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Hey:
I'm currently building my first Biplane. It's a Great Planes Super Skybolt 60.
I would have posted this sooner, but my old computer crashed.
I'll be working on fitting the cowl and the canopy, hopefully, this
weekend.
Then some final sanding to ready it for covering.
Tom

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Best of luck!

Enjoy!

Don't wait until it's finished to post pictures, many of us like to see the build. :cool:

Jim.

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You will love this plane. It was my first biplane also. What are you planning on using for an engine?

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I love this plane too!

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Good kit. Have had some fun with the skybolt.

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Thanks for the encouragement.
I have pics, but they are too big to post here.
I plan on using an OS1.08 for power wirh a bisson pitts style muffler.
TY for the feed back.


Tom

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I re-scanned my pics.
I'm going to try to attach some here.


Tom

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another pic

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ok......one more

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looks good, lets see her with some clothing

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Looks great!

I like them better sans clothing! :D

Super Skybolt
 

Yes, this was my first kit, period...I thought that was the most beautiful plane I had ever laid eyes on...Man, that thing flys sweet, it will do anything you can throw its way, and an inverted flat spin that will make your head spin...Good Luck...

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kneesaknock'n:
I agree whole-heartedly.....not my first kit, but one of the best looking.
TY and many happy landings!!
Tom

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Worked on the cowling yesterday (Saturday) and will be tinting the canopy today with Rit powder Dye (Sunday) and also some final sanding of the entire plane.
That cowl was a tough one to get fitted with the bisson Muffler, but patience is one thing I've learned over the years....that and alot of trial and error.
I opted to not sheet the wing tips, leaving them open and the covering will stretch over them (hopefully). I have the Sheeting on stand-by if I really need it.

Tom

wing tips
 

Yea, I noticed that the wing tips were incomplete, you may need to add that, not that difficult...Makes for a better appearance, and helps covering, because I know those wing tips are a booger to cover...Also noticed that the servos were mounted in the rear, just wanted to tell you I had a hard time getting mine to balance, It was tail heavy and they were mounted to the specs, she don't fly good tail heavy...I have a saito 100 for power, 14-8 prop, hitec 425's and a 4.8v, 600ma battery pack...

Skybolt #2 below

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kneesaknock'n:
I tinted and trimmed the canopy today, it looks good.
The plane balances at the CG with the servo's in the rear, without the cowling installed or the spinner or any other radio gear so I'm thinking I can move the batterry pack fore or aft once all the pushrods, etc. are installed.
Of course I'm utilizing all four ailerons and using pull pull on rudder.
Some additional final sanding and it's ready to cover.
Still debating on using the wing tip sheeting.
I've read in other posts about the inverted flat spins this plane will do. I'll be happy just getting it up and flying level and straight for now!!
Did you do anything with the landing gear?
Mine seems not to be too strong so I used some picture hanging cable between the two "legs" of the gear.
Also, I've installed the Sullivan removable tail wheel asssembly.
How do the wheel pants hold up flying from grass?
Thanks for your input.

Tom

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Well all I have to say it you both did an outstanding job on your planes!!! Look forward to seeing some clothes on the one, keep us posted.

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They hold up well until the first wet field day....

A good size hole at the back to let out water is a good idea.

HTH, Jim

... my first (of many) skybolts (SIG kit).

wheel pants
 

The supplied abs wheel paints of mine are still intact, now they are not going to take any abuse, one ugly landing and say goodbye...As for the aluminum gear they are fairly strong, noticed mine have sagged a little but the elastisity helps on the landing, on take off you will notice they are shaking an vibrating on rough ground an once she lifts off its totally still...Oops, my knees are starting to knock already just thanking about it...

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My Skybolt is 9 years old this season. It has had both wings sheared off in a dead stick accident, has gone through 3 engine changes, and 1 smoke modification. It's seen more surgery than Joan Rivers, and it still flies like a dream!

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Minniflyer that is a good looking bipe you got there, great take off shot...Guys, there is a guy around where I live that has a full scale skybolt seen it fly one time, It sounded and looked awesome in the air, He was having a good time doing loops and rolls over the house, oh, and the checks on the bottom where huge...

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Looking good guys.

Mine is coming along slowly but surely. It shouldn't be long now, but you know it's all of the little things that you need to do near the end that take all the time....

