William Robison
Posts: 20269
Joined: 11/10/2002
From: Mary Esther, Florida, FL, USA
Status: offline
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Crashfix:
Welcome to the argument. But please recheck your numbers - difference is $33 - you added an extra 10 to the Twin-Air.
Sheldon's is really $120 delivered for the Duellist? That's below dealer's cost from Pica. It makes me think what they are selling is the earlier version kit, before the laser cuting began. But they could have struck a deal with Pica and it is the laser cut, latest, kit
While neither is a beginner's plane, either in flying or the construction, I have both right here, and neither has been started in construction, here are my thoughts.
Twin-Air. Simple construction, box fuselage, wing builds flat on the board. The wing is built with open bays outboard of the nacelles, requires covering but retains lightness. The nacelles are built into the wing, not just glued to the skin. Entire airplane looks hard to build badly, just about guaranteed good strong structure. But there is a lot more carving and sanding than on the Duellist. The instruction booklet directions are somewhat obscure, interpretaion almost requires knowing what he wants before he broaches the subject. I think it would almost be easier to build using the plans only, without the book. But it does have some good tips in it.
Duellist. Complex construction. The fuselage requires the formers to be secured to the building board, a few stringers added, then start sheeting. Builds into a beautiful fuselage with an oval cross section, very strong. But careless or slapdash methods will leave you with, at best, a warped assembly, at worst it will be both warped and weak. The wing cannot be built flat on the board, it uses a shimming strip both to support the after portion of the ribs and to build in the "Washout" of the structure. The leading and trailing edges have to be glued to the ribs without any support, unless you build up small stands, and every one will have to be different since the washout gives the wing panel a slight twist. Once the sheeting is started the wing becomes strong, but care is required up to that point - the basic structure is fragile. Somewhat like the fuselage before sheeting. The entire airplane is sheeted, it could be finished with paint only. The instruction book is superb, if followed carefully the airplane could be built well by a person without a lot of previous experience.
Flying. I have neither flown, nor even seen a completed Twin-Air. The Duellist is like an old faithful friend. But my impression is that anyone WITH AEROBATIC experience could handle either one with absolutely no trouble. And looking at the two I think the Twin-Air might possibly have the edge for aerobatics. Again, to repeat, no hands on yet with the Twin-Air, but I think it would have a definite edge in ease of flight with a dead engine. Because the tail moment is 10" longer than the Duellist.
Good looks goes to the Duellist without any argument. It is not possible for the T-A's Hershey bar wing to compare with the tapered wing of the Duellist, then contrast the nice oval fuselage of the Duellist to the T-A's box, as I said - no contest. Plain Chevrolet against a Ferrari SWB 250GT. A house cat and a Bengal tiger.
So which do I pick for you? Both. Get the T-A, it will build in a fraction of the time needed for the Duellist. While you are flying the T-A, in the evenings you can be building your Ferrari.
If it has to be either-or, that $33 difference will go a long way toward buying all the other needed bits, tanks, wheels, etc. But the T-A is by far the easier build. And I think it will make the better plane as a first twin.
So I suppose I pick the Twin-Air.
Hope I haven't left you with too much confusion.
But a Duellist for $120...
Duellist or Twin-Air, what a deal, buy the pair.
Bill
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Pica Duellist - 
Yo, Bill.... - 
OldRookie...thank you so much.... - 
