Bowers Fly Baby Biplane -

A model for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 by Ron Wanttaja

Reproduction authorized for non-commerical use.

Note that the aircraft manufacturer is listed as "Bowers"... if you call up the "All Aircraft" selection look under "Bowers Fly Baby," not just "Fly Baby," and select "Fly Baby Biplane" for the model.

The basic pilot figure was designed by Bill Mullins (Bill_M78222@yahoo.com).  The accessories and animation were added by Ron Wanttaja.

Designer Notes -

Release date:  12 February 2006


The Fly Baby is one of the few designs that can be built with either monoplane or biplane wings, and is probably just about the only aircraft where the owner can switch configuration back and forth with just a logbook entry (assuming the other sets of wings were already constructed, of course). 

The designer, Peter M. Bowers, planned from the start that his Fly Baby would be able to sport both monoplane and biplane wings.  Despite the prototyping flying in 1960, though, Bowers didn't get around to building the first set of biplane wings for almost ten years.

The biplane configuration doesn't just add a top wing...the monoplane wings are removed completely, and replaced with four new wing panels and a center-section joining the top wings.  The individual panels are shorter and narrower in chord than the monoplane wing panels, which leaves the biplane with only about 25% more wing area than the monoplane.

To allow the pilot access to the cockpit, Bowers shifted the top wing forward several feet.  To keep the Center of Pressure of the wings in the same location, it was necessary to sweep back the wings about seven degrees.  At the right angles, the plane looks a bit like a Dehavilland Tiger Moth or a Bucker Jungmeister.

Out of the over five hundred Fly Babies built and flown, only a scant dozen have been biplanes. Less than a handful...two, as far as I am aware...have actually flown in both configurations.

Why so few biplanes?  Several reasons, I think.  First, the biplane wings are no simpler to build than the monoplane wings...and there are four of them instead of two of them.  Second, the second wing increases the drag quite a bit.  The extra wing area helps the aircraft climb, but the additional drag keeps the speed down.  Third, the fantastic visibility of the monoplane Fly Baby is greatly restricted when the biplane wings are installed.  
 

Ron Wanttaja
www.bowersflybaby.com
