Unusual Twister

[Norm Faith Jr.]

Check out this Twister.

[Dave Hull]

Hmmm.  Likely a "takeoff" on Vern Payne's early biplane of the same name. Circa 1929. The definitive version would seem to be the Sablar Imperial Knight Twister, updated and gorgeous! There was an article in one of the model mags somewhere in the 70's(?) along with 3-views.

http://www.steenaero.com/KnightTwister/history.cfm?

A very interesting aircraft. My flying buddy built one for Formula Unlimited model airplane racing. It was a blast to fly. I believe Chris McMillan acquired a full-scale project and was making some progress.

Dave

[Dan McEntee]

    I have seen this picture before in one of my books. It's the prototype Knight Twister or an iteration of it. It originally was designed  for a small radial , if I'm remembering it correctly. It goes back into the late 20's and early 30's. Chris' is coming along. I think it was airworthy when he bought it, then disassembled to have the wings rebuilt by another party. I've seen photos of the wings after skinning with mahogany plywood and they looked like coffee tables!! I think he's been busy polishing a new Long Midget Mustang and a Luscombe that he recently acquired. He needs to move back to St. Louis where I can keep track of him easier!!
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Chuck Matheny]

You could build the whole thing after making a trip or 2 to Lowes...!
Awesome little engine...no way to find that at Lowes.
Would need to go pick up one of those 212 cc engines at Harbor Freight for $200.
35 years ago when I first moved into the area near the Arlington Washington  Airport most of the land near the airport had not been developed and it wasn't that unusual to see "sporty" little ultra lights  flying over the corn fields and the pea patches of the greater Arlington / Smokey Point area.
Nowadays they are stuck just flying over the airport property and I don't see many even doing that.

[Chris McMillin]

The Knight Twister. If you look carefully you can see Knight painted on the panel ahead of the Twister legend.
This is the prototype KT alright! A bit crude in aesthetic,  dinky little 40 hp Salmson radial, weird gear,  no brakes. Curley flew it from a golf course.

Mine is a model called the Sunday Knight Twister but its titled a Holiday Knight Twister, very similar... it has longer wings and tail, fuselage stretch and 180 hp Lycoming. I'm hoping to finish N5788B next summer. Here it was in the mid-80's...
Chris...

[wwwarbird]

Here it was in the mid-80's...

 Cool, is that Oshkosh?

[Dave Hull]

Here's a picture of Dave Dawson's Formula Unlimited Knight Twister. A lot of fun to fly because it just looks cool out on the ends of the lines.