New airplane nut from Texas
 

Hi. My name is Robert and I'm currently building a Hummelbird, which is a single-seat sheet metal airplane. Very few Hummelbird parts require compound curves, but a few (like wingroot fairings and wheel pants) do. I'm not not as experienced with metal shaping as I'd like to be, so I'm here looking for tips, knowledge and inspiration.

Welcome Robert,

There aren't enough of us airplane types here. I'm doing a rag & tube airplane but there are always sheet metal parts to be made. I'm going to try to avoid using any composite parts with the exception of the prop.

Best of luck on your project, please post photos of your shaped parts if you can.

Welcome Robert!

My size (6'3" 275") limited a lot of options, hence I'm building a Bearhawk.

My friend made the wingroot fairings for his hummel out of fibreglass. A great shame as the rest of his metal work was very nice. They would be tricky to make as reverse curves are the hardest. Depends how much you like a challenge.

Another guy in my area decided to go out and spin a hummel bird that his friend had bought. The designer never did it. This guy was a fairly big guy, so the cg was aft, and he decided that he did not need a parachute. Friends of mine heard his terrified distress call. He did not survive. So when you get yours done, don't try to spin it.

Scott

Hi Robert and welcome!:)

Hi Robert,
Have you cut your VW engine in half yet? One friend of mine in Houston got his HBird done and could not fit in it, skinny guy at only 6ft tall. I guess Morey Hummel was 5'6" but I know his son got to be about 5'10" so maybe they both could fly it.

Hi Robert welcome to the forum
Peter

Welcome, Robert. I've built an RV-6 and have three Aeronca projects. I occasionally work on one of them. ;-)

Thanks for the words of welcome and the interest in my project, guys.

When I finish my plane I plan to polish it rather than painting it, so composite fairings will stick out like sore thumbs. Lucky for me it will be a year or so before I need to make any fairings. Between now and then I plan to mess up a lot of metal while learning how to do it. I know that process will just make me that much happier when my fairings are done.

Tom, a Bearhawk is probably the perfect plane for me, but they have so many parts I don't think I'd ever finish the project. That's why I'm starting small. I want to get one plane finished before I start on my dream project.

Scott, I have no intentions of attempting spins or any kind of aerobatics in my plane. I hate to speak bad of the dead, but what was he thinking?

Kent, I'm far from building the engine. I'm 5' 10" and 175 lbs. The plane fits me like a glove, but I'd better watch what I eat!

Thanks again for the replies, everybody. I can tell this is a good group!

Welcome Robert. You found a great place to learn. I build warbird for a living and maybe one day build something for myself. Good luck with your homebuilt and if you need any hardware etc. let me know I have a garage full.

Randy Tait