Gotta bring this one back from the grave....

Found this awsome site about a guy that followed his dream of making his model into a full size.

You folks gotta read this one but fill the mug with some high test caffeine first......

http://users.mo-net.com/shirl/RealBipe.html

PS: Looking at the site a bit closer I found out that he's building it out of WOOD! ! ! Looks like a great big rubber scale model...

I'm gonna have to watch this one....

He probably could have saved a lot of effort by purchasing one of the bipes from Fisher Flying Products and making some cosmetic tweaks to make it look like his model.

THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!! (PASS THE CREAM!!) He had a model that he turned into a full scale plane. (No, I DON'T WANT ANY SUGAR!!! IT AMPS ME UP!!) With careful calculations, measure twice, cut once, he made his dream plane. (DARNIT, DROPPED MY CUP. I NEED COFFEE!!!)

Hey Guys,

I am in the process of designing my aircraft. It will be built much like the KRS with panel sides and turtle decking. I wanted to keep it simple in terms of construction setup. The model I was looking at was the Sunbird 40. A plane that I built many years ago. It was a fun aircraft to fly and would make a great fullscale plane to fly.
I was considering building a pusher designed L-39 for kicks and giggles. But it's a more daunting task to fulfill. Now I know that when things are scaled up, everything changes. But that's the fun of the hobby and It's the vision of your dream. What I see in modeling plans are a start and ONLY a start. Everything can be use, but must be modified for full scale function. This I know.

All jokes aside, I know it can be done. As for cost, when you go into the great abyss of the unknown, you tackle it as it comes being wise in choice selection and having great mentors guide you through so you don't give up on an otherwise great venture.

I thought about this long and hard for a couple of years. I wanted something that is tailored to my interest and likes. Unfortunutly, there aren't that many kits out there that does that because you end up investing in someone else's vision. (Some are real nice visions too!!)

I see three different planes that can be built by me. A high wing trike with dual rudders. A scratch built plane that taught me how to fly model planes! A pusher plane that resembles a jet. Based on a Model Airplane news plan, and a low wing with trike with a wide double tapered wing. (AKA Sunbird) All very different in style, performance and cost. All I need is help to get to the realized dream or otherwise known as, the finished product. I have over ten years modeling skills from building kits to scratch building. So I am asking you all. . . . where should I start?

(While you think on that, let me take a sip of Moca Decaffe.)

I guess you'd have to ask, "Which came first, the plane or the model?".

As I was building my full-scale Emeraude, I became acquainted with a modeler in the Southwest who was also building one. In his case though, he had already built and flown a 40% giant scale model of the Emeraude and was (is) now going for the real thing!

He occasionally sells plans for his 40% scale version as well as a quarter-scale job. Now that my full-size bird has been flying for three years, I've got "empty-shop syndrome" and so have started on a ¼ size Emeraude.

Guys - you would not believe how much building the Emeraude is like building a model! Lay out your fuselage sides on a table and glue them together. Turn them on the top and glue in formers at the front and back of the cockpit. Pull the tail together and glue it. Add the firewall. Etcetera, etcetera.



Check out my web site at http://www.harbornet.com/folks/shankland/emeraude.html

Oh, BTW - The designer of the Emeraude was Claude A. Piel. Later, he designed the CAP-10, CAP-21, CAP-232, et. al.

OD

Some of you might remember the Mini-max, which was a little homebuilt aircraft. I thought I remember it being similar in construction to model building techniques. There was a model of it also. This was maybe 18 years ago...

And along this line I think you'll find that the earlier Druine Turbulent and Volksplane were all wood and pretty much followed modeling patterns in their construction.

See guys, it can and has been done as you pointed out. I started drawing my fuse outline. I stand 72" tall. So for a guesstimation, I got a 12" doll and sat it in my drawing. The fuse is 36 inches long. The full scale version would be approximately 18 to 20 feet long. I am currently studing several plans to see how things are laid out. This is the ultimate in modeling. Give me you input. This is what this section is for!

(Uh, I smell java! Gotta get a cup!)

