APSS Strutter Status.........................................................

APSS SOPWITH 1½ STRUTTER

Build Status

Status as at September 2009

The fourth wing is still waiting be completed but it is estimated to be finished by the end of the year.

Good, steady progress continues on the ailerons.

Construction of the fuselage frame has commenced - see photos below.

Major tasks still to be completed:-

Engine Mountings
Bulkheads
Tanks, oils and petrol
Controls, pulleys and wires
Fittings, seats and cockpit surrounds
Dashboards
Instruments
Cabanes
Undercarriage, structure and wheels

Status as at February 2009

The third wing is finished and varnished. All four wings should be completed by Autumn 2009. Assembly of the fuselage continues and will benefit from extra resources from the wing construction team, available in the summer.

Status as at August 2008

Construction of the fuselage has started and should take shape as most of the wood and metal components have been made.

Having completed the construction of the lower wings the team has started on the upper wings.

Status as at November 2007

The decision was taken to use a Rotec 3600 radial engine delivering 150+ HP. An option has been taken on this engine and delivery is foreseen in 2010.

A second lower wing has been completed as well as the first of the four ailerons.

The starboard upper wing is under construction and all four wings should be completed by the end of 2008.

Most of the fuselage brackets have been constructed and await welding, scheduled for January 2008.

Status as at May 2007

Since gaining the use of a third bay in Building 32 last January, working conditions for the group have improved and work has speeded up.

Separate spaces are available for component manufacture and major unit assembly.

Bay 2 is being used for the wing assembly alongside a limited metalworking area.

Bay 3 is being used for tapering, shaping and splicing the longerons. This bay also contains an aileron assembly jig.

At present the finished components are: fin, rudder, tailplane, elevators, lower starboard wing, fuselage longerons and cross-strut. The lower port wing is glued and awaiting wire cross-bracing and varnish.

Effort is going into finishing fuselage metal components. Assembly of the fuselage is scheduled for the end of 2007.

Tail Assembly

(Empennage)

Click on image