warbirdmustang

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Anyone know where to get some decent info on the Bravo? I have three views from Sig and Bob Banka, along with a good photo pack from Banka, but I could use a three view that shows panel line placement, inspection plates, etc. Haven't been able to find much useful stuff on the web, and I want to build this as a nice bird.
Thanks,
Bryan

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

There was a kit available for the Bravo. Last I remember seeing it advertised had to be a good yeara ago now.

I got information of the earlier A/C through Texas.


Wm.

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

I should have clarified a little here. I have a Sig kit of the aircraft already, about 1/4 scale. I'm looking for good documentation sources, so I can make a decent scale model of it. I have a photo pack and 3 views, but none of the 3 views that I have show panel lines, rivets, details, etc. The photo pac from Bob banka does show some great detail shots, however it doesn't show an all over picture to be able to pic these details up. I don't know if the info I am looking for exists for this homebuilt, or whether I will have to try and track down a full scale version and get it myself ( hopefully not!). If anyone knows where to get a really good 3 view, please let me know.
Thank you,
Bryan

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

About three months ago, a forum reader sent in a URL connection for a federal site in which you could look up currently registered A/C by manufacturer and type. If there were a significant amount of them built, it went down to the state then the city then. I found two which had been looking for, but the name address is the current mailing address, not where it is hangared. You then have to contact the owner, and find out where a real one is. Thre are six airports within 30 minutes of here, so is not too much problem for me to locate A/C on occasion.

Maybe someone can help and point to how to get to the site. It is must easier to visit a real one then to continue to ask for someone to send pictures from three states away. In addition, if you have any pictures of a real one from advertising brochures, you can run the big number on the fuselage and see where that one is today.


Wm.

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Wm.,
The plane I am modeling is now stationed at a museum in Iowa...pretty far drive from Kentucky, if I can avoid it. I sent an email to them yesterday, asking for any information they may have. I also emailed Bruce Tharp, of BTE, as he worked for Morrisey as well as Sig. Maybe between all these sources, I can find some more info. The photo pack from Bob Banka is very good, but is is temtation in it's worst form, as I can see some of the rivet detail and several inspection panels, just would like to know more about the placement of them on the model. Thanks for the input.
Bryan

manion_30

My Feedback: (23)

Bryan, ... If you find anything, let us all know. I have one partially built, and all I have is the picture off the box. I got it cheep at the swap fair in perry ga. Great looking plane.

Larry
Macon GA

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Larry,
The Bravo is a great airplane, isn't it? Every one of them I have seen fly has been wonderful! I bought the 3 view and photo pack from Bob Banka, which is a great help, but my interests are going toward scale competition, and I just need some better documentation than I have. The photo pack covers the cockpit in pretty good detail( enough to keep me busy for a while), and most of the exterior details as well. I'm really just lacking panel lines, rivets, inspection panels, things like that. I also have some other larger aircraft that I hope to compete with, and I want the Bravo to be my primer for all that. I've never built a " serious" scale bird before. If I can get my feet wet, I have a Top Flight Giant Mustang that the wife got me for Christmas, just dying to be built "right". I'll keep you posted if I find out anything. Do you have the instruction book from Sig with your kit? I can copy mine for you if you don't.
Bryan

clscale-RCU

My Feedback: (7)

I have also built that kit. If my information is correct, the Bravo at the small musuem is the only one. Most museums I have contacted probably will not take pictures for you. When I built mine a friend of mine was going thru that area and took some additional pictures. I'll see if I can find the negatives. He also got color chip numbers for the color of the red and other colors.

Information on this airplane is hard to come by....

Fred Cronenwett

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Thanks Fred!
You are right, I am having a devil of a time finding info on this plane. I think you are right about it being the only one. The plane at the museum I believe belonged to Maxey Hester and Hazel Sig, don't know if it still does or not. The photo pack from Banka was taken at the museum. Like I said before, just some more info on the panel lines, rivets etc. would be a great help. Those color chips would also be of great help, if you can find your info I would greatly appreciate any help.
Thank you,
Bryan

manion_30

My Feedback: (23)

