Anyone have access to a Haig Minibat?

[[email protected]]

As an active radio controlled scale sailplane enthusiast, and having a special interest in tailless configurations, I am contemplating construction of a 1:3 or even 1:2 scale model of the Haig Minibat.

I currently have a set of 1:4 scale plans, an advertizing brochure, and a number of other documents, including the "newsletters" put out by the kit manufacturer.

What I'm lacking is the documentation necessary to actually make a model which is a replica of a specific aircraft.

So I'm eager to find someone who either had a Minibat or still has one, who is willing to share photos of the aircraft. My interest lies in exterior shots which show color scheme and markings, of course, but also more specifically with photos of the interior which show the instrument panel, the various controls (side stick, drag brake lever if installed, etc.), the wing spar carry-through, and things of that nature.

If you can be of assistance I would very much appreciate hearing from you off-list.

Many thanks in advance!

Bill Kuhlman
http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com

[Craig Funston]

On Friday, September 18, 2015 at 11:11:49 AM UTC-7, wrote:
> As an active radio controlled scale sailplane enthusiast, and having a special interest in tailless configurations, I am contemplating construction of a 1:3 or even 1:2 scale model of the Haig Minibat.
>
> I currently have a set of 1:4 scale plans, an advertizing brochure, and a number of other documents, including the "newsletters" put out by the kit manufacturer.
>
> What I'm lacking is the documentation necessary to actually make a model which is a replica of a specific aircraft.
>
> So I'm eager to find someone who either had a Minibat or still has one, who is willing to share photos of the aircraft. My interest lies in exterior shots which show color scheme and markings, of course, but also more specifically with photos of the interior which show the instrument panel, the various controls (side stick, drag brake lever if installed, etc.), the wing spar carry-through, and things of that nature.
>
> If you can be of assistance I would very much appreciate hearing from you off-list.
>
> Many thanks in advance!
>
> Bill Kuhlman
> http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com

Bill, just wanted to give a shout out to you and Bunny for your fantastic publication, RC Soaring Digest. I look forward to it every month! Sorry I don't have any info on the MiniBat, but if you want Nimbus 3 pictures I can help there :-)

[Dan Marotta]

Google might be your friend:
https://www.google.com/search?q=minibat&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=675&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIw6mjjcaByAIVC6YeCh2X0QJR#tbm= isch&q=minibatt+aircraft

On 9/18/2015 2:03 PM, Craig Funston wrote:
> On Friday, September 18, 2015 at 11:11:49 AM UTC-7, wrote:
>> As an active radio controlled scale sailplane enthusiast, and having a special interest in tailless configurations, I am contemplating construction of a 1:3 or even 1:2 scale model of the Haig Minibat.
>>
>> I currently have a set of 1:4 scale plans, an advertizing brochure, and a number of other documents, including the "newsletters" put out by the kit manufacturer.
>>
>> What I'm lacking is the documentation necessary to actually make a model which is a replica of a specific aircraft.
>>
>> So I'm eager to find someone who either had a Minibat or still has one, who is willing to share photos of the aircraft. My interest lies in exterior shots which show color scheme and markings, of course, but also more specifically with photos of the interior which show the instrument panel, the various controls (side stick, drag brake lever if installed, etc.), the wing spar carry-through, and things of that nature.
>>
>> If you can be of assistance I would very much appreciate hearing from you off-list.
>>
>> Many thanks in advance!
>>
>> Bill Kuhlman
>> http://www.rcsoaringdigest.com
> Bill, just wanted to give a shout out to you and Bunny for your fantastic publication, RC Soaring Digest. I look forward to it every month! Sorry I don't have any info on the MiniBat, but if you want Nimbus 3 pictures I can help there :-)

--
Dan, 5J

[Martin Gregorie[_5_]]

On Fri, 18 Sep 2015 15:43:00 -0600, Dan Marotta wrote:

> Google might be your friend:
> https://www.google.com/search?
q=minibat&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=675&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIw6mjjcaByAIVC6YeCh2X0QJR#tbm= isch&q=minibatt
+aircraft
>

I already did that search. By far the best photos/drawings and
description of why the Minibat got severely downvoted for any use as a
manned aircraft is in a piece published by RC Soaring Digest, so I think
the OP's idea of posting here was a good one. More to the point, Jim
Marske knew quite a bit about it and was able to diagnose its stability
problems.

To the OP: you probably already did this, but have you tried asking the
home-build crowd what they know?


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

[[email protected]]

Not sure what country you are in but here in the US I would go to the FAA registry, get the names of builders, and see if I could contact someone close to you. Good Luck!

[[email protected]]

Bill-

Having witnessed a few launches and landings in a manned one, I can honestly say they were the scariest planned gliding events in a sailplane I have ever witnessed.

But can understand the need/desire to model, and appreciate your good work and website as well.

Gary Osoba
Having designed and successfully flown more than 30 flying wings over time

[nurflugel[_2_]]

I've done several searches using startpage.com without much success. The major source of information is from our own material published in RC Soaring Digest. We have 1:4 scale plans (circa 1980), and a few external photos have been found on the 'net, but no photos of the interior. Those interior images are needed for an accurate scale model.

We've also looked at the FAA registrations and found only one example, N44MB / Minibat ser. no. 001, owned by AmEagle Corp. in Muskegon MI. The registration has been cancelled but the N-number is still reserved for that aircraft. A web search for the corporation comes up empty.

According to records, it looks like 10 or perhaps as many as 15 Minibats were built. We're hoping there's some interior photographs or perhaps just one Minibat sitting around somewhere.

Just registered for homebuiltairplanes.com. We'll see what happens there.

Thank you all!