Starduster/Starduster Too

[barnyard]

Does anyone here tell me any practical info on these aircraft?

they seem like a cool aircraft to own/fly if i ever am able to make any money.
I see them advertised around 30/K or so, are they pieces of junk?

Thanks-
Barnyard

 

[Mevans]

The starduster is a plans-built bi plane,(not a kit) welded fuselage,wood and fabric wings, etc.. Generally regarded to have much friendlier flying qualities than say a Pitts, or Christian Eagle, 30K is a bit on the low side for one in good shape, but due to the simple, basic construction, a pre buy inspection would point out any major problems.

 

[Rogue5]

Although the other models are just sold as plans, Aircraft Spruce & Specialty offers the Too model in a kit. See:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/kitspages/stardustertoosa300.php

 

[Mevans]

What spruce is selling is all the raw materials required to build the various sections, but it is still a plans built aircraft.

 

[Vector4fun]

OK, take two... (I typed a long reply and got bounced out somehow...)

What do you want to know about the Too? Dad and I built one back in the mid '70s. We had a retired A&P helping too, and it took three of us working nearly four years to finish. My hands bled from rib-stitching. Most home-builders today have no idea.....

We bought the fiberglass nose-bowl, turtle-deck and wheel pants. Bought the flying wires natch. Nearly every other airframe part we built ourselves. Elliptical wings means nearly every rib is different, with a different pattern. The ribs are rough-cut on a band saw, then routed to final shape/size. Ours had a thin plywood skin ahead of the main spar, rather than the more common aluminum leading edge. Modified Clark-Y airfoil.

We lengthened the fuselage 3", and the engine mount 1 1/2" to compensate. The stock back pit can be a bit short for a large person. Ailerons and elevators are push-pull tubes, rudder is standard cables. Ours had an O-360 with a pressure carb and home-made inverted oil and smoke system. The prop was a fixed pitch off a Pawnee that we had re-pitched. Worked very well.

MY opinions: It's not as quick as a Pitts on the runway, but it's no Cessna either. Get one where the gear isn't perfectly square and true, and you'll cuss every landing. Lots of them have a big O-470, or even O-540 or some such, but I think that makes them too heavy, and most don't carry a lot of gas anyway. I'd stick with a four cyl Lyc. Also, the big engined ones often have a constant speed prop that was NOT intended for acro. They can wear.

Does great basic to mild intermediate acro. It's NOT intended for advanced acro, though it's probably strong enough if properly built. You want to do multiple snaps or a lot of inverted or outside stuff, get a Skybolt or Pitts. If you're buying one, remember, this was a PLANS built aircraft. If you KNOW the builder was careful and qualified, then fine. But I'd be real careful about buying one from it's fourth or fifth owner, when nobody really knows exactly how it was put together. In that case, you'd really want an *expert* on tube-n-rag homebuilts to spend a couple days looking everything over carefully. I'd also want to know how it was flown. I've seen Pitts wings un-covered after an airshow season where some of the ribs were loose, along with one or two bracing wires. That is an extreme example though.

If it's light and true, it flies and lands great. If it's heavy and a bit crooked, then you probably know why it's for sale......

 

[barnyard]

Thanks for the great info, vector.

Sounds like a pretty cool plane to goof off in... nothing too serious here.

And thanks to all for not ripping me for the abuse of the english language in my first post! (oops)

-Barnyard

 

[:-)]

Back when I had money, (before wife and kids) I made a detailed study of the available homebuilt bi-planes. The Starduster came out middle of the pack on my list. Others like a Skybolt,are stronger, others like KellyD are more simple, some like a Pitts (and Skybolt) are more capable.

But, that's not what you asked. Vector4Fun gave you what you need to know, but let me reiterate it. An AMATUER built airplane is just that, AMATUER built. Buying one requires that a trememdous amount of faith be placed upon the original builder. If you do find a homebuilt for sale, please demand an exhaustive pre-buy inspection. If you see one detail that looks as if it were made with anything less than a quest for perfection, pass on that particular airframe.

I'll suggest that you join the EAA and spend some time going to local fly-in's. Find a Starduster or three and get to know the owners. Learn all you can. Your life depends upon it.

Good Luck,
Hobbes