Little Wing Booster Progress....

Hi Rick, i think you checked Barnstormers about the same time my ad ran out.
Its reposted by my son. Search : Little Wing
Have a good day, Fred
 
Little Wing sold

Little Wing sold

Hi guys, ive sold my Little Wing to a guy from La. down south on the gulf coast. Im still working on my tail dragger tractor project almost every day.
I was able to trailer it to Carolina Barnstormers meet in Qctober where I did the hang test and run the engine for the first time. Had a few problems which ive already fixed.
I hope to get my airworthiness inspection in Feb. if I can quit changing things!
So how are your projects going? Fred from Virginia
 
Hi;
I'm new to the group, just sent my check to Ron Herron for Little Wing plans. I'm looking to resurrect this thread.
I know I'm late for the party, but I'm here nonetheless. I've built a VAN's RV-8 and powered it's first 16 hours of flight with a Mazda Turbo Rotary that I built up.
I'm ready to learn aircraft quality welding and take on the low speed end of the flight spectrum. I'm very interested in the LW-5, which I intend to build with few to no alterations.
I want to get into Autogyro flight with the highest possibility for success. Later craftiness could lead to jump take-off and DeGraw stuff, but for now, I'm drawn to the LW-5 as designed.
We also have ultralight fliers, hang gliders, antique restorers, Cessna 170's and Competition Aerobatic pilots on our airpark. This will be interesting, especially with the rural mountain and valley flight possibilities for a low and slow flier that could take some cross winds and drafts...
 
Welcome to the Rotary Wing Forum Scott,

There is a lot to learn and a lot of fun to be had.

I look forward to following your progress.
 
While waiting on the Little Wing plans, I practiced some GTAW (TIG) welding today.
Only stuck the Tungsten once! Ugly! But I got good penetration and an acceptable amount of fill.
I'll be able to do this!
 
Glad you are making progress Scott.

The frame is nicely trussed and several welds could fail without causing a flight critical structural failure.

The clusters will be the challenge and welding upside down.

As I recall Ron gas welded his first Little Wing frames.
 
The Little Wing prints and plans arrived today. The plans provide information on Ron's Ultra pup, LW-2, LW-3 LW-2+2, LW-4 & LW-5. They are kinda jumbled up in the spiral bound 8-1/2"x14" book of 189 pages. There are lots of drawings and pictures. Also 4 large print sets of the fuselage tubing weldaments for the different models. The 2 place long version has a very good print set.
I don't understand the rotor system very well. There are Morse cable control systems and push rod systems, which I think are intended for the single seat craft. There is no 'Assembly Manual' but the book has lots of notes with the drawings and photos. There is also an addenda for updates and corrections.
This is going to be a pretty complex job. I'll be ordering 4130 steel and building the welding table soon...
 
Good Afternoon,

I have been extremely interested in the Little Wing 5 Gyro for a two place project. I am curious if the gentleman who started this thread are still building their projects in Northen Indiana? I am interested in purchasing one of the LW5 pre-welded frames and whatever else I am able to get from Ron however am lost as to what I would need in order to complete this project. I know what the website says you will need but I am curious as to what most builders are using for this project. I would like to design and build this project as I think it will give me excellent insight into proper gyro design and building. I have been interested in a tube frame style chassis project and would love to learn fabric/dope technics! I like the inherent stability of the tractor style gyros and really like the Retro look of the Little Wing! I have always been fond of the Piper Cub as well and would love to paint mine accordingly! I would love to mount a Rotec or alternatively a Verner radial engine on the front. I would be interested in some further insight from builders of this project on what they are using! I know this will be a challenging project that will take some time however feel that I am up for the challenge! I am very fortunate to have a local gyro guru who is also a DAR in my EAA chapter. I have plenty of local support on the project but would love to get involved with the 3 projects being worked on in Valparaiso! I hope this project is still ongoing however realize that almost three years has passed! I look forward to hearing from you and hope that your project is still going strong!

SHIPCHIEF,

I completely admire what you are doing my friend and hope your project is going smoothly! I don’t know if I have what it takes to build this project from the plans and admire you for doing so! I am curious what you have planned for your project and what engine/equipment you plan on using? I would love to hear more about your project and what you have planned! I am hoping to purchase a welded frame from Ron and hope he still offers these services! I look forward to hearing from you about your new Little Wing project and greatly appreciate your time!

