RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Wow! , Nice job on the nose! Really like the eagle claw detail on the pants!

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Hab,

Very nice! Those colours should look great in the air!!!

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Did someone say "Sig Skybolt"? I picked one up at a swap dirt cheap a couple years ago. Still in the wrap and will keep it that way until ready to build. A few others in the queue ahead of the Bolt....but if it flies anything like the little SMP, it should be a blast. Too many nice planes to build, and so little time!!! [&o]

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Nice work Wayne! Looking forward to the flight report! The SMP in my opinion is a great candidate for electric conversion. Sorta wish I had done that to mine.....then again might miss the sound and smell of glow. Although the mess I would not miss!!! :eek:

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Yes sir, Sig Bolt .. not GP super. Looking at the turtle, and foward fuse top with the cockpit opening(s) ; see Sig molded for either a single or dual. Why I'm
leaning towards the coverall / sprayed finish with that one. Probably end up spraying a finish using the Glass Coat system. Figured I'd get a better finish with the top of the fuse
too match up. We'll see. Little bit down the road before I get to that one.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Thanks for your kind words fellas,

I really love the fresh and bright look on yours Hab.

Love the Sig kits, I picked up a set of plans for the Sig Liberty Sport and I am tracing out the parts as we type. Will also be electrified.

I'll let you know how the E-convert thing goes with the Mini, should be plenty of power according to the Drive Calculator program.

W

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Getting my SMP ready for spring. Had some issues near the end of the season with the Perry Carb. Replaced with a new one and just adding a little glass to the cowl for strength. Seems like the ABS stuff has a tendency to crack from vibration. Looking forward to flying it again this year once the snow melts off around here.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I've about got mine ready for covering. I'm hoping to avoid the cracking issue with the cowl by useing some sort of isolator. I re-enforced the mounting area around the edge of the cowl with fiberglass. A fiberglass cowl would be nice but I can't justifiy the $31 price tag for Fiberglass Specialties' cowl.
I'm still messing with the N struts, I hate the sanding and shaping. I don't like the way their looking, I think I'm going to re-do them and use some 3/8 streamlined tubing from K&S.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I re-enforced mine at the mounting holes, but the darn thing still cracked in weird locations. Glassed the whole thing last summer, but missed a couple seams at the bottom, and ended up with a small crack again. All patched up now and was lucky to catch in time so that they are pretty much invisible. Engine runs about as smooth as an IC unit can with a balanced prop. I guess maybe with age the ABS got weak. Kit was over 20 years old before I popped the box open to work on it.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I think I recall from kit instructions somewhere to first glue the ABS cowl halves together, brush the inside with thinned 30 min. epoxy, then line the entire inside with fiberglass cloth for strength. I haven't done this myself yet but intend on giving it a try next time I work with ABS.

By the way, fantastic job everyone on your SMP's. it's a great looking kit and just bought one myself.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I've been working on the N struts, I got my order for the streamlined tubing in yesterday. I was recently looking at pictures of full scale SMP's and ran across a picture of an SMP with a modified N strut, it in fact did not have an N strut but had an I strut. I got to thinking since the SMP is a homebuilt airplane it is likely that many people may have modified the wing struts.
Here are a few recent pictures.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Hey KAP,

Seeing your picture really puts the size of the full scale “Smith” in perspective.[X(] This airplane just is not very big. Had the chance to see one in person once at the “Wings Over Houston” airshow years ago.

I once had a guy at the RC flying field try to tell me that the pilot I had in Sig Smith Miniplane was too big. When I tried to explain to him my pilot was actually small in comparison to scale….he just could not get it…..[:o]

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

The Smith is indeed a DSA. I was trying to decide what pilot to put in the plane the other night and I figured out that the scale was 1/4.63, just under 1/5th. I still haven't found a pilot, I've got a 1/4 scale Capt. Eddy that almost works. I'm gonna have to order a 1/5th.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I just had thought about this. To isolate, what I'm thinking I may do, Is that seeing I've already positioned and mounted mine up too set up the
motor mount; ie - drilling for motor set back etc , ... would be to open up the 4 holes already drilled for the cowl mounting
just large enough accept a grommett ( like a servo grommet) which would be captured on the cowl by its outer surface rings
on both the outer and inner surface of the cowling.

