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VOISIN AIRCRAFT |
WELCOME! to the Official
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UPDATES |
| Home | WELCOME News/Updates |
Specifications | Order Plans NOW! |
FAQ's | Contact Us | Eye Candy | Useful Links | |
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VOISIN AIRCRAFT |
WELCOME! to the Official
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UPDATES |
For those of you who have been following this website, you know by now that the Voisin 3/5 Replica has moved a little beyond the 'Project' stage. Having designed, built, flown, and tinkered over the past few years, I can now proclaim my Voisin 3/5 aircraft a true flying machine. All of the goals set at the beginning of the design stage have been met.
Now that those goals have been achieved, and due to many who have asked that I share this design, I have finally put together an organized compilation of the notes, scribbles, drawings and doodles in manual and plans form for your education and enjoyment. On the specifications page you will see this is not a fast airplane. It is not an aerobatic airplane. It is just a low and slow, great view, open air aircraft, with some historical notability, that will draw a crowd where ever it goes. My dream is to see more than a couple flying together over the countryside. Notable features of the Voisin include an easy to inspect structure because of the almost completely exoskeletal build. Only the aileron bell cranks are inside the lower wings. The unique kernel covering allows quick access to internal components if necessary. The cockpit can be adjusted during the build to fit the pilot; up to 30” wide! And one of the best features is, it is one of the few WWI aircraft that does not require a tail wheel endorsement! Keep abreast of what that future holds in the NEWS section to the right and navigate through the various pages to learn about the design and to answer any questions you may have. Feel free to ask a question or make a comment via the Contact Us page or on the Facebook link |
Here is a link to the article... The 2011 Gardner Trip The reason I'm mentioning this is that as of February 2017 we have begun the process of refurbishing the Voisin. The workspace has been re-arranged and organized, and we are then we can dismantleing the aircraft as we rebuild the parts. You will be able to follow the progress on the Voisin 3/5 Facebook page. If you haven't already, take a look and give the page a 'Like'. Then check back often to see how the rebuild is doing! Updates in this column will be posted here as well with the newest update here at the top. Is It Saveable?  The rest of the fabric was tore off the top left wing panel, the skeleton shook off and brought into the shop for inspection. At first glance, it looks hopeless. 
 The brackets on the left were obviously in the middle of the big rodent nest. They actually cleaned up rather well, but of course, the bolt and the interwing strut bracket need to be replaced. This is what a lower rib cap (right) looks like when sitting for nearly five years in mouse pee. It just crumbled in my (gloved) fingers. The upper rib cap cleaned up well. The trailing edge end root cover to the rib was shot as well and will be replaced. Both of these photos indicate parts that will be on the center section. I decided to do the modification cuts first to see how they would come out. I figured there was nothing to loose, and I didn't want to spend all the time cleaning it just to have the mod cuts screwed up. As it was, I did screw up one of the cuts, but I think it is recoverable. It's on the center section side and if I have to replace anything, it will be a smaller part.  A lot of cleaning and inspecting found only what was mentioned above and unbelievably, there was no other pitting or corrosion found on the outer wing panel. The 3M 30NF glue I used back in 2004 was still pliable in some spots and I believe it helped to protect the aluminum somewhat from the corrosion. I'm definitely sold on the 30NF. Here is a photo of the cleaned skeleton and I even got the new compression strut cables installed in the outer bay as you can see in the second photo. 
 Check back soon and look me up on my Voisin 3/5 Facebook page. Don't forget to give the page a "Like"! Attack of the Killer Vermin!  First chore with the airplane was getting the hangar door open. After doing some spading, raking and getting the center header jack back in place, the door was opened enough to get to the plane. Took about 3 hours to get the top left wing off. What a mess!   The vermin really like airplanes! The next step is to check and see how severe the damage is and if it is fixable. Hold your breath and check it out here too... Voisin 3/5 Facebook page. Don't forget to give the page a "Like"! The "Shop" is ready!  The "Shop" is just about ready. The old mobile home we moved out of a few years ago is still standing and just a few feet from our new house. We thought it would make a good place to rebuild the Voisin 3/5. Other than leveling the work table and arranging tools, etc., it's ready for the first wing. The next step is to check out the airplane and begin the disassembly process. It hasn't moved for five and a half years! Stay tuned for all the excitement and don't forget you can also follow the rebuild on the Voisin 3/5 Facebook page. Don't forget to give the page a "Like"! Where is the Prototype Voisin 3/5 Now? Here is a link to the article... The 2011 Gardner Trip The reason I'm mentioning this is because within the next month, we will begin refurbishing the Voisin. The workspace needs to be re-arranged and organized first, then we can dismantle the aircraft and begin the work. You will be able to follow the progress on the Voisin 3/5 Facebook page. If you haven't already, take a look and give the page a 'Like'. Then check back often to see how the rebuild is doing! |
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EMAIL ME WITH QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS! Corey Butcher Copyright 2017 |