Hello MGA!
I was checking into your flight with the stearman... Sorry to see that happen to that plane! I had been talking to you about the Laneir yak... I now have this plane but I am still thinking about a bi-plane! I have thought about puting a ZDZ 40cc in a GP Curtis Hawk.... Being that you have (had sorry) in you stearman, I thought I might ask you about this combo..... The two planes are very simular so I would think this engine combo would go well....? Or maybey the ZDZ 40cc in the GP stearman? Thinking about it!!
Any thoughts on this? By the way what type of skis did you have on the stearman? I have some alum one but seem too heavy....
Justin

The skis I have are athe Jay Dee aluminum, and I must say they work great. They do wear if you use them on ice, like a frozen lake. The ZDZ 40 or any 40 cc would do on either plane, as they are both very similar. The only thing you have to think of on the first take off is use very little power, don't even go to half power, once in the air, that is when you can check out the power and what she will do with it.
These pic I posted, are the mods I am doing on the new Stearman. you can see the carbon fiber inside and the strengthning of the landing gear plate with carbon fiber. I also throw away the ca hinges and go to Robarts. Gas engines shake and ca hinges are not reliable. I have had problems with ca hinges with gas engines. I only use two servos on ailorons and have had no problems,ran really well, plus I like the look of the connecting rod between the two ailorons.
I will be taking more picts of the build and you will see the spacer I made for the FPE 40cc engine. I am using the smae spacer that was on the one in the crash.
t

You can see the wider holes for the blind nuts for the FPE 40cc. I noticed on this kit the dowels for the wing are now in plastic. I used them hoping they wont be a problem. I guess they are lighter than the wood ones that were on the earlier kits. working on it every day; hope to have it in the air in a couple of weeks.

Hello MQA,
I have this arf still in the box sitting around for a year and a half.I have a saito 150 new in the box for it too.As soon as I get off these crutches I'm going to get started on it.I'll follow along as you put yours together.I've read most of the threads on here about it and enjoy all the input.I've flown two different ones at our field and they fly awesome.Your pictures are great too!

MGA so sorry about your plane buddy I know it hurt! but hey you have another one on the way and since my post is late hell it is probably halfway done by now.

I have not started my stearman yet but I did choose a engine for it I will be using a Brison 2.4 I wll let you all know when I get her started
Mac

Well, for those that wanted to know about the skis I use on the super stearman, there they are. These mind you have about 800 flights on ice and snow, as the plane had over 1100 filights, so the others were on grass with wheels. The Jay Dee skis wore out, so I had to put a piece of copper, popped rivitted it. but the skis were still bending, so I installed L aluminum brackets and that served me very well.
As you can see the new stearman is coming along very well. I also use the box to elevate the plane, at the point where the cabane struts have to be installed. It makes it easier for me to see everything much better. Also you can see my engine spacer for the FPE 40cc. That's it for now. Hope you enjoy the pics.

Hi, as you can see my new Super Stearman is coming along. I even used my old reliable pilot. As it was not his fault the crash, it was mine for not checking my batteries. Only have a few more hours and I will run the engine, hoping nothing happened to it in the crash. I re used the pushrods, and I must say, building a second one, was much easier.Also faster, still close to 40 hours once finished. The FPE 40cc fits in really well. I still have to balance it, but it should be ok, as I had no problems with theother one. Don't forget I don't have to add 20oz of lead and a box to balance it.

Hi mga
I also have a Super Stearman which fitted with a MVVS 26cc petrol no balancing weight required either, it flies well but the question is with a 40 cc would it fly better? What made you choose to go with the bigger engine, my MVVS will turn a 16 x 10 at 7500 RPM.
Your feedback much appreciated as I have often thought about fitting the bigger engine.

