I am just completing my first kit (the Something Extra) and am finding building more fun than I have expected. It sure is nice to take a box of parts and end up with a plane after using the parts. Now I am not totally finished with the SE, but I know now that I will want to build another after I am done. So...here's my question I know the SE has a great rep for going together easy, fitting together very well with the laser cut parts. Is there another plane that I could tackle as my second kit build? It will not be my second plane, just kit. I am currently flying an Ultra Stick 60, Magic Extra, 4*60, and have a UCD 46 still in the box. Yep all ARF's. I will admit it took a while for the building to hook me, but now I am.

I am looking for one that also goes together easily, is fun to fly, is a reputable manufacturer and is a quality build. Now I may change my mind after trying to cover the SE (my first attempt), but I doubt it.

OK...I am open for suggestions.

GP Ultra Sport + !!!!!!!!!!

With retracts? Have you built one? and If I do it with retracts, do the instructions include the steps? It's a nice looking plane.

Hey Mike you stole my suggestion. I'll be starting an Ultra Sport when my Skybolt is done. It should be a piece of cake after building the Skybolt.

One other question. I have looked at the specs and am wondering if this is a laser cut kit. I assume that it is, but can't find anywhere it is specifically mentioned

I don't know why GP will not laser cut their kits. Must have too much invested in Die cutting equipment. The Ultra Sport is die cut, however it is a quality die cut.

My suggestion is a Sig Hog Bipe. I'm building it this winter also. It is laser cut, but the real reason I'm building it is the great reviews it's gotten for a first bipe! http://www.fubarhill.com/

Have fun,
John

I would also recommend the Hog Bipe. Easy straight forward building and excellent performer. Mine has a saito 100GK, covered it in black w/ gold markings to match the engine.

I'll add a third recommendation for the Hog Bipe. It will extend your building skills, get you into planes with two wings and it's a great flyer. If you can afford it, go for a 4-stroker.

So far, I like both ideas. I do not have a bipe yet, and if I built the ultra sport I would opt for retracts for the practice. As far as the 4 stroke, for the bipe it would be my choice, not sure about the ultra sport.

Anyone else want to weigh in?

How about the goldberg or GP ultimate? Great flies, airobatic and should be good builds.

Mark Shuman

I looked at both of them and if I were to chose one, I would probably pick the Goldberg Ultimate. With a Something Extra, Magic Extra, and UCD 46, I would probably opt for the bigger one. I will do a search on RCU and see if I can learn more about building a Goldber kit. As I remember, they are a quality product. So far, I like all the ideas here, it will ultimately come down to making a choice. I figure that the minimum engine size that I will use is a 61 or better. I do want to keep the size in because I am planning to move up to a 1.20 size plane and want to start moving up in size.

These ideas have given me something to look at and I would appreciate more. Thank you to those who have already responded.

you cant beat any of the midwest kits. am flying the extra 300 with a g-62 awsome airplane

Not sure exactly what your looking for in your next airplane. One plane that I like because it flies so well, is simple to build and is inexpensive...a Balsa USA, Stingray .40.

OK...I do want to thank everyone here for their input.


One final question. In my researching those ideas that you have provided, I have decided to make my 2nd kit a bipe. All my others are single wing design and by the time I finish the kit I will probably be ready. So I am looking at the following kits:

1. GP Ultimate Bipe 40
2. Sig Hog Bipe

Since I am open to any suggestions, do you prefer any one of these over the other. Most of the material I have read seems to be favorable. I also looked at the Goldberg Ultimate, but it seemed that several mods were suggested and I would like to try and keep my mods to a minimum.

Any input you provide is greatly appreciated.

Both kits build very well. The Hog is a more gentle plane, but don't read that as meaning it's boring. It will do very good advanced aerobatics.

The GP is a step up in performance.

You may want to stick with the Hog for now, and save the GP for later.

cant go wrong with an ultimate. no bad charecteristics at all.flew one for years, then one day it just flew off.

I have talked to my LHS ower and he recommends the GP Ultimate. Although it is my first biplane, he belongs to the same club I do and has seen me fly. He says I can handle the Ultimate without any problems. So it looks like that is the one I am going with and since it is on sale for $109.00 it's at a good price.

I do want to thank everyone on this thread for their input. I took every suggestion and looked up each plane on both the Hobby Sites and as well on RCU. Once again this site is the place to be if you are in to RC. Wow that's poetic...LOL

hookedonrc,

Great selection. I chose the Sig because it's bigger and easier to build with flat fuselage sides and engine cheeks instead of a cowl. It's also easier to tune the engine as everything is in the open. However some think it's **** ugly! I don't. Just wanted an easy to fly bipe to learn with. I'm also building a Somethin' Extra. Should be a fun spring if I can every get off here and back to building!!!!

