| Wes Whitehurst Monarch
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LOG:
January 13, 2001. Disaster struck!!!!!. After the layup someone asked when the flight to the virgin islands was planned..... for our promised holiday? I said next tuesday.. (NOT HAVING ANYTHING BETTER TO SAY). and no one could make it! But it had me scared for a moment... but the good news is that another dtube is done!!!!... wait till friday to see how it turns out! good turnout of help.....now on to the aileron and elevator spars.... and yes more tail rib molds!
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The Saturday Dtube Crew! Smiling faces after just three hours of work... sure beats 10 - 12 hours for only two people!!!! |
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Jim Marske and John Backer putting in a layer of carbon! Slow careful work! |
January 12, 2000.
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The dtube ready for the cloth. This primer was really just a light dusting not readily showing in the photo. |
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And one fin spar! |
January 11, 2000. Good working day! A spoiler vacuum bagged, fuselage bulkheads in, more molds! I've been talking up the topless babes on the beaches and have now four to help on the weekend with the next dtube!And the nose ribs are on the spar!
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The next spoiler pan! |
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Wes and John taking a break beside the spar/nose rib section. ( I docked their pay) |
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And the wonder man working on the fuselage! (now what the heck is this part?) |
January 10, 2000
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The Wonder Man is back! (wonder when he will come in)... working on a bulkhead for the fuselage. |
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John Backer making up another tail rib. |
January 9, 2000.
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The next dtube mold being prepared for a saturday layup |
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Making one more rib! |
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The INSPECTOR checking out the mold polishing station! |
January 7, 2000. Well the right fuselage is done!
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Well you can't see it very well but the carbon is laid in and its curing! That was a long session too!! I've been promising fancy babes on the beaches of the virgin islands....... so the work gets done! |
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Aha!!! A SPOILER PAN.... just under 5 oz... uncut! the regular one is 9 oz!.... and Rib #13 just finished bacuum bagging. This is coming along... |
January 5, 2001. We have a DTUBE!....
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And the featherweight champion of the olympics has no problem doing a one handed lift!...... when she lifted it up she practically threw it away......OK now on to another dtube!! |
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Yep Looks like 14 lbs 7 oz!
Well its official... yes14 lbs 7 oz. with the offical weigh by retired postmast John Backer of Iowa! Well I was off 2 oz on my original estimate... hope you don't want me to redo it!.... John thinks it was still a little damp from the washing I gave it....... |
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John Backer washing down the new dtube! We have yet to trim it and dry it then weight it..... but it will be under 15 lbs.
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The right side of the fuselage mold ready for glass and carbon! ?And below one carbon rib being vacuum bagged. |
January 4, 2001. Back to the work! Prepared the right fuselage for a layup this weedend, more tail rib molds and we tested a spoiler pan.
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Tail ribs #3 and #13 getting ready for the cnc machine! |
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Wes Metz helping with the spoiler testing |
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One right fuselage ready for the primer! |
January 1, 2000. Wouldn't you know it ...... he's goofing off flying rather than working!!!!
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Flying the Grob 103 on new years day! And it was cold... the canopy iced up with any breath |
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Our new location! |
December 30, 2000. A big day... the first dtube. Yes it took twice as long as a regular dtube but as Mike said..... "there is no excess resin there!" ( I also promised him a day on the beaches in the virgin islands....)
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The first layer of glass is in... next the carbon layer then the nose ribs. Note the Inspectors just coming from the office..... eyeing that nose rib section. |
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Mike doing the final leveling of the dtube spar. Yes after 7 hours he is still smiling!!!! (thinking of the cute girls in the virgin islands?) |
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From the end of the dtube rib #2.... just the correct amount of speezeout and a good fit! And BLACK!!! |
December 28, 2000. All of the rear spars are done and total 60 oz compared to the fiberglass total weight of 88 oz. The carbon ones still need to be trimmed. The rear spars are of solid carbon. I thought here we could do with the extra strength... it was heavier with two carbon.
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two rear spars at the elevator on the left, two rear spars at the ailerons right. The Dtube mold in the left background has just been pva'd ready for saturday layup. Tomorrow I will put a light coat of primer on in the Dtube. |
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Two more molds.......and lots more to go. We have left and right of #27, 25, 9, 15 and 1. Eighteen more to go!!! |
December 27, 2000. More slow progress. A few more molds and the nose ribs attached to the left spar ready for dtube making!
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More holes than carbon! But they are very stiff! |
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Looking from the tip end |
December 24, 2000. Yes I am working on Chrismas eve..... Finished the rear spar at the elevator as well as a couple of rib molds.
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Cleaning up rib mold #1 |
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Conscripted help Christmas Eve......
Scrooge lives on!!!! |
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Mike Coats vacuum bagging molds 9 and 15. |
December 23, 2000. I am spending a lot of time getting the tailribs molds done. We have also done the rear spars at the aileron and one rear spar at the elevator.
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Rib #1 and #15 being vacuum bagged with other plugs in the background ready for the next process. |
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The first rear spar at the elevator on the left.... and more dtube tail rib plugs! |
December 20, 2000. Received another payment yesterday unexpectedly...but well timed! We are just starting a number of the smaller parts such as the rear spars. I have decided to spray the PVA and primer for better results. I should have a dtube in the next week. Waiting on primer.
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the rear spar at the aileron, curing in the mold. |
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Molds waxed and pva'd ready for carbon! |
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And just in case you wondered about the tail rib molds..... and lots to go! |
Past photos of the Wes Monarch. August 23, 2001 to Sept 23, 2001
Past photos of the Wes Monarch. July12, 2001 to August 23,, 2001
Past photos of the Wes Monarch. June 11, 2001 to July 11, 2001
Past photos of the Wes Monarch. May 18, 2001 to June 11, 2001
Past photos of the Wes Monarch. Apr 2, 2001 to May 14, 2001
Past photos of the Wes Monarch. Jan 13, 2001 to Mar 27, 2001
Past photos of the Wes Monarch. December15 to Jan 13, 2001
Past photos of the Wes Monarch. Early December 2 to December 18, 2000