With all the fabric work done it was time to paint the plane. Because of the problems with the Blue fading on the bird paint job Dad decided to use automotive lacquer for this paint job. In hind sight I would recommend just using dope so it can be rejuvenated every 5 years or so. After 40 years the fabric is still good but the dope is completely ring wormed. This could have been prevented by rejuvenating the dope regularly.
The paint job job was intended to represent that used on SPADs during WWI. It turns out they brushed on the colored dope on SPAD planes and we now know what the actual colors were. People wondered about the light blue but it is correct. They used Lithopone and Prussian Blue which only make a light blue.
The FAA had finally allowed smaller numbers than the 12 inch high numbers required 10 years earlier.
Mom holding the wing panels.
The lower wings have ailerons.
The plane was moved back to Dalton Airport for final assembly. Ernie completed a condition inspection prior to the FAA Inspection.
On June 23, 1976 the FAA signed off the plane to fly.
When we first were looking at building a plane the ones which caught our eye were all biplanes. I think Ernie finally got the plane he wished for. The joy of tinkering with a Homebuilt.
Let's go fly this thing!
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