Stunning Spirit of St. Louis Replica Flies...!
Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:24 am
I know a lot has been posted about this on the "vintage side" but I thought this deserved a "wider audience" so I'm posting it here (Mods, feel free to remove due to it not being a warbird topic). This replica is probably the most historically accurate replica of Lindbergh's SOSL that had ever been built. The attention to detail is incredible...they got just about everything correct on this plane. The folks at Old Rhinebeck did a fantastic job over the years especially Pilot/Mechanic Ken Cassens. Below is a link to some incredicle photo's and a great video of the plane on one of its test flights. They are planning a gala celebration in May with Reeve Lindbergh to celebrate.
http://www.timesunion.com/news/us/artic ... =fb-mobile
Below is one of dozens of pictures from the ORA FB Page:
http://www.timesunion.com/news/us/artic ... =fb-mobile
Below is one of dozens of pictures from the ORA FB Page:
Re: Stunning Spirit of St. Louis Replica Flies...!
Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:48 am
As a San Diegan, I approve!
Very nice and thanks for the link
Very nice and thanks for the link
Re: Stunning Spirit of St. Louis Replica Flies...!
Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:32 pm
Yes, thanks for that! (Man, I'll be that thing's a bear to fly... 
)
)
Re: Stunning Spirit of St. Louis Replica Flies...!
Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:55 pm
Not the easiest place to operate the aircraft out of either. Ken Cassens has said that it actually flies quite nicely - as has been mentioned and shown elsewhere, several successful test flights have already been made this past week.
This was the report written on Facebook by Clay Hammond (ORA pilot/trustee) after the first test flight (last Saturday):
"Spirit of Saint Louis first flight. - I thought a recap of the day might be in order. Morning broke clear and calm, no wind, blue sky. Ken had finished last items on checklist to completion. No reason not to. Frost this morning, but forecasted temps in the 50's by lunch hour. We pulled the Robin out about 11 and shot an hour's worth of landings with Ken in the back seat again and the cardboard blocking the forward view. After getting to the point where he felt a groove setting in we called it good and Ken decided to give it a go. Ken, Mike DiGiacomio, and I had a short discussion briefing the intended flight and Ken's intention to climb up overhead, circle for a short period, feel out the aircraft, and then return for the first landing. Crew pulled the NYP out and Ken climbed in. We commenced with starting procedure. Took three proppers and ten minutes to get it going, still figuring that out a little. Warmed it up for 15 minutes or so. Good sound, good temps using an infared thermometer, ready to go. Tim Haggerty and I climbed in the Robin to fly a high cover and to get some stand off photography. Launched in the Robin and started climbing for altitude. Five minutes later observed Ryan pull onto runway lane and start its roll. Ken climbed up to altitude promptly, around 3000 feet, we circled above him the whole time, making it a point to deconflict and also observe for other traffic. Tim was shooting with a nice long lens the entire time. Observed Ken do a couple stalls, steep turns, dutch rolls...feeling it out. He circled for a while longer and then started heading down. We in Robin descended in trail, staying off the right rear quarter. Ken made one low pass to shoot the approach at speed one time, and for the benefit of those on the ground, then came around for the landing. Stayed on his wing all the way around. NYP lined up on the runway, descended nicely down into the notch, rounded out just beyond the road and proceeded to float, and float, and floated some more. Touched down about even with the sausage factory. Rolled out and down the north end a ways. Mike D was down there to wing run and assist if needed. Circled around into pattern and landed the Robin. Shut down and walked over to Ken, who was cooling down the Whirlwind on the NYP. He said the stalls are extremely docile, no tendency to drop a wing, everything straight ahead and sets up into a steady and stable mush rather than any hard break. Better visibility than Robin, which is good! Means the Robin served as a good trainer, making the job harder than it was. Ken stated that on takeoff he noticed a great deal of nose heaviness, to the point that he subsequently inputted full aft trim and kept it there for entire flight, yet was still holding back pressure on the stick at all power settings. In calculating the weight and balance for the NYP on paper, everything had pointed towards a tail heavy situation, leading us to install a significant amount of lead ballast in the nose section just ahead of the firewall. After the flight Ken has decided to remove half of this weight to bring the aircraft into better trim. No adjustments necessary for roll or yaw tendencies. Additional test flights ahead to dial in the pitch. All in all Ken stated that it is a wonderful flying machine that he is very happy with!"
And a bit of pilot Ken Cassen's report after the first flight:
“It was uneventful, which is a good thing, and I was happy with the way it performed. I was pleased with the flight characteristics…nothing unexpected, other than it being nose-heavy. It trimmed out really well. A little bit hard to slow it down, because it’s so clean, and a little heavy on the ailerons, but that’s to be expected. No real surprises. It’s gratifying that it flew and I hope it keeps flying successfully. We have a lot more flight testing to do.”
