OVER THERE

In America as well as Europe the ' homebuilt' aircraft is the epitome of aviation enthusiasm. With a slightly different system to the European methods of certification, the American amateur is permitted to make aircraft which reflect the relative cheapness of engines and other parts. Also the restrictions on performance are not so rigid, thus allowing the enthusiast to produce faster and hotter touring and aerobatic arrcraft. Therefore the range of aircraft is somewhat wider than ours and an encouragement for the day when the current negotiations to widen the scope of amateur building by permitting heavier and faster types have been realised. Already the import restrictions on American engines are eased and any of our members wishing to obtain one of the excellent American flat four engines should not be put off with the old story that it cannot be done.

Many of our overseas readers have asked for details of metal types as alternatives to the all wood types mostly favoured in the United Kingdom. It would be impossible to list them all in an issue of this magazine without tremendous effort, but we have selected a small number to whet the appetites of the aerobatic enthusiast, the quick air tourist, and the fly for fun type.

Without a doubt the editorial schoolday hero of the Cleveland pylons Steve Wittman ably supported by his wife Dorothy Wittman is the doyen of amateur constructors across the pond. Twenty-five years ago Steve was building his own aircraft, and racing them in a way that would make our National Air Races look like kids on fairy cycles. Over the years this ex schoolmaster from Oshkosh, where he now runs the airport, has steadily built a series of racers which have become more and more the essence of refinement. Ever see a Cessna landing geat? Steve's the boy who designed it. So here ate a few details of his latest available to amateurs, the " Tailwind ".

WITTMAN TAILWIND-MODEL W-8

Span20ft. 11ins. Dihedral zero.

Wing area 83.5 sq. ft. Laden weight 1,300Ib. Empty weight 700 lb. Wing loading 15 lb. sq. ft. Baggage 601b. Cruising 150 m.p.h. at Wing section is modified 4309. 5,000 ft. and 7O per cent Top speed 170 m.p.h. power.

Rate of climb 900 f.p.m. Take off run 800 feet. Stalling with flaps 50 m.p.h. Range over 600 miles. Length 19 ft. 3 ins.

A11 this with a 90 h.p. Continental or 100 h.pLycoming.

The wings are wooden structure with plywood and fabric covering, while fuselage is steel tubing, fabric covered. 'Lightr and radio are fitted. So if you want to go faster, Steve Wittman will sell you the plans for one hundred and twenty-five dollars.

At present eleven Tailwinds have passed their C.A.A. experimental flight test and there are 1l I being built.

Examples are being built in Sweden and Belgium so the type looks like being popularOn test 49 has been pulled so the ability to stick together seems to have crept into the design somewhere ! Considering the performance the cost of building is very reasonable, enough steel tube costs about f,100 while total cost averages f,700. Bits and pieces supplied by Wittman do not seem dear and for example the two fuselage sides welded come out at f,50 the pair ex-works, plywood comes to f,30 and the motor mounting complete with Wittman patented undercarriage costs f,72, less wheels. All these prices are at the disadvantageous exchange rate to English customers and yet still seem reasonable.

For the aerobatic enthusiast George Meyer of Corpus Christi, Texas, has produced what might easily turn into the modern poor man's Jungmeister and could also be a useful mount for a tsritish entrant at Coventry if some money could be raised by a few patriotic people to run such a venture. His aeroplane is the Meyer Little Toot which must be surely one of the most " sexy " biplanes ever produced. The specification is attractive so read on:

The normal fuselage is a metal monocoque alt of the cockpit, with a tubular truss forward and metal covering. Tail is full cantilever metal, while the wings are wood throughout, and of simple construction. A Cessna 120 undercariage is f,tted. Materials average out at seventeen hundred dollars depending on sources of supply and engine used which may be between 90 and 150 h.p.

Plans are in eleven sheets with most items full size. If you can't manage the monocoque fuselage and tail, then there is an alternative tubular type depicted.

For the technically minded this one is stressed for l0g either way up !

Probably the most active supplier of plans, and up until recently kits of parts, is Ray Stits of Riverside, California. We say recently kits of parts, because Ray has a-nnounced that he is now fully occupied on a production type aircraft and therefore cannot continue to do two things with one pair of hands, so to speak.

Detailed construction p{ans are now available for four well known and proven models. They are the single seat Playboy Model SA3A, two seat Playboy Model SA3B, the Flut-R-Bug 546B, and the SATD Sky Coupe.

Both versions of the Playboy are basically similar and use many common and standard

Meyer Little Toot

Wing area 123 sq. ft.

Empty weight 914Ib.

Top speed 127 m.p.h.

Dihedral z,ero top,3 deg. lower.

Laden weight 1,230Lb.

Cruising 110 m.p.h.

