It's a magical feeling to climb toward the heavens, seeing objects and people on the ground grow smaller and more insignificant. You have left that world beneath you. You are inside the sky. (Gordon Cooper)

Go to printable version

Our Aircraft:       Steen Skybolt Pitts Model 14 Pitts S1 Knight Twister     Products:       ONLINE STORE Products Home Bruntons Brace Wires      About Bruntons MT Props Hoffmann Props      Request Prop Quote Vendenyev M14 Engines Laminated Wing Spars Laminated Leading Edges Canopies Motor Mounts Wing Kits & Wing Jigs Three-Section Wings Piloti Shoes VedaloHD Sunglasses      Styles      FAA Report on Sunglasses     Builders:       Builder F.A.Q. Construction    Photos Articles Project Gallery Submit Photos Project Logs     Resources:     News Event Reports Email List Testimonials Non-US Distributors Links Scale Models Biplane Lore About This Site Website Updates About Us Contact / Visit Us         Project Log Aircraft Construction - Pitts 14 Prototype Fuselage Basic Structure Pitts 14 Prototype Created: 12/10/2003 Updated: 04/08/2004 Link(s): N/A   Article by Mike Whaley   The prototype fuselage was built during the month of June. Curtis returned late in the month to continue the refinement of the design. Things are progressing well... the fuselage is recognizable and on track for an Oshkosh debut. The fuselage box is taking shape. The completed side panels are jigged level and plumb. The longerons are heated and bent inward at two stations to join at the tailpost.   Many clusters are tack-welded until the basic structure is complete, then they're finish-welded in schedule order.   Here is the cross-truss for the new oleo gear, oriented inline with the load.   Curtis isn't one to just sit back and watch... here he is laying out a full size template for a construction jig. His pragmatic approach to layout and construction has been optimized over the development of many prototype aircraft.   Mark Eckenrod tacking-up the fuselage while Curtis works the design. It is an honor to work so closely in the prototype development, and to learn a from his lifetime of experience.   Rule Number 1 in airframe construction: Do not weld yourself inside the fuselage!       Other entries in this series:      Construction Begins    May 2003       » Fuselage Basic Structure    June 2003      Fuselage Basic Structure Completed, Engine Arrives, Steve Culp Helps Out    July 2003      Pitts Model 14 Introduced at Oshkosh    4th week of July 2003      Curtis Visits to Continue the Design, Wing Construction Begins    August 2003      Wing Construction Underway    September 2003      Lower Wing Basic Construction    October 2003      Lower Wing Details and First Fuselage Formers    November 2003      Fuselage Formers, Skin and Wing Details    December 2003      Fuselage Side Panels and Upper Wing Construction    January 2004      Wing-Root Fairings, Fuselage Skin Panels, and Upper Wing    February 2004      Fuselage Side Panels, Wing Rigging, Engine Arrives    March 2004      Sun N 'Fun 2004    April 2004      Summer 2004 Status Update    May 2004      Aluminum Turtledeck    1st week of June 2004      Sheet Metal Work, AirVenture    4th week of June 2004      Adjustable Seats, Part 1    August 2004      Adjustable Seats, Part 2    December 2004      Wings    December 2004      Throttle Quadrant    December 2004      Spring 2005    March 2005 If you have any additions or corrections to this item, please let us know. Go to Project Log archives

Steen Aero Lab      1451 Clearmont Street NE   Palm Bay, FL 32905 USA      Phone: (321) 725-4160      Fax: (321) 725-3058      Contact Us