Packardpursuit-I'm disappointed with the problems you're having...it seems many parts don't fit as intended,and that has to be frustrating...
I've built several Pitts' and Eagles,and I thought you were going to complain about the fitting -up of the panels around the cabanes,not that they were too short.
I ruined a couple of pieces of A/C ply over the years with the top center panels.
I'm here to wish you better luck,as you continue.
Following with interest..
Mine were all built from Andy Sheber plans.My first interest was generated when the Eagles Aerobatic Team came to Latrobe Pa.,early in their careers..
I wanted pictures,and those gentlemen gave me a bucket and a rag,and invited me to become ground crew whilst I clicked away ! I was to catch any fuel spills as they refueled.
If you ever saw their formation stall turns,you'll never forget them....

"Where are the pictures?"
Good question, I want them too! Trying to remedy the situation as we speak but desparately need help with photo techno issues. Got a greenlight from a goodfriend to help. Stay tuned. In mean time , please use your imagination (pictures in the mind).

This build thread was started to keep me interested and on track. I am on a time schedual and the data showing how any days since starting this thread is quite a motivator. I suppose this is more of a blog but I kind of like sharing. Sorry for the lack of graphic images.

E-Earl, thanks for your sympathy. In reality, I have mixed emotions regarding this kit build. Definitely a love-hate thing. I do enoy the build part. Very much like working on full scale. Hate the crappy kit supplied items that should fit better, given cost and CNC parts fabrication, etc. Has anyone seen what this kit goes for??For that kind of money I believe one should be able to expect a bit better general fit. The next one will be a breeze, right?

never pick up a certain magizine ta read the articals! just saying!

Finally just managed to send the customer photos of the build. When I've heard back from him, i'll attempt to post them here.

Originally Posted by packardpursuit

Finally just managed to send the customer photos of the build. When I've heard back from him, i'll attempt to post them here.

If you need help posting pictures,there's more help here than you'll ever need.

I had no idea how to post pix last year at this time,but in just a few easy steps,Midniterider showed me how....piece 'o cake now.

Thank you Kerry.

Will definitly take you up on that, if I get stuck today.

Finally, some visual indicators!

Shows material for rolling building table, the table, and then, of course the model.

A couple more.
Note Gee Bee R-1 photo on wall behind cabane intallation shot. Shows me sitting in a full size mock up we built for '03 L.A.County Fair. It now resides at Planes of Fame, Chino CA.

Cleaned the shop today. So no progress of late. Will hit it again tommorrow afternoon. Top wings at last!

very nice! thats some good looking building there packard!

Sorry, double post. I must be tred.

Started cutting out the uper wing parts from the 3mm light Ply carrier sheets (again, CNC routed). They need touch up with the sanding block to take off the carrier nubs (remnants of where the router left the part attached to the sheet). Hardest part is sanding the various notches "sq". The router bit appears to have been 1.5mm in diameter, this leaves a radiused corner on inside cuts, as it changes direction or stops. Tabs either have to be cut square or the slot ends , where the tabs insert have to be squared up. Another pointless PITA that could/should have been addressed in the computer program! Also there are some notable instances of where he notch is either too short of where it should be. Does one lengthen the slot and weakenthe that part, or cut the lengthe of the tab to fit the short slot? Either way one part will be compromised. Nota deal breaker but a lot of (unnessesary?) work.

Since the wing plan for the lowers was shorter than the sum of its CNC routed parts parts, I'm concerned about the jigging for the upper. The upper wings sweep back but there is a short straight section either side of the central upper wing trestle that requires special figging changes. Do I start inboard and let the tip grow past the plan or visa versa? I believe I will go with option one.

NOw,now,you're just tired...And maybe the guy cutting the kit was,too.
But you always want to weaken the 'stronger' part,if you gotta do something !

If you match the parts that are cut,that's how I'd build the wings....they keep telling us the plans expand and contract,but if the parts don't match the plans in length,it's no biggie,(to me).
It's much more important the sweep is measured equally on each side to the tail center,so the wings are on there straight.
You're doing just fine-it looks great !

don't know how much it will help, but what I did was built the top wing one section at a time, two identical wings and the center section, them made shure the sweep matched! the lower wing is shorter the the top!

although mines a PITTS based on same wing design!

Hope wing plan photo shows need for jigging ht. change. The wing changes geometry at point of wing sweep(#3 rib from root). Since the airfoil doesn't change, nor does the straight alignmernt of the continuous spar line, the top/bottom spar flanges now have to conform to their new relative positions on the first two ribs. Front spar flanges get closer together, rear spar caps grow slightly apart, the closer either is to root. This affects only the first two root bays. the spar flanges are merely following the rib surface as the airfoil is being sectioned on a NON * NORMAL tangent. Bad design in that it's hard to keep everything aligned and as the plan says is "approximate" by negative 2.5 mm at front spar and 2.5mm + at rear !!

I suspect that the spars coud have changed direction at point of sweep change with sufficient overlap joint to provide adequate bonding of the spar segments. There are a number of other such joints in other areas of the model. No reason to think those types of joints would fail, even in the wing! Besides this is not as highly stressed as lower wing (which AFAICT carries nearly all the flight loads) and there is also the additional strength imparted by functioning flying/landing wires. I wonder how the geometry change is handled on the real plane? Will be finding out soon enough.

I built my 1/3 scale -80" wings in one piece,and did as you described-I tapered the spars to meet at an angle and epoxied them well.I then used wetted 1/16 " plywood as a doubler onto each spar,about 2" each way.

I couldn't see your system well enough,but my front cabane tubes bolted to the firewall,for more support of the engine and wing.