Hummel bird build

[ben87r]

[ben87r]

[corvairkr]

Mate im not sure but i think i have seen some "one shot" light weight sprayable coatings available to prevent corrosion on the interior aircraft structures i am sure one of the lame's or L2's would know .

 

For the exterior however , i use the De beer refinish system quite a bit with my work and if i was you i would spray your exterior surfaces firstly with "wash primer " which is an aluminium etch primer

 

....now if your 100% certain of your final colour i would then top this with "2k tinting surfacer" this will enable you to tint this surfacer to very close to your final colour which will mean you will need less paint for an even coverage ....

 

Or if your like me and come up with a different colour scheme every second day just top it with a standard 2K surfacer, you can however tint this from light grey to dark grey to get in the ball park ie light grey for lighter colours and darker grey for dark colours .

 

With this in mind there is no reason why you cant chop and change your colour choice until you are ready to lay down the colour coats ......oh and for the top coats i would go basecoat/clearcoat over solid single stage as it will be much easier to maintain and hold up better over time especially if you choose a highly pigmented colour such as reds ,yellows etc .........hope this helps .

 

jason

 

 

[dazza 38]

You can use Stewart Systems.One shot . primer/coat.If weight is a problem.Doesnt kill you either

 

 

[ben87r]

SO THE PLANS ARRIVED!!!! I think you all could imagine my excitement since i have not had a response from hummel to any of the emails i have sent regarding, well, anything at all. Couldnt wait to get them open and have a look, i noticed that the DVD hadn't arrived but not to big of a deal. Then drama struck, they have sent me the Ultra Cruiser plans. I have had just about enough of dealing with Hummel Aviation, this has been going on for months now and it was only last night before the UC plans arrived that i had given up and started looking for another design.

 

What i have come across has been nothing but a disappointment, I only just received a reply to an email the other day that i had sent in mid April, I would hate to think how long i would wait to a question once the build had started that could cause me to have to put it on hold. So now back to the start by the looks of it...

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

That's real disappointing Ben, how hard could it be to send you the correct set of plans? I've had some dealings with a Canadian kit supplier who flat-out do not answer any emails once you buy their kit. Then they complain about few sales "due to the GFC".

 

Hmm.... Corby Starlet?

 

 

[ben87r]

And there is a heap more that i havent posted as well, Just more times where i have chased them up. My question is how long would it take to get prefab parts if i chose to use them.... I want to stick with the all alloy idea as ive done allot of research into this build and Tooled up for this as well so i see it better to keep with a similar idea. Designs would be... Teenie 2, Thatcher CX4, or Zenith 601... And one last one of the sonari 2

 

Im in a few minds. The CX4 is closest matching tto the overall goal to the HBird i think, The Teenie would be closer to the original economic goal, And, The 601 was going to be the second build if i made it through the first OK, So i think i need to do more research into these three but would take any advice

 

 

[ruffasguts]

And there is a heap more that i havent posted as well, Just more times where i have chased them up. My question is how long would it take to get prefab parts if i chose to use them.... I want to stick with the all alloy idea as ive done allot of research into this build and Tooled up for this as well so i see it better to keep with a similar idea. Designs would be... Teenie 2, Thatcher CX4, or Zenith 601... And one last one of the sonari 2Im in a few minds. The CX4 is closest matching tto the overall goal to the HBird i think, The Teenie would be closer to the original economic goal, And, The 601 was going to be the second build if i made it through the first OK, So i think i need to do more research into these three but would take any advice

[ruffasguts]

will get it rite this time

build a CX4 i did best thing since sliced bread approx 10k less engine & instruments Dave Thatcher answers emails almost instant and will talk on phone. plans easy to follow

 

 

[sain]

sorry to hear about your hummelbird experience. I was intending to build one myself in a couple of years time, but I'm not that keen if they prove difficult to talk to.

 

Make sure you get a refund from them.

 

 

[seb7701]

Hang in there Ben. There will be other designs, just keep eyes peeled. I would think that a Super Diamond might even still be worth looking at and some savings might have to be had with a second hand engine etc?

 

 

[ben87r]

Cheers guys, So i emailed thatcher about the cx4 today asking for information like materials list ect ect and this was the reply about 10 min later

 

Hi Ben,

 

Thank you for your interest in the CX4.

 

Other than my web site at: ThatcherCX4.com, there is no other information except what can be seen on the Yahoo group site: CX4.

 

I am willing to send you a set of plans that include the information you are looking for. You can look it over and if it is what you are looking for in an airplane like the CX4 you can just send me the $360 for the plans or send them back.

 

I will need you address and phone number, of course.

 

Very best regards,

 

Dave Thatcher

 

What a change to what i have been dealing with, Think that might be the decision maker

 

 

[ben87r]

Terry from Hummel returned my emails over the weekend and to his credit came up with this

 

 

Show Details

 

Ben,

 

I was out of town when I rec’d your message about the wrong plans. I sent an email from my phone, but it would not send................

 

Enough about my problems.

