Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: flyboy_120(at)webtv.net (Ed G.)
Just when I think I have found and avoided all of the errors in thedrawings, I run into another snag. Just as I was about to glue up the finaltail surface today (vertical fin) my one last measurement (my "measuretwenty times, cut only three" method) I realized that the distances for therudder and fin do not match up. It is too complicated to explain unless oneof you has seen it, but the fin will have to be 1/2" taller than the planscall for for it to fit correctly and make the bottom of the rudder line upwith the bottom of the fuselage. Anyone have any idea what I am talkingabout?Gene Rambotrying to finish SOMETHING________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Doug413(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: vertical fin problemGene Don't feel bad mine's the same way ..... I plan to shave a1/4" off the top and bottom of the rudder at the front corners and fairit in. I have already drilled my mounting holes or I would just glue astrip of spruce on the bottom of the vert. stab. The plans call call forthe 1/4" strips to run all the way to the tail post on thebottom of the Fuselage but I didn't run them that far back so there'shalf of my 1/2". Maybe someone out there has a better idea, I've heardof others having the same problem Ed G.________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Kirk & Laura Huizenga
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: Re: vertical fin problemIn a message dated 1/13/02 12:51:01 PM Pacific Standard Time, rambog(at)erols.com writes:> Just when I think I have found and avoided all of the errors in the> drawings, I run into another snag. Just as I was about to glue up the > final> tail surface today (vertical fin) my one last measurement (my "measure> twenty times, cut only three" method) I realized that the distances for the> rudder and fin do not match up. It is too complicated to explain unless > one> of you has seen it, but the fin will have to be 1/2" taller than the plans> call for for it to fit correctly and make the bottom of the rudder line up> with the bottom of the fuselage. Anyone have any idea what I am talking> about?> > > Gene Rambo> trying to finish SOMETHING> > > Gene,I just let the 1/2 inch hang below the tail post; works fine. The Scout I building now comes out 7/8 inch too short, but it to will work just fine also. The plans were drawn from a finished airplane, so there are some small errors, but there is plenty of information to get the idea and build a really good plane. I sure enjoy mine. The plane they were drawn from is in the museum at Oshkosh. It is the Model A powered one.Doug Bryant________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 18:04:06 -0600

Original Posted By: "Gary McNeel, Jr."
> Gene Don't feel bad mine's the same way . . . Ed G.>>Hey, I don't feel bad yet because I held off glueing today. I'll just haveto make another fin spar because I already cut it to length. Besides, I didnot leave enough excess on the top of the fin to make the curve continue upfrom the top of the rudder before it curves back down (the fin spar needs tobe taller than the rudder to allow for this, not shown in the plans).By the way, the various plans show the upper tail brace wire fitting in twodifferent locations, both above the top rib of the fin (too close to thehinge bolts if you ask me) and much lower below the top rib. What is theconsensus?________________________________________________________________________________Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 20:16:57 -0600

Original Posted By: "Gene Rambo"
Gene,Ideally, and without fearing too much material being removed, the locationshould be as close to the hing point as possible to transfer the large loadfrom a deflected rudder to the support wires that ultimately tie the load tothe fuselage at the wire attach point at the bottom of the fuselage.If the hinge was located far away, then it would impose a side load on thevertical stabilizer spar/trailing member which would have to be transferredup or down to the support wire.The ideal fitting would colocate, using metal to metal contact, the hingeand the brace wire fitting.Chris Bobka----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: javier cruz

Original Posted By: owner-pietenpol-list-server(at)matronics.com
I found the same thing, Gene. It actually doesn't end up being quite 1/2"taller than the 31" shown on the plans. I just measured mine and it isabout 31-3/8". The actual height will vary depending on the hinge gap youhave between the rudder and the fin.What I did was to build the fin last (as you have). After building therudder, lay it on your workbench and lay out pencil lines representing thetop and bottom of the fueslage and the tail post. Then position the rudderthe exact distance aft of the tail post that it will be when hanging on itshinges. Lay a straightedge along the top edge of the rudder and draw a linefrom the top forward edge of the rudder along this straightedge to wellforward of the position of the vertical fin trailing edge. Now you knowwhere the top of the vertical fin must be, and can modify the plansaccordingly.This is the procedure I used, and it seemed to work well. After assemblingthe fuselage and landing gear, I wish I had positioned the rudder up another3/16" or so. It would not be noticeable from an aesthetic point of view andit would give more clearance between the bottom of the rudder and thetailwheel spring (I'm using a conventional tailwheel spring, not the BHPdesign - probably a bad choice on my part). Unless my flying skillsimprove, I expect sooner or later to smite the ground hard enough to deflectthe tailwheel spring into the rudder and put a dent in it.Good luck,Jack PhillipsFinishing the Turtledeck this week -----Original Message-----

Original Posted By: "Christian Bobka"
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