Lt,
Smart move!. I know that 100 twin is a real good looking motor but, for the price and what it can actually do I would get rid of it myself. I have all saito 100's in my .60 size warbirds and they fly them great. The G-26 will fly it fine. I even know a guy that put a ZDZ 40 in it. It flew crazy until it tore the wings off it. I use a 18x6 MA classic on the O.S. and it is great. It is a 26cc motor as well. I cant believe how little fuel it drinks. i use the stock tank and fly for about 10 minutes. The thing is still half full when I land. Of course I am not wringing it out by any means. I can if I want but, thats what my ultimate is for. Plus, the 160 runs like a top on 5% nitro. I also put a t-6 TT spinner on. The stock spinner would have to be cut up to much for an 18x6. I know alot of be use them still with this prop but, it didnt do it for me so I got the bigger t-6. I hope you have fun with it.
Stangevil29

For all you guys out there that want to under-power this plane, I flew mine with a 120 Magnum 4-stroke and it flew pretty good scale, wide open, until the rocker arms got a little out of adjustment on the last flight. Go ahead and do it though, you too can look forward to this! Please take video for the blood thirsty in the crowd!!

http://media.putfile.com/Death-of-a-Super-Stearman-90[

Thanks, no they drop fast when you get off the power. Lots of drag. The fuse was unharmed and I am presently putting the plane back together with new cowl, landing gear, wings, and N-struts.

I'm in the same spot ... Tower has the wings on back order. I had a feeling that this would keep me from getting the Stearman back in the air before the end if the season.

The fuselage is built a lot tougher than it looks. This is the 2nd time it "kissed dirt" and the fuse only took cosmetic damage if any.

If Tower can not deliver before the end of November... I'll have my LHS get a whole new ARF.

Wow it looks as though it just fell out of the sky! 22 OZ wing loading you would think it would float a bit better. Sorry about the plane Great job on the video music was perfect!!!
Mac

Bummer, I hate waiting for backorder parts. I got the last set of wings for the Stearman when their last order came in. Don't know how many they had but they went in a day or two. I already had a new landing gear so all I had to order were the cowl, wheel pants and n-struts, along with the wings, and the plane will be just like new. I'm just really skeptical about putting this engine back in. After cleaning and tuning it runs like a charm again. I may do some tests with other props. Any thoughts on a BCMA 26cc for this plane? Good luck on getting your parts in.

1st Lt Mac, That's a really nice looking S2B in your gallery. My son got the Cermark version in the same colors. Flies great!

Are you guys all flying off of grass fields? If so, do you have a bounce problem on landing? I've replaced my original wheels with inflatable ones with the air out but the only flight I've made with them is the one in the video so it's a little hard to judge whether they worked or not.

Hey Guys,

I want to tell you about my Super Stearman. Finished it this season in July. I love this plane! Fly's like a dream, just like a bipe should. Never fails to draw a lot of compliments at the field, and it makes me look like I actually know what I'm doing with the sticks.

Mine has a FPE 2.4 for power. That's a 41cc gas engine. No, INMHO, it is not overpowered. Consider this, stock engine on original full scale was 220 HP. Later versions had more, not sure how much more. But the Super Stearman full scale had 450 HP. Thats double and then some. Soooo, if you want to fly Super Stearman scale aerobatics, you need double the recommended power. After all GP's military version has same engine recommendation as the Super version.

I get very good vertical lines, not unlimited vertical mind you. Nice big loops, hammerhead turns look GREAT. Tail slides, stall turns,
cuban eights, split S...etc. All done with power and authority. If you manage the throttle on the down lines, everything stays in one piece. The airframe so far has been handling the extra power just fine. I have about 20 flights on it so far. I don't get to go the field as often as I would like.

I used Hitec 645 MG servos all around, except throttle, 6v battery pack on servos delivers over 100 oz in torque. Top ailerons are slaved to the bottom ones, plenty of power in those servos to do both wings.
I am a big believer in useing optical isolator on the servos when flying with gas engines, never have even a hint of a glitch with them. Also allows me to use two battery packs, one for receiver and one for servos quick and easy intallation with no tricky wiring to worry about.

I replaced the supplied foam wheels with Sullivan Sky Lite wheels. Only time I get a bounce is when I land to hard. This plane lands like a *****cat. Most of the time I can bring it in nice and slow, with just a little power on the 20x10 prop and set her down with a gentle kiss. Yes, it is a grass field. This plane makes me look much better than I really am.

