Pedal plane project

**Never Miss** · 11-09-2014 16:35

This weekend I finally started on a project that I've been planning for some time, a P-51 pedal plane! I'm building it using plans and kits from here: http://www.pedalplanekits.com/

Parts laid out in the garage.

Pedal Plane-9225 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Fuselage sides.

Pedal Plane-9226 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Some of the plans.

Pedal Plane-9228 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

One of the first steps is building a jig to bend the fuselage over, as seen here. I completed the jig and some necessary cuts to the fuselage yesterday.

Pedal Plane-9229 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Today it was time to bend the fuselage.

Pedal Plane-9230 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Pedal Plane-9231 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

The future pilot is assisting with the build.

Pedal Plane-9234 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Steaming away.

Pedal Plane-9247 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Success!

Pedal Plane-9250 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

I'll update this thread as the build progresses!

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 11-10-2014 02:13

Great start to your project Ryan.
I will follow your progress with interest.
Rob.

**FarEast** · 11-10-2014 03:02

Ryan, slightly different pedal plane but here in Japan they have an annual event on Japans largest lake - the super-microlights are just incredible and built by kids at technical colleges and Uni's.

I will also be following this with great interest and rooting for your success here in Japan!

**Naharaht** · 11-10-2014 08:14

I hope that yours flies even better than that Japanese one, Ryan.

**OldGuy59** · 11-10-2014 09:14

Ryan,
Great looking so far.

I suspect a card for this would be a bit expensive to print, and difficult to handle. Besides getting the plane on the table?

But, we could arrange for maneuver cards and bits for an upscale game, using a gymnasium or basketball court for a playing area?

**Never Miss** · 11-10-2014 09:35

Originally Posted by OldGuy59

Ryan,
Great looking so far.

I suspect a card for this would be a bit expensive to print, and difficult to handle. Besides getting the plane on the table?

But, we could arrange for maneuver cards and bits for an upscale game, using a gymnasium or basketball court for a playing area?

I like the way you think, someone start working on a Fw 190!

**OldGuy59** · 11-10-2014 09:41

Post a top-down photo of the plane, and I'll get to work!

**Never Miss** · 11-10-2014 19:46

More progress today. Spent some time sanding the wing, elevator, rudder, and lower fuselage edges to shape.

Pedal Plane-9256 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Then I got the tail assembly glued up.

Pedal Plane-9252 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

The bulk of the project is made from 3/8" ply, but a number of areas are doubled up for reinforcement. Those areas and parts are further reinforced by driving 1/2" dowels through them, so I spent some time cutting and gluing in the pegs.

Pedal Plane-9254 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

The last thing I did today was to assemble the fuselage for fit, there are a few screws holding the aft section together and the clamps on the nose. The wing was just slotted in for looks. The fit was good and within tolerances so tomorrow I should be able to get the fuselage all glued up. You can see a bunch of the pegs installed above the wing in this photo.

Pedal Plane-9261 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

**gully_raker** · 11-10-2014 19:53

Now that is looking good!

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 11-11-2014 00:49

I was most impressed by your steam bending method technique, and that both sides then married up so well.
Getting two identical bends without formers is to be applauded Ryan.
Rob.

**Never Miss** · 11-17-2014 19:38

Time for another update. Last Tuesday I glued the fuselage together as I had planned. On Wednesday my long weekend was over and it was time to go back to the office so work on the plane slowed down. I spent some time in the evenings getting the nose fitted and filed into shape. It still needs some work on the inside corners and a final sanding but it's mostly there.

I took this after flipping the plane upside down to work on the underside.

Pedal Plane-9265 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Got the rear gear door in place, this is where the tail wheel will eventually be mounted.

Pedal Plane-9262 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

This bracket is mounted inside the fuselage and helps support the steering linkage.

Pedal Plane-9263 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Fuselage doubler at the simulated air scoop being glued in place.

