Sopwith Pup

11 September 2006, 01:11 PM

I've been talked out of my Bristol M1 project and been talked in to building a Sopwith Pup. Mainly won over by ease of avalible information. Does anyone know where I might find information re steel tube fuselage?
Thanks all.

Jasta 5 Von Muller · 11 September 2006, 03:11 PM

I know Replicraft has some ok plans. I have seen 1 Pup built from them plans....... dont know if its steel fuse tho......

Maxim08 · 11 September 2006, 04:58 PM

Well, Culp Specialties makes a 'Pup' with a steel fuselage.
http://www.culpsspecialties.com/site...up3/index.html

Mind you, it uses an M14, 3 blade metal prop and other updates, but maybe the fuse is the correct dimensions?
Regards,
Maxim08

Roland Gilliam · 11 September 2006, 05:06 PM

Contact Culp Specialties somewhere in Louisiana. They fabricate, and may have in stock, Sopwith Pup full scale steel tube frames. They also build complete aircraft if you want. Google them and it will come up.

Roland Sorry , he beat me to it while I was typing

12 September 2006, 03:03 AM

Thanks for the replies.
Jasta I already have the Replicraft drawings. These show original wooden/wire braced structure. I'm after steel tube info for a faster build.
Maxim08 and Rolland Thanks for the lead but, the alterations that Steve Culp has made to the "Pup" takes it away from a replica. His power plant has some where in the region of four to five times the power of the original engine and I doubt the original "Pup" had a climb rate of 3 to 4000ft/min.
My plan is to use a Rotec radial (if the read reports are correct) it should be a reasonable match to the original rotary's 80 hp.

Maxim08 · 12 September 2006, 04:51 AM

Phil,
I spent sometime searching recent WW1 Aero magazines because I recall an article with a builder who partnered with Culp and built a series of 5 or 6 Pup steel fuselages. Haven't found the reference yet, but the gist was that he built a quite accurate flying repro and the intention was to partner with Culp and do a Sopwith Pup repro kit. Accurate wings etc but steel fuse.
Perhaps Culp still has one of these fuselages sitting around?
Regards,
Maxim08

Nieuport pilot · 13 September 2006, 01:53 PM

From what I have heard the Culp fuses are heavy for use with the bigger motor. Wes Jones has built a nice steel fuse in Columbus, Ohio from Replicraft plans and is using aluminum wings. He may be interested in building you one.
Rick Bennett

15 September 2006, 10:20 PM

Thanks Maxium I'll e mail Steve and see what he has.
Rick how do I contact Wes Jones?
Also does anyone know how to contact St Croix Aircraft? Found their website in an old kitplanes mag Jan'05 but site is down or dead.
Phil

gipsymoth236k · 15 September 2006, 11:20 PM

Phil,

My last recent contact with Chad Willie of St Croix Aircraft found him as a staff pilot and mechanic at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York:

http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/

Regards, Gary Sewall

JDK · 16 September 2006, 03:42 AM

The RAAF Museum's flying Pup replica was built in the '70s by Transavia with a steel tube fuselage. I know it was rebagged about the turn of the century (2002/3?) and there may be photos.

If you are interested I may be able to help; I know the rebaggers. It's got a Avro Cadet engine, not a Rotec, but I'd imagine a Rotec would work well.

If the US replica we are discussing is the one at Oshkosh in 2003 with the blue/white checks, it looked a LOT bigger all around than a Pup to me - a sports-plane rather than a replica, IMHO.