Sean Tucker question

[Tram]

I always thought it was a modded Pitts.. They called it a Pitts all over the place..

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Well....you are both right.

Frank Christensen copied/modified an Pitts S-A and made the Eagle II Kitplane. After Curtiss Pitts almost SUED him, Frank bought out Pitts in the very late 70's. The Eagle Aerobatic Team flew Eagle I's (260HP fixed pitch prop) and Frank set out to design a "Super Eagle/Pitts" with 300HP and swept wings, he never finished it (called the Eagle I-F) and it ended up in a Hangar in Oregon with an old factory employee.

Of course in this time the Pitts S-2B came along and Frank decided not to make the Eagle an FACTORY airplane.

--Anyway back to this "Special Eagle"----

The Fuse was welded up and sitting in this old Hangar along with some wing kits, was for sale but too much $$$$. However it was used to help design Seans new Airplane which has many Eagle features as well as good old Pitts Stuff.

That old Fuselage was sold to Red Eagle Airshows and is flying this season.

Pitts/Eagle-- highly modifed and call it what you want....like Sean "The Challenger II"

 

[mzaharis]

Frank set out to design a "Super Eagle/Pitts" with 300HP and swept wings, he never finished it (called the Eagle I-F) and it ended up in a Hangar in Oregon with an old factory employee.

Is this related to the Pitts S-1-11B, or does that airplane have a different family tree? The link I attached seemed to indicate that it is a completely separate beast, but the specs are similar to what you describe.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Is this related to the Pitts S-1-11B, or does that airplane have a different family tree? The link I attached seemed to indicate that it is a completely separate beast, but the specs are similar to what you describe.

Different family tree....sort of.

Curtiss designed it around 1995 or so, then they sold kits (outside of the Aviat relm) it was first called the "Super Stinker". Aviat then thought what the heck and bought the rights, modified it a little more...then gave Robert Armstrong a call and asked if he would like to fly it at the World Contest in 1996. Renamed the plane the S-1-11B. Robert was "THE MAN" as far as flying a pitts in competition and did well in Unlimited but the airplane just didn't score well against the Monoplanes.

I have flown the S-1-11B and loved it. However you would DIVE into the box at 220+MPH only to level off and LOSE a ton of speed with all the drag a biplane has...I ended up with an Extra 300S.

The Factory built THREE S-1-11B's only ONE is still flying. Several are kit built, one of which is a friend of mine in the Miami area who won Sun-N-Fun best plans built Biplane, he flies Advanced and does well.

My neigbor has a new Pitts S-2C and I just flew it home for him, I noticed that a lot of the S-1-11B mods went into the S-2C design. I only wish they put a 300+ HP motor on it. (Drag is the killer in Biplanes)

 

[Sonny Crockett]

N11PU was the FIRST S-1-11B. The "N" number was "PU" for Super Stinker.

I flew that airplane, I think the Blackhawk Aerobatic team flew this one and another one for a short time.

 

[mzaharis]

Robert was "THE MAN" as far as flying a pitts in competition and did well in Unlimited but the airplane just didn't score well against the Monoplanes.

Thanks for all that interesting info.

On a slightly related note, were you surprised that Dan Clark was able to qualify for the US Unlimited team this year with a biplane (his "Patriot", which I would guess is a Pitts derivative)?

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Thanks for all that interesting info.

On a slightly related note, were you surprised that Dan Clark was able to qualify for the US Unlimited team this year with a biplane (his "Patriot", which I would guess is a Pitts derivative)?

Not too surprised, long time coming for Dan.

I remember Robert Armstrong flying a FLAT Bottom winged Pitts and making the team in the early 90s'

I hope Dan does well.

 

[Tram]

Sonny - You have any time in the Model 12?

I would cut off a finger for one of those beasts..

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Sonny - You have any time in the Model 12?

I would cut off a finger for one of those beasts..

I have two neighbors with Model 12's...and one neigbor about 50% finished in building his.

Heavy airplane, lots of power, not much of a "Competition" machine, but looks good going by at 220MPH+.....:}

 

[Tram]

Yeh, I'd love to have one..

I will own one before I die..