rjbranchii

I would like some recommendations for a good biplane for a .15. I want it to be fully aerobatic so don't recommend anything where a .15 is the small end motor. I'd prefer it to be a motor size over the kit recommended power. I want excellent verticle. A conversion of an electric is ok but not profiles, full body. Love an arf that would work, but am willing to do a full build if needed. From expeirence with the Little Something Extra which is recommended for a .074 and flies the lights out with a .15, that is the kind of performance I'm looking for. What say ya all?

bob

gotime242

The Ace Ultimate is a really nice little bi-plane. I have one myself. It builds well, and is very fun to fly as well/very aerobatic. I put a .25 in mine though.


http://acehobby.com/acehobby/product...ate/index.html

dgliderguy

Herr Pitts, hands down. A fun full-house, all balsa laser-cut build that flies great and looks the part.

Or an Ace All Star bipe, if you can find one on Ebay.

sparky flier

I second the opinion of the Ace Simple Ultimate. It can be lightened up some by substituting balsa for some of the plywood in the kit. It is also a very simple build.

Bipe Flyer

The ACE Simple Ultimate is a great flying little plane, but it's a little heavy. Mine started out with a .15 and after 2 flights I replaced it with a .25.

I've been looking at getting the Wattage Pitts. It should be ideal for a .15.
http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/128439.asp

rjbranchii

Gotime: What is the foam wing like on the ACE Simple Ultimate? Is it covered? Does it have any spars? What kind of verticle did you have with the .15 and the .25?

Sparkyflier: What did you power yours with and how'd it perform vertically?

Dgliderguy: What power did you use on the Herr Pitts?

bob

rjbranchii

I looked at the Wattage pitts today at the hobby shop. I'd have bought it except it is priced there at $169 which I think is alot for what you get. Also I was concerned about the single ailerons and their quite small size.

How does the Herr Pitts perform with single ailerons?

bob

KidEpoxy

I ran a SimpleSeries Ultimate with a AP15 eng-

PRO: AP rear exhaust kept nice enclosed engine compartment, just 3/4" exhaust silicone down the bottom. No spar, just the filiment tape & Iron-on covering. Survived minor cartwheel & a few landing stalls.

CON: 15 engine flew the plane, but not a real performer by any stretch- energy management was critical for doing anything other than flying around. Couldn't get crazy enough to have wing flex be a concern.

If I did it again I would take a dremel to the thing for a serious Fuze diet before running a .15

Bipe Flyer

Yup, you need a .25 to get unlimited vertical with the ACE Simple Ultimate. I sheeted the wings on mine because I didn't care for the looks of covered foam.

If you want to try your hand at a simple scratch build, check out this thread for free plans for a 1/2A Bipe Stik. It flies great on a .074 and it would go like a scalded cat with a .15.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_30...tm.htm#3078126

rjbranchii

Try this: I just found that Northeast Sailplane has a slightly different version of the Wattage Pitts-400. It comes without motor and is red with starburst on top of wings and black and white checkers on the bottom.... AND 4 ailerons.... without any electric motor.... for $119. Sounds like a perfect match at a price that makes more sence for what you get. Still a bit high, but its a pretty nice model and the fuselage has plenty of room for a 6 oz tank. My guess is it will balance pretty well since the one I looked at today was set up for 2 rows of NICads thru the firewall. Weight is about on target at mid to hi 20 oz range with a 400 speed electric and nicads. Span is 28 3/4 in and area 280 squares. Sounds like its right about on target for a .15 powered biplane. Any thoughts?

bob

gotime242

I followed the directions with the foam wings and just used "strapping tape" to go accross it, then regular covering over that. No problems though. Ive even crashed a few times and it has held up very well.

I think i made mine too heavy for vertical. I used a very heavy landing gear piece off a much bigger plane, and used huge wheels. Plus i think my .25 is runing really rreally rich. It needs to be tweaked. So no vertical for me yet. I mean...with a head start it goes straight up a long ways...but i cant "hang by the prop".

Bipe Flyer

rjbranchii,

I think you have the right idea. The Hobby People link I posted earlier is the newer $119 red with no motor version.

dgliderguy

Bob,

I haven't built mine yet, still waiting in the old kit stack, but they fly great on a sport .15, marginal at best on a Norvel .074. They fly best with upper and lower ailerons for better roll control. I plan on making mine look more like a Starduster 1 homebuilt, with elliptical planform wings, raised turtledeck, and flared landing gear legs/pants, and an all-wood cowl. The Herr Pitts is a nice kit, with good wood and laser-cut parts, but unfortunately it is not very scale for a Pitts S1. You really have to squint hard to call it a Pitts.

