Payware Hi-performance Biplane?

[Howellerman]

Greetings!

I am kind of "exploring" my payware hanger additions. Currently, I have the A2A Mustang(s) [might get the P-47], the Flight 1 Citation Mustang, the RealAir Lancair and Duke(s) (love 'em!), and the Milvis P-38. All good aircraft, challenging to "own" as well as fly. Oh, and I forgot: the Carenado B200.

I have found that I have a hankering for a good payware biplane, something with some stones. I enjoy the Christen Eagle II freeware, but what a twitchy beastie! I am looking more for something along the lines of a Waco, such as Piglet's UPF-7. Tim did a really nice job but I am looking for that "ownership" feeling that you can get from payware aircraft, like starting cold and dark, etc.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

JKH

[Daveroo]

Waco YMF-5? http://www.alabeo.com/index.php

plus they have a beech 17 staggerwing coming out after a bit...

then there is a high performance toucan biplane from http://www.fsd-international.com/Hangar/Toucan/

[Kiwikat]

The Alabeo Waco + A2A Accu-Feel is a very nice (and affordable) combination. Definitely worth looking into. :wavey:

[Howellerman]

Cool! Will definitely look into the Alabeo.

Thank you!

---EDIT---

Oh, man - that is sweet!

They sure stuffed a lot of avionics in that console!

Beautiful aircraft - my PayPal account is twitching...

---Edit---

Actually, for those interested in freeware, the WACO that I found (had to refresh my files) was the Golden Age Simulations "Northwest Airways" fleet, modeled by Vladimir Gonchar. A little more oomph than the YMF, and it is a really nice flying machine.

[swimeye]

I can also recommend the Pitts Special package from Sibwings. It is a very immersive addon in my opinion.
It can be found here: http://www.sibwings.com/pitts.php

/Sims

[Naki]

I can also recommend the Pitts Special package from Sibwings. It is a very immersive addon in my opinion.
It can be found here: http://www.sibwings.com/pitts.php

/Sims

I can also recommend the Pitts ... I have the Waco as well but the Pitts holds my interest longer. ... meets the high performance specs better too

[Crash_Hawk]

Iris has the Christen Eagle, both in the two and single seat options, they also have Skip Stewart's Prometheus Pitts (Pitts S-1 on steroids) and Addictive Simulations has the old school S-1. There is also a freeware Ultimate Biplane (google Ultimate Biplane FSX) that isn't too bad.


Hope this helps.

Jonathan

[Howellerman]

Hi Jonathan, Naki, and Swimeye,

Thanks for the recommendations. I am a bit leery of the Pitts (and I guess the larger Christen Eagle as well) since they require so much attention. One of the benefits to the Waco (at least the freeware version I enjoy) is that given the right speed it auto-trims itself, and then I can enjoy the scenery (ORBX). I would use the aircraft for low-and-slow, but not Piper Cub slow... :)

A simple trip from Orcas Island down through the San Juans, or flying up the Green River canyon would be fun in a biplane that was easy on the stick yet powerful enough to pull up and out when desired.

Thanks again!

JKH

[pilottj]

Think of your Pitts/Christen Eagle like your average Suzuki/Yamaha sports bike. Think of the Waco YMF like a Honda Goldwing or Harley Electra Glide. The Waco is a big comfortable cruiser. Alabeo's Waco is great, it lacks some of the system depth of your A2A birds but it flies very nice and looks great. Golden Age Sim's old Wacos were very nice too, tho I couldn't fly them any more once I switched to DX-10. Their Waco ASO was a particularly nice flier, great STOL and one of the most stable airplanes I have ever flown in FSX.

Cheers
TJ

[Howellerman]

Think of your Pitts/Christen Eagle like your average Suzuki/Yamaha sports bike. Think of the Waco YMF like a Honda Goldwing or Harley Electra Glide. The Waco is a big comfortable cruiser. Alabeo's Waco is great, it lacks some of the system depth of your A2A birds but it flies very nice and looks great. Golden Age Sim's old Wacos were very nice too, tho I couldn't fly them any more once I switched to DX-10. Their Waco ASO was a particularly nice flier, great STOL and one of the most stable airplanes I have ever flown in FSX.

Cheers
TJ

Heya TJ,

Apt reference to the bikes, since I have been riding for 45+ years (currently on a Ducati Monster 1100S). Keeping that analogy, I think I am probably looking for a UJM, like an old Z-1 or CB900F. Fast enough to keep it interesting, comfortable enough for weekend touring.