 

As I said in the email, I don’t know how I put the wrong plans in with the right manual. Keep the UC plans, give them away, sell them, whatever. I sent another HB plan set on Wed, Express mail. 3-5 business days delivery. Tracking # EI *36*770**US (That EI is Echo Indigo). I will not be charging anything to your card for this mess. Please accept my apologies,

 

Terry Hallett

 

Hummel Aviation

 

So now it looks like im going to end up with three sets of plans (should the Hbird actually arrive this time) so its made the decision a little harder but i think it will come down to which plan seem better in person. I do like that Dave has returned my emails within the hour so far ans the fact that there is alot more CX4's being built locally but, i think the Hb is a beautiful looking AC.... Also now have a set of UltraCruiser plans for sale if anyone is intrested

 

 

[seb7701]

Always good to see someone put things right. I will say that the HB's are ripper looking little A/C!!

 

 

[Sapphire]

Hey all,After a hours and hours of reaserch and what not i have decided to build a H bird http://www.eaa.org/experimenter/articles/2010-02_hummel_bird.asp

 

http://flyhummel.com/hummel_bird.htm

 

Seems to be quite a "simple" build from what i have found so far, fair bit of suport from the designers from the looks of it, decent cruise and performance and sporty looks

 

This will be my first build and i dont really know much about builds but, i am builder and have done a few cars so i hope it is a matter of adjusting my skills

 

Keen to hear any thoughts or advice from people and im sure that when the plans arrive and the build starts ill have a million questions but i am trying to learn as much as i can on the net before they arive

 

Cheers

 

 

Good luck on your Hummel. I've taken a big interest in them since one came for sale near me. Sits on a trailer with wings folded in the air. No hanger needed. Was a very tight squeeze to fit in length wise. Hope they were made in different lenghts.

 

 

[flyvulcan]

The Hummel construction technique is very easy, once you have the hang of basic metalworking. I have a set of HB plans and Teenie 2 plans that I used as a basis for a project I worked on a long time ago. I really enjoyed the build process. It was very simple. Mind you, at the start, I would look at a piece for a few hours to try to work out how to build it. After a while, I could look at a piece on my plans and straight away know how to do it.

 

Here's a pic of my project:

 

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

 

PS It never got finished as it was supposed to be a BF109 replica but after I got half way through the build, I decided that I wanted any replica that I built to look more accurate than the one that I was working on, so I ended up considering this project a learning experience in working with metal.

 

 

[ben87r]

Cheers FV! I have been going through the plans over the last few days( Yes they arrived this time but the construction DVD still never came) and the build process seems less complicated then what i was thinking and i think with a few weeks going over the plans to get my head around it all i would be comfortable enough to start. The CX4 plans are yet to arrive so i haven't had any comparison but look forward to them arriving. The extra cost is what is holding me back from the cx4 and without that i think my choice would be made

 

 

[Litespeed]

Dave,

 

Does that mean you have a half done hummel available?

 

Or is it a gate guardian?

 

Phil

 

 

[flyvulcan]

Hi Phil,

 

My BF109 was a totally new design that incorporated design features from both the HB and T2. I "designed" it myself. With the need for an interstate move at the time, I donated the airframe that I had completed to the local sport aircraft club in case any members wanted to finish it as a static display for kids (big and small) to sit in and make noises when the club held its' fly-ins. I don't actually know what came of it...

 

I still have the HB and T2 plans.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

 

 

[flyvulcan]

PS Here's another view of my project:

 

 

I had completed the undercarriage, outer wing spars, rear spars, ribs, vertical stab ribs and skin so it was progressing quite well at the time...

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

 

 

[Litespeed]

bugger- you are too generous.

 

Mind you, If it was donated to me, the view would change to what a great bloke you are.

 

Good luck with the Jet- remember I am still available as flight ballast.

 

Phil

 

 

[flyvulcan]

Thanks Phil, your ballast request has been retained on file!

 

Actually, the Komet is to receive a flurry of work on it over the next 6 months. The wings should be finished within 3 months and I have a big build session organised for when I am back in Oz in Nov/Dec where we hope to make big progress on the fuselage. I have been shopping for goodies and now have a Dynon D10a, a pitot static system, rudder pedals, brakes, hardware etc. in anticipation of the build.

 

Dave

 

 

[Litespeed]

Sounds great, I look forward to updates.

 

Shopping is always nice for such things, much better than clothes and crap.

 

 

[ben87r]

I now have my hands on both sets of plans (the correct ones), although the DVD still hasn't arrived from Hummel I have gone over the plans and manual for it and all seems well explained in a step by step kind of way so i would feel comfortable enough building it. I have had a brief look over the CX4's plans and have found them, well, confusing. There is allot of colour photos throughout the builders manual but seems to lack "method", but like its only been brief. For example, the spar and wing construction is listed on the first two pages of the manual and isn't to much more descriptive then " the wing spar and center section spar are clamped, drilled and set for the 7" dihedral" then starts with fitting the ribs.

 

I haven't ruled out it yet but at this stage the hummel plans are much better written and drawn, but i do prefer the CX4 as an AC.

 

If anyone has built a CX that can give me some info or feedback would be great

 

AGGGH! Decisions

 

 

[ruffasguts]

no decision build a CX4