Pedal Plane-9264 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

I also did some work prepping some of the components for the seat/wing/landing gear assembly that all gets built as one unit and then attached to the fuselage. I'm hoping to chip away at that during the evenings this week and finish that part off by this weekend.

**Teaticket** · 11-17-2014 21:02

Wow, this is quite a project.

**Doug** · 11-17-2014 23:38

Very well done, shall look forward to seeing the finished project

**Archidamus** · 11-17-2014 23:39

Making some great progress there Ryan

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 11-18-2014 00:02

Yes Ryan.
Coming along very nicely. I am enjoying every picture in the construction process.
Rob.

**flash** · 11-18-2014 01:23

Great skills Ryan, really coming together.

**Never Miss** · 11-18-2014 08:49

Thanks for the kind words everyone, it's been a very entertaining project so far. It's nice to know some of you are enjoying following the progress.

**Never Miss** · 08-26-2017 20:17

Hi everyone! Haven't posted on here in a few years but I wanted to drop in and give an update on this project. I haven't been able to play much WoG lately either but my son turned 6 this summer and is finally old enough where he's starting to get interested in it so I'm hoping to have more opportunities to play in the future. Shortly after the last time I posted here on the project I ran into a snag with some holes in some of the metal work that needed to be re-drilled. Not having been in our house very long at the time I didn't have a drill press set up so things got shelved for a little while. There wasn't much urgency because after test fitting some of the parts it became clear that at three-years old my son wasn't really up to pedaling the plane at that point anyway.

I finally got the part drilled and made some minor progress on the project toward the end of 2015. Ideally I would have finished the project in early 2016 prior to my son turning 5, but we had a new baby girl in January that year and so things got sidelined again. I did get back to it toward the end of summer and got it about 95% assembled, minus some of the trim pieces and metal cowling, so my son was able to pedal it around some in bare wood. I set a goal to have it painted and assembled for my son to pedal it in our local Memorial Day parade this year so around April I tore it down to start painting. After quite a few coats of paint I had to reassemble the wings to the fuselage, reinstall the gear and steering linkage, install the windscreen and frame, reconnect the prop spinner to the pedals, fit the metal cowling pieces, do a lot of touch up paint everywhere that I slipped while screwing pieces back together, and place decals. The last two weeks before the parade were a bit crazy but I put the last decal on around 11:00 PM the night before, and it was ready to go. On parade day it almost looked like we were going to get rained out, but it turned into a light drizzle and then stopped just as we went to get lined up. Unfortunately, with the crush to get things done at the end I wasn't documenting it every step of the way like I was when I first started, but I do have some shots of the finished product.

These are from the evening of the parade.

Pedal Plane-6048 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Pedal Plane-6062 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

Prop blur!

Pedal Plane_2425 by Shadow Hills Photography, on Flickr

The plane was a big hit and my son had a great time. The parade judges awarded him a prize, which came with $50. He thought he had struck it rich!

**flash** · 08-26-2017 23:56

That looks superb Ryan, well done; your son looks the part in his jacket and glasses too.

I suppose by the time his little sister can pedal it he'll be in a Lightning, or, something.....?!

**Stumptonian** · 08-27-2017 00:06

Fantastic!

I didn't realize this post started 3 years ago and was thinking I would watch the progress all the way.
Cut to the present day and the finished product.

All I can say is Wow! - my grandson would sure love one like that. Unfortunately for him, I am no carpenter ...
(The Sopwith Camel, Dr.1 and Spit/Hurri/Me109s I got him from the RAF museum will have to suffice.)

**Teaticket** · 08-27-2017 07:32

Fantastic. With your son at the stick it surely looks like he has the right stuff!

**Never Miss** · 08-27-2017 11:26

Originally Posted by flash

I suppose by the time his little sister can pedal it he'll be in a Lightning, or, something.....?!

Unfortunately for him, he's joined the world's only backwards airforce. By the time his sister is ready to fly it he'll have lost his commission and been demoted to ground crew. Unless I decide to upscale the plans and make one big enough that I could pedal it too...