>>suggest just moving the existing lower cowling ramped outlet forward (2-3
inches?), this should allow much improved flow and still exit the air into the
dirty area around the landing gear.
I had thought of doing just that. I'm still concerned about the large
inlet/small outlet. Ivan says "don't forget that the radiator reduces the
effective area somewhat" Must try and measure how much.Or guess. My biggest
concern, though is that the front of the cowl is rather blunt and must be
adversely affecting the prop. My plan is to design a completely new cooling
cowling system. After all for the 80 hp we get at the prop shaft 160 or more
goes into the cooling. It would be nice to get some of it back, Mustangs and
Spitfires used to, why not us? That is one of the advantages of liquid cooling.
First priority is to fly, so we will stay with the standard for now. We should
be ready within a week or so. Give or take a few days stolen by other
priorities.
PS- Do you have any idea on why no customer planes have flown yet?
Don't think anyone realised just how big a job it is to build an aircraft. At
this stage of the process there are a 100 small jobs. Each takes half or a whole
day or more. When it's your own bird you're building you want to do it right, so
you perhaps do quite a bit of "redesign and improve". Or just take a lot more
care to achieve perfection. However the birds are about to start hatching, Peter
Kember in Kent, a guy in Ireland, one in Germany and ours in Derbyshire. Could
well be six flying by Christmas.
I developed an neater way of making the wing root fillets and made moulds so I
can repeat and supply premoulded components. I also made phenolic firewall parts
for the exposed undercarriage bay. I will be offering both to builders, which
will save about two days work and give a better result. At least I hope it's
going to be better. We'll know soon :-}
Graham
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