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Staib LB-4

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LB-4
Role Homebuilt aircraftType of 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.

Design and development

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".

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.

Operational history

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.

Specifications (Staib LB-1)

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 m)
  • 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

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

  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.
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