Newest airplane part for my garage.

[G0ALY]

I just picked up the rudder and vertical stabilizer from a 1969 Cessna 150 that was being scrapped.



My plan is to build a wooden stand so that it can be displayed upright. I also want to wire LED bulbs in the navigation light fixtures. The red would be a strobe and the clear would be constant.

I am then thinking of repainting this piece to represent a military aircraft. Such as an F-14 from the VF 31 Tomcatters squadron.



CHEERS!

[Dragon]

 

[eagl]

It always cracks me up to see the utter disregard for aerodynamics they had back when those planes were designed.  The goofy can-shaped red beacon on top of the tail would have had less drag if it was square.  So many ways they could have gotten another 5 mph or so out of those old 150s.

[Arlo]

[Zacherof]

(Image removed from quote.)

I have a die cast model of their f-14A's

[G0ALY]

Thanks for the post Arlo! I’m going to be looking at different squadron rudder insignias. The Tophatters was just one of the first ones that I found. There will be a lot to choose from. It also doesn’t have to be from an F-14.

First I need to design a stand to mount this on. Which leads me to the question, “Should I cut the bottom of the rudder off, and make it flush with the bottom of the vertical stabilizer?” That would certainly make designing the stand easier. While I’ll have to think about the bottom of the rudder, I know that I am going to remove the antennas from the top. Removing them will keep anyone from getting poked, and will give the overall project a narrow profile. (I don’t have unlimited room in the garage.)

I gave one hundred dollars for the tail. I have scrap oak shelving that I can use to make the stand. I’m guessing I can add the electronics for the LEDs and paint it for less than another fifty dollars. So I won’t have too much wrapped up in this piece. But it may be spring before this project gets finished. I have other house related jobs that are a priority.