TJTX

She likes to go out and look, but its been too hot for her to spend any appreciable time out there. I have found a cub to fly till mine is built, so her first flight hopefully will be in a Cub.

Wing ribs are coming along nicely. I'm able to get one a day built as long as I'm home. I've got 6 ribs and 2 false ribs built. Now I'm starting on the jig to build the wing spar. Shes just a big ol' model airplane. Trim, fit, sand, glue.

First things to do are wing ribs. So, today is rib jig day. The wife is working so I'm trying to get a full days work in.

And we're off! I picked up the wing kit today and got it in the garage. Now comes parts inventory and then going over the plans and preparing to start. Heres an overview of on the the blue prints. This one isnt full scale, but an overview of the wing.

Garage is almost ready. The final tabletop adjustments are being made and I've built some shelving under the table too. My wing kit arrives this week and I'll ne able to get it next Saturday. My first ever fathers day as a father and my gift is my ultimate dream project arriving! We have decided on a base concept for our color scheme. With my father's background in the Marines including Marine aviation, we looked into how to involve Marine Corps aviation. So, we have decided to honor VMO-6 by painting our plane in a scheme similar to theirs. They flew in support of Okinawa and then later The Chosin Reservoir. What better squadron to use as a Marine bird!? Itll be wearing a similar scheme to what the OY-1s wore during The Chosin Reservoir battle, with a slightly modified blue color and possibly our own nose art.

O find it interesting how different everything is playing out. In other countries, in the different states, etc. I was just in Orlando for recurrent and it was packed. And we have so many vaccines they were offering them to people at the airport if they wanted them. If you want the shot, it's super easy to get here in the US. And, we are pretty much completely open in a lot of states and cases are down with zero deaths in most states. I honestly cant tell much of a difference here in Texas now, compared to precovid life. Of course that's not counting supply shortages of a lot of things.

Will do.

Getting more real. I've officially got my tail number reserved. N811PK.

Garage transformation is progressing nicely. Got some new shelving units, hung some cabinets, and got my lumber for my build table. A few more weeks and it should be ready to receive the wing kit.

I hit that realization that if I'm going to accomplish it I just have to pull the trigger and make it happen. I'm not going to have more time in 5 or 10 years. And I dont want to lose the opportunity to share this with people very important to me. I've lived most of my life afraid of "what if?". Its kept me from things that I regret now. I dont want to live that way any more, and I dont want my Daughter to learn to live afraid.

The air cam is cool as all get out but your 40k in just on the engines. I should be able to have the Horizon all built up for 40k. Gonna probably run a Continental C-85. Great mix of weight and enough power for the aircraft. Going Day/Night VFR so nothing fancy upfront. Very basic instruments, since I spend my working time staring at complex avionics. I've seen it built with both spring steel gear and bungee style. If I can I'll go spring steal and then I've got a really cool paint scheme picked out. Of course you'll have to come by and check it out once I get into it.!

That's what I love about it. Its absolutely my roots. Its horsepower range and useful load are exactly the same as a Champ. Its specifically designed to carry a larger pilot like myself too. The owner of the company talked a good while with me on the phone about options and build choices that can further my comfort in it. Of course mine wont be painted like that.

Really it ain't that different. The major stuff with mine is wood held together with T88 epoxy. The only big difference is the added internal components. You should go for it!

The major construction is wood, so it fits as well as I can measure and cut. They do accomplish a large amount of the more difficult cuts and slotting to help you. All I need major tools wise is a table top belt sander, band saw, drill press, and router, and compound miter saw. I've picked up tho ones I didn't have already. Next is building my 16' workbench. The key is its straight, square, and strong.

Absolutely. And this will be something to share with her and help her remember grandpa too. I've even got a tail number picked out which is her birthday and initials.

I can certainly share as I go along. The wing kit is what's coming first. I'll build those up so I can hang them in the garage then build up the fuselage.

I've finally been distracted by my ultimate squirrel build. I'll be leaving modeling for a number of years as I embark on my number one bucket list item of building my own aircraft. It's been my dream as long as I've been around airplanes (which is a very long time) to build my own airplane. As I'm now closer to 40 than 30, and with my father creeping closer to 70 than 60 , I decided it's now or never. So, I put a downpayment on the first half of a Fisher Horizon 2 and started prepping my garage for the upcoming project. I have it planned out for 5 years based on other build times and my available schedule. My parents will be spending 4 months a year near us in the metroplex so my dad can be apart of the build as well and my mom can see her grandchild a lot more. I cant explain how absolutely over the moon I am about pursuing my lifes goal.

Thanks for the pictures guys. Those were all ones I had not seen yet. There is a US one with shark teeth that i thought was pretty neat.

No you are spot on Hubert. As usual I get going a bit too quick and don't use proper phrasing to clarify my remarks. I'm looking for ideas for a Bird Dog from the later years.

I'm about to embark on a very special build and I'm searching for photos of bird dogs. I want something unique but also not gaudy. If you have any ideas or photos to share u would be immensely grateful.

Been crazy busy, but finally gotthe fuselage halves together and wing tops and bottoms glued together.

Please do show some pictures. I've got a Mustang build coming up.

Fuselage halves are together and drying. Now I'm turning a C wing into an E wing with the AML set.

That does look very good. Perhaps my Zero will be a dirty bird that I can play with. I'll be building one that was rushed onto Rabul for defense of Guadalcan. It was crudely painted and should have been very dirty operating in those conditions.

Yup, that's something I struggle mightily with. I'm always too scared to mess everything up by weathering. And because I dont try it, I dont get better at it. Im stuck in a vicious circle to nowhere.