SIG Smith Miniplane
05-12-2005, 05:29 PM
#4
My Feedback: (20)
RE: SIG Smith Miniplane
Actually, I don't weigh my planes but I didn't have to put as much useless lead in the nose with the 4 stroke as I did with the OS .50 that was in my first one.
The Miniplane is pretty forgiving and lands pretty easily. I covered my first one (.50) in Coverite and painted it and it was much heavier than my second one (.46) covered in Monokote. My third one was Monokoted and had the .70 installed inverted. They all flew fine, the .70 obviously had more vertical and sounded cooler. It is a draggy airframe so keep a little power up on final until you know you have made the runway.
I have a NIB kit here...you're making me think of getting it out...stop that. I have too many projects in the pipeline already.
Don
The Miniplane is pretty forgiving and lands pretty easily. I covered my first one (.50) in Coverite and painted it and it was much heavier than my second one (.46) covered in Monokote. My third one was Monokoted and had the .70 installed inverted. They all flew fine, the .70 obviously had more vertical and sounded cooler. It is a draggy airframe so keep a little power up on final until you know you have made the runway.
I have a NIB kit here...you're making me think of getting it out...stop that. I have too many projects in the pipeline already.
Don
05-12-2005, 05:38 PM
#5
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RE: SIG Smith Miniplane
I is going to be my first bipe. Do you think it would be good idea to move landing gear 1/2 -1 inch towards to make landings easier (but take-off more difficult)?
Marian
Marian
05-12-2005, 05:51 PM
#6
My Feedback: (20)
RE: SIG Smith Miniplane
Nah, leave the landing gear where it is but what I did was buy a wider aluminum gear because the scale gear is a bit narrow plus the wood fairings are easily cracked on less than greased landings. A good .60 size aluminum or composite gear works fine. Instead of building the grooved landing gear mount on the plans, epoxy on a 1/4" piece of ply and back it up on the inside with tri-stock for strength.
The Miniplane was my first Biplane as well. It's really not that scary as long as you have progressed past trainers. I would say it's easily a 3rd or 4th airplane.
Don
The Miniplane was my first Biplane as well. It's really not that scary as long as you have progressed past trainers. I would say it's easily a 3rd or 4th airplane.
Don
05-12-2005, 08:25 PM
#7
RE: SIG Smith Miniplane
ORIGINAL: Marian
I is going to be my first bipe. Do you think it would be good idea to move landing gear 1/2 -1 inch towards to make landings easier (but take-off more difficult)?
Marian
I is going to be my first bipe. Do you think it would be good idea to move landing gear 1/2 -1 inch towards to make landings easier (but take-off more difficult)?
Marian
This airplane is short coupled, so it is a squirrell on the ground. With time this is less and less of a problem (this bird is a great precurser to something like the Pitts!). But once it is in the air it is a real pleasure to fly and as easy to land as a low wing trainer.
The .70 4cycle is a great match, and the wing loading is very light. My friend calculated it around 18oz/sq ft. The airframe is strong and will handle the power plant. This is not a 3D airplane, so don't be too dissapointed when it doesn't like knife edges. But the snap rolls will make you dizzy!
Builder beware; it is very much "stick built," but worth every unending hour of work! Build it just as is- it's beautful!
05-15-2005, 10:41 AM
#8
My Feedback: (-1)
RE: SIG Smith Miniplane
Bipes has it correct, nice in the air but I fly off of A hard surface and it's A bear on the ground. Changing the gear is A great idea, wish I would have thought of that but I fought it until I had it figured out. On A grass field it should be much better. The 70 FS is the perfect combo for this short nosed little plane, I couldn't add enough weight up front with A 46 so went to the 70 and it made life much better and liked the extra power. Post up after you have flown it and tell us how you liked it.
