RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Goldenhawk,

I made some lettering for the top wing out of black and gold Monocote. It is the N 2100 number like on the tail.

You can kinda see it on the top of the wing in the attached picture.

Jim K

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Nice touch Jim!

I've had a few more flights on my stag and am starting to get in the groove with it. Great looking plane in the air!

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Finally did the maiden flight on mine today. I had been having a bit of trouble getting the lower left cylinder to light and keep firing. Found the problem to be in my choice of battery packs for the onboard glow (when all else fails, read the instructions :eek:). I ran through five tanks of fuel on the ground for break-in and the radial runs great and sounds incredible. With a good prime, it will start on the first flip every time and with the onboard glow engaged, the idle is s-l-o-w... just ticking along. There is practically zero vibration. Smoothest running engine I've ever owned.

I was as concerned as several others on this thread that the 170 would be underpowered but I'm happy to report it is more than enough engine for this airplane. It will pull through a loop from level flight with ease. For a maiden flight I will always do a few high-speed runs down the runway to get a feel for ground handling and to test how "light on its feet" a new plane is. I was amazed at how quickly the tail came up on the very first run and could tell immediately that the plane wanted to fly. At 22.5 lbs, mine is heavier than most have reported but it did not handle like a heavy bird at all. On the second high-speed run it felt so good I just kept on going and the plane climbed out briskly with just a little up elevator. Four clicks of down and it was flying hands free. The only way to describe it in the air is majestic. It's a big plane and flies with authority, yet is gentle and predictable with no surprises or bad habits. After flying a few circuits, I slowed it down to check the stall speed and found the stall to be a non-event. It just mushes forward, and dips the nose until airspeed is recovered. No nasty tip stalls or nonsense. The stock fuel tank allows ample flight time with over 15 minutes of running at full throttle. Once comfortable with the slow speed characteristics, I set up for landing. The approach was great, with the rate of descent controlled by the throttle. Landing was as much fun as the rest of the flight and it touched down on the mains and rolled out nicely, finally dropping the tail as I fed in some elevator.

The radial is absolutely the only way to go on a plane like this (just my opinion, not looking to start an argument :)) Try it and you'll have a bird that sounds (and flies) as good as it looks. I can't wait for the weekend so I can fly it again.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Thanks for the detailed flight report, your aircraft must be something to see and hear in the air.
Now I know I must go with the radial.
Do you fly off grass or hard surface and if grass did you remove the lower wheel covers ?

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Hey Paul,

Good to hear the successful maiden report. I'm glad you solved the cylinder out problem. I will put my radial on the test stand this week-end for the test tuns, that is, if the glow driver shows up. Were you able to trim any more of the lead off by rearanging things a bit? What size prop did you settle on. I am planning a 16x8 for break-in. Good luck with it and continued good flights.

John

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I fly off grass. I debated about removing the wheel covers but left them on. I did remove the tail wheel doors as I was sure they wouldn't be staying on anyway. There were no problems at all with the main gear doors.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Howdy John,

I was up your way a few months ago and it was definitely NOT flying weather. I should think it's much prettier now. Regarding the onboard glow, my mistake was trying NiMH batteries instead of NiCad. The instructions clearly warn that this is a no-no and they're not kidding. The change to NiCads solved everything. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get rid of much lead. I hate hanging that much ballast on any airplane but I didn't have much choice. If I were doing it all over again, I'd probably consider using 1/2" to 3/4" standoffs to move the engine forward a little. That would help some but I don't know if it would totally eliminate the need for lead. I used a 16x8 prop (Pro Zinger - wood) for break in and flight and it seems like a good choice. With that prop I'm getting a consistent 8,100 RPM at full throttle. Hope your glow driver shows up and you get started with your break in. Give me a shout if I can assist or answer any questions.

Paul

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I am putting the retracts on mine.
The TF amnual says to drill a hole for a 440 screw in the strut yoke that the wheel mounts in.
It seems to me that will weaken the strut. A hard landing could bend it.
Anyone have a problem using TF's directions and drilling the hole?
I'm trying to figure a different way to mount the wheel covers.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Pete S - I thought the same thing when I read about drilling the hole in the strut. Then I realized, with the bolt in there, it would be solid, again. The hole doesn't exist with the bolt in it. Therefore, no weakening.

I just got my maiden flight in today. It flew great, and I did NOT have any problems with the grass field, either.

However, I did have one problem. After I got it back to the pits, we saw that the left lower wing had seperated from the fuse by about 1/4" Well, after much checking we found that the treads in the fuse for the set screw that holds the aluminum spar were stripped. It looks like there is an aluminum channel molded into the fiberglass. Then a hole is drilled and tapped into the Aluminum channel to hold the set screw. The channel is thin and soft aluminum, so it easliy stripped.

