Looking for recommendations for a .91 size classic pattern flyer. No ARFs. Retro is fine. Prefer Kit to plans, but am marginally flexible.

How about a Howard Engineering Kwik Fli?
I don't know about availability, but I've seen this kit and it's really nice.

Aerobender,

When you say .91, I am hopefully assuming you mean a .91 2 stroke. There are no vintage designs (pre 1980), which happily take a .91 4 stroke. Sure, they will fit,(with a shoehorn and removing most of the nose), but you are opening a can of worms in weight/balance. Any of the "vintage" birds fly great on a simple OS or other good, present day .61... even without a pipe. Main reason is that the vintage ships are smaller, and designed to do big manuvers without the unlimited horsepower we have today. My choice would be to use an OS .91 fx, which is the same size and lighter than their .61. I'm getting ready to do one of those soon.. so will let you know how it goes.

Deadstik

Correct- 2 stroke. Thanks.

I'm surprised to find so little advice on this subject. Bumping it up!

OK...how about a Bridi Escape/ Great Escape? They fly great on piped 61's, a 91FX or similar would be good too.

I guess tell us what you intend the airplane for: fast sport pattern model, SPA legal pattern, AMA Sportsman competition, etc. That will help
with some more specific answers.

I'm not a competitor. Just looking for classic pattern flying. Clean aerobatics and a sweet looking classic plane. Have found very few sources for kits.

Bridi planes at:

http://www.bridiairplanes.com/

There are a number of sort-of vintage kits (depending how far back you define "vintage" to be) at Precision Aero Composites:

http://www.precisionaerocomposite.com/



Mark

Deadstick,

The SPA only flies aircraft designed before 1975 with either a .61 2 stroke or .91 4 stroke. So, there are plenty of pattern ships designed before 1980 that .91 4 strokes fit easily without hacking the nose. Most, if not all, of the SPA members use the .91 Surpass 4 stroke. A Saito .91 would work well too.

The 91 Saito can only be used in the Novice class in SPA.

Buy a set of wings an stab cores an kit build a Daddy Rabbit. Put a O.S. 91 Surpass in it an fly for fun or compete in AMA or SPA.

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Say what?

I read the rules and it said .91 four-stroke. I did not see a reference specifying a brand. Did I miss something here?

I didn't know Saito made a 91 I thoght they made a 100 You can use it in novice but not in Sportsman, Expert.

yeah like wlcornelius said, you can only use the 100 in Novice, but the Saito 91 is totally SPA legal for any and all classes.

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Well, Saito still sells the .91. I have a 1.00 too, so I know what you mean about that only being legal in Novice.

I was going to buy a Saito .91, but I think I'll try my .82s in the .91's place. I doubt there is that much difference in power and the .82 is more compact and lighter. If not, I have a Magnum .91 I can use in place of an OS .91, though I doubt it will be any more powerful than the Saito .82. I have no qualms about the OS .91, other than its size and weight being more than I care for.

The Saito .82 is going to first be tried in a Tower Kaos .40 ARF. That should be a good combination. Running the same engine in a full size .60 Kaos might require burning some serious nitro for good results. Betcha it works well. Light planes fly better. Power isn't everything.