I’m hoping I’ll be able to enlist some help or at least get lots of advice from them. Still a while off yet though.

You must live in a really great place! I figure you'll get a lot of volunteers.

C.T. · 18 December 2011, 11:52 AM

Linen. It is going to look beautiful Nick. Following with great interest.

Merry christmas.

Cheers
Chris

snj5 · 18 December 2011, 02:24 PM

Looking forward to the linen covering and how it's done.

What have you decided about the propeller? Some thing I am sure you are thinking about is when to test run the engine. There might be a consideration for an engine test run on a tied down fuselage before it is fully covered and buttoned up. We did, and it's surprising what you can see that may need looking at.

Merry Christmas from your Texas Fan Club,

rt

Nick · 19 December 2011, 02:40 AM

Thanks Chris

Quote:

Originally Posted by snj5

What have you decided about the propeller?

Hi Russ,
I've got a wooden sensenich prop which I have run the engine with in a test cell. I plan on using that to start with just to see how it goes. Then if all goes well the plan would be to do what you did and get a prop made that looks more like the original.

Happy Christmas everyone and all the best for the new year.

Cheers, Nick