RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Excellent work! Very pleased!
I also use the engine of OS 46. All works fine!
Flies as a butterfly.
Want to ask you what paint you dyed plastic details?

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

That is some build, The quality of your work will inspire all of us out here building a SMP to Sig colours. Can I ask whether you drilled and tapped your lower wing mount or inserted a threaded sleeve? Looking at your photo it looks a little close to the edge of the mounting blocks was it a problem? My concerns are that a sleeve may split the hard wood blocks.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I used Top Flight Lustrekote Missile Red. It was a pretty close match - not perfect but close enough. Thank you for your comments.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

TAC221, I drilled and tapped the mounts. The left side did come a little closer than I wanted with respect to the edge. I reinforced both sides with fiberglass. I think it will hold up just fine. This is not an all out aerobatic machine like my Ultimate and will as such. It sure does some nice basic barnstorming manuevers. ie, loops, barrel rolls, split ess', and the like. I am impressed with the power of the .46 on this plane. I estimate weight at 5 lbs and with a Master Airsscrew 11-6 prop, she turn up 12,100 static rpm. Cheers

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

CRJDriver, mikedeeney,

Both of you have added pictures of nicely done “Smiths” congratulations on a job well done.

CRJ—With the right throws this little baby will do snaps and Lomchevocs (spelling?) like nobodies business.

Good luck to both of you with your “Smiths”

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Oh, yes. I have increased the rudder throw to 1.5 inches, maxed out the ailerons and doubled the elevators on high rates. Indeed she will snap nicely along with the lomcevok. Thanks for your comments. Chris

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

CRJ I notice that you have the book Bipes at the back of your very nice workshop, did you alter anything on your SMP as I am lead to believe HH suggests.

Has either of you used enamel paint on SolarFilm covering before. I am interested as I am note sure that I would like to user covering for the stripes and would like to consider sparying enamel?

Thanks

TAC221

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Actually, if you use the coverite fabric I did, you will find it much easier than masking and spraying. he weave in the fabric allows any gas to escape quite readily. As for Harry Higley's Bipes book, I did read through it for the SMP. However, I did not really alter the build from the plans except for the lower wig join.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Thank you!
I probably will repaint it also.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Thank you. It's been around for many years. Twenty one years of abuse. Here is a short video. You can see it lands smooth and it has vertical. Other than that the video is not zoomed in to really show the smp well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6IE-4HkLuI

Love this plane.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

At First girls, and girls then!

Here is the Miniplane. I built the Smith as a relaxation from giants and jets.
The kit was collecting dust in my garage storage/ one day I said "time is up"

That litle plane is a lot more work than expected. It is testing your woodworking skills and also your soldering ability. The final product is quite good. Power is an OS FX 46, and that is plenty. Prop is a 10x5, plenty of acceleration and vertical. Built per plan/ no mod.
Exception is a rubber band to prevent squating of the landing gear.

That plane has character

Never been damage, never a hard landing.

Ray

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I'm getting ready to cover mine now. Originally I had an os 46 ax with a pitts in mind. After reading I'm even less than convinced to put it on as I have a saito 72 just beggin for a new home. What do you guys think that have run the bigger 4c's? I know the os is 17.25 oz. and runs higher rpm's. but the saito is 16.57 oz. but if memory serves me correctly turns a bigger prop. any thoughts would be appreciated.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I bolted on a Saito 56 and the first flight showed that the power was more than sufficient.
The 12" prop leaves just enough ground clearance with the original onder carriage setup. Running a larger airscrew might turn your plane into a lawnmower:D

But.... more power is allways exiting..........

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

An OS 46 2 stroke is a good choice. It will power it and fly nice. The saito 4 stroke has the torque to pull it around and sounds great. To me there is something about a four stroke and a biplane. I flew mine with a saito 50 for years. I recently retired the 50 and moved to a 56. I had a os 70 4stroke on mine before I went back to the Saito 56. It was ok but the landings were harder and faster. With the saito 56 15% fuel or 30 % fuel are fine- 30% fuel I can almost hover good- no pull out from hover. I think mine is heavy- but it is also more than 20 years old and redone twice.

