In  past month we`ve had custom Main landing gear shock strut springs fabricated along with  custom 5 leaf tailwheel spring set up . A new aluminum Flat pack Oil Cooler for the P&W 1340 arrived from Pacific oil cooler this week , we are fabricating mounts for it`s location on top of the engine mount, Mounting bracketts are being fabricated for the fuel system`s wobble pump and fuel screen off of the L/H side of the engine mount/firewall.

Bob Halls beautiful BullDog V-1 during rollout on August 15th, Three flights were made in this configurationin during next  two days. Bob Hall felt the original small tail which is claimed to be the most attractive and was more than adequate. Premo Galletti a 16 year old Jr. Draftemen for Bob documented the entire construction and every flight of the Bulldog until it was flown to Roosevelt field, NY for Thaw to fly the Bulldog in the 1932 Bendix. History tells that Thaw was not happy with the Bulldog, Feelings have surfaced throughout the years that Thaw was just behind the power curve when it came to flying the BullDog. Bob flew the BullDog directly to Cleveland to race in the 1932 Thompson . Copies from Bob Halls pilot log will show all his flights in the BullDog next month.

With completion of the horizontal stabilizer, fabrication of the R/H elevator begins, lots of tubing and welding!

Another shot with the airfoil shaped 5/16″ &  3/8″  ribs being fit in place.

All ribs tac welded in place and ready for the bottom ribs to be installed and welded, a 1932 shape happening again!

Final welding of the R/H elevator Bottom side,  The Tig welding allows you to get in and out with out a lot of distortion.

With the R/h elevator completed the L/H elevator base structure is tac in place.

Fabrication of the R/H Front and rear wing hinge flat patterns are complete, Fixturing in place front and rear hinge plates after heating and bending fabrication of wing hinge fittings and patch plates has been completed for the R/H Fuselage/wing stub assy.

With the center rear wing hinge fitting formed and welded in place , the front and rear .125″ 4130 doublers are added front and rear, they are edge welded to the ears of the first fitting and then the doublers are heated and formed around the center fitting and stub tubes and are welded. Next a third short doubler is added to the front and rear “ear” of the base hinge fitting , edge welded again and formed which completes the entire wing hinge assy.

This is the R/H Forward hinge fitting with the first fitting tack welded to the forward stub, heating and forming is next and then welding, the front and rear doublers get added as each piece of 4130 is heated and formed. The rear fitting in this view still needs the third doubler added to the front and rear “ears”.

Another view of the R/H fwd wing hinge base  fitting before the tack welds are doned.

With the front and rear wing hinge fittings welded in place a section of 1.125″ x .063″ is welded between the front and rear attach fitting/stubs. The third doubler is added and welded to the hinge ears and formed to the tube and final welded.

A view from the left side of the fuselage looking at the completed R/H Stub/wing attach assy. One can see the amount of patch plate fabrication, forming and welding that takes place in a scratch built airframe of this magnitude.

With fabrication of the L/H wing hinge stub fittings completed, work can begin on the L/H side of the stub wing assy.  

With completion of the stabilizer front /rear spars and truss, 4130 tubes with three different diameters give the stabilizer it`s airfoil shape. The leading edge tube was formed seperatley before installing on the fixture.

The pietenpol flap has been covered. This flap hinges so that the flap can be raised so the pilot can get in and out of the cockpit eaiser.

The flap has been covered.

The flap hinges up to ease transition into and out of the cock pit.

Fabrication of the Bulldog stabilizer begins. The rear spar starts at inch and a half by .120 wall thick ness down to inch and a quarter by .120 down to one inch by .058 down to 7/8 by .058 all fish mouthed and welded.

Here is the fabrication of the Stabilizer. Notice how the tubes neck down this is to maintain strength while saving weight.

Fabricating more structure to give the stabilizer its shape.

A look from the other end of the stabilizer. Notice that the whole Stabilizer has been drawn out on the paper for proper tube alignment.

After getting the bulldog up on the gear fabrication of the wing attach fittings, rudder pedals and brake pedals begins.

Here is one of the wing attach fittings getting welded up. Two 1/4 inch plates make for a half inch plate that is super strong.

Here is the whole fitting bolted together ready to be fit on to the fueslage and welded.

Here is the fitting being welded onto the right hand side of the fuselage.

Heres the Rudder pedals being fabricated.

The finished rudder pedals with finished brake pedals now ready for fitting and installation into the fuselage.

Rudder pedals installed with new fittings into the fuselage.

The moment that we have all been waiting for has finally come. After 80+ years and  hours of fabrication and welding the Bulldog is finally sitting on the gear.

The Bulldog finally on its gear.

Looking at the right hand gear from the landing gear pivot points inside the fuselage

Looking from the rear at the Bulldog finally up on its gear.

Here the instrument panel for the bulldog laid out on the bench

This is what you will see when you are sitting in the fuselage. The instrument panel looks really good in the fuselage.

The time has finally approached where the bulldog is almost up on its own gear. Both shock struts have been fitted to both landing gears. Bushings for the pivot point have been made and installed. The only thing left to do is to trim the bottom of the gear legs and weld on the axle tubes.

The gear installed on the bulldog. Axles are next.

Shock strut attach points.

Landing gear pivot point.

This is where the axles will get welded on.

The Pietenpol Sky Scout ailerons are finally covered and progress continues on.

Taping the ailerons.

Final shrink of the tapes.

Fabrication on the landing gear continues at a rapid pace. The day of the bulldog sitting on its own landing gear is fast approaching and will be the first time a Bulldog has been on its landing gear in 80 years.

After measuring and marking and triangulating the fuselage is ready for test fit

After Fabrication, cutting and welding the left hand gear is finished and ready for mating to fuselage.

Right hand gear installed in proper place ready for left hand gear to be mated to fuselage

Left hand gear mated to the fueslage and welded in place.

Welding of the left hand drag strut. The drag strut keeps the gear from walking fore and aft.

Forming the steel wrap plate on the left hand drag stut.

The wheel and brake assembly is a four puck from a Cessna 421 which should give the Bulldog the proper braking power and ground handling. The torque plate gets welded to the axel stub for the brake attachment.

Finished torque plates.

We are continuing the fabrication and welding on the Bulldog landing gear. The shock struts are complex and time consuming. We have measured and test fit the struts into place to make sure the proper travel has been achieved.  The travel we were looking for is approx 3 inches, they are a combination oil and spring shock struts. The oil is for initial touch down and then the springs are for ground operation and taxing.

Here we are welding the bottom attach pivot point of the right hand shock strut.

After welding of pivot point test fit of shock strut to make sure proper bolt hole alignment

With fabrication of the right hand gear as far as we can go assembly of the left hand gear has begun.

Welding begins on the left hand gear box beam.