If you read this web, you will see that my previous Super STearman had over 1100 flights over 4 winters. All with the FPE 40cc. In the air, it is straight up performance, but on level flights I never went beyond half throttle, as I like to fly her scale wise. Also on snow their is more suction especially in deep powder, as you will see in some of the pics above. so the power really comes in handy. and also the extra power will get you out of trouble, when you need it. Plus the sound of the gasser. The FPE 40 is a very light engine.
All I can say, if you go up to a 35 or 40 cc you will see a big difference especially in the climbing manouvers.
Go and look at post 671 and 674 for the winter shots with my previous Stearman.

thanks for that will be upgrading in the near future

Hi guys,

Just started my build with a GP Super Stearman. My great little lady bought me this plane and engine for Christmas. This is a beautiful plane but I was a bit disappointed in the covering job. The covering on mine is very loose and doesn't seem to want to shrink up right on the ailerons even when using the heat gun. Everything looks very nice except the covering. The covering just is not up to the usual GP standards. I will be using a Brillelli 40 CC engine and a new Spectrum DX7 radio in this plane and will also use four servos for the ailerons and two servos for the elevator. It will take a while to complete this build because I only have a very few hours each week to work on the plane. Anyone out there who has experience with this plane care to offer any suggestions or heads up on this build? Thanks, any input will be appreciated.

Best wishes and good safe flying.

Heli-NuBee (Roger)

There really is a lot of information along the entire thread, take a few of those hours dedicated to building and read from the start.

JMO,

R/C Foolish

Hi, well the Stearman is all finished, she weighes 15 1/2 lbs, ready to go. and that is with a FPE 40cc. She balanced right on the money, she is 2 1/2 lighter than my first one was. As the first one having over 1100 flights and repairs, ended up being 18lbs.
I did damage my engine in the crash, I found out when I went to try and start it. So it has gone back to FPE, so now just waiting to have the engine back and will fly her as soon as I get it. The weight is with the skis. I did not even install the wheel pants as I use the steaman only in the snow. Once in the air will have more on her. Oh, by the way, as you know I would put a decal on the old steaman to cover up a hole or damage. I got to like it so much, that I put a bunch of decals on this one. It looks great.

Hello Roger,

Hope you have fun building the Stearman. I have been looking at mine for oh about 3-4 months now sitting in the box. I will start it sometime. I got lucky and my covering job is outstanding very few wrinkles anywhere. I did have damage to one aileron and I had damage to the cowl so I sent it back to Humm ( Hobby Services ) and they gave me a new cowl ( Which is now perfect ! ) and they gave me a new aileron no questions asked and if you read the thread you will see talk about the wheels and tires not being very good and that some people got replacements for free so I asked about it and YUP they sent me a NIP Dubro 4" inflatable tires for free.

Read this thread from front to back tons of tips and good info
Good luck with your build
Scott

How would the GP Super Stearman be as a first double winger? I like this plane a lot. I was all so thinking of Hanger 9 Sopwith Camel. Thanks

I have talked to many fliers with nto much experience to go lets say from an Alpha or a Tiger, to go to the Stearman. It is a very easy airplane to fly. flat bottom wing, lots of lift. If you put a 150 four stroke it will be a nice docile plane, once you are use to it, and then want to do more things, you can go to a 180 Saito, or like me a gasser 40 cc, or the Bison 40 cc. I highly recommend the plane for a first time bipe. I also fly the Kangke Waco, and tht is fully semetrical wings, and that is a lot harder to fly than the stearman.

Lots of warts with this ARF.......MGA will be in here saying it looks and flys so good you can overlook the problems.......maybe you can, but you asked so here goes........
Covering with wrinkles that just won't go away
Hinge slots miscut
Center cabanes cracked
N Struts mislabled so top wing doesn't fit till you swap them around
Shipping damage to cowl
Top wing servo cut-out sheeted over
Tail wheel sucks......get a good one that bolts to the bottom of the fuselage
Need Dubro stopper for the fuel tank to run gas
Main Tires reported to be poor quality
The decals aren't high quality...go to a sign maker and have him cut good ones
Some folks don't like the elevator push rod set up.......your call
I swapped the CA hinges for pinned hinges all around and glued with gorilla glue

I've assembled two of these now so I know what I'm saying......only thing I haven't encountered is miscut hinge slots........
Tower is really good about trying to make you happy......must be lots of profit in this ARF cause it has lots of problems to solve..
Yes it looks good when you get all the stuff fixed and get it assembed
Yes it flys as good as it looks

If I had it to do over again........I'd try the Cox Pica Waco 1/5 scale.....about the same money and the guys on here say it is much better quality.
Good Luck and make it the best one ever........once you own it you don't have much choice.

And...................the dimensions on the connection for the top to bottom aileron hook up is wrong to get the suggested differential...............forgot that one. The correct dimensions are well documented here on RCU.

