Scale 25% Krier Kraft build, a tribute to grampa.

[Bipeguy03]

Didn't get a lot accomplished this evening, but did manage to finish all of the spars. Once I get a form made for the tip bows and get them laminated up. Then I will set about making the "N" strut mount tabs as well as the flying wire tabs. They will be mounted to the lite-ply ribs before the 3/32" sheeting is added.

I'm also working on getting few pictures put together to add to the story of my Grampa.

All of the spars are in the wing!

I couldn't help myself, had to set the fuse on it! It is a little smaller than I remember, but then again I'm use to looking at a 95" Pitts M12 lol

Just got to keep comparing the 2. My horizontal has a little larger cord at the root, but it shouldn't detract from the overall look too much.

 

[Pistolera]

here's a link to the museum in Ashland KS where the airplane is, has a few color pics www.pioneer-krier.com/vewebsite5/exhibit1/e10005a.htm...

Kinda sad....although I know Harold was from Ashland, KS, this plane should hang in the Smithsonian, or at Oshkosh.

 

[Bipeguy03]

Makin' some more Krier Stuff!

Made the "N" strut mount tabs as well as the flying wire tabs out of chomolly steel, laminated a couple of tip bows and started the sheeting process.

"N" strut mounting tabs made out of .032 chromolly, attached to the rib doubler and glued in, the struts will then have 4-40 blind nuts on the back side.

Tip bow was laminated out of 5 layers of 1/2 x 1/16 balsa and glued up with Titebond II. The sub leading edge is 1/8" balsa and installed first so the sheeting will overlap it, after the sheeting is done I'll put a 1/4" balsa cap on and shape the LE.

Sheeting on the top of the wing is about done, sheeting is 3/32". The ailerons will be cut out before I sheet the bottom of the wing. I sanded a notch in the tip bow to allow the tip sheeting to sit down flush into the bow, should make the covering on the tip be nice and smooth. I will add a piece of lit-ply at the middle spar to strengthen the middle of the tip bow, and scallop it so that is doesn't touch the covering.

I still like to put it together to daydream Once I finish getting it framed up the REAL work will start!

The flying wire tabs were made out of .025 chomolly, they will be put in from the bottom of the wing after the top sheeting is finished.

 

[Alky6]

Awesome! Learning a ton. Love the work you are doing!

 

[Jetpainter]

Awesome work!

 

[pawnshopmike]

Just amazing. You are Da Man!!

 

[Bipeguy03]

Sorry for the lack of updates I had to take a break and clean the shop as the walls were starting to close in on me, this turned into going through everything I own and thinning out the herd lol.

I'll be back on the Krier by the weekend after I get some flying in, not too many good days left this year!

 

[HRRC Flyer]

No worries @Bipeguy03,

You're allowed a few breaks along the way, which is a good thing because if not, they would have shut down my AMR Stick Thread and my Laser thread for a lack of progress a LONG LONG time ago. . . . . .

 

[Bipeguy03]

MY YEAR HAS BEEN MADE!

Dropped in to see an old friend of Grampa Mickey's the other day and was talking about the Krier and how I was doing my best to copy his. He told me he had a box full of molds that Grampa made and that I was welcome to them if I wanted them, Needless to say I quickly said ABSOLUTELY!

Now there were all kinds of the molds Grampa made in that box, cowling for his Hot Canary, Pogo, 1/3 scale Laser 200, wheel pants for his Cub, Hostetler SkyBolt, and even a bubble window mold he made for my dad's Bud Nosen Citabria.

But the one mold that made me literally hit the ceiling.......

THE KRIER KRAFT WHEEL PANT MOLD!!!!!!!

While I would have loved it if the cowling mold was in that box too, this was the one mold that was most important to me. The cowl is just round, the shape of the wheel pants were driving me nuts, I had to redraw them on the plans at LEAST 7 times.

Then there was another surprise........

THERE WAS A WHEEL PANT IN THE MOLD!!!!! Grampa had banged up the wheel pants on the Krier during the flying season of 1987, so he may have been making a new set.

I just about had the right shape! Maybe 8th time would have been the charm, but now they will be perfect!


Today was one HECK of a good day!

 

[Alky6]

WOW! Incredible! You must be GIDDY with excitement! Very, very cool! Like a kid in a candy store! LOL