GAAM Triplane

[GoldenAge]

Hi Guys,
If anyone is planning to attend this Saturday's Flying Circus Air Show please feel free to introduce yourself. I am usually very busy getting things ready but I would like to make your acquaintance.

See you at the show!
Thanks,
Paul

[Lufbery]

We'll be there. :-D

[GoldenAge]

Hi Guys,
Thought it was time for an update. Been spending a lot of time on an elaborate toy. Installed in the ammo box is the electronics and gas bottles for gas firing machine guns. The box is still a bit flimsy along the top without the feed chutes. The equipment in the box is ready to go, we have tested the solenoids for the gas and they work very well. We have them set for 5 shots a second. Both guns will fire at the same time. With the mechanical to electric switch on the forward side of the ammo box either control grip switch or the handle will activate the guns. The switch will get painted and bolted on tomorrow. The battery has a plug in adapter on the forward side as well for easy recharging. The gas and oxygen bottles come out of the top by just removing the left side cockpit sheetmetal. The feed chutes will have dummy ammo in them for effect and the right side of the box that is visible has a snap in shelf to hide the electronics and will house more dummy rounds.

David Ritter volunteered a while back to work on the guns for me. We should have the guns in the shop in the next week or two for a final assembly. I can't wait to see how well this whole thing works. I hope I don't set the whole airplane on fire

Paul Sr. has the top wing just about through the varnish process. The trailing edge will be the last thing it needs before covering. I plan to assemble the whole airplane one last time just to be safe before covering.

I have been studying photos of Lothar Richthofen's colors and a debate has started. Was the top wing really yellow? I have been going back and forth on the subject but I think it is yellow.

Enjoy,
Paul

[Jim Bruton]

Nice use of the ammo box Paul. Hoping to see and HEAR video soon of the guns firing!

Jim

[Dogtail2]

Great work!

Whats the estimated endurance of a fully charged gas setup?

[GoldenAge]

I have been told by guys working similar systems that the propane will probably last me most of the summer. The oxygen bottom runs out pretty quick. One gun will deplete an oxygen bottle in about 20 minutes continual firing. I am firing two guns so I figure half that time. I am going to need to figure out how to refill the oxygen bottle. Ten minutes of firing is a lot if you figure the real guns ran out of ammo in about 90 seconds. I will give more details once the system is complete.
Paul

Originally Posted by Dogtail2

Great work!

Whats the estimated endurance of a fully charged gas setup?

[GoldenAge]

We have been doing a lot of blasting and painting latley. The floor is done also. The trigger system is now finished for the propane guns. The guns should be done soon. The cowling is now well underway. The fabrication should be done in the next day or two and then I will work on cleaning up the welds.
Paul

[GoldenAge]

Had a few hours to work on the cowl yesterday before going to work. It was very productive.
Paul

[Jim Bruton]

Nice to see the stages of the cowl! Looks great.

[GoldenAge]

Cowl is finished. The retaining cable is installed. It still needs the cable retaining plates and the data plate. They will be added after the final coat of paint. The primer on the cowl now is a filler primer, it needs to be wet sanded out yet and final primed before the color.

Finished the last of the sandblasting aand painting today. The ailerons were the last. Also built up a compass mount. It still needs to be cleaned up and painted. I know it is not original but it looks okay. I thought purchasing an original compass and bracket was a very expensive luxury. I figure the airplane will very rarley leave the traffic pattern so the compass is just fluff anyway.

Anyone know were I can get the correct data plate for the cowling?
Thanks,
Paul