I have 100-200 landings on my Avistar, and maybe 20 on my Tower Kaos. As my third Plane, I am looking at Super Skybolt or Super Stearman (ARF's from Great Planes). It looks like Skybolt is lighter and sportier, and stearman is classic and heavier. Can you guys give your opinions about one vs the other, flying characteristics, engine sizes, building tips, experience, etc. any feedback would be appreciated.

I've never flown the Stearman but i can tell you that the Skybolt is a terrific flier and is also a doddle to land. It's slow speed handling is great. The glide path is a little steeper than your kaos, as you'd expect from a draggy biplane airframe, but it's no more difficult to land than your other planes.

Nearly every Skybolt owner says it has become their favourite plane and that says a lot about the skybolt.

Thanks,

Would you put a .90 or a 1.20 with a pump on it.

having had both of these planes i can tell you with certainty that you'll enjoy the Skybolt much more.
not that the Stearman isn't a neat plane, but it's rather piggish in the air, much more difficult to get off the ground and definately more nerve racking when landing. i sold mine.
the Skybolt on the other hand has been putting on a show...............takes off like it's on a rail, flies like it's on rails, and landings are actually a bit of fun once you either learn the glide angle, or just keep the power up a tad till she settles in.

It flies great with the recommended OS .91 Surpass II 4-stroke and a 14x7 prop. Occasionally i do find myself wishing for a tiny bit more power and my own opinion is that a Saito 100 is the most you'd need for this plane, but there are plenty of guys that have put a bigger motor in there.

If you like 2-strokes then i'd go with a .91 although i flew mine for a while with the OS .75AX and it was terrific, but the plane just screams out for a 4-stroke. It looks and sounds terrific with the 4-stroke on full song.

Thank You Summerwind and Custom PC for your input. I found this website for Saito engines and a good price for the Saito 100, don't you think?. http://www.rcslot.com/pc-radio-contr...SAIE100GK.html

As far as responsiveness however I have no experience with a 4 stroke with a pump or without a pump. Does the pump make that much of a difference? I have 2 OS engines and they run so sweet, but I like the look of the Golden Knight too.

ironhands,

forget the pump version of the OS if that's what you are talking about.
sure it's just fine if it's dialed in and stays dialed in, but if just a fragment of crap gets through and clogs the regulator, or the pump goes south, you'll hate the pump like nothing you've ever hated before.
i know, i had this problem........took a new pump to find out, and the engine only had 2 runs on it.
i converted my pumped OS back to a non pump version, and have enjoyed the motor much more.

Thanks that is exactly what I needed to know.

A friend of mine has a Skybolt with an OS 91 4 stroke and it flies like a bat out of he##.

Thanks BBOwen, very encouraging. I'm online at Tower Hobbies now!

A GP Super Skybolt would be a great third plane. Super easy to fly. My favorite plane.

Got my GP Skybolt and 4 Stroke 91 in yesterday, can't wait to get it together and see how it flys.

Allen

Great! BTW, my tank stopper screw loosened over time and I had a major fuel leak in the fwd compartment, not a difficult fix, just messy.

I have the skybolt matched up with a magnum .91RFS swinging an APC 14x6 prop. Nice flying plane, I'd recommend it 10 times over. Great easy build..minimal assembly required at the field but all bipes do.

This is the same setup I"m going with as well, I'm hoping to be able to leave mine together all the time. Ihave a cover on my truck where Ican put it in the back. Plans are to get a 5 x 10 trailer fixed up for my planes to stay in all the time.

Allen

I too have this same setup and it's plenty of power for the plane. If needed, it could take off across the width of our runway and will pull it out of almost any situation I could think of.

timcat - thanks for the reply, this is great news, can't wait to get it done and in the air. Got to finish the one being worked on fist which is a Hanger 9 F4UCosair which I'm putting the same type of engine on with a 3 blade prop.

Another vote for the Skybolt. The Stearman's a pretty plane but it's built to fly "scale" whereas the 'Bolt's a sport's model and easier thrown around. I built mine from a GP kit (they're no longer made) and started off with an ASP 1.20 4 stroke. It was always a heavy plane and suffered at my hands somewhat and was rebuilt a few times thus making it heavier but it still handled like a dream. I ended up shoe-horning an OS FT-160 Gemini engine into it with a 3 blade prop - and the plane loved it. I wouldn't go any bigger than a 1.20 on the ARF version though - mine was braced every way possible and was twice as strong (and heavy) as it needed to be.

One of the things i loved most about my Skybolt was that it fit fully assembled in our VW Golf Hatchback. It was great to arrive at the field and only have to fuel up and pre-flight.

There you go CustomPc - Ilove that idea there as well.