Pitts S1-11 Project

Bartman

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Hi all,

You probably didn't notice but I've been a bit pre-occupied lately and haven't been posting as much. Work has been keeping us busy and I've started a new project in place of the 8KCAB I was working on earlier this year. The project is a Pitts S1-11, Curtis Pitts' second to last completed design, a single place aerobatic biplane that was meant to compete against the dominant monoplanes of the time.

It's my fourth attempt to build a biplane. The first was a Skybolt that I abandoned after I realized what it would cost to build vs. what it would be worth when it was done. Being a young dad and a fledgling airline guy, the prospect of losing lots of money to build a plane myself didn't seem to make sense. Next up was a Pitts Model 12 that I never really started after accumulating a few parts here and there. After that I acquired a super nice Pitts S1-SS project that I sold a couple of years later to fund a small business.

It was my plan to start this latest biplane project not long after buying the Citabria but then I hit the bird, spent 2 yrs rebuilding the wings and painting everything, etc. and here we are.

The plane was originally designed around the Lycoming IO-540 but I was going to change things enough so that the smaller four cylinder IO-390 would fit. In my humble opinion, the airframe is a perfect match for the engine but strange things happen when you surf Barnstormers late at night. A couple of weeks ago I came across a low time IO-540 listed for a reasonable price less than an hour from my house. Two weeks later it was on a trailer and on its way home with me.
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In addition to scrounging parts I've started building wing ribs and have the lower compression ribs done. Most all of the spruce in the ribs is coming from my Citabria 7ECA wing spars that were swapped out for Milman aluminum spars. I've been cutting the spars down to the sizes called for in the plans and should have enough to make all of the ribs.
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It's relaxing work and I'm super happy to be underway with it.

Here are a couple of PIREPs on the S1-11 by Bud Davisson

I'll post updates as things move along. :)
 
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Hiperbiper

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Congrats on the Pitts Special! Good call on the 540. You can never have too much power!
This is "Pegasus", belonging to Jeremy Holt during final assembly and workup.
Wanna race? 😳

This Experimental Category sub-forum came around just in time...🥳
 
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Bartman

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the Model 12 is just an amazing airplane. I was fortunate to have been in one about 6 times and it defies logic and physics with what it does. maybe one day.

Never saw Pegasus before, is it much different that the other stock and HP versions?
 

Hiperbiper

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the Model 12 is just an amazing airplane. I was fortunate to have been in one about 6 times and it defies logic and physics with what it does. maybe one day.

Never saw Pegasus before, is it much different that the other stock and HP versions?
Big blower in the motor for 400hp, different ailerons and larger vertical fin and bigger rudder. Simply an awesome performing plane.
So did you find a previously loved project or are you starting from scratch?
Chris
 

Bartman

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starting from scratch, will cheat with components from outside my shop if/when I can but just want to make sure it gets done in a reasonable amount of time.
 

Bartman

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Bartman

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Well, I tried to clear my plate, as they say, by putting the 8KCAB project up for sale but nobody bought it. Rather than dump it by drastically lowering the price I figured I'd just go ahead and finish it and then get back to the Pitts. I'm going to keep working on components for the Pitts but there won't be any attempt to do much more than that until the 8KCAB is done and flying. If anyone wants a great 8KCAB project, I'm still open to selling it and the price is negotiable. :)

Thanks for asking Chris. The lower wing ribs are all done and I've got a lot of the work done to get the upper ribs started but it's dead in the water until I can get outside and make a bunch of parts with my router table and the templates that are already done. Wish there was more to say at this point.