SWEEPER - the biggest?????

There was a thread a few weeks back about BIG airplanes. This must rank right up there and it may be the biggest single-engined stunt plane ever flown in competition.
Windy Urtnowski built it in the late 70s/early 80s and it’s up to his usual extreme high level of craftsmanship.
The approximate numbers are: wingspan 77”, stabilizer span 40”, length 66”, rudder height 19”. For size comparison, I photographed it with a Brodak Nobler.
Weight is around 125 ounces! (Check the tire deformation in the picture)
Power? At this point it has an OS .60 but I’m thinking about a SAITO .91 or something along those lines.
The Sweeper has been in storage for around 15 years and it’s time to resurrect it and see it fly again. In all likelihood, it will perform at the Brodak Fly-in in June.
Now I have a favor to ask. The Sweeper was featured in the August 1981 issue of Flying Models. Since it will eventually end up in a museum, does anyone have a copy of the magazine that they would like to donate? It would be displayed with the airplane.
Hope you all find this interesting.
Bob Z

Z: I remember a Sweeper article a lot earlier than that, like the late 60s. Am I right? I think I have the article (issue).

P-man. You are right. There were two Sweepers - the one in my dining roow is the second version. I have just the cover of the F/M August 1981 in front of me now. There was an earlier Sweeper which, as far as I know is classic eligible. Man, that'll get the judges attention!
Bob Z

This is the original Sweeper. Windy just sent me a picture because my dad (Dale) is building one. This thing is BIG!!!! I think that we are going to have to buy a trailer just to haul it in. The original was an I-beam, can you imagine that.

FLY STUNT!!

I have a set of plans for the plane as well. Although I never really seriously considered building it, it will make a nice addition to the classic group. Can't wait to see it fly!!!

Derek - You may neen a trailer if you don't have a good sized van! The Sweeper I have just barely fits in my Aerostar van.
What engine will Dale use in his? I assume that the I-beam is considerably lighter than the foam-wing version I have.
Bob Z

I just looked at Windy's article this morning on the Sweeper- AAM 69 annual.

Curt - that's the one Dale's building
Bob Z

I think that he just ordered a P.A. 65 side exaust from Randy. I am not sure that he is going to use an I-beam though. We have 3 different sets of plans that show it built 3 different ways. All of the moments will be the same as the original though.

LAST EDITED ON Feb-19-04 AT 07:53 PM (CDT)
 
The original had an I beam made up of two yard sticks end to end plus two more in the middle as doublers, plus the wing tips, so you can imagine the span. It was so big I had to back up 20 feet to get it in the lens of my Instamatic camera!!! Union High, Bergen, NJ march 1967.

The PAMPA Master Plans List has 3 versions listed
Sweeper 1 88" span/900+ Sq In Wing Area/Annl-69AM
Sweeper II No span listed/ 1200 Sq In/ No Date Given
Sweeper 60 78" Span/ No Wing Area Listed/Aug 81FM

I remember when Windy brought the original "Sweeper" to the Memorial Day contest in Union, N.J. We all thought he was nuts!..(still is, just like the rest of us)

There is a current trend to honor famous designs like the "Ringmaster" and "Flight Streak" by building a DOUBLE SIZE VERSION... Can you imagine....????

A double-size Sweeper - YES!!!!!
Bob Z

LAST EDITED ON Feb-19-04 AT 07:52 PM (CDT)
 
I have a photo of that balsa overcast I took in New Jersey at a high school in March 1967. Maybe Mr. Peabody will bless us with the photo I sent him some time back.

1965?

Oops. March 1967.

Hey, Z-man.

It's nice to see that plane resurrected. Have fun.

I have to ask one thing, however. Have you had so much snow in Philly this winter that you have to keep those snowshoes close?

OS

Hi, Paul. Yep, we had a lot of snow but I put a stop to it. How, you ask? Simple - I put skiis on my Oriental and Nobler! Hasn't snowed since. Everything is melted.
I did a similar thing last summer. Went out and bought a neat new Simplicity lawn tractor. We had a dry spell the rest of the summer! Used it three times.
On a serious note, I'm really looking forward to flying the Sweeper - we will use the same lines as on the Mega Streak - .021 x 70. The calculated pull is 24 lbf.
Bob Z

Bob,

That's all good, but how do you manage to turn in the center of the circle without getting the snowshoes all tangled up?

OS

I use short snowshoes and only when there is no snow!

Bob Z

Why don't you "shame the devil" and just confess you made a nice 1/2 A Nobler???...

Ion (Gulliver?) Muniz

Actually, I made a Nobler and a Flite Streak with an .010!
Bob Z