I added bulkheads to all of my wheel fairings to reduce the volume of exposed space inside the fairings. I was strictly interested in increased speed. The modification slowed the airplane and the lost speed was restored when I removed the bulkheads. I made the bulkheads out of slices of blue foam them covered the exposed face with fiberglass. My theory is that the approximately 1" greater radius than the tire surface provided a duct for air to enter the rear travel around the tires and back out into the slipstream. I only added one bulkhead in the nose fairing because of the configuration of the fork in the nose cap but two were in the mains. Now all fairings are back to the original bulkheadless configuration. After that failed experiment I developed a subfairing for the nose wheel and testing indicates an increase in speed.
Bob Axsom
Last edited by Bob Axsom : 03-28-2008 at 06:13 PM.
Reason: Typo
I have a lot of file folders and good intentions but I have to sit down and reconstruct the history. I do have an hand written builder's log that has now extended into the second volume and a corresponding photo album that is over 9 inches thick with six photos on each side of each page. I have many pages of flight test results in file folders as well so I think I can do a valid job of reconstructing the story but I have not done it yet. The flight test data will be the tough part because it is hand written on knee board sheets and the format is not consistent - lot of work there along with the potential for misinterpretation. I was really looking forward to the race at Taylor Texas tomorrow to validate the speed gains but the weather is IMC and my Attitude Indicator failed YESTERDAY! Now I have to look forward to Texoma on the 19th of April.
Nose pant bulkhead
Linear Mode
