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Mystery Plane
Fully aerobatic biplane, affordable to build and fly
By Patrick Panzera, Editor – Experimenter, EAA 555743
Named “Best” in the combined Ultralight/Lightplane category during the 1992 EAA East Coast Fly-In at Wilmington, Delaware, this little biplane is robust enough to be competitive with the International Aerobatic Club’s intermediate level. The prototype, which took six months and $12,000 to build, first flew in 1986. After logging 120 hours, the designer/builder sold it for $15,000. But during those 120 hours, a second one was constructed in four months.
The H-2 Honey Bee, the brainchild of Bert Howland, is a strut-and-cable-braced aerobatic biplane with four, equal-span, 8-foot wing panels designed to handle g-loads of +8 to -6. Prototype and early versions used engines in the 40- to 46-hp range, but the designer later moved up to an engine of 65 hp as standard.
The plans originally provided for ailerons on the bottom wing only, but later a four-aileron option became available for those who wish a more responsive roll rate. When that option is selected, together with an engine in the 85-hp range or better (such as the Hirth F-30) and with an inverted fuel system, the H-2A is suitable for aerobatic competition. But like his other aircraft (the low-wing monoplane H-3 Pegasus), the H-2 was designed around the powerplant, in this case, a 40-hp Rotax 447 turning a 68 x 28 wooden propeller.
Bert Howland introduced a technique of TIG-welding (tungsten inert gas welding) the fuselage from square 6061-T6 aluminum tubing, yielding a strong and rugged fuselage frame that weighs only 24 pounds. The empennage is made from tubular round stock. The airfoil on the four equal-span wings is only 6-1/2-inch thick and consists of seven aluminum-capped foam ribs per panel with a D-cell leading edge spar and a C-section rear spar. The aircraft has been powered with engines from 40 to 95 hp. Homebuilder plans cost $250 and consist of 40 engineering drawings and designer construction notes.
The design is simple and straightforward with no surprises. The fuel tank is located between the firewall and instrument panel with no fuel in the wings. But it only holds 5 gallons. The entire plane is fabric covered, with Ceconite being the material of choice, and the estimated build time is a little over 300 hours. A TIG welder is required to build this plane.
For more information, contact:
Classic Aero Enterprises
343 Wrexham Court #101D
Hampton, VA 23669
757-851-2856
H-2 Honey Bee Specifications |
|
Airframe |
|
Wingspan |
19 feet |
Wing area |
140 square feet |
Overall length |
15 feet, 8 inches |
Height |
6 feet, 1 inch |
Empty weight |
335 to 496 pounds |
Gross weight |
550 to 750 pounds |
Power |
|
Engine |
40 to 95 hp |
Propeller |
60 to 69 inches, 2-blade |
Powerplant |
Hirth F-30 or Rotax, hp range 65 to 95 |
Fuel capacity |
10 to 12 U.S. gallons |
Performance |
|
Top speed |
68 to 80 mph |
Cruise speed |
55 to 68 mph |
Stall (power off) |
25 to 35 mph |
Design load at 550 pounds gross weight |
+8g, -6g |
Climb rate |
400 to 850 feet/minute |
Takeoff distance |
125 to 200 feet |
Landing run |
150 to 275 feet |
Fuel capacity |
7.5 to 12 gallons |
Service ceiling |
9,500 feet |
Range |
130 nautical miles |
From the Wicks Aircraft Supply catalog:
Description – Part Number – Price
H-2A Honey Bee aluminum kit H2A-001 $1,467.61
H-2A Honey Bee steel H2A-002 $112.14
H-2A Honey Bee stainless steel H2A-003 $42.95
H-2A Honey Bee hardware kit H2A-005 $961.48
H-2A Honey Bee covering H2A-006 $1,293.24
H-2A Honey Bee miscellaneous H2A-007 $131.92
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