This channel is about my Aeronca C3, Vauxhall 14/40, Aeronca C2 project, pre-war flying, motoring, railways, transport and whatnot. Flying For Fun is a book written by Jack Parham in 1945. It recounts the amusing tale of flying an Aeronca C2, G-ABHE, before the war. The BBC made a short TV film of the book in 1986 featuring the Aeronca C3 I now own, G-AEFT. I saw it back then and it started a lifelong admiration for the two cylinder Aeronca. I'm recreating Jack's Aeronca and have several other projects - aeroplane and motorcar - underway.
The channel is (hopefully) a miscellany of delight and features a variety of subjects that interest me, generally prior to the Second World War. Don't expect to find anything very useful or particularly serious, although I try to keep things factually accurate (except for when I need to make things up).
Trecanair is our family company, formerly based at Trecangate Farm. I've been flying continuously for 35 years.
Even though I'm an old duffer now, your news illustrates just how poor my previous years education was - quite a few hours flying 2-stroke and 4-stroke, 2, 3 and 4 cylinder motors and all what you have discussed just passed me by! Feels like an era missed, apart from 2-stroke engine failure at 100ft, wife in the back seat muttering 'that was a quick flight!'
The Aeronca is everything a proper aeroplane should be. A perfect combination of floaty fabric wings trussed with wires and a sputtering vintage engine chucking out puffs of lovely smelling smoke. Just beautiful! 🙂
Nice mod. Way too much time in the shed. How dare you make a disparaging remark about our former president, hopefully he will be a convicted felon by next week.
I love watching you fly the bathtub! Uhh when I was young,, sixteen, I took flying lessons out a grass strip in rural Illinois. Initial training was in a Aeronca champ. When I did my check ride for my licence the examiner looked at my log book, 20 hrs Cessna 150 and 95 hrs in the champ!! He said why so many hours in the Champ,, are you a slow learner?? I said I liked flying the Champ and it was only $7.00 an hour wet so I was flying the Champ as much as I could.
How timely is this? As an unsupervised adult male, I have a kitchen bench occupied by several components referenced in this video. Invaluable info for my project,
What an absorbing 35minutes! Something about the design of this engine that belies its reputation. To my non-technician eye, its a very sophisticated design with substantial bearing metal where it should be. Don't let it languish in a bag for too long Nich. We need to see MORE!
G'day, Um, regards the Plastiguage stuff, at 0:25-ish you mention that they specify Silicone Grease..., but you reckoned there'd be no reason not to use Vaseline... I wonder about that. My VJ-24w featured Steel Tube Axles & Steel-Tube Wheelhubs, with a split Cylinder of 1mm Nylatron for the Go-between. As a keen Noob, I duly Greased the Axles using mineral Automotive Axle-Grease - pleased with myself for due diligence. Over the next week, I found myself using more and more Runway to get off the ground, and making really short rollouts. So I propped up one Wingtip at a time, and tested the Rotation - and both wmWheels behaved as if they were equipped with Brakes. Further enquiry led to the original owner enlightening me about how Nylon type Plastic is basically chemically congealed Mineral Oil..., so Mineral Oil is able to soak into it's Molecular Matrix ; causing it to swell up - binding my Wheels to the Axles. The cure was to wash out the Mineral Grease with Alcohol, lightly sand the inside of the Nylatron Sleeves and the Steel Axles, and lubricate them with Olive Oil. That worked. It strikes me that if your Plastiguages are A) Plastic, & B) Supposed to adopt and retain the EXACT dimensions of the actual Gap between Shaft & Bearing in "operational conditions"...., as I understand them to be expected to be used to determine the dimensions thereof (?)...; then it might be a counterproductive idea to use any Vaseline in the job - least it soak into your Plastiguages under Compression, causing it to expand as the Squeeze is unbolted, kinda thing... That may be why the Blurb specifies Silicone ? Every Technical Advance has it's hidden traps for the unwary - and Vaseline on Plastiguages might be one of them ? I would look into that, if I were you...(?!). Maybe olive Grove (Butter Substitute( or actual Silicone Grease) really would be better ? Take it easy, Have a good one, Stay safe. ;-p Ciao !
I believe you are over thinking this issue. The plastigauge is very hard, not like playdough. The merest smudge of vaseline holds it in place. Silicon grease is only suggested. Keep taking the medicine.
