The Biplane Thread

Hi,

 

the idea here is to have a thread for anything to do with biplanes - full size or model!

 

Pictures of models, kit reports, general chat, flying tips (get that rudder in use!) anything really!

 

Its late but I'll try to post some pics of my bipes tomorrow! Still then - over to you guys

Nice thread! well here is a biplane i owned quite a long time ago.

 

I bought it second hand and the covering (solartex i think it was) looked a little stained so i stripped it down and recovered it with solarfilm (see before and after).

 

I don't know what make it is or anything as it was second hand and i never flew it after my funfly incident! as i had a model confidence crisis for a long time after.

 

In the end i think i sold it to a neighbour who hung it in his shed i believe! he wasnt a modeller he just liked the look of it i think.

 

Pic below is before recovering

Some piccies of my E-Flite Pitts Model 12....I know it's electric and probably doesn't count, but it does have the right number of wings!

Flies like a dream, too!

Good stuff guys and nice phots.

 

As i know pretty well nothing about biplanes and this is a general chat thread about all things to do with them.

Apart from the obvious (2 wings), what are the main differences, if any, in flight that a biplane might have over a monoplane? 

Hi Ross 

 

From my observations, a biplane has much greater lift with having two wings so it's able to keep much greater control response at low speeds than a mono plane.

 

They are generally very light and stable too.

 

And no-one can deny that they look so nice and gracefull!!!....oohh!!!! and you can get very attractive ladys to sit on your wings too!

Not a very technical observation i'm afraid!

Ha Ha, brilliant! I like them already

 

So they are probably a tad easier to fly than monoplane would you say?

This is my Gloster Gamecock from Gordon Whitehead plan, just finished and had maiden flight last week. Saito 91FS power upfront, 11Ilbs all up and flies well.

Wow, the Gamecock is lovely Mike. In fact all the models so far have been very nice - must get my camera out!

 

Eck - all bipes welcome - electric, glow, petrol, full-size, gliders! Everyone is included.

 

Regarding flying them Ross...easier? Well yes and no. They fly slower and generally have plenty of lift (although that isn't true of say a Pitts). Two things a lot of them experience is poor aileron response - especially if they only have ailerons on one wing - and adverse yaw - so you have to use co-ordinated rudder in the trurns along with the ailerons.

 

I wouldn't say they were easier or harder - but they are different!

 

BEB 

 

 

Agree with Allan, I had a Gladiator from the BT plan and it was like the Gamecock, you need all the power to get them up, but can poodle around at scale speed once up, (awesome sight and sound!!),  but they don't float once the power is cut for landing. Having said that I have a DB tiger moth (71" span) weighs 71/2 lbs and that does float!  Obviously a few more pounds and smaller span makes the difference, but all machines are stable enough for my limited skill.

My two babies

 

Tiger and Cirrus Moths from DB Sport and Scale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

48" Bucker Jungmeister, OS61 power from the Don Stothers plan.   The only thing it doesn't like is doing outside loops, possibly because it's built like a brick outhouse.

I seem to accumulate wings, at present I've also got a Mini Panic, Veron 1 1/2 Strutter, Baronette (ok, it's a biplane and a bit) and a dodgy Gladiator rescued from a basket case CAP kit build that someone abandoned.  Probably just as well they gave up in view of the things I found under the covering.

I bought this Ultimate second hand towards the end of the summer and initially had some engine issues to sort but all's well now and I love it. All the above comments are true reference the high drag factor if you do get an unexpected deadstick then you have less time to plan your return to the strip.

 

 

I used to fly IMAC comps with a 1/3 scale Ultimate but basically biplanes have fallen out of favour both in full size and model aerobatics comps, the judges tending to say that they don't present as well as monoplanes. Consequently I've been flying a succession of Extras Edges and Sukhois in IMAC but now I've decided to fly less comps I decided to buy this Ultimate when it came up for sale locally to me 

 

 

 

Nothing like as beautiful as any of the above but this is my small (24") and rather odd "aerodynamic equivalent" of a Sopwith Pup.

Built simply to test the feasibility both of the power train and control system as well as to find out what it would be like to fly.

I saw these lovely bipes at the Angus Model Flying Club's inaugural open day in August. Pictures are by the gorgeous and talented (not to say tolerant!) Mrs. Eck

 

My Puppeteer with an OS 56 Alpha,seems a perfect combination