Super Sport HS covering

[Nathaniel]

Manual shows an inspection plate (reinforcement) on the bottom of the HS on the inside so you can get to the HS strut mounting bolts. Book shows some kind of rectangular reinforcement plate, never knew there was such a thing. I've got plenty of round ones though - good?

Thanks!

[Ken Birchard]

You have to make them out of sheet aluminum. Not a big deal. I forgot to put them on the inside of the covering so had to cover with gussets on the outside. Best to put them on the inside of the covering

[Nathaniel]

Ah, sheet aluminum. Probably in a box some where. Have to go look. Do you know if there is a spec somewhere in the book (I have the pre-fab kit). Nothing but a half drawn small pic of one, no part number or any info.

Thanks!

[Ken Birchard]

I just made the opening large enough to get to the bolt and to allow the strut to attach to the fuselage. I can send you a picture if you want.

[Nathaniel]

I just made the opening large enough to get to the bolt and to allow the strut to attach to the fuselage. I can send you a picture if you want.

Yes please! nathaniel@iperlman.com

Thanks a bunch.

Guess we're on the late shift on the boards eh? Thanks for staying up. I've got to get to bed. Big day at Lowes tomorrow, getting more sandpaper. My 5th trip in 3 days. Don't worry, Aircraft Spruce is getting some love (and my American Express on speed dial) too.

[Nathaniel]

I'm still stumped on this one. Emailed John (thanks John) but still scratching my head.

1. Is the reinforcement rectangle part of the pre-fab kit.

2. If not, are there specs anywhere?

3. Once installed in the fabric, and the opening cut, how do you close it in? Needs to be accessible and you need to mount it after paint, so you can't close it in with fabric after you paint. Is it a nutplate/screw type assembly?

If anyone can point me to this or post some pics I'd really appreciate it. I do digging in the box of aluminum parts and stuff but have no clue exactly what this looks like.

Thanks in advance.......this one's buggin' me!

My fallback position, my Alamo if you will, is to just use a standard inspection ring, problem solved.

[Ken Birchard]

Hi Nathaniel, I just got a sheet of aluminum from Lowes to use for some of these areas. I cut the aluminum and polytac'd it to the fabric after tightening the fabric and polybrushed a piece of fabric over it, then cut out the hole, just like with an inspection plate. The instructions show placing it on the inside of the fabric on the bottom side of the HS before placing the fabric on the top. I will place a photo on this thread tonight. I'm only about 300 hours into my building project, and I found it took quite awhile for me to go from "erector set" to "builder" mentality. Building this Kitfox has been an eye opener but a heck of alot of fun...Ken

[Nathaniel]

Thanks Ken. John sent me a template too to cut out the plates. Can't wait to see your pics, that will seal the deal for me.

Only thing still fuzzy for me is the outside of the HS, how to cover the hole.

[Ken Birchard]

Hopefully pics are attached. I haven't done this before. These plates are on the outside of the fabric which is backwords because I forgot to put them on until the top fabric was on...Ken

[Nathaniel]

Thanks Ken!

[Mark]

Only thing still fuzzy for me is the outside of the HS, how to cover the hole.

Nathaniel,
Make another cover plate from the same material as the reinforcement plate and mount it with some small self-threading screws. Paint to match your HS.

[Nathaniel]

That is a beautiful thing. Thank you!