Is there anybody out there building a Windrose? I've been building
mine on again off again for the past 10 years or so. It's a 15 metre
type and it's almost finished. What I'm doing now is the wing
finishing, which is alot of filling and sanding. But it's going really
well since I figured out how to do it.

I have made a few changes to the original plans, such as using a
propeller speed reduction unit I designed and built myself. This
decision was made after careful consideration. It required other
changes like lowering the engine from were the crank shaft was in the
centre between the prop guard and the tail boom, where the new prop
shaft was in the centre. Also I lowered the prop guard to except a
nearly 36" prop. this also required redoing the cowling and extending
the prop. guard. Another change from the plans was to widen the fire
wall by 2" per side to properly cowel the engine. there are other
changes as well to the pitch control and to the spoiler. Which I
would be happy to discuss with other builders.

I have pretty much searched the internet for a living builders
group and have found none. I have read over and over Mat Redsell's
comments which was discouraging to the point were I left the project
alone for a couple of years while I contemplated it's future. I
beleive that the structure is sound and the aerodynamics are also
sound. I see no reason why Jim and Irv designed and built 2 other
birds, the carbon dragon and the woodstock so extreemly well and this
design is unsafe and flawed. It mades no sense. So I decided to press
on with mine. In closing, if there are other builders interested,
actively building or contemplating starting back into it, please
contribute to this board. Thanks very much Eric Ward.