Stabilizer halves assembled and trim acuator and linkage installed. Elevator structure completed-no covering yet. Cabane struts built and attached to fuselage. Center section of upper wing (sits on cabane struts) being assembled with all attaching brackets installed. There are 14 separate brackets - eight of which must mate with the outer wing halves so precision drilling is called for. I'm using 3/8 clevis pins (4) to hold upper wing panels. Nothing new to report on the 408 CID engine but if anyone has ideas or suggestions for electronic ignition or fuel injecting a seven cylinder radial I'm listening.

The upper, aft fuselage is covered and two applications of Poly-brush applied. The elevators were stiffened and are now covered and coated. Dual elevator horns were installed based on a suggestion by Jimmie Helms. I wired the fin to accept a flashing Halogen beacon.It has been mounted on its own little pedestal. The "inverted" stab trim has been corrected and finalized. I am making serious drawings of landing gear now.

The welded structure of the landing gear for the F4B-4 is now finished. I am buying the springs. The machined parts have been done for weeks. My calculations indicate that a landing of 1.53 g's is maximum-and that means both tires down evenly. One tire limits the g's to 1.3. Will someone comment on the appropriateness of these values?
The fuel tank and the oil tanks are drawn. I have a welder in tow so as soon as the material is purchased the tanks will be started. Unless someone has a 48 by 72 inch sheet of .030 5052-H32 Aluminum or similar (6061?) they want to get rid of.

Mounted the tail wheel a couple of weeks ago and began sliding ribs onto the left, lower wing spars today. I received a new planer for my December birthday and just set it up. The lower wing spars are .625 thick which, of course are made from "one" inch boards. The upper spars are three-quarters thick. The lower center section will go on as soon as the rudder cables are permanently cinched. The next big job is to find more space in the shop to attach the wing. 2,400 squared feet and no room.

The lower left wing for the Boeing F4B-4 is nearly complete. The wing tip is being assembled. By next week, I'll start the right wing (so I don't forget how I built the left wing). The wing has a sprocket and cam to drive the upper wing aileron push rod. The chain and cables are attached. The "N" strut and landing wire brackets are mounted and protrude through plywood to facilitate covering. I have gone back into the fuselage to support the cantilevered pulley brackets for both the elevator and rudder systems. Kent convinced me more support was necessary.

The F4B-4 has moved along smoothly. Lower wings are done, each weights about 30 pounds. An upper wing has been started and aileron design is progressing. Several design approaches have been considered and a simple upper surface hinge (piano ?) selected. Soon I will need the rods or cables for the landing wires. 3/16 wires are planned and 10-32 threads at the end fittings with appropriate threads. Sources for thread rolling-both left and right- would be nice. Anyone know where I might go? I can cut the threads if I must but rolling is better.
I now believe the Boeing will not need 408 cubic inches and so am considering a 5 cylinder using the M14-P cylinders. 300 cubes result from the change.  I am really asking whether any of the chapter members think I it would right to change or should I continue with the seven cylinder, 408 CID engine?

Both lower wings are structurally complete. The upper LH wing panel needs the LE shapped and some sanding on the wing tip. I'll start the RH panel by completing one full sized rib and eight aileron ribs. I am planning the landing wire and flying wire fabrication and the fittings that attach them. I have 10-32 RH and LH taps and dies so the wires can be used for adjustment. I plan to use piano wire for the initial set up of the lower wings, this should happen in the next couple of weeks.

The boeing has four completed wing panels. three are covered and two of the three are sealed with one coat of Poly-brush. I have started to make fittings for the landing and flying wires. Forecast: I will go back to work on the engine during July.

The latest news about the Boeing F4B-4 is all four wing panels are FINISHED. that means they are rib-stitched and coated with Poly-brush. The aileron control fittings are being assembled and installed-at least for the righ hand side (I haven't figured out how to assemble the left had side yet). The ailerons are fitted and positioning mechanism has been tested for the RH side. On-the-ground stick loads are about what I expected to push the aileron to the up position.

Final yellow is on the upper wings. the lower wings are done in Nevada silver. The meutrality stars are being masked onto the wings as I write.They are 33.5 inches in diameter and this is 80%. I have gone back to work on the engine-it is now 363 CID and used either M14P or Continental 0-300 cylinders. I calculate the HP at 135 due to lower RPM but larger stroke. I have designed a cam gearing arrangement that is better than the previous one which will be useable on either set of cylinders. (For what it is worth: the M14P and the 0-300 have the same cylinder bore of 4.0625 inches. You can put more stroke into the Russian than the Continental by a half inch.)

Boeing F4B-4