Bryan, ... That would be a great help the instruction book if you don't mind. I bought the plane with the fus and wing already build, and the only picture I have is what was on the box. At least the person remove it before he sold it. I have never seen one fly before, but it looks like it would be very stable. Any body know what moGas engine works best? It says 2 - 3 CI. I have the fiberglass cowling, canopy, and wheel pants I will have to make the rest wing tips, elevator and rudder forms. I hope you don't mind me asking, but how much was the pictures from Bob Banka? It may be the only detailing pictures I can get. Where is the museum located? OH, I think I would like your wife, you must have her trained well. haha (Big Mustang) I started on a sig 1/4 scale Clipped Wing Cub as my first scale plane, and I just fitted a US Eng 35CC on it. At least their is documentation for it. I also have a Lance P-40 and an Aeronca Champ all 1/4 scale with no documentation. I guess I like a challenge. I have three RC pictures of a bravo, blue and white, red and white, and one with lots of graphics if any one is interested and I can figure out how to post them. ... Larry from Macon GA

manion_30

My Feedback: (23)

Fred, ... The color information would be great, that would be one more step closer. If you can find your negatives I would like to buy some print from you, let me know. .... Larry from Macon GA

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Hi, Larry. If you will email me your address, I will copy the manual and send you a copy. The museum that has the Bravo is located in Iowa, I'll have to find the link and post it for their website. A Google search for Morrisey Bravo turned it up. I think the photo pack from Bob Banka is 30-35 dollars, and is worth every penny. My wife is trained pretty well I guess, as she also bought me the Bravo ( along with a bunch of other stuff too many to list!). I usually get something good from the old girl every birthday and Christmas, guess I'll keep her. Cooks pretty good too, judging by my girlish figure! I think the US 35 will fly the Bravo, I'm putting a US41 in mine. I have seen several fly, usually with a Quadra 42 or G 45 Zenoah, none of them were underpowered. I'm in line for Prints, also, Fred if you can find your stuff!
Bryan

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

Has anyone checked out the EAA archives as I believe the Bravo was a feature article in one of their monthly "Sport Aviation" mags many years ago. My understanding is that only one was built and
Hazel Sig took it as part payment on money she had invested in the Morrisey Co. when it went under. Can't understand why Sig quit producing the kit or why it hasn't been reintroduced as an ARF. Flew one for years and it was a "sweet" flyer!

Also, the Morrisey Kachina was another good looking design with the Bravo using many of its shapes and outlines.

GAP-RCU

I searched for the Morrisey Bravo in the EAA's member's only section.

An article was published in Sport Aviation, April 1983, pages 28-31.

This is six years before I joined EAA, so I don't have this article. The website says it can be purchased for $5 (might be more if you are not a member). EAA headquarters number is (920) 426-4800. They might just refer you to the museum and archives which is at (920) 426-4818.

Good luck, Gary

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Guys,
I don't know for sure how many were built, but Bob Banka has 3 different color schemes listed for photo packs in his catalog, all of which have different tail numbers. So I am going to assume there were at least 3 of them.
Bryan

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

Well, maybe just two or maybe just one?

Talked to people at Sig Mfg. a few years back and they told me only one was built and flying.
Hazel Sig had "bought" the prototype in 1985, just as the Morrisey Co. was folding. The tail no. of this real prototype was N124BM according to an article about the 1/4 scale Sig Bravo model in the 9/86 issue of MAN. The article in 1986 also states that this Hazel Sig owned real Morrisey Bravo is the only one existing at that time. The article also states that Hazel had the aircraft painted right away to a new color scheme and changed the tail no. to N37HM. Bruce Thorpe also has info. at the back of this Bravo kit article on the real Bravo as he originally worked for Morrisey.

The one in the Air Power Museum in Iowa has the N37HM tail no. according to data at Landings.com. So, this one must be the Hazel Sig Bravo. Now if Banka has photos of both the N124BM and N37HM Bravos, they are really the same aircraft with different paint jobs. So, this eliminates one of the three and now we are down to the possibility of two existing? What is the, unknown to me, tail no. of the third Bravo that Banka has pictures of?

In almost twenty years, someone would have likely built another as I found a Bravo welded steel fuse being offered on an Internet site for sale. Of course, it may be left over from inventory that Morrisey had when the Co. folded in the mid-1980's.

