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HN700-- MENESTREL I I by Brian Gowland

For builders of -Wooden Aeroplanes- everywhere,

WELCOME to my site,I hope you enjoy my pictures.

After a lifetime building and flying model aeroplanes,such as this replica of Arve Mozarini,s 1943, IL MOAR,
I thought it would be nice to construct an aeroplane Sue and I could fly away in.

So here it is and by the way the drawings for the MENESTREL's are available from Henri Nicollier.
Henri Nicollier
13,RUE de VERDUN
2500 BESANCON
FRANCE

nicollierh@yahoo.fr

brian.gowland@mypostoffice.co.uk

Galleries

Henri NIcollier --- HN 700 MENESTREL I I--- AIRFRAME : The Menestrel family of wooden aircraft,both single and dual seat machines are the brainchild of french designer /aviator, Henri Nicollier. As a young man, Henri was much influenced by the sleek fighter aircraft contesting the skies of war torn Europe and this possibly accounts for more than a passing resemblance of his Menestrel's, to some of these aircraft. Of note are the semi - symetrical wing plan form and the fin rudder/shape all typical of this time. The Menestrel's popularity stems from a light homebuilt wooden airframe ,propelled by an inexspensive but reliable power plant and possesing stunning good looks

Henri NIcollier --- HN 700 MENESTREL I I--- AIRFRAME

The Menestrel family of wooden aircraft,both single and dual seat mach ...

Updated: Jan 29, 2009 4:11pm BST

MENESTREL l I --- Engine : Great Plains, Suppliers of Aircraft quality conversion Kits for the VW 2180cc long block engine. My engine was supplied in component form, (see photo's) GPAS Co supply kits for home build or factory completed (running and tested) engines in capacity's from 1600cc to over 2200cc with both direct and indirect prop drive ENGINE MOUNTS are available From Allen Haseldine who will make you an engine mount from my jig, Allen is a CAA registered welder and of course his work is to a very high and certified standard. Contact Allen for FUEL TANKS ,ENGINE MOUNTS also metal fabrications at, allenhaseldine@msn.com brian.gowland@mypostoffice.co.uk

MENESTREL l I --- Engine

Great Plains, Suppliers of Aircraft quality conversion Kits for the VW ...

Updated: Dec 17, 2008 3:29pm BST

MENESTREL I I --- Fuselage : The basic framework of the Menestrel II fuselage is a partially sheeted, slabsided, box section,to which are added a front and rear turtle deck, bubble canopy,and side stringers, A sleek GRP cowling compliments the flowing waist line culminating in a beautiful and very effective fin and rudder. Constructed from DOUGLAS FIR or SITKA SPRUCE,and panelled in GL1 Finnish Birch ply,the Fuselage is easily manipulated by just two people. My Material's( Douglas Fir and Ply) came from. David Hodgkinson -- Thruxton Airfield--Tel 01732 822 686 Swindon Aircraft Wood supply Co.. Dudley (Flitzer) Pattison--Tel 01793791 597 dudleypattison@btinternet.com www.aircraftplywoodandtimber.co.uk Adhesive's from Skycraft Aerodux and Aerolite

MENESTREL I I --- Fuselage

The basic framework of the Menestrel II fuselage is a partially sheete ...

Updated: Jan 08, 2009 11:19pm BST

MENESTREL I I --- Wing Spar : The strength of the Menestrel's wing,lies within the dual laminated spar-caps, The two spar booms are similar in construction to the leaf springs found on road vehicles, For instance the top spar has a depth of 72mm over the centre section gradually reducing to just 6mm at the wing tip. As you can see from the photo's the whole length of the spar is enclosed in a very strong diagonal ply shear web. A very accurate and fully adjustable building table, similar to the design det ailed in the Building Tables Gallery photo's make's for easy spar fabrication.

MENESTREL I I --- Wing Spar

The strength of the Menestrel's wing,lies within the dual laminated sp ...

