Fly Baby Made of aluminum like a Aerodrome WW-1 Replica?

[RonK]

WOW! Thanks for the replies. They are all great. If I did make a new wing of aluminum I would build three and set up one for a destruction test with sandbags and log all the weight added very carefully (Double check). I would build the fuselage like the Aerodrome Plane but shape it like the Fly Baby's fuselage. I also have all the Flying and Glider Manuals from the EAA store with all the planes people designed in the 20' and 30's. I like the Mid wing version of the Fly Baby and I bet it even flies better. I read the article about how Church built the Mid Wing Heath, from a high wing Parasol, and stoked a little more speed out of it.

Question for Frank Giger, do you know if the designer of the Aerodrome planes ever just put the aluminum tubes diagonal in the wings instead of wires? Like this Crude example: [/|/|/|/] Imagine the top with a horizontal line like the bottom.

I wouldn't try to modify the Fly Baby original plans. Just use the basic lines so it will look like a Fly Baby.

There is a couple of Bi-plane plans in the old Flying and Glider Manuals that I like also may just make one of them.

I had a Skyraider ultralight. It had Aluminum tubes like an Aerodrome plane for the main spar and aluminum diagonals instead of wires for support of the wing and a few verticals like a latter. The ribs were made of 1/4 inch plywood cut with a USA27 airfoil (possibly modified by the designer) and a 48 " chord or so, maybe it 44" or 46". They (the ribs) were epoxied in between the front and rear spars about a foot apart or so.
With this wing, I had a rate of climb of 700 ft a minute, with a 447 Rotax. And I am 6'2" and was about 225 lbs at the time.

I was thinking of using stamped ribs (with verticals and diagonal reinforcement and some horizontal also) about of .020 thick aluminum and attach them like the Aerodrome Plane wing. I also would put a .040 thick u-shaped main spar at the highest lift point on the airfoil and it would be as thick as needed for a USA27 airfoil with a 48" chord. Also, I would have a U-shaped secondary spar .040 right ahead of the ailerons. Plus use whatever diameter round tubing on the leading edge like the Aerodrome plane uses for its main spar, to blend in the USA27 airfoil. Yep, I know overkill on the spars...better than underkill (Spell checker says Underkill is an unknown word...LOL) if you know what I mean!

And like I said everything will be sandbag tested. I will invest in a parachute for the first flight!!! Well, actually all the flights...LOL.

Thanks again for all the replies, I'll think of something but for now I'll have to just have fun in my Quicksilver MX1 with a 440 Kawasaki in it.

Take care all,

RonK

PS...That Aerodrome EIII Fokker looks like the one to get, and the price is probably better than if made one from scratch. I'll check into it. It seems like the manufacturer stands by his product after reading Frank G's build vlog.