U.S. Male Biplane (Full Version)

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Lightning Fan -> U.S. Male Biplane (9/30/2012 5:04 AM)

I bought an estate, and part of it was a biplane that was passed over by several guys before me, so I got it as part of the "package". 
I have determined from the plans that I found in another box that this plane was scratched, and is called "U.S. Male".
Flat bottom wings, biplane, N struts, weighs about 12 pounds without gear, has an ASP 108 in it, 81" span.

Without a doubt, it is the most hideous looking model I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot of bad stuff.
Orange paint over some sort of fabric, obviously painted on with a brush because of the blotchy appearance.  Probably dope.

My intent was to salvage the engine and have a nice centerpiece for the next bonfire, but there is not any real structural problems except for a bent trailing edge on one wing.  I bet it would fly if I put gear in it, if only because the grass would try to push it away.
So, if I kept it, I'd want to strip it and recover, some major surgery in the cabanes, etc ... but is it worth it?  I have fun flying anything - last weekend was a 42 cc gas engine 3D CAP232, and today was training a guy on a Senior Telemaster.  Love both kinds of flying.

Anyone ever fly one of these things?  Or even hear of it?
I'll post some better pics tomorrow.



Lightning Fan -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (9/30/2012 5:18 AM)

Poor pic.
Barbie was going to be the guy's pilot I guess ... she needs covering too.
Oh, and the metal on the front?  That is the section of dryer vent tubing called for in the plans.  Innovative ...



Mick B -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (9/30/2012 4:01 PM)

This plane looks surprising close to a Phaeton biplane. I have the 40 size and it flys very nice if it is the redone kit. If it is the older kit, circa 1980's it will be too short in the fuse which makes it very reactive and hard to fly unless you have LOTS of experience. I kept my original plane for over 28 years. It really is a fun plane to fly.

From your pictures, it appears that someone cobbled the nose. You can definitely do something with the nose around the engine compartment to improve the aesthetics... If it were mine I would put the time in!!!



Lightning Fan -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (9/30/2012 5:02 PM)

Thanks.  More photos to come.
So I pulled the cloth covering off the left side of the bottom wing on the bottom.
Came off effortlessly, and boy did I get a surprise.  I was amazed at how light it is and now I understand why.
I think I have the first giant scale foamie on record.
The ribs are all some sort of creme colored foam board, with lightening holes all through them.  Substantial spruce spars and stringers.
Pretty solid structure actually.

So the orange paint bled onto the structure and would need to come off to cover it without showing through.  Sanding with a big block shows that the paint comes off, and it looks like the foam board has been "capped" with Titebond.  I'd have to be careful if I used Monokote or Ora.

Hmmmm .....



soarrich -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (9/30/2012 6:49 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Lightning Fan


The ribs are all some sort of creme colored foam board, with lightening holes al through them. 





http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cmpages/lastafoam.php



Lightning Fan -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (9/30/2012 9:22 PM)

More photos.
Maybe if it weren't orange.
The nose is per plan, believe it or not.



Lightning Fan -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (9/30/2012 9:25 PM)

That tail.  The vertical stab sort of looks like a Fleet.  But it makes no sense with the horizontal, which actually looks OK.  It looks like a slab that got stuck on by accident.
Surgery.



Nieuport nut -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (9/30/2012 9:50 PM)

It's a plan published in Model Aviation in the late 70's IIRC. I may even have the original article still.

A guy in our club had one, powered by an HB61,(again IIRC). It was a fly-around plane to shoot touch and goes on calm days. Kind of like a kite actually. The wing loading was very low. It may have even been 3-channel.

The foamboard ribs work fine. Foamboard is a good cheap alternative for large low-load parts like ribs. White glues work quite well, and if you are sheeting or cap-stripping them covering is no problem. I have a friend who used it for fuselage formers in a 30% Goon racer.

Martin



soarrich -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (9/30/2012 11:01 PM)

It almost looks like fanfold foam, but I've only seen it in blue. Yea, for ribs and fuse bulkheads it will work well.



Lightning Fan -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (10/1/2012 3:37 AM)

Well, Nieuport Nut helped me strike paydirt.  Here's the MA article:
https://library.modelaviation.com/ma/1982/12/us-male

The article says to use dress liner as the fabric, doped on.  It was also set up to be three channel with a lot more diheral than is in mine, which has ailerons.  Looks like I have a one of a kind here.



Lightning Fan -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (10/1/2012 4:37 AM)

And here is something interesting. 
These links show this thing could be made to resemble a Douglas M2 Mailplane ...

http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1075451/
http://jn.passieux.free.fr/images/Mailplane_3.jpg

Nice color scheme ... Aluminum and maroon ...



zemkes_wolfpack -> RE: U.S. Male Biplane (11/6/2012 1:48 AM)

Lightning Fan,

I had one of these back in the ninties with a K&B .65 Sportster for power. It was a real floater a previously stated. One word of caution, it did NOT like wind. Anything over about 10MPH and it got a little hairy.

Good Luck and keep us posted.




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