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Staib LB-4

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LB-4
Role Homebuilt aircraft
National origin United States of America
Designer Wilbur Staib
First flight 1966
Number built 1

The Staib LB-4 a.k.a. Staib Airyplane is a homebuilt aircraft design of Wilbur Staib.[1]

Design and development

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Wilbur Staib (1914–1993) was a self-taught aircraft designer from Diamond, Missouri. Staib served as a flight instructor during the Second World War at Chanute, Kansas flying PT-14s. Staib designed and built five different "LB" (Little Bastard) aircraft and a helicopter, of which several had the title "world's smallest" at their time of construction. Staib flew his aircraft in airshows with the title "The Diamond Wizard".[2]

The LB-4 is a high-wing, uncovered welded steel tube fuselage, single seat twin-engine tricycle gear aircraft. It was registered by the FAA in 1966, and was considered at the time to be the world's smallest twin engine aircraft. The wing ribs were a shortened pattern from a Piper Cub, assembled with staples. The tail section is mounted on a wire braced removable boom for storage. Fuel tanks are made from 1 U.S. gallon (3.8 L; 0.83 imp gal) paint-thinner cans. The engines used recoil starters.[3]

Operational history

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The LB-4 was test flown in 1966 at Carthage, Missouri. The aircraft cruises at 60 mph (97 km/h) and must be flown at full throttle. Later configurations included a third 10 hp (7 kW) engine mounted on top of the wing in pusher configuration.[4]

Specifications (Staib LB-1)

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Data from Air Trails

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 15 ft (4.6 m)
  • Wingspan: 14 ft (4.3 m)
  • Wing area: 70 sq ft (6.5 m2)
  • Airfoil: Modified Clark-Y
  • Empty weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
  • Gross weight: 340 lb (154 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 2 U.S. gallons (7.6 L; 1.7 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 2 × West Bend 820 Chainsaw Two-Cycle Piston, 10 hp (7.5 kW) each
  • Propellers: 2-bladed Troyer

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 52 kn (60 mph, 97 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 52 kn (60 mph, 97 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 30 kn (35 mph, 56 km/h)

See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

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  1. ^ Sport Aviation. July 1967. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ "Wilbur Staib". Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  3. ^ Gene Smith (Winter 1971). "A Diamond Rotorcraft in the Rough". Air Trails.
  4. ^ Gene Smith (Winter 1971). "A Diamond Rotorcraft in the Rough". Air Trails: 35.