Design > Stunt design

Bi-Planes

(1/6) > >>

Ron Merrill:
This is a question that has been asked a 1000 times, but why are there no really completive stunt bi-planes in .60 size. I really love two wings and they look good in the air. Hope this is not a dumb question.

peabody:
DRAG

minnesotamodeler:
Trimming a multiple-wing plane is a real challenge, especially the fine trim needed for competitive PA.  You can make it fly, and fly pretty well, but I don't know if you could ever make it fly great. Adding the second wing increases the trim problems by about a factor of 3, seems like.  Vertical balance becomes very significant, as well as equalizing the drag above and below thrust line; then there's the increased side area that the wind messes with; lessee, what else?  Setting the wings parallel with each other makes it unstable; a couple of degrees negative incidence on the top or positive on the bottom seems to help, for whatever reason...set the wings too close together and they mess up each other's lift; too far apart and you produce moment arms too long from that vertical COG; downthrust is nearly always a must since the things tend to balloon, and who knows what that does to inverted flight...These are things I've  found, and I don't even know what I'm doing.  I love biwings and triwings but then I'm not a competition stunt flier either.  They just look cool lumbering around.  that's my opinion and I'm stuck with it, er, sticking with it.

--Ray

Walter Hicks:
Don Hutsensons Stearmans fly competitively.

Jim Thomerson:
Second that on Don's Stearman as I have had the pleasure of judging him flying one.   Plans in Flying Models, as I recall.  Biplane in capable hands has won OTS at the VSC a couple of times. I think it is simply a matter than no top flier has sat down and decided to campaign a biplane.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page