- Joined
- Oct 9, 2013
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I am new to this forum and my Starduster Too and in browsing this forum I note that Dave has built two Spezio Tuholers. I recently owned one of these machines and place it very near the top of my list of favorites. I took note of the fact that in 1983 there was a logbook entry that simply stated "hard landing and repaired damage". I eventually found out the hard way that not quite all of the damage was repaired because after a very smooth wheel landing the wheel side T post around which the bungee was wound broke off. It was discovered that this tube was rusted 85% around and I had been landing on the other 15% which finally got tired and broke. The good news is that when this happens the wing settles down onto the tire resulting in no damage at all; that is until it drags the airplane off the runway and hits the windsock post. At 85 mph the last 2 feet of the left wing exploded when it hit the post. I built new wings and after installing them and the controls exhibited free and easy movement, I took off. As soon as the plane left the ground the stick may as well been sticking out of a cement block. The elevators were still free and easy but even with both hands and one leg, I couldn't move the ailerons. I flew around and landed using the rudder only. On the ground it was free and easy again. We went through the entire system again and could find no possible way for anything to lock up either with the cables, stick or ailerons. I had my friend attempt to hold the aileron to the wing trailing edge as I move the stick and I could easily overpower his fingers. Finding nothing amiss I took off again. As soon as it was off the ground ailerons locked up again. Once again I ruddered it back around to a landing. On the ground, free and easy again. At this point I'm running out of clean underwear so I researched everywhere I could think of with no results. Then starting from scratch I recalled that we had rebuilt the wings exactly per the plans and the original wings with the exception that we did not replace the rubber gap seal between the ailerons and the wings. So we reinstalled the thin rubber gap seals and this time changed my mindset to landing straight ahead no matter how it went. So I lifted off about 2 feet and gave the stick a quick left and right wiggle and the plane bounced off the left and right tires in succession. So there is no question but what those seals were absolutely necessary but there was no mention in the plans or in the logbook concerning those items. My plane was test flown by a test pilot and certified for unlimited aerobatics so they had to be installed early on or there should've been a mention that gap seals were necessary. I can think of no aerodynamic reason that would mandate them or the ailerons would lock up. Do you have any thoughts about this and did you put seals on your Tuholers?THANKS Louie 
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