lmckee1065

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Hey, Can anyone offer any tips on building the Midwest Super Stearman along with any flying tips or experiences. I plan to put a Saito 100 in it. I have been flying a Hog Bipe with much success. Does anyone know how the two compare in characteristics? Thanks, Dave

FlyingPilgrim

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Dave, I have read a few of the posts/threads on the Midwest Super Stearman, and unfortunately, none of them are positive. I have this kit, NIB on my shelf with a Saito 90, and am wondering what to do: sell it or build it. They apparently come out VERY tail heavy, and it doesn't sound like they have very good flight characteristics.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING POSITIVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS KIT?
Jeff

bunsen

Hi

I recently finished a Midwest Super Stearman kit that was my first "Sporty Scale" atempt. It does require some nose weight to balance properly. It is important to watch the weight of anything rear of the wings. Have not flown it yet.

You might want to take a look at the following two reviews by requesting the articles:

1. Model Airplane News Field and bench review of the Midwest Super Stearman, Jan. 1997, pgs 70 > 72, author Vic Olivett

2. RC/Report, December 1996 issue
Product test report by Dick Pittit on Midwest Super Stearman.


I enjoyed building the kit and did not have any problems. I used the Robart struts and it looks good.

Just one persons opinion.

Bunsen

lmckee1065

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Thanks for the input but due to the fact that I have not heard good things about the flying characteristics and the fact that the parts are not numbered at all I have decided not to build the Stearman at this time. I hope I'm wrong about it and that you enjoy flying yours! I would like to know how you like it once you have it flying because I may decide to build one down the road. It is a beautiful plane... Thanks again, Dave

JBecker

Dave - Since your'e not going with the Stearman, you should look into Pica's Waco. I've only heard positive things about this biplane! I'm building a 1/6 scale and so far it's been a dream to put together, especially with the laser cut parts. Heard flying it is even better. Good luck, Jim

lmckee1065

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Yes- that is a beautiful plane too. It will probably be between the pica Waco and the balsa Phaeton 90. Thanks for the input! Dave

Fidsatom

Guys

I just spent a day at the EAA museum and did take say 10 shots of their Super Stearman. I'd be happy to provide them to anyone as documentation gratis via email. I didn't get too many details, but there are some shots that could be used to determine details.

I have them as large as in 2.0 mb files but I can knock them down to a smaller Jpeg format if your server otr ISP would require smaller files.

Just let me know privately off forum at my email and I'll email them along.

Tom

Don The Man

I have built both the Hog Bipe and the Midwest Stearman. The Hog is much better flying and also much stronger built. Plenty of opportunity to make appearance changes. A good beginnner biplane.
The Midwest looks great and flys just like the real thing. Slow and majestic. Not to much action. It was VERY tail heavy and took 16 oz of lead in the nose. I knew that and invested weight in Robart struts and beefing up the front end. I had lots of building problems. In checking the incident, the top wing was way off. Based on a review in RC Report I called Midwest and they said oh yes you need new cabines which they sent. They also included new instructions changing the motor mount and thrust lines. Unfortnately, I had already mounted the engine and had to make revisions.
Never the less, I enjoy seeing the two wings and round engine flying around up there. Next project is a Pica Waco.

FlyingPilgrim

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I ordered the Jan '97 Model Airplane News just for their review. The kit in the article required 30 ounces of lead to balance!! No mention of cabanes being off or change in engine thrust. I'll have to call Midwest to make sure I have correct specs.

Don, any chance I can get a Zerox copy of your RC Report article?? I'll swap you a copy of the review out of Model Airplane News. Send a PM if yes.

Don The Man

I don't have the RC Report stuff on the Stearman, but they should be available from the back issues list. As I recall Jeff wrote them as he built the plane. There were two issues I believe. I suspect that the later kits include the modifications, but be sure to check the incidents before sealing up the front end. Since so much weight is needed in the nose, I suggest making things forward of the CG stronger. I put Robart struts on, but other than looks, they were not very useful. I had to cut a lot off of the springs to get any compression, but more importantly, the machining was poor and because they are an angle they would not readily compress on landing. I tip it a bit at touch down so one gear touches and compresses.

blacksheep

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Does anyone know of a good Stearman ARF or Kit? Or, does anyone have a scratch built for sale?

I am looking for a 1/6th size.

Anyone tried the Sportsman Avaiation Waco 60 ARF?

flicka5

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We all know about lite-ply. Who has heard about heavy- ply? Take a look at my Midwest Stearman image below. Yep you guessed it as that is a 3/4" thick ply. firewall. Yes, 3/4" interior fir plywood screwed and glued to the original kit ply firewall. Why? Had a engine flameout at low altitude after takeoff and ended dumping in rough terrain. Main damage was that the motor with mount was pushed back into the original firewall breaking a hole in it. Then the lights came on as I went to repair it. How can one lighten it up. Simple, extend the nose out to reduce the amount of nose lead to balance or shorten the tail length. Why not use a heavy piece of 3/4 ply because its weight will simply further reduce the amount of lead required to balance?

Haven't flown yet but hated the prior flying characteristics until a skilled club member suggested that it acted tailheavy in flight. I acquired this model from a highly skilled builder with plenty of experience and savvy. While it checked slightly nose heavy without fuel at his balance points, it flew terrible. Added 8 more oz. lead to the
cowl and wallah, now it was manageable.
Don't have the plans but is the factory shown center of gravity correct? Something tells me that the next time it goes in nose first the engine will take the most damage!

Don The Man

The plywood seems like a good idea. The nose is short to keep it scale since the full size had a very heavy radial. You didn't say which kit you have. I have the Midwest version and it took about 16 oz of lead to balance it and that after beefing up the front construction and adding Robart struts. It flies nicely with an OS 91 Surpass. Very scale like.

flicka5

My Feedback: (2)

Yep I did, go back and read where I called it my Midwest Stearman.

Since you have the plans and I don't, is the plan CG position correct? My builder shimmed the back of the top wing to -1 deg with the bottom wing at 0 deg. What do the plans call for?

Mine has the original OS .90 4stroke with the rear pushrod configuration. Plenty of power for this heavy beast.

My stearman before the "nose job", below!

JeffH

My Feedback: (43)

I built one fo somebody else and told him that it should never ever be flown. This one was built to be highly scale, as the owner wanted the model to be an exact copy of the one in the book Cannibal Queen . The plane was VERY VERY tail heavy. We guessed it would take around 2.5-3 lbs of lead. It was covered in S**** and painted in the polytone paints. Had full compliment of lights, flying wires etc.
I spent about 3 days trying to get the wing incidence right on that plane. I must have had on of the ones with the bad upper cabanes. I made my own system for the 'N' strut mounting that consisted of aluminum sheet bolted to the rib and the bass wood strut was slit to slide over the sheet and then bolts through.
After I dry fitted the stringers, they were so wavy, it looked like spaghetti noodles. I had to cut/fill each and every stringer slot to get the thing to look right. It was awful. I am glad I got paid very well for this.

Loredo59

I had fun building this kit and was able to fit all together, was not very happy with the weight that was needed in nose thought it would never balance out. I installed the saito fa-91s and loved the slow flying charecteristics and low purring sound of the four stroke engine. Had a mishap and now am having to build a lower wing; and I think I will strip the back half and see where I can rid of some weight. I was told I couldn't have smoke on this but proved all wrong. Build it with weight changes in mind.