The Spirit
of
AMERICA





The Jenny is done and has been christened The Spirit of America.


This is the Jenny ultralight with the top wings removed in the back yard before being moved to the front yard and all the work starting.


Here are some pictures of the various stages of work. All of the work was done in the front yard without the advantage of a enclosure to keep the weather off. This made for an interesting building proceedure. If the weather got bad and rainy during a time when nothing could get wet then tarps had to go over the whole thing. All of the construction was done where you see her sitting now.

Here is another photo of the fuselage sitting on the gear with the tail surfaces attached (except for the horizontal). Notice that the tail surfaces are still black. This is black acrylic latex enamel, one of the best UV inhibitor's that I have found (it took a 12 year study - something that will be in the 'tips' section later).


And this is a picture of the ol' girl with her wings back on waiting for the landing wires to be rigged. The flying wires will go on after everything is covered and painted. She weighs about 130 lbs dressed out in her stars and stripes. The tail is not yet finished and has two coats of white on the three coats of black. I have found the neatest way of putting on stars, slogans, numbers, etc. Sort of like giant decals for adults. That'll be in the 'tips' section also.


The writing in red on the side says
"If God is your copilot
you're in the wrong seat"

Here is the Condor in the process of being re-rigged and converted to a double surface wing. All the wires are being removed and struts placed at the wings and tail. Styrofoam ribs with a fiberglass cap will be put in the wings with a fiberglass leading edge to help it hold shape. It will then be covered with 2.7 oz. Dacron and painted. Wing pictures below.


The tail surfaces have be covered and painted. There will be white stars on the blue background after all of the final rigging is in place. The wings are going to be red and white sunburst. Some of the dihedral is being taken out of the wings to make them more efficient and ailerons are being added to replace the spoilers on the original Condor.

The ribs are constructed of foam sheets and will be capped on top and bottom with fiberglass as well as have a fiberglass lattice to give them strength. The fiberglass caps will wrap around the front and rear spars to keep them attached to the wings with a partial fiberglass panel on the leading edge to keep the airfoil shape intact.

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