HOVEY “WHING-DING II”€

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • This ultra-light biplane, weighing only 310 lbs (gross), is designed for extreme lightness and simplicity.
  • It is powered by a 15-hp McCulloch go-kart engine with a chain drive.
  • Its construction utilizes unconventional lightweight materials such as Styrofoam art board for tail surfaces, a foam-filled aluminum pipe for the tail boom, and a foam-filled plywood box for the fuselage.
  • The aircraft has a top speed of 45 mph and a stall speed of 26 mph, with fabric-covered wings.
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STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 310. Empty wt. 122. Fuel capacity 1/2 gallon. Wingspan 16’4″. Length 12’11”.
PERFORMANCE: Top mph 45. Cruise mph 45. Stall mph 26. Climb rate 200. Takeoff run (50′) 300. Landing run (50′) 300. Range 22.

This 15-hp, 300-pound gross-weight biplane is the ultimate in lightness and simplicity. The tail surfaces are constructed from 1/2-inch-thick Styrofoam art board faced with high-strength craft paper on both sides; the critical areas are reinforced with 1/8-inch plywood gussets. The tail boom is a 3-inch aluminum pipe filled with foam to resist buckling. The fuselage is basically a 6-inch wide box of plywood filled with foam that serves as an engine mount and a mast support for the wings. The prop is chain driven from a 15-hp McCulloch, twocycle, go-kart engine. The wings have two spars and are fabric covered.

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