Would still be using a small washer like those that are intended to fasten.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

That is what I plan to do, I've got some small gromets similar to servo gromets, I just have to find them. We moved into a new house a year ago and I'm still missing parts.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

My grandfather built this one in the late eighties and I got it from my uncle. I would say it's had over a hundred flights easily and I still fly it on a regular basis. It now has an older magnum .40. It flies handsoff all day long and it dead sticks like a trainer (old magnum 40). Notice it has no wing struts... it never has...... and it has never needed them. The left wingtips look closer together than the right side, but they arent. Just a weird picture angle.

I fly it like I fly my funtana s40.... Everything from wide open throttle rolls to full speed straight down til about 50 feet off the ground... just the way grandpa taught me.....

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I figured it would be fine without the N struts, the wing seems strong enough. I modified my wing a little by putting in2 mini servos for the ailerons and putting shear webs in an I beam configuration from the root all the way to the tips. I hate the N struts the way they are on the plans, I even ordered some streamlined tubing to use instead of the sanded wood. I've been side tracked by a kit bashed Senior lately so I've not got the N struts finished. Yours looks good to be over 20 years old.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Sleeper,

Glad to see your post about the wing struts. Hate to admit I had a hard time deciphering the plans concerning just where and how to arrange for the struts, . . . so I eventually just covered the wing without them. I also felt the wings were plenty strong enuf and have seen other biplane airframes without them.

20 years is probably beyond MY expiration date, so expect to be happy with the outcome, . . . altho mine will be heavy with a Saito 60T up front.

Looking good !!

T-man49 in Al

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I just got back into this hobby and wanted to share this one I built in '93 and flew it a couple years before letting it hang from the ceiling till Dec last year. I recovered it with a color scheme I found here and re-engined it with a $100 saito off the netbay thingy. I flew it for it's second first flight (in howling winds) last weekend.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Very nice!!

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I assume the three photos on the left are the new color scheme and the one on the right the old? I like the colors and scheme, looks really good! Also, wanted to know how the first two flights went with the Saito? More than enough power?

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Yes, the image on the right is of the old colors. I had never tried to remove covering before and quickly found it wasn't going to be easy, so I used this forums search function and found that by using a heat gun it would just about fall off, and it did make the job much easier. The Saito .50 in the nose is more than enough power for this 5lbs mini. It's not called for in the plans but I flew it again yesterday and I think it needs a little down thrust as I'm having to add trim to keep it from nosing up. I am building a Super Chipmunk and will fly this untill it's flying and will probably hang it up for another 20 years.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Good luck with the resto. You'll like the Chipmunk also. Have a Goldberg / GP Super
Chippy powered with a YS .91. Little over kill on the power,:) , but a fun plane.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Soliex,
That's a lot of work! Turned out really nice! I would recommend you go to a trimming chart before changing the thrust line on the eng. There are a number of them and some procedures are a little different in doing the various checks. It maybe a cg issue or a wing or stab incidence issue. The trim check guides will hopefully isolate the right area and you'll get it corrected without getting gray hair.
The CG Super Chipmunk is one of the best flying airplanes in my opinion. There are build threads that you can look into for mods while your building, like the landing gear reinforcement. I went with pull-pull on the rudder and have used a .91 2stroke an a .91fs with good success depending on the flying you want to do. The plane will do a good tumble and inverted flat spin if set up right. You will enjoy it! [8D]

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

rica1

Could you point me to the trim chart? I'm not sure I've seen one. I flew it again yesterday and had two good flights but still could not get it trimmed to my liking. I've checked the CG several times and if anything it's nose heavy since it is in no way twitchy. I didn't refuel before the third flight and (for lack of fuel) had to abort just after liftoff damaging the gear . The gear is too stiff, I knew it and flew anyway thinking my graceful landings would prevail. I'm looking for some extension springs to replace the rubber o-rings and may look for other alternatives for gear as well.

Cheers