Bent Wing Contender
 

After searching, I'm empty handed. Has anyone built a contender with a bent wing? I recently putchased an old NIB contender kit. It doesn't have the upswept wing tip option (which I could do anyway since I've already built one like that) but it does have the bent wing option. that looks good to me, but I wonder if there is a reason they stopped making this as an option. How does it fly with a bent wing? Just wondering--I really like the lines of it (photo on the box).

Thanks

RE: Bent Wing Contender
 

Didn't know it was offered that way in the past?? Mine has the solid spars right across the wing saddle. I imagine it flies pretty well that way, too. Maybe that was an alternative for the Dutch Roll that the upswept tips are supposed to help?

RE: Bent Wing Contender
 

Hello,
I have the bent wing contender. It is the 40 size model. the 60 size model did not have that option. It flys great. Very stable and predictable. I added the flap option to mine and it really slows down the plane for landing. I made a slight modification on mine so I could install an Enya 41 Four Stroke. I also have several large size contenders. t happens to be my favorite sport airplane. If you would like to see some photo's of mine please e-mail me at [email protected]
Thanx
Nevin M. Levy
G17staggerwing

RE: Bent Wing Contender
 

Charlie,
that's what I was thinking too. It is a "40" sized kit, but the "60" sized that I previously built is really (IMO) a 40 sized model. I haven't looked at the specs on this one to see if it is really that much smaller or not.
Nevin, I've sent you an e-mail. Thanks

RE: Bent Wing Contender
 

Finished mine in Sept. 06. Flies great. It had the upswept option. I installed the flaps, widened the ailerons, straightened out the rudder, made the cowling so that I can pull the engine (OS .61FX) out the front and the air scoop is functional and can be removed, exposing the bottom of the engine.

This plane really files great. Definately, point and shoot. Very fast, but very stable. Lands very slowly with flaps and lands somewhat like my trainer without flaps. No tip stall tendencies.

RE: Bent Wing Contender
 

Safebet,
Thanks for the pics. I've actually built that same plane you have, and yes--it does fly great. I now have in my possesion one of the original kits (not the gold edition) that has an upswept wing option rather than just an upswept wing TIP. I was wondering how it flies before I build it with that kind of wing. I really like the looks of it on the box.

RE: Bent Wing Contender
 

Gosh, 2slow, I didn't know they made another option. Is it a Top Flite kit, and can you get them readily?

RE: Bent Wing Contender
 

It is a top flite kit, but it's the old kit--the wing is 6 inches shorter than the one you (and I) built. It's a true 40 sized, I guess--although the 60 size is small enough.
I would assume that the bent wing option may act like dihedral in stabilizing the plane.

RE: Bent Wing Contender
 

Yep, it's something like 3º of sweep works like 1º of dihedral (at least in biplane upper wings).

RE: Bent Wing Contender
 

Top Flite originally made two variants of the Contender. The first one was the original Contender. It had a flat wing with flat tips. Upswept wingtips were added by the builder, but the original kit plans did not show them. It was intended for a .60-.61-sized engine.

Top Flite later brought out the Contender .40. This airplane had dihedral to eliminate the adverse roll coupling with rudder application. Many people put larger engines on the model, even though it was intended for a .40-.45-sized engine.

If your model has parts for building a wing with dihedral, then you have the old Top Flite Contender .40 kit.