So I finally got a chance to get my project airplane home today. This is a Kitfox IV speedster powered by a 80 hp Rotax 912 UL that I bought from an insurance auction. It actually belonged to an acquaintance of mine and was located only about 30 minutes away. The airplane suffered a loss of engine power followed by a forced landing to a waist high bean field, which ended in a rapid nose-over. The vertical tail struck the ground and the aft fuselage got bent as did the vertical stab. The horizontal and elevator look OK as do the wings and struts. The plan is to rebuild the airplane while incorporating a few key modifications which will include these main mods but also a lot of little weigh next to nothing mods:


1. Landing gear area reinforcement


2. Tail spring mount reinforcement


3. Fuselage widening (Murle Williams style)


4. Provisions for future autopilot servo mounting


5. Upgraded panel with only engine monitor, Garmin G5X, tablet computer for navigation, intercom, radio, and transponder.


6. Upgraded baggage area.


It will probably be a little while before I can really get into it as I have to clean out and sell my father's house since he passed away recently. He was a pilot too and I had wanted to get him airborne in the other Kitfox I have but his health never got well enough. I know he would have also loved to see the rebuild of this project airplane. I learned most of what I know about fabrication, welding, machining, and general mechanicing from him.


Anyway, Here are some pics of it stuffed away in the storage part of my barn.

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