Scirocco14

Here's one you won't see every day, a SIG Aerobipe. Apparently produced in the 70's. In fact, in searching the internet I can hardly find anything at all about this kit. Apparently it is related to SIG's "The Baron's Buggy". It is a 34" wingspan 3-channel biplane for 1/2A power. I picked this kit up on Ebay and thought it'd be an interesting build and something no one else at the field will have. I'm going to build it pretty much stock except for some minor changes, such as the landing gear mounting (changed from the rubber band mounting to a bolt-on arrangement).

Even though it says a .10 size engine will work, I'm going to put in a Fox .15 RC engine just so I know it'll take off on the grass field we use.

Enjoy the build log and if ANYONEhas ever built one of these or seen one in person, I'd be interested in knowing about it!

Mark

aerowoof

built on of these with hot stuff in 1 afternoon back in 74 at that time hot stuff just came out $16 plus shipping for two 1/2 oz bottles from sattellite city.this bibe fly great but real prone to ground looping on take off especially on grass fields.may want to put a gyro on the rudder.

Scirocco14

Thanks for that background. One afternoon, eh? Pretty good!

Since you built this, do you remember how you did the interplane struts? The instructions don't even mention them, they're not on the plans but they ARE in the photos!!

Mark

Augie11

Well I'll be darned......isn't that adorable! I've never seen one but you can tell from the plans she's from Sig. Have to admit I'm stunned by the amount of downthrust on that engine. Must be at least 5 degrees. I think you've made a good choice with the .15 engine. Having never built one I can't offer any help but perhaps that fellow who built one in an afternoon can give you some insight on the struts. It takes me longer than that just to flatten out the plans!

Thanks for starting the thread.....keep us posted. And good luck with the Galloping Ghost installation : )

aerowoof

didn't do them as they were not required for flight.if I remember there were small tubes epoxied to the ribs that wire on the ends of the struts plugged into.I used an os max 15 back then .do not try to add airlerons as it won't turn with them.found out the hard way.while it will bank and roll will not turn without using rudder.

Scirocco14

Thanks, Aerowoof. I'll try to come up with something regarding the interplane struts. Maybe a scaled down version of what's used on a Goldberg Ultimate or SIG Liberty Sport.

Good to know about the ailerons. I pondered them for a while, and then figured I'd have to take the dihedral out...and then wondered how much to leave in...decided I didn't feel like redesigning the plane. So stock it'll be!

Thanks again,

Mark

paradoxx

Wow, I know this thread is old and that in new in the forum, but I really thought I was the only one with an Aerobipe!! We used to have a Veco .19 on it, this one was built by my dad and uncle back in the days. As im retaking the hobby...it is very probable that I take it into the air again. Is there any pics if you finished assembling it?

Scirocco14

Here are a few pics of it in its current state. A few other planes are ahead of it in the building queue, but it's ready for covering.

Mark

paradoxx

looks beautiful!! I you like I can take some pics of ours and post them here, if you dont mind. Its good to see another one thank you for the quick reply!

Scirocco14

Sure, I'd like to see it. It'll give me some motivation to get mine done!

Mark

paradoxx

Here are my pics, its a bit dusty, out of shape but just a few touches here and there and its ready to fly. My dad says its quite hard to fly, a bit too picky.

Somehow it seems that we have different versions, our kit it RC-25, have no clue which one is older.

Scirocco14

Nice pics, and cool color scheme.

So what kind of racecar do those Eibachs belong to?

Mark

paradoxx

haha, those eibachs are from my Datsun 510sss and lot more stuff there too. there you have my 2 favorite hobbies, both expensive.

Scirocco14

I raced a VW Scirocco in SCCA club racing for 15 years, just retired from driving last year. $$$$$$$$. Sold the racecar & trailer this year.

Also have a 1968 Datsun 2000 I restored from the frame-off. That I still have.

paradoxx

gotta love the roadster, dont sell it!! and the VW is superb, beautiful! My Dime is a 1969, so is not that far from your roadster. Cool, this is a nice welcome to the forum

DaveHickey

I built an Aerobipe back in the late '70s (I think) with a Veco (K&B) 19 RCand a World Engines Expertradio with the "Full Size" servos, titet fit! I found the lower wing needed to have a 1/16" dihedral brace out 2 bays fromcenteror it folded whenever a wingtip touched ground. Also with the weight or the 19 and the old time radio (and the excessive power of the 19) the rudder was way too sensative. Eventually I made a control horn that was about1.5 inches long (no dual rates, adjustable endpoints or Expo back then). Flew it a lot but it was trickey. Probably converted to electric or flown with a .10 and a small light radio it would be a ball to fly and probably a lot better behaved than mine was. D.H.

Scirocco14

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Aerobipe, Dave. Mine will have an OS .10FP and micro servos, so maybe it will be well behaved.

Mark

paradoxx

That Veco is an exceptional engine, I still have it running. What Dave said, is exactly what my dad said when he tried to fly it, it was like trying to stand up in marbles.

SeamusG

Totally off topic ...

Scirocco - do not leave the keys in that 2 liter! I WILL find it ... OK - the lusting has passed ...

A friend just picked up a Datsun 510 HProd car. So far he's 3 1st places out of 3 races (national SCCA Rocky Mtn Div). I get to instruct in a road racing school - we're certified for SCCA, NASA, PCA, and others.

Scirocco14

Say hi to Jeff Winter for me, you probably know him. We used to race together in G-Production at the Runoffs.

Mark

SeamusG

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry! Just kidding. He's built a ton of local Datsuns. Great local personality. Where's my '70 240Z when I really need it? Should see Jeff in a couple of weeks and will say hi. He will ask why give up cars for balsa wood planes ...

murftn

need to get plans for aerobipe [email protected]