# New biplane at our house



## n3480h (Jun 20, 2014)

So, what can one do with some scrap lumber, a few bits of hardware, a little paint, and more tools than one man should own?  Build a biplane swing to spoil the grandkids!  Pilot sits inside on a plush padded vinyl seat, the machine gun swivels and has an electronic machine gun sound module, and the prop spins in the wind.  I hope they like it.

The only machined part is the prop bearing mount, which holds a 3/4" tapered roller bearing.  With the wind we always have in NW Iowa, that bearing will get a workout.

Tom


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## Pat of TN (Jun 20, 2014)

That is great. Your grandkids will love that, I bet!


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## Don B (Jun 20, 2014)

Very nice, what a great idea.....!)

Edit: I liked you plane so much I came back for a second look and I noticed you said grandchildren and not grandchild, I can for see a lineup at the swing set, and possibly some brawling and a few tears, LOL )


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## kd4gij (Jun 20, 2014)

Nece work.:man: Now you just need a weedeater motor to turn the prop.


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## Marco Bernardini (Jun 20, 2014)

Genial!

:+1: :thumbsup:


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## 12bolts (Jun 20, 2014)

Hmmm, I can forsee some wing walking in the future.

Cheers Phil


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## n3480h (Jun 20, 2014)

12bolts said:


> Hmmm, I can forsee some wing walking in the future.
> 
> Cheers Phil



No doubt, Phil.  My "test pilot" granddaughter is 5, but she has a new sister and two new brothers - triplets - born April 3rd.  I will have to build a control tower tree house in that apple tree so that the other three will have activities while one is flying.  This is going to be fun!

Tom

- - - Updated - - -



Don B said:


> Very nice, what a great idea.....!)
> 
> Edit: I liked you plane so much I came back for a second look and I noticed you said grandchildren and not grandchild, I can for see a lineup at the swing set, and possibly some brawling and a few tears, LOL )



Thank you Don.  See my reply to Phil.  It was all such a simple idea in the beginning, but now I see I am going to have to build an entire airport.  That's ok, my son has an excavation business and several caterpillars.)  I am also building a full scale 2 seat Sonerai experimental plane, and I have an ultralight.  Both are hangared here on the farm.  The kids should feel included with their own plane.



Tom


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## Marco Bernardini (Jun 20, 2014)

n3480h said:


> No doubt, Phil.  My "test pilot" granddaughter is 5, but she has a new sister and two new brothers - triplets - born April 3rd.



With this trend the next plane will be an Airbus A380… :whiteflag:


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## Terrywerm (Jun 21, 2014)

Naw, an Airbus A380 would be way too much overkill.  But a nice Super King Air would work well!


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## EOD1959 (Jun 21, 2014)

P51-D


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## FanMan (Jun 21, 2014)

Cool!

There's a new (to me) biplane at my house too:




Spent the past few weeks working through various issues mostly related to years of storage and hangar rash, but I'm hoping it'll be flying within the next few weeks (hoping to start the engine for the first time today).

But I can see one like yours in my grandchildren's future (no grandkids yet, first daughter's getting married in August).


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## n3480h (Jun 21, 2014)

FanMan said:


> Cool!
> 
> There's a new (to me) biplane at my house too:
> 
> ...



Sweet!  Just guessing: Fisher Celebrity with a 1/2 VW? Very nice lines and should be a hoot to fly.
Pic is N13H, a highly modified Smith known as a Cinquanta Hornet.  Fresh out of the paint shop after I rebuilt her. I regret selling her.



Tom


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## FanMan (Jun 21, 2014)

Close... it's a Fisher FP-404 with a Mosler engine (which, yes, is essentially a 1/2VW).


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## n3480h (Jun 23, 2014)

Well, the Test Pilot came out this evening, eager to take the biplane out for a spin. Imagination soon took over and she established herself as an Ace, using the machine gun to take out several bogies (birds, butterflies, and a commercial flight at about 35,000 feet).  This little project has been great fun, but nothing beats the smiles and laughs she gave us.  This memory will last a very long time.

Tom


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## Don B (Jun 23, 2014)

n3480h said:


> Well, the Test Pilot came out this evening, eager to take the biplane out for a spin. Imagination soon took over and she established herself as an Ace, using the machine gun to take out several bogies (birds, butterflies, and a commercial flight at about 35,000 feet).  This little project has been great fun, but nothing beats the smiles and laughs she gave us.  This memory will last a very long time.
> 
> Tom



That's very cute Tom, nice to see kids enjoying them selfs, we have a grandson creeping up on his first birthday, I think I'll be stealing your idea in a year ot two)


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## churchjw (Jun 23, 2014)

That is a cool project.  She will always remember that.  Great work.

Jeff


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## chuckorlando (Jun 23, 2014)

Thats awesome


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## Bradrock (Jun 23, 2014)

Very nice!

Why does it make me think of Bud Nosen? Heh....Heh


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## chips&more (Jun 23, 2014)

n3480h said:


> Well, the Test Pilot came out this evening, eager to take the biplane out for a spin. Imagination soon took over and she established herself as an Ace, using the machine gun to take out several bogies (birds, butterflies, and a commercial flight at about 35,000 feet).  This little project has been great fun, but nothing beats the smiles and laughs she gave us.  This memory will last a very long time.
> 
> Tom
> 
> View attachment 79156




I’m sure you had your moments to build it. But, wasn’t it worth it to get that smile!


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