Rate of climb 1,000 f.p.m. Stalling speed, power off, Length 16 ft. 6 ins. 55 m.p.h.

The engine fitted is a 90 h.p. Continental and the gross weight quoted includes starter, generator, battery and radio equipment and assumes a 2A0 lb. pilot. Radio would be uselul to tell the judges at a competition what you thought about them if they disqualified you !

Plans cost fifty dollars and inc;lude an alternative construction so that the amateur cafl choose according to the material available.

Popular Flyinq, February, 1959 parts from other types. Undercarriage is Cessna 120 or 140, while tailwheel, cowlings, exhaust, pulleys, cables, and instruments, etc., are types easily bought over the counter in the States, where total material cost is about f,275 with a used Continental 65 h.p. engine. The twoseater with a Lycoming 115 h.p. engine is more at the equivalent price of f,400.

Both versions of the Playboy are aerobatic and we have it that they are smooth to fly and sturdy jobs.

The Flut-R-Bug is a light, high lift economy model, which is easy to fly and very safe. It has found particular favour in operation from small flelds and at high altitudes. We have even heard of one used for chasing eagles in New Mexico. Wings are quickly detachable and the plans include details of the trailer hitch and wing rack assembly.

Latest in the Stits line is the Sky Coupe which is an excellent example of well engineered and simplified design. This little aircraft is intended as a utility runabout and personal aircraft. The cockpit is a 40 inch wide job, and a jump seat for the family sprog can be installed in the extra large baggage compartment. Control response is good with safe and easy flight characteristics while there is room to move on long trips. Some idea of how care pays off is the fact that a cleaner cowling and spats give a speed increase of 8 m.p.h.

Again, the availability of used 65 Continentals shows up well in the necessity to lay out the equivalent of about L275, in the States, for the whole set of material. A sensible arrangement is the ability to swap around the 65 h.p. engine for an 85 h.p. version. All these designs use a steel tube fuselage and tail surfaces, spruce spars, and cut out plywood ribs. Full size rib layouts are included with each set of plans, while many fittings are shown full size'

Stits does not believe in designing for midget pilots and all his aircraft are very roomy and fitted with dual controls. Many constructors have built these aircraft in eight months which certainly illustrates their simple engineering.

Plans are reasonable in price and are as follows:

Single seat Playboy including six photographs

Two seat Playboy including seYen photographs

Flut-R-Bug including five photographs

25 dollars

35 dollars

35 dollars

Sky Coupe with 27 sheets in the set 45 dollars

STITS SA.3A P"I,AYNOY

Span 22 ft. 2 ins. Empty weight 600 lb'

Wing arca 96 sq. ft. Baggage 40 lb.

Laden weight 864 lb. Top speed (85 h.p.) l45.

Wing loading 9 lb. sq. ft. m.P.h.

Cruising (85 h.p.) 130 m.p.h. Rate of climb 1,000 f.p.m-

Take off run 300 feet. Stalling 45 m.p.h.

Length 17 ft. 4 ins.

Performance figures slightly reduced with 65 or 75 h.pengines.

STITS SA-38 2 seat PLAYBOY

Span 24 ft. 2 ins. Length 17 ft. 10 ins.

Wing area 108 sq. ft. Empty'weight 795 lb.

Laden weight 1,450Ib. Baggage 50Ib.

Wing loading 13.6 lb. sq. ft. Top speed 150 m.p.h.

Cruising 135 m.p.h. Rateof climb 1,000f.p.mTake off run 400 feet. Stalling 55 m.p.h. Takes any Lycoming between 100 and 180 h.p., figures quoted using 150 h.p. Lycoming 0-320.

STITS 5A.68

FLUT-R.BUG

Span 26 ft.

Wing area 130 sq. ft.

Laden weight 1,031 lb.

Wing loading 7.9 lb' sq. ft'

Cruising 90 m.P.h.

Take off run (laden) 300 ft. These figures are with 65 h.P' fitted with 90 h.P. engine'

Length 18 ft.

Empty weight 575 lb. Baggage 20lb.

Top speed 100 m.P.h. Rate of climb 1,000f.P.mStalling (laden) 40 m.P.h. Continental, can also be

STITS SA.7D SKY COUPE

Span 27 ft. 4 ins. Length 19 ft'

Wing area 130 sq. ft. (approx.) Emptv weight 750 lb'

Laden weight 1,300Ib. Baggage 90lb'

Wing loading 10Ib. sq' ft. Top speed 140 m'p'h'

Cruising 120 m.P.h. Rate of climb 1,000 f.P.mTake off run (laden) 300 ft. Stalling (laden) 48 m'p'h' These figures include 85 h.p' engine with starter and generator, radio, metal ProP', and cabin upholstery'

Popular Flying, FebruarY, 1959