Two-seat WWII warbird replica candidates?

[vhhjr]

Just got to save up for that Verner...
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(This is an old photo )

I looked at a reduced scale BT-13 and CG management was a problem. The front seat is over the cg so it doesn't matter if someone is in it or not. When flying solo you have to fly the aircraft from the back seat just like a Cub. Makes for rather poor landing and taxing visability. One could fix this problem with a removable weight in the tail allowing it to be flown solo from the front seat with the weight in place and with a rear seat passenger with the weight moved to the firewall. I have to run some numbers to see just how big a weight would be needed.

Vince Homer

 

[pylon500]

One could fix this problem with a removable weight in the tail allowing it to be flown solo from the front seat with the weight in place and with a rear seat passenger with the weight moved to the firewall. I have to run some numbers to see just how big a weight would be needed.
Vince Homer

This is what I did when I changed my Stollite from a single seat with a 503, to a two seat with a 582. Pilot sits on CofG, so I moved the heavier engine forward about 6", then added a weight right down the tail end. If I take a passenger, I put the weight in the front baggage compartment.
I made a placard on the back of the front seat that says, " ASK THE PILOT ABOUT THE BALANCE WEIGHT", just to be sure.


But on thread, if you want 'military' 2 seat tailwheel, how about our Australian 'Winjeel'?

CAC Winjeel.

 

[pylon500]

Do plans exist for this?

Only partial plans, and in an old CAD package, on a different computer!
Might take a couple of days but I'll see if I can transfer and copy them...

 

[Tiger Tim]

Since we’re straying into trainers anyways, how about a PT-19/23/26? The pilot sits waaaaay forward so perhaps the variable load of a passenger is less an issue. Also my main take away from flying a full-scale example is that it wants to be 3/4 size.

 

[cluttonfred]

I looked at a reduced scale BT-13 and CG management was a problem. The front seat is over the cg so it doesn't matter if someone is in it or not. When flying solo you have to fly the aircraft from the back seat just like a Cub. Makes for rather poor landing and taxing visability. One could fix this problem with a removable weight in the tail allowing it to be flown solo from the front seat with the weight in place and with a rear seat passenger with the weight moved to the firewall. I have to run some numbers to see just how big a weight would be needed.

Vince Homer

I hear you, looking at the CAC Wackett I also thought it would be necessary to fly solo from the rear seat in a microlight but it didn't really bother me.,

 

[Hawk81A]

I have to ask: With all the modern backup camera technology, could the rear seat solo use this? I mean Lindberg flew with a periscope. Dennis

 

[cluttonfred]

I have to ask: With all the modern backup camera technology, could the rear seat solo use this? I mean Lindberg flew with a periscope. Dennis

The camera and monitor would be an easy thing to do, I just don’t think it would be necessary. Here is a Miles Magister being flown solo from the rear seat and there are many other light tandem two-seaters that are also flown solo from the rear.

 

[BJC]

I have to ask: With all the modern backup camera technology, could the rear seat solo use this? I mean Lindberg flew with a periscope. Dennis

We discussed this in a thread a few years ago. I hold the minority opinion that a back up camera would not be helpful in anything more challenging to land than an Ercoupe. As a test, take a view out of one and see how well it works at landing focal distances. Synthetic vision would be helpful, though.


BJC

 

[Hawk81A]

I know it's normally know what's in front of you and do S turns (there can be some tricky cross wind moves). There seemed to be some that thought flying (probably more ground handling) a taildragger from the rear was some impossible feat. I thought of the backup camera (I deal with them at work a bit) Dennis

 

[vhhjr]

Only partial plans, and in an old CAD package, on a different computer!
Might take a couple of days but I'll see if I can transfer and copy them...

I would love to see any T-6 plans that are available.

Vince Homer

 

[bifft]

As a test, take a view out of one and see how well it works at landing focal distances.

I think it would be helpful, but more for taxing than landing. Would help avoid objects on the ground. In particular I remember a time when I was flying a rear seat solo biplane, the fuel truck was about to pass in front of me, got to just where all parts of the truck was hidden by the airplane, then he stopped and waited for me to go first. After waiting quite some time for him to come out the other side I pivoted on one wheel till I could see that he was stopped. That aircraft was later broken when one of the other partners in it taxied it into a Cessna in the runup area. A little camera/screen combo would have helped both of those times.