Updated: Dec 18, 2008 3:08pm BST

MENESTREL I I --- Wing : Obviously, the heart and strength of the wing is the wing spar,it is also the backbone for the rest of the wing structure. The flight, landing, thrust and drag loads are absorbed and distributed to the rest of the wing structure by the ( 1.5mm -1.2mm) wrap-around ply leading edge D- BOX. With some of the wing structure completed during the winter months a great deal of use was made of Bed elecric blankets,these blankets when insulated/covered in one or two layers of bubble wrap, ensure a steady overnight temperature of 70f At this time I also installed oval plastic electrical wiring conduit. The same materials are used for the hydraulic brake cables,and the pitot-static system .

MENESTREL I I --- Wing

Obviously, the heart and strength of the wing is the wing spar,it is a ...

Updated: Mar 28, 2009 12:53am BST

MENESTREL I I --- Wing Tip Moulding : Wing Tip Mouldings/Wing Tip Position Light Mouldings and Frames. As the tip is constructed from a rather large lump of Balsa ,it offered a splendid opportunity to carve from the formed tip block a balsa plug for Vac-Forming. My moulds are with - Roly Hamblin at Sarik Vac-Form, Tel 0117 986 0404 www.sarik-vacform.com

MENESTREL I I --- Wing Tip Moulding

Wing Tip Mouldings/Wing Tip Position Light Mouldings and Frames. As ...

Updated: Dec 12, 2008 7:41pm BST

MENESTREL I I --- Canopy and Wood/Carbon Laminated Frame : The optically,almost perfect, blown canopy was manufactured in Limoges France By the Starplast Company. The canopy frame was laminated from five layers of douglas fir 1" x 1/8" interspersed with 1" woven carbon tape. Following advice and instructions given to me by Starplast,I glued the canopy to the epoxy coated frame using Sika Flex adhesive.( Used by the Auto and Marine Industries0

MENESTREL I I --- Canopy and Wood/Carbon Laminated Frame

MENESTREL I I --- TAILPLANE and RUDDER :

MENESTREL I I --- TAILPLANE and RUDDER

Updated: Dec 17, 2008 3:33pm BST

MENESTREL--- AIRCRAFT and AVIATORS : "Men and Machines"

MENESTREL--- AIRCRAFT and AVIATORS

LOTUS ENGINED ROADSTER --- HENRY GOWLAND Mk1 : HENRY is my idea of how a roadster should be. Scratch built and powered by a LOTUS 907 TOHC2000cc petrol engine running on Twin Webber 45DCOE's all coupled to a LOTUS 5 speed Gear Box,Sierra diff and Drive Shafts, Home brewed all round Independent coilspring suspention,with adjustable SPAX Dampers. The brakes are non servo hydraulic , Front 2.8 Capri discs drilled and grooved, Rear Escort Mk3 fronts- drilled. Space frame built from 1"x 1" steel tube on building table (see Photo's in Gallery, Simple building tables) All aluminium body work with GRP own design mouldings. Panels and mouldings are removable, as are the scuttle and windscreen pillars. Full weather equipment has been adapted/ modified from Westfield's hood and side screens. The Interior woodwork has been routed from 1" american black walnut,the cockpit interior trim and wool carpets are attached to marine ply removable panels. These are in turn attached to the alluminium panelling with removable Velcro material brian.gowland@mypostoffice.co.uk

LOTUS ENGINED ROADSTER --- HENRY GOWLAND Mk1

HENRY is my idea of how a roadster should be. Scratch built and power ...

Updated: Dec 21, 2008 6:01pm BST

Simple building tables for Aircraft and SportsCars :

Simple building tables for Aircraft and SportsCars

JODEL D9 --- REPAIR TO REAR TURTLE DECK :

JODEL D9 --- REPAIR TO REAR TURTLE DECK

My Smug Mug- Misc-Photo store :

My Smug Mug- Misc-Photo store

HENRY GOWLAND Mk 1- Misc Photo Store . :

HENRY GOWLAND Mk 1- Misc Photo Store .

Updated: Dec 21, 2008 11:21am BST