SL-2 Rebuild Completed....

[Scott Richlen]

So, once I finished my Uber-Hai I was able to dedicate time to finishing my SL-2 rebuild.  The plane is old but the wing is in great shape.  Unfortunately, the fuselage was showing it's age and it was time to either rebuild or sell it.  I thought maybe I could update it by replacing its tail with a ThunderGazer tail to raise its performance.

I had problems when I tried to dope the repaired fuselage and cowl.  After three "fuel residue removal' attempts followed by dope that didn't want to lay down nicely, I finally sealed the fuselage with laminating epoxy and sprayed the fuse and tail with auto base-coat.  I did my first trim color in yellow using Auto-Air water-base, but my test panel showed tape-line problems when I tried to spray a second trim color.  So the second trim color is ink!  I used templates and a Rapidograph pen to outline the trim areas and then brushed the ink within the outlines I had laid down. 

[Scott Richlen]

So, now I have hanger-mates: the SL-2 and the SL-3.

[John Leidle]

  Scott , from where I sit observing the exhaust it looks like it is powered by twin Allison V12s .
                John L.

[Scott Richlen]

Good eyes!  The SL-3 is twin Allison powered.  You'll notice that the SL-2 has no valve covers sticking up out of the nose.  Preceding the SL-3, the Allison was not yet available so the SL-2 was powered by twin experimental Lincoln Zephyr V-12s.  Being flatheads, no valve covers.

[Steve Helmick]

  Steve

[Don Jenkins]

Awesome times two!!

Don

[Scott Richlen]

Thanks guys!

Way back in the late 70s M&P (I think I have that correct, if not I'm sure someone will recall - but maybe Dick Mathis was involved?) put out a kit of the Genesis, foam wing and all.  I can never leave well-enough alone, so I redesigned it modeling it after the Frank Tinsley illustration for the Silver Lancer, the flying steed of Bill Barnes.  The illustration was in a 1937 (or there about) issue of an air adventure pulp magazine.  I liked the way it flew (thanks Bob Hunt for providing such a good design as its basis!)  I even flew it at the 2nd Nebraska Nats (the one where a fly-away combat plane took out power to part of the city and my buddy, Dick Houser, won the first running of the Advanced category.)  So I built another one (the SL-2, the one I just finished rebuilding) and then later, the SL-3.

[Tim Stagg]

Scott your imagination and attention to creative detail is amazing.

They look great, just don't store them under a shelf with trophies on it 

[Scott Richlen]

[quotejust don't store them under a shelf with trophies on it ][/quote]

Debbie got tired of dusting them so she stuck them in boxes and stored them in the basement (the trophies, not the planes.... )

[Scott Richlen]

Flew nice, but I need to fix the cowl as it started to come loose at the back.  It uses screws at the nose but magnets at the back to attach it.  That doesn't work well, so I'll use a mechanical attachment at the back.  2nd and last time I am going to monkey with magnets.

I went ahead and did the whole pattern (well, almost - it burped on the first loop of the clover so I flew it out for 4 more laps).  Turn was blinding fast.  I'll have to narrow my handle attachments.

[John Lindberg]

Maybe when it gets below 100 degrees out there you can fly again!   

[Scott Richlen]

Maybe when it gets below 100 degrees out there you can fly again!

I'm melting!  I'm melting!

[john e. holliday]

Scott, this old man can remember when the temps broke 100 degrees I would think of heading to the shade.   Now the family won't let me think of flying when temps reach 80.  Glad your plane is working and it still looks great.

[Scott Richlen]

Thanks Doc!

[John Leidle]

Good eyes!  The SL-3 is twin Allison powered.  You'll notice that the SL-2 has no valve covers sticking up out of the nose.  Preceding the SL-3, the Allison was not yet available so the SL-2 was powered by twin experimental Lincoln Zephyr V-12s.  Being flatheads, no valve covers.

  Scott, up here in the Unlimited Hydroplane museum we have a Rolls Royce Griffin maybe we can take it out of the Budweiser & shoehorn it into your plane .
    John L.

[Scott Richlen]

Scott, up here in the Unlimited Hydroplane museum we have a Rolls Royce Griffin maybe we can take it out of the Budweiser & shoehorn it into your plane .
    John L.

That nose just looked bare without a V-12...