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Bridi Big Bee

Old 05-20-2003, 04:17 PM
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ANeat
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Hello Guys; Is anyone else building a Bridi Big Bee lately. Sheldons Hobbies has been selling them for $99.00. I know there are a few guys on here that have them flying and Ive read some good things about the plane.
I plan on building a 2 piece wing. I can get a 1 1/4" wing tube between the spars. I cut the holes in the ribs so that the tube will rest against the front shear webbing and against the top spar since the wing is flat on top.

Ive got the fuse built and the only changes I made there were to add a piece of plywood on the bottom for the possibility of adding floats in the future.
Also they show the plywood for the tailwheel glued to the bottom of the fuse and sticking out and I didnt care for that so I recessed mine so that the bottom of the fuse is smooth.
I plan on mounting my rudder and dual elevator servos in the rear of the fuse similar to most of the larger planes.

Adam
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Old 05-22-2003, 10:16 PM
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Default 2 piece wing

Here is a shot of the progress on the wing. Its mostly done except for the servo mounts and some minor details and sanding. The white tubes are for the servo leads.
Ill be anxious to see if it all holds :stupid:
Adam
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Old 05-22-2003, 10:18 PM
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Another shot of the wing apart.
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Old 05-24-2003, 01:02 PM
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Default BIG BEE

ANeat,

The BIG BEE is a great flying plane. Mine has a US41 on it. What are you using for power. I just finished gluing the bottom back in mine after undershooting the runway and tearing out the landing gear. Almost ready to fly again.

Jerry
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Old 05-24-2003, 03:31 PM
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ANeat
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Hi Jerry; I plan on using a Poulan 46cc conversion on mine to begin with.
Ive been playing around with mufflers and headers on some gas motors for some friends (look in my gallery) and it really got me into wanting something big/gas powered again. I had seen some reports from you and a few others on the Big Bee and it looked like just what I needed. I had a T-170 some years ago and it had a 90" one piece wing that was more of a storage problem than anything else so I thought I would try the 2 piece wing.

Jerry; On the tail surfaces of your Big Bee did you round off the leading edges and taper the trailing edges?? Ive seen planes done both ways. Ive built some smaller planes that recommend the surfaces be left square. Ive heard good reasons for both but it always seemed like a personal preference thing.
Im never one to invite more sanding but Ive always prefered the rounded look.
Adam
Old 05-24-2003, 07:36 PM
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BigBird1
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Default Bridi Big Bee

You'll love this plane.......
It's like a big puppy....

Didn't know any better and put a G62 up front.....Gobs of power...
Won't stop rolling on pavement though....Have to stick to grass..
Old 05-24-2003, 10:56 PM
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Default rounded leading edges

ANeat,

I rounded the leading edges and tapered the elevators, rudder, and ailerons. I'm like you. It just looks better.

Jerry
Old 05-24-2003, 11:21 PM
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Have to agree about the Big Bee. It's a great plane. My first power plane was a stock version with a G-38.

Here's my modified version, which I call "B+". I built it in 1991, and it's still flying as my back-up plane. I used a Quadra 42 for power. It's been a while since I weighed it, but I think it's about 13 or 14 pounds with the wheels.

It's probably got about 400 flying hours on it, and about 150 of those were with a pair of SIG quarter-scale floats attached. The floats detracted very little from the performance.

You just can't beat a Bee for fun flying!!

Roger
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Old 05-24-2003, 11:36 PM
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Default Weight

rogerflies,

What did you do to get yours so light? Mine weighs 20 lbs. fueled and ready to fly.

Jerry
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Old 05-25-2003, 12:23 AM
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Default BIG BEE

ANeat Are you using an aluminum tube inside aluminum? Can't tell from the photos. I have one of the old kits, which I made parts from saving the original. I like the idea of a two piece wing. I plan on using a Saito 270 up front and hiding it with a Killer Bee cowl, which is a bit wider. Have seen several on floats and they are great. Even saw one with flaps.
Old 05-25-2003, 01:10 AM
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rogerflies
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Although it looks like a Big Bee, the structure has been totally redesigned .

