I am thinking of buying a Bipe and was wondering what everyone would recommend for a first one.

ARF is preferable but not required

The most dosile bipe I can think of would be a Tiger Moth. This can be had as an ARF. The next best Bipe for a beginner would be a Sig Hog Bipe with a Saito .91 or 1.00 Check www.fubarhill.com for hog bipe info.

I just finished my second plane, a Balsa USA EAA Bipe with a Saito 100. I've flown it a half dozen times now and it is a ton of fun. I built it with ailerons on both sets of wings. It is stable, yet very responsive...I've found the most challenging part of flight to be keeping up with the attitude of the plane during flight. Bipes look at you with a whole new perspective. Landings are solid as long as you keep some power on and use full up elevator just prior to touch.

It is very much a kit and took me 5 months to build...but I'm slow. The only flaw: the instructions generally suck- specifically in regards to the sequence in which they want you to do things. If you want an ARF or anything close- don't go Balsa USA. If you like to build and have some time, it's a great looking and flying plane.

From all that I've read the Great Planes Super Stearman sounds like a docile flyer. If you have good overall RC experience (at least a trainer and a second airplane) I think it would be okay. It sure looks nice.

Also Dave Patrick and Cermark Pitts Both fly great and are easy to build. Dennis

Get something manageable, 40 sized ... Kyosho bipes are great.

Bill, If you can fly that Twist in your avitar. Then get a Goldburg ULT. It comes in kit or ARF.


David

The Hog Bipe is a good airplane as is the Tiger Moth. Sig has a new ARF bipe that requires a gas engine. Blasa USA has a bipe called the Phaeton. I'm deep into WWI airplanes and there you have to search for a monoplane instead of vice versa. Look at any of the WWI aircraft either as kits or ARF. GP has a Fokker Tripe. All tripes are difficult on the ground but good in the air. If you go to WWI consider the Fokker D-VII. big advantage is it doesn't require alot of flying wires. I belileve Hangar 9 has an ARF SE-5a and a D-VII also an ARF.

You don't mention a preference in engine size or cost. IMHO a reasonable entry level, .40 size, funflying bipe is the Thunder Tiger 'Tiger Bipe.' I used mine to develop awareness of the slightly different flying charactersitics of a biplane. Enjoyed flying it. But, not as much enjoyment as I get putting my Midwest 'Super Stearman' through it's scale-like aerobatic routine!

Sorry about that

I was thinking in the 40 - 60 size. Cost is a factor but I am just " shopping around" and getting advice right now.

Thanks

I have had several bipes and I like the ultimate the best. The Sig hog bipe is a nice 60 size plane and will fly nicely on a 91 4 stroke. My GP 40 size ultimate was my favorite flying plane until I got the bigger Goldberg ultimate. The GP flies great but is a bit hard to see in the air as it is small. It is also the easiest one to put together at the field. The Goldberg is a 60 size plane but needs a bit more engine than is recommended. You will either need a 90 or larger 2 stroke or a 120 size 4 stroke to fly this plane well. Mine has an OS 120 4 stroke and it has unlimited vertical. I also have a 1/4 scale ultimate with a Moki 1.80 on it. I just installed the engine in it and have not flown it yet with this engine. It had a ST 3000 on it and flew very nice. I was converting it to gas but ran out of $$ so it gets the Moki for now. The red one is a 62 inch Chuck Cunningham Lazy Ace they are hard to find but fly nice. Here are some Pictures.

Rick

From all I can gather, the GP SKYBOLT might be worth concidering. I do know GP makes some very nice kits. There are some threads posted on the plane.

good luck!

My GP Skybolt is my first bipe, it was fairly easy to build and flies like a dream. This winter I plan on building an Ultimate, just not sure which one or size.

Bubbagates:

I have four biplanes, the one I enjoy more often is my CG Ultimate however I recommend as your fist one the tiger Moth in arf version, as someone mentioned above Kyosho made them just great, The size of your car matter since assembling time at the field could be too long, the Kyosho tiger moth will fit totally assembled in a mid size car or SUV, a 52 4-s or 40 2-s will fly it goood. Although I have a 70 4-s on mine but it takes off at 1/3 only. this little model makes one of the best inverted spin you will see! but is a really easy to fly and land. It will teach you and build up confidence for the next level!!