Powerplanes International Cessna 40

[Nicky Strahan]

I have bought back and am restoring a Cessna 40 which I flew and then sold some 27 years ago. I am looking for a set of build instructions, to get the CoG position, and I also need a cowl for it. Can anybody help?

[Phil 9]

you should be able to work out the CofG without the plans. there are a few CofG calculators online

[Denis Watkins]

The best advice is given by Phil

But if you had a power cut at home, the C of G is usually very near the main wing spar

And consequently this also corresponds to the thickest part of the wing.

That would be a start point

[Nicky Strahan]

Thanks guys, got a rough position, flew it today and adjusted to my liking. Am still looking for a cowl though.

[David Davis]

After all of this time Nicky I expect you're going to have to make one yourself! That said, may be a company like Vortex Vacforms or Carbon Copy could have something suitable which you could adapt.

[Keith Sharples]

Hi Nicky.

I have the same plane, was out of the hobby for some 20+ years and the bug bit again so resurrected it to get some refresher/practice flight time. I could not find the cowl!!! So I made a mold using MDF, shaped and sanded it to size. Got a large spring water bottle from the supermarket cut the bottom off and pushed the mould inside then shrunk the bottle over the mould using a hot air gun (lots of vids on utube to help you with this bit). I managed to get the bottle neck in position so the top hit the engine shaft hole position. Cut it to finished size and sprayed it (inside) with white paint and bingo! Its a little work to make the mold (luckly I used to make moulds for blown plastic items some years ago) but when done you can easly make a new one if required. If you make a mould be sure to make it slightly tapered towards the front end so you can get it out of the bottle after shrinking it to it. I also made moulds for the side and rear windows as well.

[Steve Jones 15]

Hi Nicky , I can sort you out with a cowl.

I used to work for Sailplanes/Powerplanes and before that Solent Sailplanes.

I have still have most of the original moulds and tooling for a lot of the kits. (even the Mini racer and Sitar before someone asks)

Although the Cessna 40 kit used a vac formed abs cowl I made a mould from the vac form tool and can make them in grp .(some of the works demo planes used a grp cowl) The kit used an abs cowl to keep the cost down. I've just finished a set of parts for the Citabria. (cowl,spats + windscreen)

[Nicky Strahan]

Thanks Steve, I've sent you a pm.

[Bill_B]

Hi Steve, do you have any wing panels for the 'Secret Weapon'? I built two of them many years ago and wish I hadn't sold them. I still have a workable plan so a pair of wings would enable a third Weapon to grace my local slopes.

[David Davis]

Morning Steve!

Any chance of reviving the Maule Super Rocket?

[Steve Jones 15]

Hi ,

@ Bill_B sorry no wings available from me, It should not be too hard to get a pair made for you if you have a plan. 61" span . The wing section is an LBMD 001 !!!!! . Not surprisingly very few people have heard of this . As I recall it stood for "Les Bradley Modified 1" The joke we told in the factory was that he drew it around his shoe.

@ David Davis. I,m sure I have the moulds etc for this one. I literally have boxes of stuff that need to go through. I think we called it the Lunar Rocket. (Maule M5) I'll let you know what I find.

 

Edited By Steve Jones 15 on 24/06/2017 12:15:05

[Colin Bernard]

Steve,

I have sent you a couple of PMs following our previous conversation on the Maule cowl. One today, and one from a few weeks ago that is still unread.

Hoping you see this and can take a look?

Colin