AviationBanter - View Single Post

**Orval Fairbairn** · October 29th 06, 05:45 PM posted to rec.aviation.homebuilt,rec.aviation.piloting

In article om,
wrote:

Greetings,
I've been looking for an open cockpit biplane to have fun with (already
own and fly a 172) and was curious what opinions are about owning and
flying a Starduster One. Especially with an O-290G to D conversion. How
good or bad are their taildragger habits, what to expect from a
maintence standpoint (any problems to be aware of), problems with the
O-290, etc.
I just got my taildragger endorsement (in a Cub and Cessna140), so I'm
leery about getting something too hot to handle, part of the point is
to build up taildragger experience for the future (when I buy my
Nieuport or Fokker replica!)

Thanks for any opinions.
Ryan

The O-290s use the same top end as the O-435 straight valve engines. As
such, nobody makes replacement cylinders; valves, pistons, rods and
bearings are still available.

As a first-generation (wartime manufacture) engine, the heads tend to
crack more than contemporary engines, so you can look forward to
replacing some cylinders.