Big John Biplane (Full Version)

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Broken Wings -> Big John Biplane (5/3/2008 6:53:31 PM)

I found a set of plans for the "Big John" biplane, 76 3/4" wing span, length 56 1/4", .60 engine. I think it was designed by Bill Northrop. Does anyone have any experience with this model? I remember seeing some adds in the older magazines but have never seen one fly. I have an old OS Max H-80 that needs an airframe.

Thanks in advance.



iflyj3 -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/3/2008 7:21:35 PM)

I have a Big John that is the original one. A later version was called Big John OMT (One More Time). I think there is very little difference.

Mine has an old OS 90 four stroke and does well. It is a sport Biplane and is comfortable just flying around the patch. Slow rolls are very slow rolls and the fast rolls are the same as the slow rolls.

I don't have any pictures or I would send them.



gfurr1 -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/3/2008 7:22:25 PM)

Hey,

I built one and it flies great. Remember that I am an old timer (flying UC in 1952 and first RC in 1964). I don't fly 3D and probably can't. It's slow, easy to see and flys and does most pattern maneuvers if you have patience.

I had Eddie at Lazer Works cut the ribs for me. Very, very reasonable. Saved me about about a month and a bottle of Advil.

Mine plan was from Bill's plan service. He has a great list of the old stuff, a lot from the 60's and 70's.

Good Luck and please start a built tread. I wish I had.

Glynn ..
K4RKI
AMA 30686



RFJ -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/3/2008 7:55:27 PM)

Here are some Big John OMT shots from the construction article in the March 1967 edition of RCM. If you would like an article scan just PM me your e mail address.

Ray



iflyj3 -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/3/2008 8:50:50 PM)

Glynn,

Are you going to be at the Mid-South VRCS fly in Labor day weekend?

I am planning on beiing there.




Broken Wings -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/4/2008 2:28:34 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: RFJ

Here are some Big John OMT shots from the construction article in the March 1967 edition of RCM. If you would like an article scan just PM me your e mail address.

Ray


Yes Please, I would like a scan of the article and pictures.

Thanks,
John



BobHH -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/4/2008 2:55:08 PM)

Here is a picture of a Big John that was at one of the Mid-South VRCS Fly-ins in years past. Dan, I can't remember if this one is yours or Mike's.

Bob Harris



iflyj3 -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/4/2008 4:00:21 PM)

That was Mike's, mine doesn't look that good.



Michaelj2k -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/5/2008 3:11:34 AM)

Hey! I go away for a couple of days and you guys are talking about me![:D] Yup, that's mine, allright. BJ needs to be flown, it's not one of those airplanes that you can slap the stick over in a roll and count one, two, three. It's slow, taxiing on the ground it waddles around like a duck but once you apply power, it quickly goes into its element. To do a decent roll, (usually a barrel) push the nose down to get airspeed then pull up the nose, apply aileron and rudder through the maneuver. Loops are easy, stuff the nose down for airspeed then pull up and over. In general, it flies like a full size and needs airspeed to do aerobatics. Rudder is required, and ailerons are generally useless except to initiate a roll, turn, bank, etc. Spins are easy, retard the throttle to idle, stall the airplane then input full rudder and elevator. Spin recovery happens within 1 1/2 turns. My BJ is from the MEN kit but I did a recovering job on it and added some of the details of BJ OMT. The large rudder I think really helps the airplane, but I'm not sure about the narrow rudder of OMT. The three RCM pictures are of the original OMT, the middle photo is Graham Lomax who recently passed away and one built by a fellow in Sacramento.. Graham's was powered by an Enya .60 and Monocote covered and flown with a green box Micro Avionics radio.

My BJ is powered by an OS .90 four stroke, flown with a Futaba FPT-7FGK radio (still an excellent 20 year old radio!) and covered with SIG Coverall and Randolph dope. Weighs about 10 - 12 lbs. or so. The engine is turning a Master Airscrew 16-6 which is a perfect combination. If it is a hot, humid day, I switch to a 16-4. With a 12 oz. tank, I climb to altitude at full throttle then pull it back to 1/2 and cruise around all day. After 12 minutes, I still have at least a 1/4 tank left.

BTW, I also have the smaller version, the Duster (pic #4) also designed by Bill Northrop. The flying characteristics are similar, being a 7/8ths reduction of BJ. Bill has the plans available for Big John (the first) and RCM has the plans for OMT. It takes a lumberyard to build one.





iflyj3 -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/6/2008 10:09:32 PM)

OK, here's mine. It was built many years ago by the owner of the AMA number on the top wing. I did have to rebuild some and improvise the wing struts as I did not get them. I added the two flying wires as the wings seemed to flex more that I liked.

