Tri-Motor Project Work Sessions If you have an interest in volunteering or just want to stop by to say "hello" and check on our progress, this is your chance! Regular Tri-Motor Work Sessions Monday  7:00 - 10:00 PM ( Everyone is welcome! )   Tri-Motor Project History In an effort to help preserve the rich heritage of the Ford Tri-Motor aircraft, "Tin Goose" Chapter 1247 has teamed up with Maurice Hovius to rebuild a flying Ford Tri-Motor from the ground up! Maurice's company, Hov-Aire based in Vicksburg, MI, is known worldwide for building and restoring Ford Tri-Motor aircraft to flying condition. The opportunity for our chapter to rebuild a Ford came about after Chapter member Ken Benjamin met with Maurice Hovious on August 9, 2001, in Vicksburg Michigan. From that meeting, Maurice came back with an extraordinary offer... If EAA Chapter 1247 would provide the necessary volunteer labor and arrange for a suitable workplace, Hov-Aire would provide all of the necessary material, jig fixtures, tooling, technical help and training to build a flying 5-AT-13 ! (The largest model of Ford Tri-Motors.) Maurice knows the local history of the aircraft and has expressed a strong desire to establish a Ford -Tri-Motor Museum at the Erie-Ottawa Regional Airport in Port Clinton. The museum would exhibit the Ford "project" and historic memorabilia, but would ultimately have the Ford Tri-Motor available for public demonstrations and rides. Needless to say, Chapter 1247 has accepted the challenge and a group of Chapter members had a three day "training workshop" at Hov-Aire under the supervision of Plant Manager Mike Westveer.   Looking for more pieces of our fuselage at Hov-Aire Learning new skills at the Hove-Air workshop. Our group poses with the 1st completed pieces of our Tri-Motor. Maurice makes the first delivery to the Port Clinton Airport. Preparing to unload the jig and fuselage in the hangar.   Chapter member Lloyd Washburn has anchored the project and Warren Cermak has been his close assistant. Dave Hirt, Jim Kinn and Lisa Benjamin have been actively involved and many others have contributed on a time permitting basis. Although we were originally going to rebuild the fuselage that was delivered to us, Maurice and his plant manager Mike Westveer decided it would be easier for us to start building from scratch and use the existing fuselage as a template.   Where to begin... Warren making templates for some of the gussets. Assembling the first few pieces in the jig fixture. In May 2007, project volunteers said goodbye to the original Tri-Motor fuselage they had been using as a pattern. (Work had progressed to the point that it was not longer needed.) In it's place, Hov-Aire employees delivered the jig fixture used to build all of the wing spars. Work on the wing spars and the corrugated aluminum for the airplane's "skin" has begun. Double checking measurements Wing Spar Jig arrives at Port Clinton Unloading the jig Learning to build wing spars   We will be updating these photos throughout the building process. Please stop back often to check our progress!