In readiness for the relocation of the aircraft into a barn where I can get the trailer in and out, I have been finishing off all the wing parts. This means its coming up to the time when I can

• disassemble the wings from the body – Sam helped me de-rig – all that lovely careful work !!
• give them a good clean/de dust
• Thinned polyurethane coat

• Relocate the body outside similarly blow all the dust away
• Mike F has sourced a running rail for the rear wheel which we will be attaching to the trailer
• Then, with a suitable winch added we will be able to trailer mount her in readiness for the Jersey Air Display
• Then re-attach wings and rigging before …
• FIRST test load onto the trailer.

James suggested running the trailer tyres slightly lower to give more protection to jarring whilst towing. Good idea on our roads out here !

One of the many little tasks that needs completing is the blocking off of the gap between body framework and the top decking around the nose area. The plans advise on using 1/2″ balsa which is easy to shape to fit snugly into the gap. Once trimmed it is epoxied into position.

It can be left to harden here before I give all the woodwork (including this) a coat of 10% thinned polyurethane.

Had a new visitor last night – a chap who had left the island a short while ago to locate to beautiful Devon. I bumped into Tim Baker at a harbour restaurant in Jersey last month and Tim asked how the ‘plane was going. Having updated him and mentioned the blog he promptly went home that evening and read the entire blog start to finish !! (stamina or what !)

Tim was very keen to visit the build so came along last night just in time for my latest package in the post from TLAC – more M62 rivets .. for the aileron rods and wing strut bracing rods.

Having shown Tim how great Celco’s are for holding things in place whilst you set everything up I offered Tim my very old (but very reliable and very very well used rivet gun). Tim popped the first rivet in then flipped it upside down and ejected the rivet shaft …..

ADMISSION TIME …. I never knew that was how you ejected the old stem ! I have always tapped the side to get the stem to come through the face edge of the tool – not always with success. Just goes to show you can use a tool (incorrectly for 18 months !) and then working with someone else and a lightbulb moment !

Tim has offered his skills for future help which I am sure will help move things along when extra hands are required – like dismantling in the next week or so to move barns !

I need to get the top decking completed so we can start to get other pieces in place for the planned static display at this years Jersey Air Display.

Did the dust filled job of trimming the fibreglass screen surrounds last night, then rubbed down with wet and dry to get smooth edges.

Then epoxied them in place and will leave to set before putting the 12 or so rivets in place.

Then I can neaten the edges ahead of painting or wrapping …. the painter suggested wrapping with the stick on heat gun based covering that means I can colour match to the Oratex Olive green and get a good finish in the process. Also, if in 4 years time I want to change it, that should be easier.

Didn’t realise just how many rivets go into these things ….

All drilled and completed and last 20 or so rivets went in on Birthday morning

I am really not happy with the slots I have cut for the pitot tubes so will re-do these before covering.

Well … another year comes …. turns our Paul H S and I share the same Birthday (he being the fresh faced junior – by 1 year !)

Many happy returns Capn ….

Reluctant as I am to embrace all the new technology (I have been an IT specialist and programmer/change manager my entire career) but refuse to be dragged (kicking and screaming into the unstructured Facebook world ! I have, nevertheless resorted to a birthday ‘selfie’ .. my first and possibly my last …..

I have had the Sherwood two years in October and have refused to sit in her until the moment was right ! Last night was that moment…. Off the trestles that have had her in flying pose whilst all the setup is completed, she was sitting on her tail and I just had to finally sit in ….

OK – Its not the normal selfie you might expect … but hey …. what has been built isn’t run of the mill !

The picture tells me other things of course .. got to put stiffeners on the rear of the front seat back panel and also must get the PTT switch bevel in position !

Thanks to a sterling job by Ivor turning around my request for replacement strut bracing tubes, they arrived in Jersey on Friday evening. Re shaped these to fit the top supports on Saturday and then waxoyled the tubes (and the aileron pushrod connection tubes at the same time).

Sunday afternoon saw the brackets completed and pilot holes drilled, remembering to put the stiffener plates in position. Then the drill ran out of battery ! argggh …

Sunday evening, post charged drill, saw the top strut brace supports in position and looking good. Very strong with the rivets in place and bolted up.

Last night was a busy evening, scalloped leading edges then completed the closed loop on the aileron system.

Still not 100% happy with it as I need to get the ‘straight line’ runs from the bellcranks to the bottom of the joystick completely ‘rub’ free. At the moment its slightly rubbing on the last rib .. I have elongated the rib lightening hole, just need a fraction more off.

The picture above shows quite an excess on the cables as I didn’t want to cut these too short. This will be taped off, cut and then the heat shrink set once I have had it all inspected.

Also need to make sure that the fibreglass wing root fillet is cut away sufficiently to not touch. At the moment this has the cables missing each other by over 25mm so I have got separation … just need to get the exits clean.

Seem to be getting the required 25′ up and 15′ down though. I have to finalise the bottom to top aileron interconnecting rod, but push fit test has them working very smoothly.