It is powered with the old OS 90 four stroke which is an early 80's vintage engine. Slow easy flyer but to fly it is like herding cattle. You must jump in front of it before you want to turn as it is slow to respond.

The radio receiver is the Spektrum. In addition to the DX7 transmitter, I also use a MicroStar 2000 single stick with the Spektrum RF module.



Broken Wings -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/7/2008 12:02:02 AM)

They Look Great! I'm looking forward to getting the plans. Thank You.



Broken Wings -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/7/2008 1:45:35 AM)

Boy they don't write construction articles like that anymore....What a Hoot!!! Smiles



Michaelj2k -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/7/2008 1:22:19 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Broken Wings

Boy they don't write construction articles like that anymore....What a Hoot!!! Smiles


Bill is quite the prolific writer, the construction articles he's written not only are entertaining but they provide plenty of information to build the model.



Michaelj2k -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/7/2008 1:37:11 PM)

Nice looking machine Dan. It looks like yours may have been built from the MEN kit also. When I rebuilt mine, I added some fuselage stringers to the sides and bottom to get away from that "boxy" look. I don't have brace wires on the wings, it seems that the "I" struts add just enough stiffness to prevent them from flexing (I hope). Regardless, I watch the speed when I point the nose down prior to reaching "pucker factor" [X(] and try to make easy recoveries from each maneuver. I'd rather fly it out than yank the stick back. Needless to say, I have plenty of altitude before trying something.

Two sayings I've heard about aerobatics at airshows:
Redneck pilot: "Hey Y'all, watch this!" And the best one: "If you haven't done it before, don't do it here!" How true.



Broken Wings -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/7/2008 10:06:04 PM)

Are you guys using wheel brakes as stated in the construction article?



iflyj3 -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/7/2008 11:16:05 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Broken Wings

Are you guys using wheel brakes as stated in the construction article?

I fly from black top and no brakes are needed.



Michaelj2k -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/8/2008 1:33:05 PM)

Nah, don't need them for grass or blacktop.



iflyj3 -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/8/2008 2:04:45 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Michaelj2k

It looks like yours may have been built from the MEN kit also.


Mike,

I have no idea what the origin of mine is. I do know it has a lot of light plywood. Wing ribs and fuselage sides. Is that from the MEN kit?



Michaelj2k -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/8/2008 3:47:05 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: iflyj3


quote:

ORIGINAL: Michaelj2k

It looks like yours may have been built from the MEN kit also.


Mike,

I have no idea what the origin of mine is. I do know it has a lot of light plywood. Wing ribs and fuselage sides. Is that from the MEN kit?




Yes it is the MEN kit. They used lots of lite ply in the construction. Some of the lite ply was spongy as all get out so I reinforced some stress areas with the real stuff. Wing sheeting around the centersection of both wings wasn't the geatest either so I replaced that as well.



mocgp -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/10/2008 6:47:58 PM)

I first saw the BJ when I was stationed at Lowry AFB in Denver in 1968. Fell in love at once. My mentor in the hobby started one about the same time (from Big John the First plans) and gave it to me before he passed on about 18-20 years ago. It has sat unfinished until recently when I decided to convert it to electric power. I quite literally band-sawed the nose off just in front of the firewall and re-engineered it for the E-Flite power 60. Net weight loss was 10-12 oz. with all those slabs of balsa and ply up there. Estimating about 9 to 9.5 lbs RTF weight. Seeing this pics will provoke me to get busy and finish now.



jjscott -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/11/2008 4:13:08 PM)

Thanks to Ray for the scan of the article!

Jim



Broken Wings -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/14/2008 12:43:14 AM)

I got the plans and the construction article for the "Big John the First". It looks pretty straightforward. I'll start gathering a forest... or balsa. The fuselage has a very unique shape in that it looks "whale like"......



oldplanes -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/20/2008 2:41:33 AM)

Anyone have plans from the MEN kit?



Michaelj2k -> RE: Big John Biplane (5/28/2008 1:40:48 PM)

OK all you Big John lovers, here's a MEN kit that popped up on Fleecebay. Item 160245106780

http://cgi.ebay.com/M-E-N-Model-Engineering-of-Norwalk-BIG-JOHN-Bipe_W0QQitemZ160245106780QQihZ006QQcategoryZ19164QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem




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