Maybe a Christen Eagle with avionics? :)

JKH

[dauribe]

Hello,

I don't own this one but FSD has a Turbine Toucan.. This can be what you are looking for. Again I don't own it but it looks good.

Dan

http://www.fsd-international.com/Hangar/Toucan/index.htm

[Crash_Hawk]

Re: Christen Eagle,

The Eagle is one of the smoothest flying planes I have in my hangar. It's not too jumpy, especially the two seater. You can still get it on if you want but as long as you are smooth on the controls (or even a little ham fisted) the Eagle will get you around. Autopilot installed and most importantly, nav equipment if you plan on using it that way.

Just a thought. The WACO is nice too, but it doesn't have the get up and go like the Eagle has, and the Eagle comes with four different models (I, IA, IG and the II) with varying cockpits (for example, the IG has a G1000 cockpit) and it comes with a lot of different paints.

Just my $0.02

Jonathan

[Howellerman]

Heya Dan and Jonathan,

That Turbine Toucan looks like a (continuing the bike analogies) a Ducati Panigali - all scalpel and meant to go fast.

Now that Christen with the avionics, that sounds like the UJM I am looking for. Will check that out - thanks for the heads up!

JKH

--- Edit ---

Have to say it: the IRIS folks really need a new web design... :)

Maybe the money is all going into product? ;)

--- Edit ---

Well, color me ... embarrassed.

For whatever reason the first portal that I got into IRIS was really ... primitive. After I jumped back in via the main portal, sophisticated! My apologies to IRIS!

[pilottj]

If you don't mind waiting, I believe Golden Age Simulations will be doing a Great Lakes biplane, not sure yet what model it will be. I think the Great Lakes would be somewhat between the Pitts and Waco as far as size and power go.

CH has an FW-44 on the books too, probably the next project after the FW190D project. The FW-44 is kind of like a German Stearman.

Freeware wise, there is Ant's awesome Tiger Moth. There is also Craig's great Curtiss-Reid Rambler and HE-51 over at classicwings.net.

There is also that nice freeware Polikarpov Po-2 just recently released.

If you are into WW1 types, Aircraft Factory has the Albatross.

If you are really looking for a good 'jack-of-all trades' plane, while not a biplane, the Baytower RV-7 is quite fun. Great STOL, speedy, VFR/IFR X-country, aerobatic and so on.

And as long as you are on an A2A kick, the P-40 is a great for down in the weeds flying.

Lots of good stuff out there, hope you find what you are looking for. :icon29:

CHeers
TJ

[Howellerman]

Thanks for all the suggestions, TJ - I will definitely follow-up with my ultimate decision, maybe provide a mini-review (my first!).

Thanks again!

JKH

[Howellerman]

If you don't mind waiting, I believe Golden Age Simulations will be doing a Great Lakes biplane, not sure yet what model it will be. I think the Great Lakes would be somewhat between the Pitts and Waco as far as size and power go.

CH has an FW-44 on the books too, probably the next project after the FW190D project. The FW-44 is kind of like a German Stearman.

Freeware wise, there is Ant's awesome Tiger Moth. There is also Craig's great Curtiss-Reid Rambler and HE-51 over at classicwings.net.

There is also that nice freeware Polikarpov Po-2 just recently released.

If you are into WW1 types, Aircraft Factory has the Albatross.

If you are really looking for a good 'jack-of-all trades' plane, while not a biplane, the Baytower RV-7 is quite fun. Great STOL, speedy, VFR/IFR X-country, aerobatic and so on.

And as long as you are on an A2A kick, the P-40 is a great for down in the weeds flying.

Lots of good stuff out there, hope you find what you are looking for. :icon29:

CHeers
TJ

Heya TJ,

Well, I ended up purchasing both the WACO from Alabeo and the Christen Eagle from IRIS.

When I looked at the WACO price, and the fact is seems my kids cost me $20 every time they walk out the door, the WACO was a no-brainer. As you indicated, the WACO is a slow and stable aircraft. Took it for a flight between Hope and Chilliwack and set her down. Thought "well that was slow but pleasant". Was about to move on to other things but the pleasure of flying her made me do it again! Looking forward to tooling around in it.