Agree, with the covering, after lots of heat, it does go away, but takes a lot of time.
I don't use the ca hinges, use Robarts, so have to re drill new holes. Had the robarts on the first one over 1100 flights with gorilla glue, not one problem. so agree with Rsexton on that one also.
The Center cabanes in my case were good until about a couple hundred flights, and started to crack and from then on, would lose a piece here and there. Had to order another set at about 500 flights. On this second kit the N struts were marked oK, so I must of got a later kit. the early kit did have that problem, and that was almost 3 and a half years ago. no damage on my cowl in both cases. I ask my distributor (Great Hobbies) to check the kit before they sended out to me. They did, and put more bubble packing, and put the GP box into another sturdier box and then more paper over it. Not one thing damage on both kits. Re the top wing for servo cut out, do not know, as I use two servos only on the bottom wing. Tail wheel suck, I agree, I use another system , as you can see from the picture. This had over 1000 flights on the first Stearman, I took it off and put it on this one. Yes, but that is expected re the gas stopper for the gas tank. Most kits for glo don't give a gas one.The main tires dont last 50 flights, the rubber wears out and you are on foam. I don't have that problem as I only fly the Stearman in the winter. I use any decals, not that important, but did not have any problems withthe ones supplied. I use two servos for elevator. I would have a problem using the system they sujest.. Re the ailoron connecting rod if you use only two servos the measurements in the instruction book is wrong. I don't have the proper measurements any more. I just reused the same ones I had on the old stearman.
So all in all I agree with most of the stuff Rsexton said. I do not know how many flights he put on his, but with the amount of flying I did on mine, lots of repairs due to vibration and especially the landing gear plate had to be reinforce many times. So it finally weighed 18lbs but still flew like a charm. I have pics if you go back on this site.

I have also had some bad experience with CA hinges and I use nylon pinned hinges on all of my planes except for small electric park flyers. I use epoxy on my hinges, I'm not familiar with Gorilla glue.

Best wishes and good safe flying.

Heli-NuBee (Roger)

Well I have had all the people upset in the waco cox 1/5 forum for talking about puting a newly released ZDZ 40cc F3A engine in it. Weights in at only 1088.6 grams and 38.6 ounces. or 2lbs 11.2 ounces w/ignition. Seems to me a perfect engine to go into the Cox Pica Waco 1/5th or the GP Hawk! I have asked about this before but these planes seem to b inthe same catagory as the GP super sterman and thought it would be great combo....... Everyone was up in arms and said that it would tear it apart ect ect.....
MGA..... care to comment? What do you think?

If the plane is about the same size as the Stearman and wing span, I see no reason to go with your gasser. I am also looking at it, for the future, as I think it is a really nice looking plane. I would definitely put my FPE 40cc in it. I had a few fellows here thought I was crazy to put the 40cc in the Stearman, now that they saw it fly, they think it looks great and sounds great, especially the sound.

I can't make my mind up... GP hawk or the Cox pica Waco ARF.... Both very nice looking planes!
Thanks for the feedback.

The thing to remember with a Great Planes model is that they are very responsive to customer complaints. I would call them and explain your situation, even though you have already began construction. Most likely, they will offer to replace those parts on which the covering cannot be shrunk to acceptable tightness.


Ed Cregger

I have had very bad results with all of my Monocote coverings and I consider myself a good covering person w good abilities. I have a CAP 5801/3 and GIant TF p51 mustang. They both had Monocote..... Horrible coverings,,,,, It is the Monocote current formula.... It has been talked about for some time now on RC universe. ANd if they dont fix it soon, it will be the downfall of Great planes!!! Too many other good companies that make great planes that use alternate covering.. RIght now the best is ORacote Hangar 9 brand. You can shrink this stuff to utter Perfection! No kidding... I have sworn off all airplanes covered in Monocote....... Whic is Why I am so turn about possible buying the GP Hawk! Great plane and from what I have seen and heard on forums it is by far the best that they have put outyet...... So I think I will stay true to GP becasue they have some of the best costomer service I have ever encountered!!!!! They always atand behind their products BAR NONE!!!
I sent back a 1/3 scale cap 580 because I thought I would get a better one with better covering... THey even paid for full shipping returned, and a 87'' yak lanier as well.... I can't say enough of how well TOwer and GP takes care of me!!!! Best BAR none!