I grew up in Iowa right across the cornfield from the airport, so I got to see planes taking off and landing every night. I used to go to sleep with my window open just looking at that. (Space Shuttle pilot Jim Kelly, on what inspired him to become an astronaut)

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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 Completed, Engine Arrives, Steve Culp Helps Out Pitts 14 Prototype Created: 12/10/2003 Updated: 04/08/2004 Link(s): N/A   Article by Mike Whaley   The first M14P engine from George Coy arrived in mid July, although shipping caused failure to the structure attaching the motor to the pallet (a seemingly very sturdy structure.) Fortunately, damage to the engine is minimal so we are able to forge ahead. Steve Culp (creator of the Culp Special) arrives for a week or so to help out, and among other things, he welds up the new motor mount. By the 22nd, the fuselage had gear legs, the whole structure had temporary paint to protect it from the weather, the engine had been mounted, seat backs and floor panels were installed, and the prototype was put on a trailer and wrapped up ready for the long drive to Oshkosh. Several folks have already climbed in and made airplane noises. The Rusky engine awaiting installation on the fuselage. Kinda like a good Ukrainian woman... "Strong like buuull - smart like traktor"...   Mike Hughes, Andy Friend and Paul Goetsch hang the engine. The bolts just slide in.   Paul honors the timeless tradition of getting in and trying things on for size at the earliest opportunity.   July 23, 2003: The Model 14's humble beginnings on the trailer to Oshkosh.   A layer of stretch wrap, then one of blankets, then a top coat of stretch wrap. Snug as a bug in a rug.         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

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