A larger satio like the 72/82 would be fine but watch the total weight and the nose heavy weight. I have a 82 on my matt chapman 580 and it pulls it around like a crazy power. The problem is the size of the gas tank and the weight. It is heavy and it uses up gas faster than the 56. Tank area is small and tank is small - like 5-7 minutes of flying time. The Smith has much room, so that is not a problem.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I have finally put together my first video of an RC plane with the help of my sure handed son. This link is of some footage of my "Smith" taken last Sunday. As you can tell it was quite gusty at times. The last touch and go (bounce and go) took about all I had to keep from planting it[sm=eek.gif].

http://www.rcuvideos.com/video/Sig-S...ne12-07-08-WMV


Ray (warbird2),

Your “Smith” looks nice. I am wondering if you are still using the term relaxing when referring to your Smith Miniplane? I tend to use exciting and sometimes even challenging to describe flying mine;). With out a doubt it is a change of pace from Jets and big birds. Compared to a jet I guess it would be relaxing…

Mikedeeney,

I agree on a 45 two stroke being a good power source for this plane. Mine uses an old OS45FSR and currently I am burning FAI (no nitro) fuel in it with out any problems. As you will see in the video, it idles just fine and makes plenty of power. In fact according to my TAC, I only lost 100 or so RPM from 10% to 0% plus I had to lean the needle about ¼ turn meaning I am more fuel efficient with the 0%.

Of coarse you are right about how nice [8D] the 4 strokes sound regardless of what they are bolted to.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

thanks mike. I have considered the weight and I see that the 72 is only 2.1 ounces more than the 56. and from what I've seen from other posts with a 56 in it, it seems that a few people have added a couple ounces of lead to the nose anyway. I appreciate the input.
Rick, nice video and great looking plane! what do you all think about proping the 72 with something like going down in length, like an 11 but going up in pitch? thanks to all for your input.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

HPEL,
Thanks for the comments on my "Smith" and video.

Running the smaller diameter prop with higher pitch should be just fine. I am sure there will be trade offs with the torque and "P-factor" kind of stuff. This combination will probably give you unbeleiveable speed (at full throttle of coarse). So, be carefull not to blow the wings off it.

FYI this airplane can handle a 12" prop. I know this because I have a 12X5 on mine right now. That is what was used in the video. I have also used 10X7 and 11X6 all of which pull verticle about the same. 10X7 produces the most speed. However speed is not what I am after with this one.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Thanks rick, I'm glad it will handle the 12" prop. I'm thinkin about making the rudder bigger also. I know it's really short coupled so I'm wondering if it's even possible to 3d with. (of course hovering) Is it just me or on the build where it talks about connecting the stab and tailfeathers is just unclear about what point to install the stab filets. I got tired of looking over and over the plans for a reasonable explanation so I went ahead and attatched them to the stab. thanks for the info.
Brent

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Brent,

I have not tackled the art of 3D flying. But to be honest, If 3D performance is what you want, I think there are a lot of better choices of aircraft.

Adding rudder. Maybe it would help with 3D. However, I can assure you that it is not necessary for aerobatics.

Too long ago for me to remember the details of adding the fillets for the tail. I think I temporarily fastened the fillets with small spacer to replace the stab and fin so that I could sand them to fit the fuse and installed them at the same time I glued the fin.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

thanks again rick. Yeah, I know it's there are alot better choices for 3d. I've had this kit built for over a year and just finished a texan so I just wanted to get this one done and out of the way. I have a fazer that I fly the heck out of simply because I love the fact that all i have to do is throw it in the truck and go fly. I know i'm not going to take the miniplane to a scalemaster's event so I'm not worried about the color or the p-factor. I've read so many good things about the miniplane I thought I'd go ahead and finish it up. If anyone else has pics of their miniplane they could post I'm looking for color schemes. I'm thinking of maybe a blue on top white underneath and bright orange on the tail......

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

What have people used for in-cowl mufflers and 2-stroke engines? How do they fit? Any good pictures of how they fit inside the cowl?

I'm want to pick up an engine and muffler in the next week or so, but want to be sure it will fit in the cowl first.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Hello,
I've worked recently with my miniplane. Decidet that it take too long so I've to finish it in no time ;). Did some covering job with koverall. Right now preparing for white paint. The engine will be OS FS52S - if it works good - not shure abuout it (second hand).

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3340/97343612my9.jpg

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/700/24691720lf4.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/567/36144358zh3.jpg

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Nice work!!

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

I found a great way to eliminate the loose strands on Koverall when trimming it, just coat the area to be trimmed with dope before trimming, let it dry and then trim it, it will hold all the fibers together without fraying. The bipe being covered is my jungmeister, I'll throw in my miniplane I sold a long time ago.

RE: Sig Smith Miniplane build
 

Hello
Planebuilder66 it's true that it is easy to cut koveral afer doping it. But I have other method. I just sand it on the edges if I can. After it if you put next coat of dope there is almost unfeelable step if koverall overlaps on itselve. (sorry for my english). Ofcorse sometimes there is no way to stand it off and the only way to trim is cuting with razor.

Here are some photos of today's paint job. I've used an epoxy paint. There also some pin holes come thru where the wing has conact with sand when doping. I'll have to fight with it a little.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/3440/malowanie1iy0.jpg

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5...owanie2ah2.jpg