@@FlyingForFunTrecanair Well, it's your call, but Playdough and Hardness was at no time in question... Hard Plastic is hard Plastic, and Nylatron is designed to be good at resisting both Compression & affording a low-friction surface to slide against - as long as the Clearance is better than an interference fit. Marinating the Nylatron Wheel-Bearing-Shells in Hydrocarbon Grease, under load, gave my Aeroplane gradually increasing rolling resistance which amounted to Wheel Brakes being half applied half-strength. I remember surprise learnings and close calls - like barely clearing Treetops which had been expected to be no obstacle, after an unusually long Run up to gain Airspeed. I'm old enough to recognise that the people who make and sell New Technology probably know why they make the recommendations in the guidelines in the user's brochure. And you DID mention that you were unaware of any reason why Vaseline & Silicone grease would not be interchangeable...; and if I were using a Plastic Feeler-Guage then I would steer clear of going against the Manufacturer's recommendation, to instead use something knows to cause the Working Faces to Swell up & alter dimensions through chemical Osmosis. I know that I lack the knowledge to contradict (presumably) Expert advice...; so I try not to lead myself astray. I'm not prescribed any medication. Last time I studied Psychiatry & Psychology, and recieved 100% in the written Examinations at the end of the Block..., they taught us that there are no Medications available to "treat" people for being Pathologically Sane... Opinions may differ, but I'm happier being an Outlier than a Norm ; and one of my characteristic personality traits is that I habitually "Overthink things". I regard that as being better than Underthinking matters. Both may be pasty and both may be Brown..., but Shit will not function at all well if employed as Shoepolish... Kinda thing. But, you do you..., as the saying goes (!). Take it easy. ;-p Ciao !
Great video, as always. I have occasionally measured the thickness of the inserts just to see if I can find the extra clearance, although it doesn't have any value, it satisfies my math needs for equality in the totals. Those engines have always intrigued me, although they seem to have a dubious reputation in some circles. Thanks for your videos, I look forward to the next one.
A very elegantly built engine, especially the rods. Very technologically up to date for the late 1920s. What caused the crankshaft to fracture? Perhaps a poor fit to the hub? Looks like you were the pilot, Nick, back in 2015 or so.
Very interesting video, I’ve enjoyed them.. you pronounce Lympne well, as living near by in Folkestone we’ve heard Lympne pronounced ‘Limp-knee’ at times along with Capel-Le-Ferne pronounced ‘cap-elle’ Le ferne, French medieval for Chapel in the ferne. Then near by was the WW2 airfield of RAF Hawkinge, sadly only few odd buildings still alive & being used commercially these days, inc the Battle of Britain museum opposite the cemetery. Also near by Lympne is another grass strip at Pent Farm, believe early days 10+ yrs ago they had a ‘Spit’ that would live there & fly over Folkestone & along the White Cliffs performing many barrel rolls etc, also they have a small twin prop 8-10 seater that flies along side the Spit, I believe the cost is rather expensive to fly for those snap shots.. in fact the spit is usually out daily from Easter to October, sometimes accompanied by a ‘Mustang’ too…
I did make a sketch of a shrink fit repair using the undamaged parallel shaft forward of the front main bearing. Such ideas should probably remain theoretical!
Very enjoyable postmortem inspection. I keep thinking that a "modernized" version of this relatively simple engine might be still be useful for powering light aircraft -- of course it would likely cost a small fortune.
Yes, it would be fun to make a modernised version. I would increase the surface area of the big-end bearings and add improved oil lubrication to the valve gear. There was a late Aeronca version with oil lubricated valve gear but it was messy as the oil wasn’t scavenged back to the sump.
Interesting to see roller lifters in the Aeronca engine, they are only just in the last dozen years becoming common in factory auto engines although you could retrofit them if you were building up an engine for your car. An interesting side note, I was attached to an F-14 Tomcat squadron for a tour in the Navy. We received various components to replace failed ones, A box showed up with a hydraulic actuator in it and a big Aeronca sticker on the outside of the box. The sticker went on the door of my locker. Also received a nose landing gear replacement built by Menasco. Next time you do a walkaround of the airliner you fly, check the data plate on the gear, you might be surprised at what old aviation company made it.
In addition, the bizjet that I currently fly has a hatchway to the rear equipment bay that is manufactured by Short Brothers, builders of the mighty Scion!
Nothing poor about the Aeronca C3; nearly a century on and it's still a wonderfully efficient machine. The Premier and G150 are built for those who can't afford a proper jet.
@@FlyingForFunTrecanair Well that's whet the appetite even more; I'm looking forward to watching the rest. Thanks for going to the trouble of making these.
In the 60s,70s as a young lad i remember Scion G-AEZF sitting outside Hangar 2 north side at Southend Airport. There was not much of her just the Airframe with no fabric with the wings lying in the grass nearby.
I have an appalling confession to make. The engine has been sold to a pal who's building a Heath Parasol; however, we will see it again as I'm going to be carrying out the test flying once it's finished. As for the Scheldemeuuw, yes, it's a delightful thing and you'll have to wait until the Aeronca C2 is finished before the next project is revealed. From what you have said, I believe you will like it.
My father had an Aeronca C3. It's hanging in the Cincinnati Lunken airport now. I rode in it with him when I was a young girl. He bought it when he was 16 and loved flying during his lifetime.
