Fuse Construction
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A forum for Panther aircraft builders and Enthusiasts. Two simple rules: Play nice and use a real name
A forum for Panther aircraft builders and Enthusiasts. Two simple rules: Play nice and use a real name
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danweseman
- Posts: 133
- Joined: Sun May 19, 2013 9:18 pm
- First Name: dan
- Last Name: weseman
- State or Province:
Re: Fuse Construction
Tim Just a quick note, about joining fuselage. We didn't permanently join until a few weeks before flight. You could technically wait until the very end to bolt /rivet for good. it could be clecoed on and off if space is a concern. Thanks' Dan Weseman
Dan Weseman
Designer
Builder
Test pilot
Panther 515XP
Designer
Builder
Test pilot
Panther 515XP
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Tony Spicer
- Posts: 304
- Joined: Sun May 05, 2013 7:35 am
- First Name: Tony
- Last Name: Spicer
- State or Province:
- Location: Wilmington, NC 7NC1
Re: Fuse Construction
Tim,
A video of the wing fold is here: http://flypanther.net/2013/01/01/more-o ... wing-fold/
A photo tour of the Panther here: https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyboytoo ... typePhotos#
Tony
A video of the wing fold is here: http://flypanther.net/2013/01/01/more-o ... wing-fold/
A photo tour of the Panther here: https://picasaweb.google.com/tonyboytoo ... typePhotos#
Tony
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psalter
- Posts: 146
- Joined: Sun May 19, 2013 6:50 pm
- First Name: Paul
- Last Name: Salter
- State or Province:
- Location: Green Cove Springs, Florida
Re: Fuse Construction
Tim,
The steel frame and tailcone can be seperate up until you skin the fuselage. At that point it becomes one unit. The steel fuselage portion is from the firewall to behind the seat, and is one piece. You would probably want to join/skin the fuselage about midway through the fuselage build.
The wing fold was designed for every day use, we were doing it nearly every day at Sun-n-Fun, and in the late build/early flight period. There will probably be an inspection point at the yearly conditional inspection to check wear on the pins/bushings. The wing fold pins are 1/2" steel pins in steel bushings for the fuselage, and through the aluminum spars in the prototype. We are looking at putting steel bushings in the wing spar to minimize wear while installing/removing the pins.
There are 2 push pins also for the rear spar. The actual hinge type mechanism is currently a rod end mounted on the fuselage side. This rod end mounts to a tube that can slide and twist in the wing. To fold the wing, you pull the pins, go to the wing tip, pull the wing out a foot or so, then disconnect the fuel line and sender wire, pull the wing out all the way, rotate the wing 90 degrees (leading edge down), pivot the wing back untill nearly to the horizontal stabilizer, push the wing forward and rest the leading edge on the stabilizer. It is harder to write it then actually do it.
The first flight video, and pictures while we were at Sun-n-fun show the wing fold. Look in the April updates for the Panther to see all of these.
The steel frame and tailcone can be seperate up until you skin the fuselage. At that point it becomes one unit. The steel fuselage portion is from the firewall to behind the seat, and is one piece. You would probably want to join/skin the fuselage about midway through the fuselage build.
The wing fold was designed for every day use, we were doing it nearly every day at Sun-n-Fun, and in the late build/early flight period. There will probably be an inspection point at the yearly conditional inspection to check wear on the pins/bushings. The wing fold pins are 1/2" steel pins in steel bushings for the fuselage, and through the aluminum spars in the prototype. We are looking at putting steel bushings in the wing spar to minimize wear while installing/removing the pins.
There are 2 push pins also for the rear spar. The actual hinge type mechanism is currently a rod end mounted on the fuselage side. This rod end mounts to a tube that can slide and twist in the wing. To fold the wing, you pull the pins, go to the wing tip, pull the wing out a foot or so, then disconnect the fuel line and sender wire, pull the wing out all the way, rotate the wing 90 degrees (leading edge down), pivot the wing back untill nearly to the horizontal stabilizer, push the wing forward and rest the leading edge on the stabilizer. It is harder to write it then actually do it.
The first flight video, and pictures while we were at Sun-n-fun show the wing fold. Look in the April updates for the Panther to see all of these.
Paul Salter
Team Panther
Engineer and Builder
Team Panther
Engineer and Builder
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t4tango
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri May 31, 2013 11:11 am
- First Name: Tim
- Last Name: Hardy
- State or Province:
Fuse Construction
Hello All,
I have been following the development of this aircraft and have a couple of questions about the airframe. From the content I have seen on the internet, it looks like the tailcone and steel framed centre and forward sections can be built in modules and joined later in the build, much closer to finishing. For a builder with a small garage, that is an advantage - is this a correct assumption? Also I am interested in the wing fold mechanism for the same reason and also ease of storage/hangarage at my airfield - how robust is the mechanism, are we talking use at the beginning and end of the season or at the beginning and end of each flight? Are there any photos toshow the mechanism.
Grateful thanks for any info,
regards
Tim Hardy
I have been following the development of this aircraft and have a couple of questions about the airframe. From the content I have seen on the internet, it looks like the tailcone and steel framed centre and forward sections can be built in modules and joined later in the build, much closer to finishing. For a builder with a small garage, that is an advantage - is this a correct assumption? Also I am interested in the wing fold mechanism for the same reason and also ease of storage/hangarage at my airfield - how robust is the mechanism, are we talking use at the beginning and end of the season or at the beginning and end of each flight? Are there any photos toshow the mechanism.
Grateful thanks for any info,
regards
Tim Hardy