Has anybody else had this problem? Can anyone else verify that it is an aluminum channel in the fuse? I have some ideas for fixing this, but will consider other ideas, if you have any.

Jim K

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

What color paint matches the red on the staggerwing?
I cut a hatch and need some touchup paint.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Top Flight lusterkote Deep Red. The bad news is they don't make it any more. I was able to get ahold of 3 cans online from a CA hobby shop by doing a google search a couple of weeks ago, don't know if there is any more out there. Good luck.

Dan

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I just bought a couple of cans on Saturday. There's still some out there. If you can't find it, your local Sherwin-Williams can also do a great match in a water based latex that can be clear coated to make it fuel proof.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Has anyone flown their Staggerwing with a gas engine yet?
I was thinking of using a G26.

Larry

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Has anyone out there used an O.S. FS 200 in their staggerwing

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Tried the maiden flight this afternoon. No wind. ran out of runway and hauled back on the stick, it broke ground and lifted just enough to stay in ground effect but started to drop the left wing. So I relaxed the stick pressure and it settled back in. Unfortunately the ground was extrememly dry and cracked. yep, gotta repair the rudder, wingtip and need a new prop. Also broke off part of the gear door. Guess I can get those parts replaced, but don't wanna look at it for the next couple of weeks.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I have a Brissen in mine, think it is about a 45 cc class, it fits but I had to modify the firewall to accept the pits muffler.. Lots of power.. lol.. lots.. did I say lots of power?? lol..

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Sorry to hear about your maiden flight. What engine are you using?

Know what you mean about not wanting to look at it for a while. That sux [&o]

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

had an ASP 160 twin in it. Engine ran beautifully. Pilot should have aborted lots sooner.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Hello Paul,

Just finally getting back to the Staggerwing. On the eamail you sent somne time back about engine placement, you gave me some hole pattern dimensions. I beleive that they were from the cross cut lines on the fuse. My question aren't cross cut lines on the fuss for the OS two stroke so that when you get the motor mount on the engine shaft is dead center in the fuse. If we use those offsets to measure from my prop shaft is not centered on the hole in the fuse. That hole is of course exactly centerd.

Boy, I sure struggled a bit with the tail wheel doors. Lots of cutting, fitting and refitting but finally go there. Too much of a perfectionist I guess.

I am thinking about using either 1/4" or 1/2" PSP standoffs. This should help the CG a little. Actually 1/2" may be too much to get the cowl to fit right.

John

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Hi John,

Glad to hear that you're back to work on the Staggerwing. Regarding the dimensions I gave you, they are indeed from the cross cut lines on the fuse. The lines will work for placing any engine provided you end up with the distance from the firewall to the thrust washer at the 6" specified in the Staggerwing manual (see page 29). If you choose to use standoffs (which would definitely help the CG) the geometry changes slightly but not a lot as the angles for right and down thrust are not large. If I were doing it over, I'd try the 1/2" standoffs and probably shift the engine 1/16" to the right (from the point of view of facing the firewall) and 1/16" up from the dimensions I gave you.

I had a time with the tail wheel doors as well but finally got them working and then, since I fly off grass, I took them back off.

Since last we corresponded, I did the maiden flight on my Byron Staggerwing and it's a great flyer. The wingspan is 76" and it weighs 2 lbs. less than my Topflite S/W. What a difference! It has a Saito 2.70 twin for power and the performance is outstanding.

Let me know if I can answer any questions.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Paul,

Thanks for the info. I decided to just do the standard engine install using your dimensions. It does look like the carb will be touching the brass tube out of the fuel tank for the pressure line to the exhaust ring. How did you deal with that. It looks like I could bend the tube a little to the left. I am using a three line system in the tank with a check valve in the pressure line.

Looks like the engine mount with the aluminum washers that came with it will be awful close to the 6" to the thrust washer that is called for. Of course you can make any adjustments when I mount the cowl.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Hey John,

I just bent the tube a little to the left and it worked fine. Mine setup is just two lines using a DuBro fueling valve. You're right about the standard setup with the stock washers, it comes out almost exactly at 6". My cowl fit perfectly with the back side of the dummy radial just touching the front of the Saito crankcase.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Picture of the installed engine and dummy radial.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

OS 1.60 here. With the OS aluminum engine mount. Needed about 1/2" spacer behind the mount.
I've put mine on the shelf 'til flying season's over. Will finish it up this winter.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Paul,

Where did you insatll your switches? I assume on the botton of the plane.