About the Plane

Main Planes

1. Remove all coverings, discard all ribs, clean spars to original coatings, remove bindings and all plywood packings, discard all fasteners which were originally "riveted". Bushings added to three (of twenty) wing root fitting bolt holes due to iron oxide corrosion. New ribs produced in jigs for all main planes.
2. Ailerons similarly built up from spars with new ribs and trailing edges. Aileron gear boxes restored and refinished. Wing walk ("platform ribs") constructed new but according to the repair scheme for reinforcing with plywood webs. Root ribs constructed new for all planes.
3. Spar ends bound in glass cloth and epoxy resin to exclude water.
4. Landing, flying and cabane wires inspected visually and dimensionally and found to be fit for continued service.

Coverings and Finish

1. The aircraft was recovered according to the "Superflite" STC. The particulars are:
   1. 2.7 oz. Dacron fabric
   2. Urethane adhesive
   3. Urethane fabric fill and UV blocking
   The finishes are Urethane that is "flatted" to more closely resemble dope finishes of the period
2. The main planes, empennage and all control surfaces are "bagged" ie. The fabric is sewn closed over the surface without glue joints. Rib Lancing is done according to the original plan. All surface tapes are serrated edge per original.

Assembly

The aircraft was assembled according to the manufacture's Operation and Assembly Manual. A rigging log was generated and included with the aircraft records.

Richard Surinsky AP149401141
Timothy S. Jacobson IA

Reconstruction of N6539 undertaken during September 2000 until October 2003. The object of the work was to restore the aircraft to historically accurate appearance and methods of construction. Any modern materials were selected or made to appear as the original. Woodworking methods and design are per original blueprints or deHavilland repair schemes. In this manner the following work was accomplished:

Fuselage

1. All fabric removed; fuselage dismantled to every last fitting. All steel was sandblasted. Epoxy primer applied in two coats. Small parts and fittings chromate primed followed by epoxy prime. Top coats of enamel applied.
2. New turtle deck constructed of aviation plywood. Aft bulkhead at empennage attach point built new with concealed aluminum strength member added.
3. Fuselage floor duplicated using African Mahogany plywood as was forward seat bulkhead. All wood stained to match original and sealed with flooding coats of epoxy resin or epoxy varnish as appropriate to the surface.
4. Control Box repaired and restored as a unit. Selective bushings and pins replaced for wear.
5. Starboard main gear leg replaced with new (old stock) part. All gudgeon pins refitted as oversize or selectively fitted to produce "as new" fit throughout the alighting gear.

Empennage

1. Discard all ribs and build new from Sitka spruce. Remove all "packings" from spars and replace with new aircraft plywood. Repair bruised areas according to the deHavilland maintenance instruction. Original method of binding spar ends or repairs with hot glue and cotton tape altered to fiberglass strip and epoxy resin.
2. Duplicate one elevator hinge from 4130 steel. Replace hinge bushings.
3. Restore shape of trailing edge aluminum tube frame to original. Chromate and prime all metal surfaces.