Hey ..... Tamecat ...... never been on a chat board before but will give it a try. Wrote you a private email the other day in ref. to your anticipate project. I am the guy building my own design bipe that BMatthews pointed out the other day. Like I have alluded to in other things, you have to feel confident in putting O.P.S.B after your name........ like M.D.'s and DDS etc., except OPSB means you are one persistent sum bit...... well you get the idea. Otherwise the project will not get completed like many others. Check my site for a lot of info-trials and tribulations ...... http://users.mo-net.com/shirl as I have a lot of model stuff and design info on various pages ......... I am having a blast ..... hope you do too, but don't expect much from EAA except where to BUY the info you need ......... Marv

Oh.... one more thing. Even though mine is all wood, you have to know a GOOD gas welder or be one. Heli-arc also helps. I have never worked with metal before so it was a real learning experience and you MUST have a real bandsaw rather than a table mount. So far I have spent about $1,000 on tools. I also needed a mitre saw. Get an Aircraft Spruce catalog and read it. There is a lot of information in there other than parts for sale. I think I will have about $14,000 in mine when it is totally completed.

Going to try posting a 3 view of this project

Check out this plane. It has a bit of a cult status in our country... It looks a bit odd, but flies like a dream.
And it's darn cheap as well...
http://members.fortunecity.com/gvanroy1/nipper.html
http://www.auf.asn.au/students/thumb10.html

Believe it or not ...... I remember the Tipsy Nipper. A neat little plane. Another that had my attention was the Corby Starlet. I used to sell model plans and canopy for the Mooney M-18 C-55 Mite,which was the last in the series of Mite's. Most homebuilts didn't seem to give me enough room to wiggle my 6 ft.-220 lbs. So I increased my cockpit to 27 inches wide. Got room to take a shower now ..........

The Nipper is cramped in the cockpit area also...but there's some room in the wing roots for your elbows ...

Hey Reese,

Loved your site! (Ummmm, vanilla coffee!!) How hard was it to convert from model to full scale. I guess I am wondering about the calculations. As I stated before, my plane would come out to just under 20 feet long. But I am concern about strenght in the tail area and flutter.

Tamecat

Hi Tamecat - First I am by no means an expert in any of this full scale stuff. What I did was look to see what others have done with respect to wooden airframes - ie Pietenpol - Fisher, Team, the KR series etc. Basically it appeared they were all built just like a good model except they used 3/4 sq. spruce. Some use other woods but the best is a/c spruce. Build triangles basically with vertical's where there will be a lot of stress. Like where the landing gear attaches, tail wheel, wings, etc. Then it appeared they all had quite a few wire braces in the tail area and wings. I was a little worried that my elevator was too twisty so I sheeted the bottom with 1/32 ply.
As far as converting size, I just drew up my model's three view and decided if I multiplied by 3.2, then all of the measurements would come out....... and they did except I needed to widen the cockpit area, add an inch or so in vertical fuselage height and add another cockpit as my model was only a single seater.
Your biggest help will be in finding someone close by that knows how to build expiremental aircraft and who doesn't mind parting with the info.............One of the first things you will need to guesstimate is the nose moment. That area forward of the balance point to the prop. If you use a light engine you will need a longer moment. I guessed at 29% of fuse length as I am using a 230 lb. engine and most aircraft have a nose moment of 25 to 32%. So far it looks like I will balance OK.................
Marv

I'm not sure about the engine as of yet. I'll take a stab at around 400lbs for that. Your site is outstanding!!! Many of the techniques you used, I was considering but you know how the crowd can get when you want to test the water.
You have given me a new hope and belief that I can and will do it. As I stated before, I already started working on the plans and they are coming along very fine. I'm working on the fuse and placement of the formers. In the mean time, I'm building a wooden ultralight of similar construction.

Tamecat

Unless you are thinking about a regular steel car engine, 400 lbs sounds quite heavy. A 115 hp Lycoming only weighs in around 265 or so ....... most Rotax 2 strokes are 100 pounds or so off that. Might want to work that over a bit ......... have fun

I am thinking of an auto converted engine. I rebuilt one before and kind of liked it. It would also cut down on maintenance. (Two things I don't trust folk with 1. my car and 2 my woman!)

By the way, do you have coffee?