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Flicka5,
That could very well be possible, I didn't know whether or not a tail number could be changed or not. Bob Banka has the following photo packs listed on his web site:
white/ silver tail no. N124BM
white/ red tail no. N37HM
an OM-1 tail no. N124BM in aluminum ( same as above?)
then labeled 2000 ( date of photos?) white/ yellow tail no. N58789
So if the plane owned by Hazel is at the museum ( N37HM, probably named that for Hester, Maxey her husband) then one could assume that the tail number N58789 is indeed a different bird. So maybe we have 2 of them? I also saw the steel tube fuse for sale, I believe it is from the flying club at the North Las Vegas Airport, also where ops were set up when Morrisey owned the company and was producing kits and supposedly completed aircraft for sale. It's getting more interesting all the time! The research is half the fun in scale birds! I have sent emails to the museum in Iowa and to Bruce Tharp as well requesting info, as stated above, but so far no response. I also ordered the reprint of the EAA article mentioned above today, and it is still $5.00 for non members if anyone is interested.
Thanks for all the help so far,
Bryan

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

I punched tail no. N58789 into Landings.com data base and the airplane registered to that no. doesn't appear to be a Bravo. It is 1956 vintage by Morrisey Aircraft and model ? SN 1A. The Bravo wasn't developed before the early 1980's. Maybe it is one that has similar lines like a Kachina by Morrisey? Anyhow, it is in Manhatten Beach, CA. So, maybe there was only one Bravo made and registered? The prototype Bravo owned by Hazel Sig[http://landings.com/

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Flicka,
I think we are on to something here! Sounds very reasonable that the information above is correct. There were similar aircraft designed by Morrisey, starting I believe I read in the late 40's or early 50's when he was a chief pilot for Douglas. I know that the rights and designs were changing hands a bunch, and I believe that the Kachina, Shinn, Varga, and Bravo were all adaptations of the same aircraft, all done along it's evolutionary chain. I think based on the information we have found, it is very likely that the Bravo, tail number N37HM was and is the only completed flying example of this aircraft. That would explain why we are having all this trouble finding scale documentation for her! I'll bet there has never been an accurate 3 view drawn that shows all the panels, etc. The pictures and the Sig manual tell that the wing is all metal, and I can see metal/ glass around the tail, and there are metal panels around the wing saddle are in the photos. The real area in Question is aft of the wing, along the turtle deck from the top to bottom of the fuse. Given that the rest of the bird is metal, I think it is only reasonable to assume that it is an all metal bird. I guess I will have to guess at the rivet and panel lines on the areas in question, and be happy that it will be the best representation that I can make of it!
Thanks for all your help guys, it's been real fun tracking this bird down!
Bryan

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

Bryan,
Bruce Thorpe in the MAN Sept. '86 Bravo article states that the Bravo is all metal except for the areas aft of the canopy which he says is fabric covered. If you send me a personal email with your address, I will make a copy of the 9/86 MAN article if you don't have it and send it to you.

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Sent you a P.M. Flicka. Thank you for all your help. That does seem a little odd that they would use fabric on part of the plane, maybe for weight? Maybe for ease of installation on the curved surface? Who knows. This has certainly been an interesting trip.
Thanks,
Bryan

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Larry,
I have the manual copied if you want to get me your address, I will mail it out to you.
Bryan

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Hey, Fellas!
Heard back from Bruce Tharp today, and he gave me two email addresses for possible info on the Bravo:
Mike Gretz, who I believe worked for Sig
Bill Morrisey ( the son) who Bruce thinks may be writing a book about his dad's planes.
I'll keep you posted if I hear more.
Bryan

manion_30

My Feedback: (23)

Bryan, Thanks!!! And to all of you guy's, this is wonderful stuff and good reading. I am not good on researching documentation. I guess I never knew where to start, I wander how it was done before computers.

Address: Lawrence Manion
1503 MacGillicuddy Dr.
Macon, GA 31216
E-Mail: [email protected]

Thanks again. Larry

warbirdmustang

My Feedback: (21)

Your welcome, Larry. I'll get the stuff in the mail tomorrow. By the way, a correction to the above post:
The Bill Morrisey mentioned above is the NEPHEW of the designer, not his son. Just thought I would get my story straight. I just sent him an email, by the way, to see if he has any information to share with us! I will keep you posted. I think Mike Gretz still works for Sig, also as a side note. Believe it or not, Larry, this is the first time that I have tried to research an aircraft to model in this detail as well. So we are all learning something here! Sure is a lot of fun! This plane will be my first attempt at what I am going to call a " serious" scale bird/ scale modeling attempt.
Bryan