lyvewire

Hello all! So I just aquired a great planes sportster bipe .40. The instructions seem very vague. I have never built a biplane. I am an intermediate builder. There are only ailerons on the bottom wing. No outer struts like most biplanes. Also there isn't a dyhedral brace on the main wing....just fiberglass cloth over sheeting. I want to add outer wing struts and i will be going glow with this. Has anyone built one of these kits? I need some information before i lay it on the building table. Thanks in advance!

Beau

carlgrover

I built mine many years ago. Ailerons on the bottom wing only are fine. Mine snaps easily. You also won't need the dyhedral brace. Fiberglass cloth will be fine to reinforce the center section. Mine has no outer wing struts. Doesn't appear to need them. If you build it per the plans it will be just fine. The only thing to watch out for is engine choice. I put a Fox .40 in mine originally and it was so tail heavy I swapped it out for a .50. It balance perfectly with that engine. Others have told me they had similar experience with it.


It's a fantastic flyer. I've got tons of flights on mine.


Carl

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

If the model is built exactly to the plans and instructions, it will fly very well and be a lot of fun!

We're not sure what you mean about the instructions being vague. You have a detailed instruction manual with photos of each step.

RICKSTUBBZ

Last I checked Great Planes plans/instructions (including the Super Sporter 40 bipe) are about as good as it gets...

Scanned from real photographs..You know the kind that you had to have film in the camera...
Mid eighties---OS45FSR belonged to a good friend of mine.




He liked it so well here is number two.

I can't remember if he built three or four. The ones that died did not die because of the airplane....Most were mid airs. He still has the last one and it is flyable at 25 years or more....
Here is a shot of number one again with my highly modified Mark's Model's mustang and my other friend GP super sportser 40

SushiHunter

Bipe with a pipe....that must haul some serious arse.

lyvewire

Thanks for the information. It will make a good 3rd plane right? So far I own 7 planes including my trainer, four star .40 and four star 120 gas. Also own a small electric and a tiger .60. The engine of choice will come from my fourstar .40 it has a .46la on it, pretty powerful. I wanted the outer struts for looks and I think a dyhedral brace would just make me feel better. As for the soldering of the wire tio wing holder, i've never done that....I am in a great club Just wanted some other opinions. Also ultracote or monocote? Also do the wings come apart for easy travel?
I was thinking of drilling 1/4" holes out of the vertical and horizontal stab for lightening and using a sub "c" 5 cell batter pack to help with tailheaviness. And by vague I meant, compared to the great planes PT.20 it says in the bipe kit, "join the wing" or take the 1/4 x 1/4 x 24" spar and cut to plans. I mean everything in my previous kits was pre cut...this makes me nervous. Any suggestions? I'm going to use an "interior" hollow core door to build a straight wing. Thanks so much for the feedback by the way. - beau-

lyvewire

Also, one last thing. Pilot in cockpit or no pilot? color scheme to make it nice and new feeling?

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

Pretty much the only thing thats pre-cut in that kit are the wing-ribs, and probabably the horizontal and vertical stabs and control surfaces..oh..some bulk-heads are pre-cut also... so get ready to do some cutting/shaping/sanding.. and more of the same.. Its a bit more work then a Sig FourStar no doubt.. its alot of balsa blocks. As someone already stated though.. built per the plans these come out very nice,.... as nice as the builder can build. Gather some tools.. a razor-plain will be your best friend (MasterAirScrew or Windsor brand is a great plain.. and reasonable price... as well as some sanding bars.. with a few different grades of material.

As for engines.. a .46LA would work fine.. although its a bushing type engine, and not high on the power scale.. I'd probably use a higher grade engine... something like a .46AX... or even a new generation 4-stroke.. I've got that kit in my hoard of kits to hopefully build one day.. I've built several GreatPlanes kits though... large, small, etc.. to include a few of the other Sportster series planes. GreatPlanes kits are really one of the best of thier time... The manual, plans, and instructs cover just about everything you'll need to know.. its probably just a matter of studying it all a bit more... and gaining some experience.. just take your time and you'll get there. Good luck.

lyvewire

Thanks! and it is a .46AX lol looked at it wrong. Also, i own balsa saws, plains, etc. i have all the tools just nervous to start it lol. Ill get there eventually.