For tri-gear builders shopping for such, I now have a couple MF-8
fairings from Aircraft Spruce and can provide details about them.
They're cheap, but appear rugged. The MF-8 size are a bit larger than
needed for 5.00 x 5's, but maybe aesthetically better as small
fairings I think look odd. Widthwise, the brake caliper fits inside
easily. A little over 4 lbs. each, with obvious excess resin in the
fabrication. If you rubber shock mount them, appears they'll need a
little weight in the nose for balance to prevent possible flutter.
They are polyester resin, with a generous gelcoat that does little
good. The seam needs much cleanup with SuperFil or such, and the coat
has pockmarks and "crow feet," easiest to fix by just sanding away
much the heavy gelcoat. It has one bulkhead, to rear of tire. They
are very solid, except the sides where attach fittings will go do flex
a bit (they take aerodynamic beating to extent there's any propwash
out there). Rather than reinforce inside, I noted they're flat on
each side in area of tire. The overall shape appears to mimic a
laminar flow shape, but with the flats, I doubt they are. So I just
added filler, topped with 1 oz. finishing cloth and finish filler, to
round them out. Doesn't flex now and I might have reduced drag. IOW,
they're OK, affordable, but need work.
I don't have a nose fairing yet, undecided due to the large fork that
will take surgery no matter what, unless you go way big on size. I
visited the Titan Aircraft plant here the other day, and they had big
dusty box of assorted fairings, in the smaller sizes, remnants from
years of R & D. They said bring fork, pick, and make a deal. An
offer I can't refuse!
Hope this is of some use....
Regards,
Fred F., A063
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