Well, the Bucker is finished except for the aileron interconnecting rods. Weather and spouse permitting I'll test fly it tomorrow.

Saito 150 with a Dave Brown 3" spinner and APC 16X8 prop.

I didn't keep track of the exact amount of hours, but it the Bucker took the better part of 4 months of evening and weekend work.

Very nice. A guy in my club has one with the Saito 150. It's an animal. You'll love it.

Thanks. Will be able to test fly tomorrow and have high expectations for it. My digital fish scale is acting up, but as far as I can measure it weighs 11 lbs 2 oz ready to fly. That's about 1/2 lbs more than I had hoped for, but still well within what a Saito 150 can handle.

Looks like another winner! It is nice to see the Bucker in colors other than white and blue!

Thanks Gary. Just got back from the flying field and happy to report that test flights went well. Did three flights and by the third was experimenting with outside maneuvers, snaps and spins. The plane flys very well and has a decent glide ratio for a bipe (my Cermark Pitts would just fall out of the sky when the engine quit).

I'm attaching what I hope is a picture that will present the plane better the previous one.

Great Job LuvBipes,

I have been watching your progress as you built it. I sure like the way the colors and cowl turned out.
I have finished my bucker but have not had a chance to flight it yet. My weight also turned out just over 11 pounds with my satio 150 and was glad the hear it flew so great.

Mike

LuvBipes,

Who is the kit manufacture? I've been looking at PICA because CG stopped making theirs. I've got the plans for Dave Platts' Bucker but the spars are cut into the center of the ribs, and I'm afraid it might be too much for me to scratch / plans build.

Thanks,
John

One of our local hobby shops has a Goldberg kit in stock. They have had if for ever. If you want the store info let me know and I will post it. Last time I checked for someone the manager said he would take $200 plus approx $20 for shipping.

mskaerjr, thanks for the kind words. I widh you good luck with yours. Put another 4 flights on it recently, fine-tuning the throws, balance, mixes, etc. It's a very honest airframe and I'm very pleased w/ the results.

John, my plane was built from an old Carl Golberg kit that I picked up here in RCU's swap shop last year. Since kits seem to going out of style, I pounce whenever I see a good one coming up for sale and just hoard them! Also have a Pilot 1/4 scale Decathlon for next winter's building season as well as the Sukoi Dave Patrick penned for Golberg.

Lanier bought out Golberg last year and still carry parts for the Bucker even thought they didn't bring the kit back into production. I bet you can buy the difficult parts to scratch like the ribs. I gave my plans and instructions to a fellow that wanted to scratch one, but I bet you could find another set if you asked around here. My kit was missing the aluminum cabane struts, but Lanier still had them available which spared me a lot of grief. Fiberglass Specialties also still carries parts for the cowl, canopy and wheel pants, by the way.

LuvBipes,
Thanks for the information.

Fishgod,
I have to admit I'm tight with the buck. Quantum has Pica's 60" WS Bucker for $114.99. If no one knows any reason against it, I'm leaning toward purchasing the Pica.

Thanks,
John

Jim, since I'm in sales myself, may I make a suggestion?? Call up that Hobby Shop and ask to speak w/ the manager.

Politely enquire if he could give you a break on the price, by say letting it go for $125 plus shipping. The worst that can happen is that he says "no, go take a hike". But it will only cost you the 10 cents phone call.....

Since he's had the kit there gathering dust for at least 2 years, he just might be glad to move it out.

Luvbipes,

I finally was able to locate and purchase one of these fantastic machines and will start building it soon. Not knowing that I was going to be able to purchase a kit I had earlier contacted Goldberg Products and was about to purchase the parts piece by piece. Was going to cost a fortune but I wanted the plane. They had all the parts except the fuselage sides and the forward top deck but I had already purchased the plans and was looking at them to make these parts. Needless to say I now am a proud owner of one of these and no longer need to buy the individual components but because I've been studing the plans for this plane I have a question for you. I noticed that the wing struts on your plane, which by the way is beautiful, were one piece. I've already built a CG Ultimate and am familiar with their strut design so I was wondering, did you improvise with your wing strut design.

Thanks,
John

The Bucker is a great airplane, and I can't figure out why Lanier doesn't bring it back out. By the way, for those of you about to build one, measure your wing plan carefully.....the left wing drawing was about 1/8 or 1/4" shorter than the right one....I found this out when I cut all the spars off the right panel, and they didn't fit the plan when I started on the left side!

Also, you can get the forward deck in fiberglass from Stan's, including the canopy if you just want to paint it rather than have it clear. The glass holds up better than the clear plastic does out here in the desert.

Clair

Just ran across this thread and took great interest in what you have done with your Bucker. Looks great in the red. I have had a kit, Goldberg also, for about a year or so and have yet to start it. I also picked up the glass cowl, wheelpants and turtledeck at the time I bought the kit. Other projects have kept me from starting it, as yet, but now I have a question. LuvBipes and others say you have a Saito 150 in yours at 11+ lbs. I have a Saito 120 reserved for mine and now have doubts about the power. You do not say if the 150 is more than you need or not. My 120 is brand new and could probably be sold, traded, whatever for a 150 if it takes that much. I was orginally going with a OS 91FX but decided 4 stroke was the way to go. What do you think???
Thanks for any reply

Webra 120 or TT 120 two cycle is a powerful and trouble-free way to go. Fast with a 15x12 APC, or more torque and vertical with the 16x8 APC. With a Pitts muffler sounds a lot like Patty Wagstaff's Extra in her show routine. And....no valves to adjust!

