Fointwinder Tail Photos

FUSELAGE

Click on any photo to enlarge.

In August, I drove out to Moline, IL to pick up my fuselage directly from the Challenger factory there. With me was Scott, a friend and neighbor who is also building a Challenger. Our two fuselages rode on a huge trailer we towed behind Scott’s truck. It was a fun trip, and it saved us a lot of money by picking them up ourselves – and other large parts as well – as opposed to simply having them shipped. Click on any photo to enlarge.



Scott Settlemire and I about to drive from Warren, ME out to the Challenger factory in Moline, IL to pick up our fuselages.	A mishap occurred on the way to Moline when we were rear ended by a mac truck in MA.	The mac truck sustained the bulk of the damage. Our stainless steel trailer only suffered a broken tail light. Fortunately this occurred before our fuselages were on our trailer.	At the Challenger factory – being introduced to the fuselages built just for Scott and me.


Wrapping the fuselages for the journey home to Maine		All loaded and tied down for the trip back home. At this point we incorrectly assumed we had thought of everything.


We did not foresee the full effect the wind would have on our ‘supposedly’ heavy duty marine tarps and extreme wrapping efforts. Within a few miles the wind shear had shredded the sides of the tarp. After a roadside gravel party (i.e. tarp triage involving several large rolls of duct tape and a visit by a policeman to see what we were up to) we were mobile once again but with a real conversation piece following us all the way home.


We were about the most interesting thing on the road judging by the open mouths and bulging eyes of the folks who passed us. Luckily no one else rear ended us on the trip back. . .		Photo op as we crossed the border back into Maine


Home at last. My fuselage sits patiently on the front porch until the wing is finished and we can make room for it in the Skunkworks

E-mail Jayne & Wilkes