Schu

My Feedback: (5)

rjbranchii,

I am flying a Wattage Ultimate w/ a OS 15 and it is a great combo. Keep a lookout for discounts on this plane, because I think it is discontinued. The Pitts at Hobby People is nice , but has a plastic fuse vs. balsa. It was on sale at H/P for 69.00 a few weeks ago- watch for their sales. I think the staggerwing bi-plane might still be on sale for 69.00 minus the electric motor.

Schu

My Feedback: (5)

rjbranchii,

Check the Wattage Staggerwing at Hobby People for 64.99 w/o electric motor - limited quantity. I am not sure how aerobic this plane would be and that sure would not be scale, but still a nice plane.

rjbranchii

Yea, I'm not sure a staggerwing is the best planform for aerobatics. They were basically cadillacs... big rolling machines that went like hell. I shared my exhibitition site with a number of them at Oshkosh this year. (I fly a 100% scale 1946 Ercoupe... just finished restoration). Cutis Pitts passed away just about a month ago and this year there was quite a tribute to him and his designs there. My observation has been that most aerobatic models fly quite like their full size counterparts. Edges excell in roll and power rudder maneuvers, caps at snap rolls, Extras fairly all around and most biplanes showey and present well but not capable of matching the monowings. I still enjoy watching a Pitts 17, the sound more than making up for the slight maneruverability advantage of the monowings.

Suprisingly I saw a Yak 54 fly at Oshkosh this year and was very dissappointed. Ponderous was the best way to describe how it presented. I have not flown a model of one yet, nor of a Sukoi. The Sukoi wing is so unusual that virtually no one models it scale. The root is very thick... about 18 inches if not more and the tip airfoil thin like an Extra's, mayve 4 inches thick. . Also the ailerons hinge 8 inches behind the aileron leading edges. When the ailerons deflect the leading edges are above the wing surface and their leading edges are fully airfoiled just like a wing. Tough to build a model of it, though it could be scratch built. Certainly not something you'd want to do on a half A model.

bob

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

I built an ULTIMATE for .061 power that I scaled down from GOLDBERG drawings, to a 24" span. It came in at 14 ozs with 4 channels. For .15 power, you have a target weight of 28 ozs RTF if you want it to "do it all". I would think that the same plane with about 28-30" of span could be built to fill the bill, and come out much lighter than any commercial [oink] kit. If you're looking for a truly excellent flying .15 powered plane that is capable of a solid vertical line, I think you need to build your own plane out of contest grade wood.

rjbranchii

Combatpig:

Yea, but, I got out of CL precision aerobatics just because of that. I'll compromise a little... and if necessary just do what I always find solves any verticle problems.... add more power! I think though that something in the 25 to 28 oz range and mid to high 200 sq in range should work ok with a .15. We talked in another thread about the Little Something Extra with a .15 which I now have a Magnum /15 in. It has become my take everyday to the field plane. I usually take a .90 size aerobatic plane and the Little Extra. Nothing like it in roll rate. Besides, keeps my eyes sharp. to keep track of it. Now I'm looking to add a bipe that does the same thing. Heck, I could carry 4 planes this size instead of 2 in the truck!

bob

Grampaw

rjbranchii...

Back in the days of old, a buddy built a Bulkholt All Star from plans in RCM. I wasn't into building from magazine plans in those days, so I ordered one from Ace. It looks a lot like a Pitts, without a swept back top wing. Has a little Smith Miniplane in it too. The kits may still be available from Ace, if they are still in business. Easy to build too. I put a Fox .15 on it and it flew like the devil was after it! It came with the Ace Tapered foam wings, but I later switched to a pair of Ace Constant chord foam wings. Looked better. I wrapped Strapping tape around the center joint and had no trouble with it folding. It had only 3 channels, Rudder, Elevator and Motor. Took a bit of tenderness on the elevator at times. On Take Offs, Hand Launch or ROG, it tended to swing its tail back and froth a lot, and if you tried to straighten it out it would get away and crash. They were tough little buggers though and after a few attempts we found out to just let go of the sticks and watch it straighen out into a nice gentle climb, all on it's own!! Damdest thing. I still have plans, beaten up like mad, but one day......but, I'm torn between it and a DH Tiger Moth for my new Magnum .15. Decisions, decisions, decisions...