USA - Texas
Project Completed
..
.Murphy Spirit was Completed and Flying since 2004:
.
. 
...
...
Now read how the project came together...
Rick Steven's Murphy Renegade
A bit about Rick: ....I have about twenty years of Tool and Die experience , I owned my on Tool shop producing Plastic Injection Molds for the Medical and Computer Industries , and I have been building airplanes for about ten years now . I grew up involved with aviation as my father was an airline pilot , as well as a homebuilder . I also have skills in the field of Welding , gas as well as heliark . I have been the Vice President of the airport , Wolfe Airpark 3T2 , at which I am located for four years now and I am actively involved with it's development with an emphasis on Sport Flying...
Rick is quite happy to communicate with others via email: aircrafter@sbcglobal.net
When the project is complete Rick intends to do the show circuit so look out for him, and feel free to ask any questions you like of him...
3rd October 2003: Rick writes:
...Just
for your information this a Murphy Renegade Kit plane and I have shortened
the longerons 12 inches , and added more stringers to the fuselage to
give a more classic look. That is a 100 hp Continental 0200 that you see
in the photo. As Paul said it begs for a radial and the engine you Guys
have fathered is perfect in respect to Horsepower as well as dimension
and weight...
It is so the project begins.... Click on the thumbnail to view full size...
Mounting
Frame Built... 
mount
the engine 
... 
...
Compare
the old with the new ... 
...
Close
up on the engine ... 
... 
... 
... 
note
the
new dual exhaust collector ring ..
Click on the thumbnail to view full size...
13th
January 2004 Rick writes: Hello Jim ,
.... I doubt if I will be ready to go before the Fun in Sun fly in . Also
, with the engine and prop change it is going to require 40 hrs. of flight
time in a restricted area .( i.e.non certified)
....
I am sending you another photo to illustrate how the cowling is mounted
and as soon as I pull it off I will show you how the engine mount facilitates
the cowling , as it turns out it is as solid as a rock . I put doors like
this on both sides of the cowling .
When I spoke with Paul a couple of years ago I mentioned that I would
like to build an airplane around this little engine and I am seriously
considering one of the original flying boats with the look of seventy
years ago . This could really be fun , maybe amphibious.
Anyway I will keep you posted .
Best Regards , Rick
19th
May 2004 - Hello Jim,
A couple of months ago I told you I would send you a photo showing how
the cowling is mounted , and I have been some what distracted .
Here is a close up of the cowling mounts. Also a couple of shots of how
the profile looks
Best Regards. Rick
................................ 
.
..
....
Ready
To Fly...
Click
on the thumbnail to view full size...
...
Its
now flying! A Superb Job by Rick!
Well I took to the sky yesterday ,(sorry , no video clip yet) , and
everything went real good .The airplane flew true and the engine was
very responsive, and the only problem (?) I had was a minor oil leak
that will be easy enough to fix .
I will relay performance data as I generate it , but one thing for
sure the engine launched the airplane in a short run with the throttle
being advance slowly and judiciously . By a short run I would
guesstimate less than three hundred feet , and it will probably do
better as I become familiar with the engines torque characteristics .
Blue Skies , Rick
Video Clips: hear the genuine sound of a radial as Ricks Superb craft starts - takes off - fly-by
(Unless you have a powerful machine suggest you right hand click and save target as to your hard drive then play the saved file...Windows Media Player Required ...)