Clair

Saw this thread and had to jump in...

I recently acquired a CG Bucker Jungmann from a gentleman in Fairmount IN (birthplace and final resting place of James Dean no less).....the engine is a stock ST 90..

I flew this bird last week and let me tell you while I might not be able to do torque rolls everything else is in the realm of possibilities! What a great flying bird...of course much credit must go to the builder, Howard, as he did a great job building light and straight....

Will I "up" the size of the engine .... maybe down the road a bit, but for now I'm having to much fun as it is to bother..

Bill

Rockeye, I changed the interplane setup to one that copies the method used my Sig on their Hog Bipe. I simply intsalled a 1/8" aircraft grade ply "tombstone" or tab (on both top and bottom wings) protruding about 3/4" from each wing. Install a 4/40 blind nut in either the tab or the strut and secure w/ a 4/40 bolt. IMO the stock setup makes frequenr assembly/disassembly a royal PITA!

A hex ball driver really speeds up assembly at the field, btw.

Mode1, at 11 lbs 2 oz the 150 is more than enough power. I have now about 15 flights on it so have been able to better evaluate it. IMO a 120 4-stoke saito or OS would also make for a very nice flier. I think you would only be disapointed if you intended to perform 3D, but for "normal" aerobatics you would be fine.

Thanks, LuvBipes. Guess I will at least give the 120 a chance to prove itself worthy.

Azkat 59 I was down in Phoenix/Scottsdale area a month or so ago to play some golf--my other passion--and on my way out to play Dove Valley Golf Course I noticed an RC flying field off of the hwy. Didn't stop as the people I was with are not into RC but it sure had a lot of room to fly. I envy you your open spaces, sunshine and beautiful golf courses. Hope someday to move there.
Tom---out

C'mon down, Tom.....bring your airplane instead of the clubs next time and we'll go aviate!

Clair

LuvBipes,

Appreciate the response and explanation of the Interplane Strut mod. Will rethink that step when assembling mine and maybe go with your idea. Regardless, reviewing the assembly process you posted has given me some additional ideas which will help. Will keep you posted on my progress when I start the assembly. I might be asking you some additional questions. Again, thanks.

V/R,
Rockeye

Here's the way I did the outboard struts on my Bucker Bipe:
I bought 8 Goldberg nylon control horns and cut the base off each. Can't remember if the ribs were already plywood, but if not, I backed them up in the strut area with some ply. Then I bolted the nylon horns to the ribs with 2/56 bolts and nuts, two per horn, leaving the small end of the horn sticking out of the wing about 1/4" (out of the top of the bottom wing, and bottom of top wing, at the strut attachment points).

I made the struts of 1/8 x 1/4" spruce and roughly airfoiled them. On each end, I cut a slot (running fore and aft) and glued in a steel landing gear retainer (that used for fixed gear, the steel strap with a hole at each end). I drilled through the strut where the hole is in the strap, and drove a short piece of 1/16" brass tubing into it, filing it flat with the outside of the strut. Now you have half of the steel retainer (strap) sticking out, with the hole in it, and you use a 2-56 Allyn head bolt through the strap and into the nylon horn which will self tap, and never vibrate loose.

Of course you have to make sure you make all of these the correct length so as not to force a warp into either wing.

It is easy to assemble the airplane and the nylon never wears out and gets sloppy. Been working great for 7 years now!

Clair Sieverling

Azcat59,

Very interesting. Tried imagining how you did this - would you happen to have any photos of your setup that you could download so that I can have a look-see at your design? Last thing I want is to spend a half-hour assemblying a plane at the field. I also like LuvBipes design but really wish to keep the looks of the original plane. Are there any other mods you did to your plane or weak areas I might need to reinforce based on your years of experience flying and maintaining your Jungmann? By the way I have a Saito 120 I want to put on this plane. Would it be a good combination? I will not be doing any hovering or anything but would like to be able to do knife-edge loops. Please advise.

Rockeye

Clair,
Sounds like a perfect winter get-away. When it gets wet and unfriendly in the Great Northwest is the time I like to head South.
Maybe I will have my Bucker finished by then (it is not a high priorty project), although it sounds more and more appealing as I read these posts. The last bipeplane I built and flew was way back in 1978, I believe. Remember the Antic Bipe from Proctor. I built it and covered it with clear Monocote and mixed up a concoction of clear epoxy paint tinted with a root beer brown analine dye disolved in epoxy thinner and sprayed the clear Mono to get a transparent brown covering which I must say was very unique and with the framework stained a medium brown was a one of a kind. It was only 60 powered tho and flew kind of like a dog, at least to me. Too much drag. I flew it for about 3 months and sold it to a dentist who hung it in his office where it may still be as far as I know. Lots of airplanes have come and gone since.
Tom--out