"Ghost Ship"

We have all seen pictures of the small sporty bi-wing fighters of the thirties flying formation above some aircraft carrier in some exotic locale. Well, be careful if you are flying along through the clouds some day and a phantom ghost ship of the past slips up along side you. Big Sky’s 1929 fighter factory (we are 80 years behind the times and proud of it!) is producing an X-plane to terrorize the skies. It’s a 600 HP bi-wing with bombs under the wings and a Jolly Roger squadron insignia on the side.

Details:
Copying Stearman structural integrity we are fashioning a pre-war carrier based biplane with the nostalgia of an early Boeing or Curtis. Using a Pratt Whitney R-1340 engine of 600 horsepower and a Hamilton Standard 109 inch propeller it will have incredible climb performance. The “look” will be obtained by a Ford Trimotor ring cowl, a Norseman shutter winter front, large 32x6 wheels with open Curtiss wheel pants. The upper wings will include 2 extra 15 gallon fuel tanks. The fuselage will have a custom configuration that resembles the early fighter biplanes. A “500 lb bomb” external fuel tank will hang underneath. It will include an inverted fuel system and smoke.
 

The fuselage bulkheads and engine winter front are being mocked up.

Each upper wing has a 12 gallon fuel tank and shortened ailerons.

The upper wings and center section will have a full chord across the wing span.

The lower wings are clipped 18 inches and the lower ailerons have been shortened.

The landing gear being assembled with the 40 ton press.

The Pratt Whitney 600 HP engine cylinders being overhauled.

Fitting the wings, sheet metal and gear.

Soon-to-be wheel pants mold.