Racegunz's Sonerai 1

[racegunz]

Bought a fuselage mostly complete and a pair of unfinished (old!) wings from Ed last fall. Sept 2013.
I have been tinkering with it off and on, but now I have started the wing mods and have completed the spar box fabrication. while doing this I found the fuse is not "plans built "per say, it's about 1 1/2" fat at stations 3 and 4. maybe not a bad thing but gonna present challenges along the way, especially with cowling fit up.
I am attempting to incorporate the wing fold but both spars have the ribs on and one wing has the top skins riveted on so it will be a challenge to get it right.
I received a reman. Revmaster 2100s yesterday and will be putting my ford EDIS ignition on for secondary after I mill the heads for dual plugs, of course I'll let you all know how that goes.

 

[racegunz]

new pics here and in my gallery, for those interested.

 

[Schmleff]

Awesome!!!

 

[Raceair]

Nice looking engine…….How big are the lightening holes in the spar box steel?….Ed

 

[racegunz]

Ed, The lightening holes are 4" and I debated cutting them, but since I beefed up the middle and both ends with wider plates front and back ( to make up for the wider fuse) I decided to try and lighten it up some. I have only seen one other one cut there,and seeing as how the taper bolts are on the sides plates, and it will be welded in.why ? do you foresee a problem?

 

[Raceair]

I do not see a problem, since you doubled the center strips, and made wider plates out at the ends. These mods restore the strength, I would caution others, however, to not cut lightening holes in the back shear plate, on a 'stock' spar box, without the other plates getting bigger as you have done….Good too see you working on it…Any chance you might want to enter some Supervee Competitions when you are done?…..We need Sonerai 1's !!!!…ED

 

[racegunz]

Okay next hitch in the build here, because of the wide stations at 3 and 4, the rear spar carry through is longer/wider, can't wait to see how the aileron controls work out! A good case in point for following the plans..... cascade effect of changes and all that!

 

[Raceair]

I think that the only difference will be the two aileron push pull tubes will be slightly angled 'out' a bit more at top as viewed from ahead or behind. If using rod end bearings, this won't be a problem….
Good point, however….some things modified do not have the domino effect, but I never understood why people needed to widen the Sonerai one or Sonerai two…..My old Cassutt was 2 inches narrower than the Sonerai 1, and I seemed to fit when weighing over 200 pounds! The Sonerai one was the widest fuselage of the Formula Vees..The V-Witt and the Renegade were both narrower…..Ed

 

[racegunz]

Some pics of this week-end work, (A-MODS) did you ever think the wings would look that good Ed? Scotchbrite pads elbow grease and Alodine does wonders!

 

[Raceair]

Very Nice….Lookin good! looks like fun...

 

[racegunz]

Well holiday week-end and actually spent half a day working on the project, been pretty hit and miss this spring, did a lot of a-mod work on the left wing and some time spent on the Revmaster also.

 

[racegunz]

Well it's been a few months but getting back into it for the winter, have the right wing on the stand and working on the A-mods on the left wing. Spent some time on my lathe making a dimple die set to use with my pneumatic rivet puller. The fuselage is in the other shop and I'll be modifying the wing incidence angle this next weekend, by cutting the tubes that the spar box mounts in I'm going for 2 deg. I'll post some pictures later.

 

[racegunz]

Well a week of vacation and I have almost caught up with all I did last winter! Even had the wife out helping me flush rivet the top outboard left wing skin on, that gentlemen is a miracle in itself! ;D
Cold weather just made it easier to stay in the shop drilling and dimpling and riveting!

 

[racegunz]

Spent last couple of days on the fuse, decided to cut the tubes for the spar box and add 2 deg. of wing incidence, (supposed to be worth it) we will see! it is a pain, especially since the previous builder oiled all the tubes! I decided that if I welded the tubes back in just in front of the lower weldments it measured about 2 degrees, that is moving the tubes 5/8 + inch which should drop the rear spar even more so I figured it would be plenty.
After I was done it was really only 1.5 deg.

 

[Raceair]

Looks Great. 1.5 degree is probably just about the right number if your Sonerai is going to weigh over 525 empty…..Which it probably will with the 'S' mod added to the wings……I see you welded the spar box in, rather than just bolting it in. I did that on Blueberry as well….Ed

 

[racegunz]

I was hoping for less than 525!

 

[Raceair]

We all hope for that!!! for sure. John's original spec number of '440' empty is not doable with a stock plans built Sonerai 1 with the wing mod. today. '' V-Witts'' even weigh more than 440…..
When I first finished Blueberry, it weighed 517 and that was before the 'S' mod came along. Most Formula V Sonerai 1 racers weighed around 535-550 empty, with the 'S' mod, and a tuned header exhaust, which most of the guys ended up using.
If it does come out at 525 pounds, it will fly fine, and with the extra wing incidence, It will be reasonable fast, especially if you pay attention to cooling drag, fairings, good wheel pants, etc…..Ed

 

[JuergenA]

mine have 507lbs empty ;D

Juergen

 

[racegunz]

Juergen, do your wings have the mods? Nice job keeping it light, any tips to help me out?

 

[racegunz]

So the project wings I bought had no wing fold installed the fuse on the other hand had the fitments for them so, today now that I have the spar box welded in and the wing incidence set I trial fit the right wing. I was happy with it, but I will be changing the through tube on the fuse to a lighter set-up like the plans show.