When I assembled this baby, I managed to squeeze a 14oz tank under the stock one for smoke oil. Haven't installed the smoke pump yet, but have bought a sullivan skywriter pump. May need to get a smoke muffler also, will try it with the wrap around pitts style I have now first. This plane just screams for smoke.

Oh by the way, the engine fits nicely inside the cowl. only the exhaust and spark plug hang out the bottom of the cowl. Small hole in right side for the choke linkage is all. I get 20 minute flights on the stock tank supplied, how many oz. is that anyway? Still have a nice reserve on landing. The plane balanced in recommended range with no added weight also.

Many grateful thanks to MGA, alias Bob, for the posts earlier in this thread, and the many e-mails, which helped me greatly in finishing this bird.

Craig.

Got everything to rebuild the Stearman and am thinking of going with a BCMA 26cc gasser. How does yours fly on the Zenoah? We've got a 26 in a showtime and it puts out 13 pounds of thrust and isn't even broken in yet.

Hello Lou,
I have decided to go with this engine for my stearman should be plenty of power. Brillelli 26cc SS if you do a search under manufacturer on RCU you will locate the engine
Mac

Let me know how it works out. I've been buying BCMA engines from Adam and have done all of the comparisons with SPE and Brillelli. BCMA 26 runs like a charm.

Hi guys I need an advice, I have been trying to buy this beautiful bip, but for many reasons had not bought, the most substantial reason is the engine choice. I really do not want to make this plane heavy, I like the idea of adding weight to the nose for balancing, that gives me a chance to place batteries in front and save some weight, in the other hand I’d like to use a Gas engine and that means that there is no weight to add to the nose (isn’t it?). I am also willing to use a Magnum 4 stroke 180 size (Good price at tower hobbies) but want to have an advice of this particular engine. I use to fly at an altitude of 4,000’ and need the extra power. How about the Zenoah 26 is it good enough? Have extra power? What you guys think about the Magnum I have described? Which way you would take? And for last Which engine is more powerful and reliable the Magnum or the Zenoah?

Thanks

Alfred.

Hello, I have just bought my Stearman I have not started on it yet but I will be using a gasoline engine on it for sure either a Zenoah G26 Or a BCMA or Brielli 26 cc gasser. The later two engines have a electronic ignition and a battery that you can move around the fuse for weight. The Zenoah g26 has a magneto so the weight is what you get on the nose. I will build the plane and then add weight to the nose to balance the plane and I will decide what engine to use. But a gas engine for sure alot less mess from fuel.
Hope this helps
Mac

Who is selling the Brielli engine?

for the 180 to be reliable (and it must be for this airplane)you must use a perry fuel pump(tower hobbies,$30.00)an also an inboard electronic glo driver,(many on the market,I use jomar products EMS opto -isolated glo driver $40.00 ).I like the 180 becouse is lite and sounds scale with a 18x6,All depends on how you like to fly,if you like low and slow,go lite.if you like it high and wide weight is not to much of a concern.Good luck.

So you are actually using the Magnum 180-GP Super Stearman Combo?

I think that the Magnum 180 is stronger than the Gas 26, but I am really not sure.

Hello,
Do a search by manufacturer for Brillelli on RCU and you will find it
Mac

http://www.brillelli.com/ also check out Adam at http://www.bcmaengines.com/ They both sell the 26cc. We have one of the BCMA 26cc's and it runs like a top with plenty of power. I flew my Super Stearman with a Magnum 120 and on-board glo-driver and it flew pure scale. Very heavy and little or no power to spare. I plan on putting a BCMA 26cc in it during the re-build. It weighs 38oz complete with everything and will swing an APC 16x8 @ 6800rpm

I am using the saito 180 combo.

1st Lt Mac,

I have had three of the Brillelli engines. the 25cc, 26cc, and the 40cc. I currently have the 26cc on a GSP Giles 202 swinging an APC 17X6 prop at 8400 rpm. The plane weighs 12.5 + lbs and it flys great. It will not 3D the plane but for sport or aerobatic flying it's great. You can't go wrong with a Brillelli engine. The engines run great and the support is unmatched by any others.

I've read this entire thread and maybe I missed it but has anyone used the Saito 150 with the Slimline Inverted Muffler w/smoke?

If so were there any clearance problems.

Thanks,
Ed

I am using the Saito 150 with the stock muffler. I couldn't get the inverted Pitts muffler to fit.

R/C Foolish

Thanks guys, I will look for Brillelli engines before give the next step.