INSTRUMENTS
I had to recheck "plumbing" six times! All that "plumbing" gets confusing.  Do this part very slowly and you will be happy with your results!
Once its layed out, holes cut, primed and sprayed its time to mount it!  The panel makes the airplane start to really look like an airplane!
This Page Still Under Construction
AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS
This section of my site is devoted to photographs documenting each of the aircraft systems including: Instruments; Landing Gear; Flaps; Ailerons, Elevator, & Rudder; Pitot Static; and Electrical, Canopy; and Windscreen.
Website Copyright February 15, 2003 by George Dawe
WINDSCREEN
Rather than try and create a fiberglass "frame" on plexiglass, I opted for a more traditional method of mounting the windscreen. Note the black panel frames which have floating nuts rivited on them.  My friend "Big John" created this windscreen frame just before he moved to Chicago.  Thanks John!
I then took the windscreen frame to MGM Plastics, in San Marcos, CA to have the individual Lexan hybrid panels cut and drilled.  These panels appear to be hot fuel proof and scratch resistant.  They are stronger than plexiglass and do not distort your vision as plexiglass does!
Right side view.  The windscreen chomoly tube frame  was drilled and tapped.  Double stick rubber foam tape was then applied to the windscreen frame. The frame was then mounted to the fuselage using stainless steel screws and three floatong nut back plates for a very secure and snug fit!
More windscreen pictures to follow!
LANDING GEAR
I was going to use an old set of gear, but I wound up starting from scratch.  I made most of the large parts. Some of the small gear parts were fabricated by GPM Engineering.  The lower gear was first sent to Carlson & Beauloye, in downtown San Diego for grinding and "hard" chrome.  Then both upper and lower gear went to Small Parts Powder coating in San Marcos, CA.  The new "O" rings were purchased from Aircraft Spruce, (brown bags)
The completed gear!  Each one weighs only 15 lbs!  These work great and if properly honed and ground to tolerances. they should not leak...lets hope!
Another view of the finished gear. One reason why I had to complete the gear was the up coming move.  In September, I had to move the aircraft from Palomar Airport to Fallbrook Airport.
Here, I am cleaning the gear parts using "Dawn" dishsoap and water. The parts were then blown dry with a hair dryer and lubriated with aircraft grade hydralic fluid. Do I look too damn happy to be finishing this gear?!  Beleive me this is a big part of the project!  My friend Mike, (he is building an RV-8), ground to spec. many a small part for me.  He also instructed me in the "fine art" of "honing"