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before tackling the full-size version. |
January 28, 2004
Jim Cresswell's Flitzer Z-21, 'parasol', on which he is making excellent progress. Beautiful work is evident here. Undercarriage legs already faired.
Any more pictures of projects would be most welcome.
Best wishes,
Lynn Williams
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March 6, 2004
Thought you might like the latest pictures of G-ERDA taken last weekend during trial assembly and adjustment of lower drag bracing wires.
Cheers Jim
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March 27, 2005
Hi Group,
Flitzers are on the march. This is Jim Cresswell's beauty, that rare thing a stock Z-21! As he says, 'It's alive!' Can't wait to see more, with the tail on etc. The colour scheme is super.
Congratulations, Jim.
Lynn
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April 02, 2005
Hi Group,
Here are two utterly superb pictures showing the beauty of Jim Cresswell's engine cowlings. They are every bit as good as I was led to believe, and they do the Flitzer design proud. They are exactly the shape that best suits the design, being the typical bullet shape that favours the low thrustline and VW engine, creating the true 'vintage appeal' I was striving for, as well as being a very efficient shape.
Congratulations Jim.
Best regards,
Lynn
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June 05, 2005
Hi Group,
Here are the latest pictures of Jim Cresswell's Flitzer Z-21. This aeroplane is perhaps unusual in recent correspondence, being a perfectly standard Z-21, identical in most respects to the Z-1 prototype. Even the second example built, G-FLIZ, is a Z-21A, ie. has the wider fuselage option, so Jim's is closest to the original Flitzer concept, 'square' fin and all.
I think we'd all agree that Jim's is a beautiful looking machine. I wish he'd put the top cowling on for these pictures, though!
Great progress, Jim. I hope to see you at Kemble.
Best regards,
Lynn
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October 25, 2005
Lynn,
'DA is more or less finished and installed in its hangar, see pics.
I've decided to leave its testing until the spring mainly because I don't want it hanging about at Old Sarum waiting for reasonable weather, but also so we can design and fit some brakes to it over the winter, a bit frustrating but I think the best plan in the longrun.
Good to hear 'AW is going well it must have been great to fly it again after so long.
Cheers Jim
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November 7, 2005 - Undercarriage Bracing Detail
Groupies,
A picture from Jim Cresswell - one of many detail shots of G-ERDA - showing the very nice treatment of the landing gear brace-wire acorn-fairing.
Lynn
January 22, 2006 - Completed Flitzer
Group,
This is Jim Cresswell's gorgeous aeroplane. It is fantastic . The finish is unbelievably perfect - another Kemble Z-21 winner. Prepare your mantlepiece for trophies, Jim! It needs dirtying up to make it look real, but it's such great a tribute to your workmanship and perfectionism that words are almost failing me!
I'd still like to see the Staaken logo on the nose, Jim, but otherwise it is exactly the way I 'saw' the aeroplane in my mind's eye as I was designing it. The bull-nose cowling is lovely.
When the pictures appear be prepared for being bombarded by awestruck FSV members' fulsome responses!
Best regards,
Lynn
When does she fly?
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April 17, 2006 - At Last!
Group,
Here's the first picture of Jim Cresswell's standard VW-powered Z-21, G-ERDA, airborne on its maiden flight in the capable hands of test pilot David Schuler (I hope I have the surname correct) who was on the same ETPS test pilots' course at Farnborough in 1962 as my late brother, Neil.
Apart from a slight pull force required, estimated at 6 lbs., which can easily be corrected with a rear tailplane spar shim, the only problem seemed to be a lateral shift of the axle on landing in a cross wind, due perhaps to there being no anti-float gaiters installed, again an easy fix.
David has just telephoned me, and expressed his satisfaction in the handling, stalling, and landing characteristics of the aeroplane, and is looking forward to expanding the test flying envelope once these small problems have been overcome. David said what a beautiful job had been done on the fabrication and finishing of the machine, which was to a highly professional standard.
Fulsome congratulations to Jim on this achievement.
Lynn
June 24, 2006
Met with Jim Creswell and his Flitzer G-ERDA today at Compton Abbus airfield then flew out to Sandown on the Isle of White. A few shots from the day…..
Rupert
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July 9, 2006
Group,
Yet another picture of G-ERDA, a photogenic aeroplane I'm sure you'll agree. This was taken at Shuttleworth a week ago.
Lynn
May 20, 2007
Hello everyone,
just spotted a small picture of G-ERDA in the current issue of "Aerokurier" a German general aviation monthly. (PDF-scan of the relevant page included -125KB, so no worries) Seems that Jim Creswell's beauty was spotted at Old Sarum by a couple of German flyers doing a cross-country trip along the south coast of England who wrote up a little report on their tour.
Z-21 Flitzer is mentioned as fitting perfectly into the historic ambiance of the airfield. There you have it.
Greetings to y'all.
Thies
Aerokurier_May_2007.pdf