Classic Europa serial 76 (G-BXIJ) was completed in 1997, and subsequently
sold to Robin James; the original owner, who built the aircraft, has since
died.
The engine has recently been removed from this aircraft to have its sprag
clutch changed. Whilst the engine was out - the work was done by Adrian
Lloyd at Shobdon - it was noted that the top horizontal fore and aft tubes
of the landing gear mounting frame (LG 01) have reinforcement sleeves
fitted. These sleeves, which run the full length of the LG 01 top tubes, are
not secured to the outer tube at the front, but are very neatly welded at
the back end.
Robin, who is a professional engineer, reckons that the sleeves are 4130
material, and his calculations suggest that there would have been a 24/1000
clearance between the outer and inner tubes when fitted.
Does any early classic builder - or even you, Nev - have any recall as to
why reinforcement tubes might have been fitted to this or other early model
LG 01's? Andy has suggested that the builder might have made a mess of
drilling the holes for the attachment bolts in the top tube, but Adrian has
looked carefully in that area and confirms that this does not look to be the
case.
Any comments will be gratefully received.
David
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