I'm new here, so apologies if i've kicked this thread off in the wrong place. I'm wondering if anyone could help out with photos of the original Fike E N1408Z, preferably in it's 1971 cowled form?
I have the '71 Sport Aviation containing an article on the aircraft, but good photos seem scarce.
Many thanks
Graham
EAA Member #1077183
Last edited by Graham Banham; 12-14-2011 at 06:39 AM.
Obscure but challenging. If you go to google and click on images, and type in "fike aircraft" you'll find some pictures although I have no idea if they are the model you're looking for. William J. Fike was the designer/builder. In the 70's he wrote a book,"Practical Lightplane Design & Construction", perhaps pictures are in it. The book may still be available through EAA merchandise or Amazon. Mr. Fike, if still with us, lives in either Anchorage or Salt Lake City according to some research. Try 411.com to contact. Good Luck!
I think the Fike book is still available through the EAA, but i'm not sure that it has any photos?
The Fike E was built primarily as an exercise in very low A/R; in this case 3.
I'm aware of a second much modified model E being built by Rudi Marczi in Canada in the mid-70's (C-GRSM)
It is a relatively obscure aircraft; i guess i'm looking at it from my background as a flying scale modeller where it's widely known as a 'safe' subject due having a large wing area in a compact airframe, and for being one of those rare designs that are stable as a free-flight model without dihedral.
However, despite it's popularity, photos of the original seem difficult to find.