Rare Bear Wing folding?

[jarrodeu]

I was wondering if Rare Bear's wing still folds? If so how much weight would be saved to fix the wing like September Fury?
Thanks,
Jarrod

[Blue Foam]

Re: Rare Bear Wing folding?

It sure does, and they are routinely folded to access the tanks in those tips for maintenance. The tanks are for the spray water and tend to grow algea.

Weight saved by fixing the tips? Not much unless the entire structure was re-optimized and we lose the maintenance access. Even then it's only tens of pounds, not hundreds. The real weight savings potential in any Grumman warbird would be to carve out the bulk of the armor plate behind the pilot and create a web structure. The plate doubles as the wing structural carry-through, but is overstrength by several hundred pounds.

One place I would put weight back into the aircraft is the steel lower spar strap that was added by the military in response to lower spar deficiencies (I do not know if this was a perceived or real issue). For the repeated G loadings of air racers, a high endurance material like steel or carbon is far superior to aluminum.

[Sky Critter]

Re: Rare Bear Wing folding?

It still folds after the leading edge work?