Best Regards,

Nicholas Dawson
 
Good Afternoon,

I have been extremely interested in the Little Wing 5 Gyro for a two place project. I am curious if the gentleman who started this thread are still building their projects in Northen Indiana? I am interested in purchasing one of the LW5 pre-welded frames and whatever else I am able to get from Ron however am lost as to what I would need in order to complete this project. I know what the website says you will need but I am curious as to what most builders are using for this project. I would like to design and build this project as I think it will give me excellent insight into proper gyro design and building. I have been interested in a tube frame style chassis project and would love to learn fabric/dope technics! I like the inherent stability of the tractor style gyros and really like the Retro look of the Little Wing! I have always been fond of the Piper Cub as well and would love to paint mine accordingly! I would love to mount a Rotec or alternatively a Verner radial engine on the front. I would be interested in some further insight from builders of this project on what they are using! I know this will be a challenging project that will take some time however feel that I am up for the challenge! I am very fortunate to have a local gyro guru who is also a DAR in my EAA chapter. I have plenty of local support on the project but would love to get involved with the 3 projects being worked on in Valparaiso! I hope this project is still ongoing however realize that almost three years has passed! I look forward to hearing from you and hope that your project is still going strong!

SHIPCHIEF,

I completely admire what you are doing my friend and hope your project is going smoothly! I don’t know if I have what it takes to build this project from the plans and admire you for doing so! I am curious what you have planned for your project and what engine/equipment you plan on using? I would love to hear more about your project and what you have planned! I am hoping to purchase a welded frame from Ron and hope he still offers these services! I look forward to hearing from you about your new Little Wing project and greatly appreciate your time!

Best Regards,

Nicholas Dawson
Are you still looking to build?
 
Just wanted to share that my father Fred Perdue past away in May 2019. I still have his own design for a tractor gyro and one day hope to fly it myself.

Regards,
Michael Perdue

sorry to hear about your dad. I lost mine this year. I know its tough.

i saw his LW3 for sale on here by the guy in LA who bought it. It was a really old ad. I reached out to him to see if he still had it but it had sold already. I would have bought it in a heartbeat for $13,000 he sold it for. Maybe i can track down the current owner and see if he wants to sell it. Itwould save me a ton of time in trying to build one.
 
Just wanted to share that my father Fred Perdue past away in May 2019. I still have his own design for a tractor gyro and one day hope to fly it myself.

Regards,
Michael Perdue
I'm so saddened to learn of your father's passing. He will be missed!
 
I am sure you know about the Chassis shop not too far from you, for Chrome alloy tubing. The last time I bought there, they had a well-stocked Warehouse.
Tony
 
My father few the LW-3 quite a bit and enjoyed it much. The only reason he sold it was because he wanted to build and fly his own design which he did before his passing.

I heard my fathers LW-3 I down to south and then was modified with new rotors and prop and the owner was never satisfied with the performance and sold it. The next owner was said to have damaged/crashed after a wield let loose on a control arm. It heard it was rebuilt but I never heard anything more about it or seen any more video's. I had a little disagreement with another gyro pilot who felt the flaw in the wield was done by my father. I know my fathers work and I know that any wields were done by a professional that was very experienced and inspected by my father. My father was a former cfi helicopter, built his own ultralights, we rebuilt quite a few together and sold them. I think something was modified later. But we'll never know.

I have fully assmbled and ground tested his last build but I have not tried to fly it. With a 2 year old and my 17 year old about to head to college in a few months I simply haven't had the funds to get the training. Though I would love too. I am planning to trailer the gryo down to the spring Carolina barnstormers meet this year.
 
Hey guys.... This is a thread I put together for my build. I have asked before not to post non related chatter that is a divergent topic. Please start a new thread to show photos or talk about your specific project or interests as this clearly is off topic for this particular thread. It is really easy to start your new post and will make it easy for anyone that is searching old posts relating to the subject matter listed as the thread topic in the future. I would like to see all photos of other builds but please, This thread is about MY project and what I have learned and experienced on my path for reference and to share it for others that may be interested in following.

By the way, I am building my pole barn for the 3 little wings. It is a 34 x 58 pole barn with scissor trusses so that maybe I can put in an upstairs. We have doors at both gable ends and 3 doors on the side so that we will be able to wheel the aircrafts out of bay like stations. It has been a long time coming but I can't get the other two done without making some room to finish them and protect them from the weather. It has been a huge project getting it done. I went into the deep of weather putting the roof on and the metal for the sides has been ordered..... just waiting for it to come in. This will be the place we will finish them and store them. We are excited that we can think about putting the floats on......

I don't come here often, just as I have news on the progress on my project. Here are photos I have taken during this winter and also of the floats and planes which were taken where this barn is now being put. I had 24 inch holes drilled for posts and then brought in and mixed two pallets of concrete to set the posts. Learned about using a transit, Palm hammers, using strings, climbing up and down ladders repeatedly, rat runs, perlins and girts. Didn't really seem to have much to do with flying but when I started experimenting with building my own hanger doors.... I started to see the connection with flying and remembered why I was doing all this...... sure seems like a lot of work just wanting to fly. Oh well, I am getting there, albeit getting old too......
 

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