I'm on the hunt for another kit. I've got a shoebox full of 40 size engines, and there's a 40LA in here thats almost new.

I want something in a 30 size kit for the 40LA. I thought about a Stinger 40, but I've already got a Stinger 10 with a 25LA on the nose. I don't think the Stinger 40 would perform well with a 40LA anyway.

What do you guys think for a 30-40 size kit thats fairly lightweight. It can be just about anything. I'll fly a hopped up trainer, a sport plane, a scale plane, or a 3D plane.

I was looking at the Sig Cobra kit, the GP T-Craft, the Gee Bee Tiger Moth, or the Lanier Extra 3.25.

Any other ideas?

So many choices, it staggers the mind. I've had plenty of .40 siz planes that have flown well with a .40 engine (usually OS .40 FP). I think a lot depends on what youi want to do - slow flying, get a .40 Size Cub, faster get a profile kit, just having fun a 4-Star Forty. I really don't know what to tell you on what kit to get. You can always try a SPAD plane.

I flew a Great Planes Easy Sport 40 with a 40LA and was very happy with it.
If you want lots of fun try a Sig Fazer.

Tower Hobbies Fun 51

Bear in mind the OS .40LA is on the low end of the power range for .40-.46 size engines, but it is also the lightest. A really light 3D plane would work, as would any .25 size plane. The 40LA isn't that much heavier than a .25/.28/.32 size engine so a .25 size plane would give you a speedy combination.

For a 3D plane, you need to check the size and weight. If you see them flying it with a Saito .72 4-stroke, it'll be too heavy. As I recall, the Magic can be flown with a .32 although most of us in the US use a .46. The Thunder Tiger Lazy Tiger P-51 would be one I think would be good for a .40LA.

If you don't mind Coroplast, get a 24" square and make yourself a Pizza Box Flier. It's more fun per square inch than anything else you'll find and a .40 LA will be perfect.

All good ideas. I can't get really excited about SPAD and coroplast planes. I've flown a SPAD in the past, and it was neat, but not my usuall "flavor"

The Fun 51 and the Lazy Tiger are good ideas. I've done the Fazer already.

I like the Great Planes T-Craft. Kinda reminds me of a Decathlon or a Clipped Cub.

I could always get another engine and build the GP P-38 profile

Why don't you build the Sig .40 size cub.

How about a Clancy Aviation Big Bee?

how about a SIG Kadet Senior with ailerons? I'm flying a Senior with no ailerons with a LA 40 it flies great, plenty of power. I am in the process of building another wing with ailerons and I'm going to keep the 40 on it.

I got it narrowed down to the GP 20 size Cub at 61.2" and rated for a .15--.25 engine. Or the GP T-Craft at 56" and rated for a .20--.32 engine.

It's going to be a dedicated float plane. I won't install any wheels on this plane.

The Cub has a longer wing and more square inches, but it's only 28 more squares with a wing thats 5" longer in span. That means it's got a high aspect ratio wing. The fuse is only 39" long--so this is a short coupled airframe. I don't know how that will effect my take-offs with the plane dedicated to floats. I've seen a lot of Cubs that were a handful on the runway. Just not sure if the floats will help to make it track straighter.

The T-Craft would also serve well as a float plane. The fuse isn't as short coupled as the Cub. It's almost 41" long with only a 56" wing. So, it's a bit more stretched out. Generally, a longer fuse will tracker more stable or straighter on the runway. Again, I'm not sure if the floats will make a difference or not. The wing is 5 shorter, but it only gives up 25 squares to the Cub.

Both planes are supposed to weigh the same. The T-Craft will have higher wing-loading. But an ounce or two on the wing loading isn't going to kill me.

I'm on a budget here. Afterall, I am using a 40LA here.[&:] The T-Craft is $20 cheaper. Thats the cost of 1 servo for this plane, so I'm leaning more that way.

I always swore I'd never build a Cub. I haven't seen one yet that didn't handle poorly on the ground and act squirrley in the air. It does look like a cool float plane. Buying the GP .20 size floats would be a shoe in. They are MADE for the Cub. So, thats a plus, but I never really struggled with making a gear mount.

I'm about to just flip a coin.

Sig Mid Star 40

One of the best flying planes ever designed. Make it a tail dragger and keep it light and you'll have a ball. I taught my son to fly with one and later won a couple of fun fly competitions with it. It had an FP 40 in the nose and that was more than enough.

Andy

I'd go with the cub. A cub is meant for the water. The taylor craft isn't going to be as easy to line up the floats and won't look as good in my opinion.