Fly Baby Biplane UM

1 review for Fly Baby Biplane UM

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   JakeStephenson@gmail.com – August 28, 2018

   This is an excellent kit and flyer and is my second plane from StevensAero. It flies just as good as the StevensAero Baby Ace, but for me, this bipe was more challenging. Do not shy away from the small wingspan thinking you cannot fly it outdoors. Throttle up, it flies like it’s on rails. The dihedral on the model is very close to scale with an almost flat top wing and moderate dihedral on the bottom. I think this allows to the plane to track really nicely even in wind (albeit small gusts — you do not want to fly this on a really windy day!) Throttle back, the undercambered wing turns it into a real low-speed floater with fly-bys that makes you wonder if it’s a Peck peanut turning a rubber band instead of a motor.

   Word of caution: because it’s SO SMALL, battery location is critical. I found using an extra long strip of Velcro mounted (use eflite’s micro Velcro for weight and ease of pulling battery out without damaging fuse) gives the ability to adjust the CG. I found this to be the biggest issue when trimming the model. Also, if you’re flying in the morning (good time, less wind) be mindful of the dew. Make sure that you have given a gentle coat of lacquer (I used red Testors spray to seal the wings as they are exposed underneath as you only cover the top of the wings.) Give a good coat of paint on the landing gear as well. (mine got dew – ridden and softened up and I had to make replacement struts. Those are the only places I sealed with paint as I decided that the AeroLite film seems to adhere best on “naked” balsa and since the film naturally creates a nice barrier between moisture, the extra weight of sealing the air frame (as you would with a classic tissue covered application) is just unneeded. Also keep the landing gear “loose” let it move so it can give so those hard grass landing don’t destroy the formers. It’s a small model, so landing in grass can really grab the landing gear. ROGs are ridiculously quick. My Bipe only requires about 5 feet before it’s in the air. This is an extremely durable model. I added flying wires for nostalgia. While functional, the plane is structurally sound and does not need them. It’s a great looking model.

   If you’re a “foamie” or somebody coming back into the hobby and you’re looking for something more rewarding that you got to make yourself, do not be afraid to try a StevensAero kit. Before I got back into balsa, my “foamie” goto’s were the GWS Tiger Moth and the UMX Pitts. I love them too, but I’m hear to tell you that these StevensAero planes fly just as good and are twice the fun because you can have a say in how they are customized. The puzzle / tab-lock construction almost guarantees a true airframe as opposed to the traditional stick / slab / ladder build. The balsa is hand selected and some of the lightest I’ve seen. Their ply wood parts are incredibly light too. Make sure you sand parts and trial fit before gluing. Never force fit. With their tab lock construction, I almost swear you could put their kits together without glue and it would stay together, the tolerances are that accurate. I stole my wife’s nail file and found that it’s the perfect sander for these little parts. Their manuals are outstanding almost to the point of over-explaining. Their customer service is great. Bill is great at answering questions and offering support. Now working on their Pober Pixie. The only problem is that the Fly Baby Bipe is too much fun to fly so I keep having to take building breaks to get out and fly.