Keep posting updates. I like to read and see how others are doing on this kit.

-Fitz.

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I've just started building mine (shes sat on the shelves in my shack for years !!!, 2nd to hundreds of other builds).

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town.../fin_frame.jpg

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This is the first GP kit, I've built, I've done most of the TF kits, and most other makes, however is this normal for GP ?. Not every part is as badly fitting as this (well some are worse), but is this the shape of things to come?

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town...fin_ohdear.jpg

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Dont get me wrong, its nothing that a damn good sanding wont resolve, but it speaks volumes. That said I am enjoying the build, and was just keen to here of other peoples observations.

I'm looking forward to flying this one....

(this is the two parts that make up the stab centre)

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town...stab_oops2.jpg

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Some sanding later, and voila

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town...stab_frame.jpg

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always seems a shame to hide that lovely frame by sheeting it.

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town...stab_compl.jpg

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Yea, but look at the end product, all that framework is hidden, this ain't no ordinary kit, you are just starting, wait till you get to the wood soaking and bending part??? He Hee!!!

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AS kneeknock'n put it....he heeee
now the real fun starts....
soaking, bending, soldering, sanding.shaping......LOL
In the end you'll have a great flying, strong, aerobatic, head turning aircraft worth writing MOM about!!
I'm taking other owners' word for the flying part as mine isn't finished yet.
kneesaknock'n.....nice looking plane there.....I hope to get to the covering on mine this weeekend.
HAPPY FLYIN

ps: Should I use the lustre cote paint? I heard it was a real pain in the ^$#&%* to use.

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Let me see, yeap, thats what I used... Make sure you shake it up really well, mine sprayed a little funky but it smoothed out nicely, looked like little tiny paint balls coming out, try to slick up that last coat...

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Ohh thanks, that damn F2 was fun.

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town...kyb/fuz_f2.jpg

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And the bottom

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town.../fuz_f2aft.jpg

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Remember guys this is supposed to be the relaxing part, the building...I enjoyed every step of that super skybolt, it is indeed a challange...I enjoy the building more so than the flying the flying is more nerve racking to me, hince the username kneesaknock'n, cause thats what I'm a doin when I fly...You spend all that time, countless hours working on that beautiful plane, who in the world wants to make toothpicks out of that, not me...

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Hi Kneesaknock'n,

You mention that this is "Skybolt #2" your building. Is that skybolt #1 in your avitar? Are you still flying it? I think the box trim scheme looks great, but felt it was beyond my covering experience so I went with my yellow/black "simple" scheme...

Keep us posted on #2. It's looking sweet.

-Fitz.

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The skybolt in the avitar is my first kit, she is my hanger queen, I only fly her on sunny days, shows, and local flying events...As for #2, I aquired her from a club member also known as (Russman) in RCU...He flew the snot out of that plane, but on its last voyage the landing gear got ripped out. He saw mine and got his down out of the rafters to strip the covering, and thats about how far he got, so we did a little trading, and her I am covering another skybolt...Bout, all I got left is the top wing to cover, and a little work on the cowl...I got a saito 91 for power, that oughta do...heres some more pics...

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Wydah, ours are looking a lot alike except for mines red/white and yours is black/yellow, heres a pic of the bottom, I love those checks in the air...

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Those sure are classy bipes. Much sweeter lines than the Ultimate I'm flying. Maybe a good '03/'04 winter building project.

From the looks of the structure, it seems like they would be quite heavy. What's a typical weight? Do they respond well to excessive power like the Ultimate, or are they better suited to moderate "barnstorming" type flying?

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Yes curving them sides is real fun....

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town...yb/cockpit.jpg

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Oh by the way my engine choice will be the ASP 1.20 4-cycle.

Interested in anyones advice if they have fitted smoke to one (Skybolt)

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ilikeplanes:
A Super Skybolt. mod of the Steen Skybolt which was in it's heyday in the '70s.
Barnstormer?
As in slow flying, moderate aerobatics? Hardly!!
Throttle Management will be neccessary!
Let's put it this way.....I'm mounting a 1.08 on mine,should weigh about 10-10 1/2 lbs.
It will do the most amazing inverted flat spin, so I've heard.
I've been told that it rivals the Ultimate in flight, but IMHO it is better looking.

Tom

PS:
Minnflyer has a cpl videos of the skybolt.