1/5.5 Dornier Do335

[Bob Thompson1894]

thats just stunning.....

[Alan Cantwell 1131]

Ive come over all giddy, beautiful Phil, that little matter of the small job i did on this model for you, Have it on me, including the post, ive enjoyed this build so much, it would be crass to ask for money

[Phil Clark]

Thank you Alan......you're a gent

[Dave Parry]

What a thing of beauty, Phil, I have followed this thread all the way and I have to say your talent and skill is second to none.

[Phil Clark]

Thanks all for your kind comments......much appreciated.

The Powerbox 'SRS' has been set-up today so 1st engine runs are planned for tomorrow..........baring any problems, she should be moving under her own power at Longhorsley on Sunday.

[Phil Clark]

Yesterdays outing with the 335 at Longhorsley was 'almost' completely successful....apart from a troublesome rear Zenoah 45 which was refusing to do anything apart from idle. I suspect a blockage in the carb as needle setting are having little if any effect. Apart from that, everything went to plan. Front engine now running very well; we're on a 30:1 oil mix still running a little rich and we're already seeing 6,200rpm on an Engel 26" x 12" carbon prop, with a steady idle just below 2,000. Ground handling is good, as would be expected with such a wide track gear, but she does have a tendency to bounce a little on the nose strut when going over the odd bump at low speed. This disappears as speed builds.......the high thrust line pushing the wheel onto the deck. No other problems were encountered, so once the rear engine is sorted, we'll be back out for another session before final over 20kg sign off. Even with just the front engine running, acceleration is brisk.......no concerns she'd fly happily on the front engine alone.

......and the good news from today is that the troublesome 45 is now running like a swiss watch. The carb was initially removed, stripped and nothing found, so there was no option but to take the engine out and investigate further. All carb bend gaskets were correctly orientated so all diaphragm pressure port holes lined up. The Easy Start sensor was correctly wired but the flywheel/magneto gap was a little large, so this was closed up. The engine was then put on a test stand, fuelled, primed and was running with a dozen flicks. High & low needles were set at 1 1/4 on the High & 3/4 on the low and that was that......all is well, so I can only put yesterdays problems down to an excessive magneto gap, hence a weak spark preventing the engine from running at anything other than a rough idle.

Tomorrow will have everything re-installed and we'll try again.

[Alan Cantwell 1131]

She looks stunning, well done Phil, whoes doing the test flight? And were?

[Phil Clark]

The client has now decided he's asking too much to burden us with test flying duties, so he's decided he'll be doing it himself once the model is back in Norway.

The troublesome 45 was reinstalled yesterday & is now running well in the model.......we've done a number of starts with both engines running today and the power this thing is developing is uhhh.........PLENTY!!!!........the noise is also rather unusual with 2 different engines, on different brand mufflers with different sized props running at different rpm's.......

I expect it'll be crated up within the next 2-3 weeks but I do plan a final trip to my local club for more running & a taxi with both engines running.......so I'll do my best to get some video footage.

Phil

[Cary Bailey]

Don't taxi too quickly as she might take to the air!!
Fantastic engineering Phil!
Cary

[Bob Thompson1894]

Do you have a sense of trepidation not test flying it Phil? Leaving it to someone else who may crash it and blame the builder? I dont think I would sleep til that was over! A great achievement though.

[Phil Clark]

In 9 years of building commercially, we've never test flown one of projects, this would have been the 1st. Before handing any project over, we have a suitably worded document that has to be signed by all parties that clearly states the 'pilot/owner' now has full responcibility for the model, it's servicing/upkeep & it's flying & we as builders have done all we can to make the model as safe/reliable as we can so are no longer responsible for the model. I always like to spend a day or two with a client showing them round the model and giving them the opportunity to ask whatever they want about the build, installation etc......we also always demonstrate the model 'running' infront of them. If you think about it, what 'owner' in their right mind would have us spend 12-18 months on a complex project like this, pay all the associated cost then just take it to the field & fly it without wanting to know exactly whats inside, how it's been done, and generally how to look after it etc.......Every client to date has walked away happy......it now looks like I will be accompanying the 335 over to Norway so I'll get the chance to go over it with it's owner as well. I fully appreciate things can turn round & bit us at any time, but to date, everything we have built has flown & flow well.......but 'apprehension'.......yes, a little, who wouldn't be!!

Phil

[Phil Clark]

Engines running......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciZLnBT2_tU

[Phil Clark]

Taxiing with both engines now running well.................didn't get carried away on throttle as the local club strip isn't the biggest and she's off like a scolded cat with both engines on song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhG4nBW3-DM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slJG5d6bVBM

....so.....that's us about done. The packing crate is built & she due to collection by the shipping company on Friday morning.

[Phil Clark]

Test flying isn't planned until the spring.......so until then.......thanks for watching.

Phil

[Dave Wilshere]

One of my favourite aeroplanes, fabulous work. Even the shipping box is a work of art!

Something to be proud of, hope the shipping company understand the responsibility they have carrying something that is not just paid for in money.

Dw

[Phil Clark]

Thanks Dave

Thankfully, we're using a very small shipping company and the crate will be loaded here and not touched again until it's unloaded out of the same vehicle at the clients end......I hate the though of using big carriers who'll unload it from one lorry to anther + in & out of several warehouses along route giving endless opportunities to 'screw it up'.............

Phil

[Phil Clark]

Bye bye Dornier.......shipping crate left last Friday.