The CE surprised me. VERY responsive, as you would expect, but once it takes a set it is stable as all get-out! I found that surprising at first, but then thought that a stunt pilot would probably like something that was inherently stable yet tossable when desired. The avionics were also a welcome addition - some scenic tours take a bit of time to get to, so have the ability to set the heading bug and AP is a plus.

My newest dilemma is that I have been reading the reviews (including your rave) of the Alabeo Staggerwing. Might have to add that to the hanger as well!

Thanks!

JKH

[pilottj]

Glad you found what you wanted. As for the Staggerwing, compared to Waco. If the Waco was Par for Alabeo, the Staggerwing was a Bogey, to use golf terms. That being said, if they fix the glaring issues at least, prop, mag switch...etc, then that Bogey could become a Par. My advice is to wait until the Staggerwing gets on the F1 Wrapper system. Get it from there so you don't like it you can return it for a refund. There are some other great birds for around the same price too, such as Ants fantastic T-28.

In the end, if you have fun, that is all that matters.


Cheers
TJ

[warchild]

I'm going to make one recommendation and only one.. No, it isnt payware, but before you poo poo it, give it a chance.. It'll knock your sox off.. Trust me. The plane is the Classic Wings Sopwith camel. Craig did a stupendous job on the model, and i'll let you decide how I and Paul did on the flight characteristics..
http://www.classicwings.net/sopwith_camel.html


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCIbS7Dmv4M

[FentiFlier1]

I'm going to make one recommendation and only one.. No, it isnt payware, but before you poo poo it, give it a chance.. It'll knock your sox off.. Trust me. The plane is the Classic Wings Sopwith camel. Craig did a stupendous job on the model, and i'll let you decide how I and Paul did on the flight characteristics..
http://www.classicwings.net/sopwith_camel.html


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCIbS7Dmv4M



+1 :icon29:

A "must try"!

[Spad54]

Think of your Pitts/Christen Eagle like your average Suzuki/Yamaha sports bike. Think of the Waco YMF like a Honda Goldwing or Harley Electra Glide. The Waco is a big comfortable cruiser. Alabeo's Waco is great, it lacks some of the system depth of your A2A birds but it flies very nice and looks great. Golden Age Sim's old Wacos were very nice too, tho I couldn't fly them any more once I switched to DX-10. Their Waco ASO was a particularly nice flier, great STOL and one of the most stable airplanes I have ever flown in FSX.

Cheers
TJ

What effect did DX10 have on them?

[Howellerman]

I'm going to make one recommendation and only one.. No, it isnt payware, but before you poo poo it, give it a chance.. It'll knock your sox off.. Trust me. The plane is the Classic Wings Sopwith camel. Craig did a stupendous job on the model, and i'll let you decide how I and Paul did on the flight characteristics..
http://www.classicwings.net/sopwith_camel.html



I actually have that in my hanger, and it is a *hand full*! First time I flew it I promptly ran off the runway to the left and dipped a wing into the grass. I think I walked away from that one. :) My first landing wasn't a thing of beauty either.

But yes, Craig did a fantastic job on the model - I also have his Heinkel, which is a better flyer but in desperate need of a repaint [that Swastika just gets me!].

[warchild]

I actually have that in my hanger, and it is a *hand full*! First time I flew it I promptly ran off the runway to the left and dipped a wing into the grass. I think I walked away from that one. :) My first landing wasn't a thing of beauty either.

But yes, Craig did a fantastic job on the model - I also have his Heinkel, which is a better flyer but in desperate need of a repaint [that Swastika just gets me!].

:;chuckles:: Sorry about that.. In reality the camel did have a good deal of torque, but worse, it had a horrible suspension system which is what actually gave it the title of cadet eliminator..

[pilottj]

What effect did DX10 have on them?

Hey Paul,

The old Waco series suffers from DX10 incompatible issue, mainly texturing issues. Really hope the ASO/CTO series is considered for a DX10 revamp by GAS in the future. :)
http://fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2013/06/05/d0otJ.jpg

Cheers
TJ

[Roger]

Hey Paul,

The old Waco series suffers from DX10 incompatible issue, mainly texturing issues. Really hope the ASO/CTO series is considered for a DX10 revamp by GAS in the future. :)
http://fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/images/2013/06/05/d0otJ.jpg

Cheers
TJ

TJ, have you tried "AddOn ConverterX" ?