Looking for full build kit of 1/6 D-18 or 17. Have been away from the hobby for awhile. I have found only found one kit so far from Marutaka(used to be Royal). And I do remember the Byron kit...and am not interested in that. Is there any other kit out there or does anyone know where I can find one. Or any source of plans for same. And I don't want to look at cutters at this point.

Thanks,

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I am building a 64 Staggerwing from Robert Sweitzer Plans. Fred Novak sells the plans from Vintage RC Plans. Check out pictures of my project at http://iflyrc.hypermart.net - go to the forum and look for "My Staggerwing Project".

Vic,
Are the flaps on your set of plans hinged just like the ailerons or are they split flaps, etc.?

Sterling used to sell a kit. I have one half finished. Wood is junk, I will probably scrap it. Someone else started it and it is falling apart. I think one of the mags has plans available. And I believe Nick Ziroli is in the process of doing one now.

Mark Shuman

The flaps are hinged on the lower wing just like the full scale plane. The top wing has the aielerons and the bottom wing has the flaps.

Thanks....
I've been following your build-up series on the iFLYrc forum.... looking forward to seeing the wing photos posted.

I took a break from that project to get in some stick time. In doing so I have built 3 other planes (2 Lancair ARF's and a Cessna 182 ). The Staggerwing will be a showcase model and requires a lot of attention when you are building. I'll probably not get back to it until after the flying season (October-November).

I'm about 50% to 60% done with drawing the plans for 1/6 D17S. Once I get all the parts drawn up, I can send the file out to a laser cutter. What I'm working on will be a little more scale-like than a sport scale model, but not a full-on mega detailed scale model. After all, I'm building it to fly it and if I put too much time and energy into a model, I get too afraid to fly it. The old addage, "if you fly them, you're going to crash them" seems to always hold true for me. It's a true 1/6 scale (64" wingspan) and will probably get the 1.20 Saito I have laying around mounted to the nose. I've also got a 1.50 Saito laying around but I don't think it'll need that much motor.

Vic,
Looking at this pic of your project:


are you going to be able to keep the exhaust enclosed within the cowl with only the end of the stack protruding? I was looking at my Saito 1.20 and 1.50 last night and it looks like it's going to be quite difficult to keep the original Saito exhaust concealed withing the cowl. I might have to do some modifying to the exhaust tube or better yet try to find some flexible exhaust tubing.

I planned to use a pitts style muffler and let the exhaust stacks extend out of the bottomof the cowl like the full scale. This is the G-17 model. This model has a cowl vent flap on the bottom of the fuse just behind the firewall. You hardly ever see it in all of the photos on the internet unless you are looking for it. This will require a "tunnel" cut through the firewall about 3 inches wide and about one inch high. Since there are no external vents on the cowl (G-17), the tunnel will also serve to ventilate engine and muffler heat from the cowl. It may not be enough so the hole in the side that is cut for the OS 1.20 valve cover may be used for additional ventilation.

I may just install the cowl vent on the bottom of the cowl (only 2 inches forward of the scale location). This all depends on how close to scale I want to get. If you are building a D-17, there are other vents on the cowl.

Yes, the D-17 vents the cowl around pretty much the entire circumference. This is how I'm planning on building mine... the cowl will be slightly larger than the firewall to vent around the entire perimeter. I'm not in the know on aftermarket mufflers for the Saitos.... I'll have to look into it to see if there is something aftermarket that I can keep tucked inside the cowl. Thanks.....

OK, took a quick look around and found a Slimline side-mount Pitts for $72 or a flex extension for $60.

This is a little off the subject, but I have a friend about 25 miles from me that is also a fellow ag pilot. His father has been rebuilding vintage aircraft for years. Well, He is in the finishing stages of a ground up rebuild of a D17 Staggerwing. Last time I was at his hangar (couple months ago) he was in the process of covering the wings and tail feathers. Fuse was finished and up on the gear, and a brand new R985 was sitting in the corner waiting to be installed when the time comes. I've been promised a ride and a little time in her when she's finished. Truly a magnificent aircraft, and he says he's been collecting parts for her for about 20 years.