I hauled home a real WWII Airplane

This plane has a framework (aluminum) under the floors that is pretty strong already. There is about a 2ft-3ft space under the floors that luggage used to be stored in. My thoughts as of right now, are to open up the cargo doors, pull up the plywood floors and make a steel tubular frame that will be attached to the aluminum frame along the entire length of the fuselage. The frame would have to only be super strong where the axles attach because the fuselage is so tough on its on.

 

As far as the rear axle goes-- I want the rear axle to be as close to 8ft6 as possible. I think the only way to achieve that will be to use an independent rear suspension system that I greatly widen and most likely make my own A arms so that they match the aircraft look because they are going to be exposed. The airplane is only about 5ft6in wide or so.

 

Do you any of you have any ideas as to how I should build this rear suspension?

 

ok i gotta say it , there is something wrong with you, in a good way..cant wait to see the progress

 

Rear suspension? mmmmm...bags? I'm just thinking of weight here...

I'll be subscribing to this one!!!

 

Why not use some kind of landing gear from a plane for the rear suspension?

 

Verry Interesting

 

Wild!

 

Man the stuff you can see on here. I bought some stuff from you at canton swap meet a de icer tank and some other stuff Man I dont know what its gonna weight but maybe a hummer rear end there independant and realy wide !

 

My new hero... watching this one. Gary

 

If I remember correct, early Metro step vans had an IRS similar to Corvette. Not sure of the weight rating but probably at least one ton.

 

I will do some research on the Metro van rear ends. I'm not 100% married to having an independent rear end. I would love to have a heavy Dana70 axle, but I have never heard of any thing wide enough and I don't know of how one could be widened. I guess that I could always use a dually rear axle and just run the outside wheels to keep it wide. But that wheels would look pretty stupid I think.

 

Got to be the most whacked out thing I've ever seen! I LOVE IT!!

Just a thought, but what about a chassis out from one of these?
GM motohome, FWD with 455. Change wheelbase length easy in either direction. Air bags on the rear axles. Easy enough to kick the frame out and widen the axles.

PS: Sell me your locomotive!! Is it live steam?

 

The locomotive is actually a narrowed Farmall Cub tractor that I built a locomotive boiler over. That is another major project that I have been slowly working on for 5 years now. Not one piece of it is store bought. It is entirely made of found objects out of salvage yards. The boiler is made of several well water tanks tanks. The locomotive needs to be another entire build thread by itself.

 

building a motor home from an airplane and posting pics are two different skill sets. just because you can do one doesnt meen you can do the other.

 

I think the max "road width" for most vehicles (without permits) is 8 feet? How wide overall would this thing be going down the road?




Tom

 

It would be as close as 8ft 6 inches as possible. That is the legal limit here in Texas. The reason I need the rear to be so wide is to give this thing some form of stability. It could be a little under that, but I would like it to be as wide as possible. The fuselage itself is only about 5-1/2 ft wide.

 

Wow, this will be crazy if you can make it happen. Just so happens I'm currently restoring the real bomber version of that airframe, the Lockheed Hudson. This aircraft was converted post war for geo survey, and all the military fit out removed. Our job is to refitt it all.....



Upper turret restored....



And all the structure to support the upper turret in the rear of the airframe has been reproduced from some original parts, and bluprints....







Let me know if there is anything you need info or measurement wise, and I'll see if I can help.

 

I forgot all about the Hudson bombers. Wow that is neat to see one being redone. I knew that there was only one Hudson flying in the world, I guess now there will be two! Fantastic!

 

All I can say is... WOW !!!

 

On semi trailers we run a wide single tire, the X One by Michelin you never feel it being top heavy but then you would need a single axel rear end from a big truck. It could be on air or springs and all the brakes you'll ever need.

 

Blastolene Decoliner sets the standard (what would you expect when money is no object) also built on a GM motohome, FWD chassis

 

wow i saw a motor home done with an old bomber back in 1980, just a day before the lake placis olympics started . it was comming over the mt in the opp lane could not believe what i was seeing. 1980 winter olymipcs lake placid ny . maybe some one knows about this one. was sure cool

 

I saw the Blastolene Decoliner at the LBC Autorama last year and was amazed! Very excited to see this one come along.

 

Can't wait to see this one sitting on a chassis.

 

x2:d

 

Wait until you hear what I fabbed up today. Took a piece of re-bar put it in the vice, heated it up and pounded it with a hammer! psssst please! All you guys are doing is fabbing aircraft parts! Thats weak!

 

What's the N number?

 

this is amazing!!! can't wait to see the build pics!

 

It WAS N43WT, but that registration was cnxld in 2005 and has since been re-issued to a Mooney in Maryland. DD