I own a Shadow C, G-MWYD and fly from Plaistows Farm at St.Albans where I have a de-mountable lorry box as a hanger. As everyone knows, the restriction with rigging a Shadow is that it is a two-handed job, so I went to see Danny Crosbie and his folding wing system. I was very impressed with the demonstration he gave me. The system is so simple, yet so effective and there is positive control of the wings at all times.
Danny subsequently fitted the system to my Shadow and I have adapted my lorry box to accept the height of the folded wings. As can be seen from the photographs, I have cut some of the framework away from around the barn doors, to accommodate the leading edges. I have also fitted wheel guides to the floor so that the aircraft goes in and out of the box exactly the same every time, which alleviates the danger of expensive collisions.
Danny is very lucky with his immaculate facilities, including a flat rigging area. Most other people are not so fortunate and have undulating ground to contend with. That includes me and whilst it is no criticism of Danny, I have had to minor mod his framework. I suppose he has never had to consider one wing being two feet higher than the other when rigging and rolling over ground that is any rougher than concrete, so he is excused!
I started by adding a brace between the two boom tube carriers to make the triangle solid, which prevents the frame tilting from the vertical axis. I then changed the small castoring wheels to four inch aircraft wheels mounted just forward of the frame. These are fixed in one position which helps to keep the whole rig straight as it is wheeled in and out of the box and are more suitable for the uneven ground. The smaller wheels in the photograph allow the frame to be tilted away from the boom without the frame digging in the ground when rigging and de-rigging. The only mod, which is left to do, is to extend the telescopic wing tip support so that it reaches the wing on the high wing side!
Having made these mods, the system copes admirably with the rough ground and I can easily rig and de-rig on my own without any worries. A terrific system to be recommended.
The paperwork was a snip too! Danny had done all the hard work and an application to the BMAA resulted in the speedy response of a flight release. Very painless.
John Anderson.
Last updated - 31st December 1998
Return to The Shadow Owners Club - Home