This was the report written on Facebook by Clay Hammond (ORA pilot/trustee) after the first test flight (last Saturday):
"Spirit of Saint Louis first flight. - I thought a recap of the day might be in order. Morning broke clear and calm, no wind, blue sky. Ken had finished last items on checklist to completion. No reason not to. Frost this morning, but forecasted temps in the 50's by lunch hour. We pulled the Robin out about 11 and shot an hour's worth of landings with Ken in the back seat again and the cardboard blocking the forward view. After getting to the point where he felt a groove setting in we called it good and Ken decided to give it a go. Ken, Mike DiGiacomio, and I had a short discussion briefing the intended flight and Ken's intention to climb up overhead, circle for a short period, feel out the aircraft, and then return for the first landing. Crew pulled the NYP out and Ken climbed in. We commenced with starting procedure. Took three proppers and ten minutes to get it going, still figuring that out a little. Warmed it up for 15 minutes or so. Good sound, good temps using an infared thermometer, ready to go. Tim Haggerty and I climbed in the Robin to fly a high cover and to get some stand off photography. Launched in the Robin and started climbing for altitude. Five minutes later observed Ryan pull onto runway lane and start its roll. Ken climbed up to altitude promptly, around 3000 feet, we circled above him the whole time, making it a point to deconflict and also observe for other traffic. Tim was shooting with a nice long lens the entire time. Observed Ken do a couple stalls, steep turns, dutch rolls...feeling it out. He circled for a while longer and then started heading down. We in Robin descended in trail, staying off the right rear quarter. Ken made one low pass to shoot the approach at speed one time, and for the benefit of those on the ground, then came around for the landing. Stayed on his wing all the way around. NYP lined up on the runway, descended nicely down into the notch, rounded out just beyond the road and proceeded to float, and float, and floated some more. Touched down about even with the sausage factory. Rolled out and down the north end a ways. Mike D was down there to wing run and assist if needed. Circled around into pattern and landed the Robin. Shut down and walked over to Ken, who was cooling down the Whirlwind on the NYP. He said the stalls are extremely docile, no tendency to drop a wing, everything straight ahead and sets up into a steady and stable mush rather than any hard break. Better visibility than Robin, which is good! Means the Robin served as a good trainer, making the job harder than it was. Ken stated that on takeoff he noticed a great deal of nose heaviness, to the point that he subsequently inputted full aft trim and kept it there for entire flight, yet was still holding back pressure on the stick at all power settings. In calculating the weight and balance for the NYP on paper, everything had pointed towards a tail heavy situation, leading us to install a significant amount of lead ballast in the nose section just ahead of the firewall. After the flight Ken has decided to remove half of this weight to bring the aircraft into better trim. No adjustments necessary for roll or yaw tendencies. Additional test flights ahead to dial in the pitch. All in all Ken stated that it is a wonderful flying machine that he is very happy with!"
And a bit of pilot Ken Cassen's report after the first flight:
“It was uneventful, which is a good thing, and I was happy with the way it performed. I was pleased with the flight characteristics…nothing unexpected, other than it being nose-heavy. It trimmed out really well. A little bit hard to slow it down, because it’s so clean, and a little heavy on the ailerons, but that’s to be expected. No real surprises. It’s gratifying that it flew and I hope it keeps flying successfully. We have a lot more flight testing to do.”
Re: Stunning Spirit of St. Louis Replica Flies...!
Sat Dec 12, 2015 8:18 pm
The only thing left is to put some fabric patches on it, get it stained and dirty...then it will look perfect... 
Re: Stunning Spirit of St. Louis Replica Flies...!
Sat Dec 12, 2015 9:33 pm
Really glad to see this project completed! it is a beautiful machine and a fine tribute to everyone that got Lindbergh to Paris.
Jim
Jim
Re: Stunning Spirit of St. Louis Replica Flies...!
Sun Dec 13, 2015 9:44 am
Slightly off topic...for those who may not yet have seen, with the recent conservation work on the original "Spirit of St. Louis" at the Smithsonian, they were able to remove quite a bit of the aged/yellowed lacquer/preservative off of the cowl panels (which the Smithsonian had applied early on/many years ago), and the aircraft has since been hung from the ceiling again.
As illustrated here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/robanov/1 ... 0/sizes/h/
Before: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ian_d/16086031661/sizes/l
After: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rightstuf ... 4/sizes/l/
As illustrated here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/robanov/1 ... 0/sizes/h/
Before: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ian_d/16086031661/sizes/l
After: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rightstuf ... 4/sizes/l/
Re: Stunning Spirit of St. Louis Replica Flies...!
Sun Dec 13, 2015 10:08 am
JohnTerrell wrote:Slightly off topic...for those who may not yet have seen, with the recent conservation work on the original "Spirit of St. Louis" at the Smithsonian, they were able to remove quite a bit of the aged/yellowed lacquer/preservative off of the cowl panels (which the Smithsonian had applied early on/many years ago), and the aircraft has since been hung from the ceiling again.
I have asked the question about the "yellowing" of the cowlings for a long time (as have many others). The Smithsonian has always said they would eventually remove it because they had applied it in a mistaken effort to preserve the flag paintings on the cowlings decades ago.
Recently I read that a decision had been made not to remove the lacquer because they had "discovered" that the application of lacquer was a common practice for corrosion prevention "back in the day" among aircraft manufacturers and they attribute the lacquer to Ryan.
I find that difficult to believe. If this was true with regards to the SOSL, then why did the original cracked spinner and afterbody, which is on display, not turn yellow with age? See article below:
http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-f ... 20/?no-ist
Re: Stunning Spirit of St. Louis Replica Flies...!
Sat Dec 26, 2015 6:25 pm