The two wing bolts are right on the spar, with a third smaller bolt on the trailing edge. The spar itself has tapered caps which are one piece from end to end. That got rid of almost all of the plywood in the center of the wing, and a lot of the plywood in the fuse where the wing bolts would have been.

The landing gear is a single piece of 1/4" wire and mounts with a single bolt which clamps it into a V-shaped recess in the bottom of the fuselage. The fuselage itself is a crutch with formers to support the shell which is laid up from strips of 3/32" balsa. After it was sanded to shape, the shell was covered with fiberglass cloth and epoxy.

The tail feathers have an airfoil shape copied from a P-51 Mustang. They're built up and covered with 1/16" balsa and then glassed. The elevator servos are mounted inside the stabs. The rudder is driven with a pushrod from the servo under the wing.

It was a bit more work, but well worth it. If you think a Bee flies well at 20 pounds (and they do), you should try one at 14 pounds. WOW!!

The great thing about getting rid of excess weight in a plane is that you reduce the loads on the necessary parts of the structure. That means you can make them lighter, too. It's like compound interest in reverse.

Roger
Old 05-25-2003, 01:26 AM
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ANeat
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Blackhawk I am using a 1.25 , .035 X 36 " aluminum tube with a phenolic tube installed in the wing halves. I came about that size from some advice from a friend who flies IMAC and has more experience than I do. Since the wing is flat on top I just stacked the ribs (4 on each half) with the top edges even and the spar slots lined up and jig-sawed the hole for the tube.
I got the tube from TNT, they sell tube/socket combos.

Adam
Old 05-25-2003, 01:47 AM
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Default Bridi Big Bee

It looked like alum. on alum. and I didn't think that would work too well. I am going to try doing a foam wing and just cap strip's on it rather than cut out ribs again if I need a replacent wing.
Old 05-28-2003, 02:23 PM
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Here is a pic of the progress on the Big Bee. Weight at this point with the bare airframe and the motor installed is a little over 11 lbs. I hope it will come in at the 15 to 16 lb range when complete.
Adam
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Old 05-28-2003, 02:36 PM
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Default Bridi Big Bee

"Looking GOOD"

BB1....
Old 05-28-2003, 03:33 PM
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Looking good for sure. I have one now I have been flying and used it as a pattern for another, but am looking for a complete kit. I tried Sheldons, they don't list one unless they have them and dont advertise them
Old 05-28-2003, 04:56 PM
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rogerflies
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Looking good, and you're doing a good job keeping it light.

One suggestion: Leave the wing tips like they are now, squared off. They look better, they weigh nothing, and the Bee will fly just fine without the tips shown on the plans.

If you find you have trouble seeing the orientation of the plane, add "splates", which is short for spill plates. You can make them out of 1/8" light plywood, cover them with something easy to see, and put them on with two small screws. They'll need to be about 2" wide, rounded on the front, even with the leading edge, and extend back to the rear of the ailerons. You might even notice a little improvement in the aileron response. See the attached photo. I'll be glad to post a closer shot if you like.

Roger
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Old 05-28-2003, 07:10 PM
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Default Bridi Big Bee

Thanks for the kind words everyone
Blackhawk; Sheldons still has them listed on their website. I went to "Hot Deals" and then "airplane kits" If all else fails call them.

Roger; Yes I had planned on leaving the tips square. The wood that was included in the kit was 1/4" lite ply and I really didnt want that hanging out there. I like the "square" look better on a symetrical airfoil anyway. I just put an extra layer of 1/8 balsa on the tips to keep the tip ribs from bowing in when I cover it.
Im familiar with the splates, I noticed them on your Big Bee. Ive had them on a couple planes over the years. I always thought they gave a plane that bush plane look

A couple of problems that I will have to address. The ailerons are one big piece of balsa and of course I have one that has taken a pretty bad "bannana" shape to it so I may rip it down into strips and do some built up ailerons instead.
The wire gear supplied is made up of two 1/4" music wire pieces. A front and a back piece, well it looks like I got 2 back pieces and no fronts so I will have to do some re-bending to get that fixed.
Adam

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