John

I just finished building a GP RV-4. This was the first plane I have built without help. (usually my dad has helped me).
For my next kit I'll be getting the GP Ultimate 40. Everything I have read about this plane looks good.
I downloaded the instruction manual for it from the Great Planes website, It looks a bit more involved that the RV-4 but not to bad.

Just got back into the hobby a couple of years ago. New impressions are: It's hard to beat laser cut Sig kits and.......... Nobody does a better job on instructions than GP. Bipes are a lot of fun to build and fly. Everything builds and flys easier, better and faster than the "good old days". Now, that does'nt help much with your choice, does it?

Best of luck, Blue

Well here is what I have decided to do. I did the same thing as GRANT ED and downloaded the GP Ultimate instruction manual and started going through them. I then decided to compare the SIG Hog Bipe plans, but there isn't anywhere online that I can find the plans, so I ordered them from SIG (Cost $5.00) When I get them I will make comparisons and choose the best (read easiest) to build. Since this is my second kit, I will learn more, no matter which I choose. Meanwhile, I am still building my Something Extra. I build in my garage, and the weather hasn't been the warmest lately even using a kerosene heater. So by the time I am ready, I will already know which one it will be, and be ready to build.

The Hog Bipe is a nice kit. I'm in the process of finishing one. I have it covered and am waiting on suitable weather to paint. (It’s covered with Sig Koverall and will be finished with dope.) I have heard nothing except good things about it's flying qualities. Last year I built a Balsa USA Phaeton II which is a pleasure to fly and if the Hog is near that much fun it will be worth it. All that being said, I wouldn't necessarily recommend the Hog Bipe for a second kit. I have been building and flying model airplanes since the 1940's and most of my recent builds, except for the two bipes, have been of my own design (not only from scratch but from lines on paper). Even with that experience, the Hog has been a long build. It is a high parts kit and like all biplanes, requires careful and accurate work to get everything into alignment.

I have no doubt that you could complete the kit into a flyable machine, but you could do a much better job with a few simpler kits under your belt. Several things aren’t obvious in the picture. For example the horizontal stabilizer is built up and covered with 1/16 sheet, and the interior structure where the struts attach is fairly complex and must be accurately done. If you do decide on the Hog Bipe, take your time, work carefully and don’t get discouraged if you have to rework a few mistakes. This hobby develops patience but if you attempt the Hog as a second kit be prepared to need an abundance.

I know what you mean about re-doing. On the SE, I had to redo some LE sheeting because it had waves in it from putting too much moisture when I curved the LE to the spar and leading edge. I am a naturally slow builder and will take my time. I have spent over a year on the SE...LOL. Of course there was a long break in flying weather and the four ARF's in between. OH and the re-sheeting and covering of the Avistar wing that had hit enough during my training days. In reality this is my 3rd kit, but I do not count my first since it was built in 1972. I really want to avoid another ARF and still want a biplane about the SIG size. I would take any recommendations since you have been building so long. I still have time, nothing is purchased/ordered yet. Thanks also for the pic. Here is my SE as it stands now. I figure not a long time because I have nothing else I am building right now, (although I do have a UCD 46 tucked into my closet) and will stay with the SE until I am finished.

Here are a couple of build shots. If the weather would just cooperate, I would be doing much more building. I just have a garage shop and heat it with a kerosene heater. Snow is in the forecast today and it is just too much for the heater to heat the garage.

I did replace the original landing gear with a taller/stronger one. Otherwise pretty stock.


OH yeah....The wings are on upside down. another mod....just kidding.

I will make three suggested changes. Build the two servo option (for ailerons) that is included in the kit. The servo leads don’t reach all the way to the center section so I built in an access panel where the “Y” harness plug goes, in case there is a need to change servos in the future.

Build the forward turtle deck removable in order to access the fuel tank without having to remove all the other equipment. In the picture (looking aft from the fuel tank compartment), you can see the added longerons on which it lays.

I moved the landing gear forward about Âľ inch. This is a mod recommended by several people on the Hog Bipe sites. It should reduce the tendency to nose over on grass and improve the ground handling. There is a piece of scrap plywood from the kit of exactly the right dimensions. I added the two triangular braces shown in the photo to brace the landing gear plate since moving it away from F-3 will weaken it somewhat without the braces.

If you do choose the Bipe, keep me posted and I will be glad to answer any other questions you may have.

LouW - Thank you for the offer as well as the tips. I had read where moving the gear forward was recommended, but would have overlooked the hatches for the Y harness connection, and I will use the two servo option as well. I will be ordering the kit here very soon and plan to get to serious building when the weather warms up. I will also add the tank hatch. It won't be the first time that I have done this. I really don't understand the designers that think you 'never' have to get at the tank.