Mong MS1 Sport
| Mong MS1 Sport | |
|---|---|
| Role | Homebuilt Biplane |
| National origin | United States of America |
| Designer | Ralph Mong |
| First flight | May 1, 1953 |
| Introduction | 1953 |
| Number built | approximately 200[1] |
| Variants | Green Sky Adventures Micro Mong |
The Mong MS1 Sport is an early original homebuilt biplane design from the 1950s. Over 400 sets of plans for the aircraft have been sold.[1]
Design and development
The first Mong Sport was built as a personal aircraft by the designer Ralph Mong, Jr, and plans for homebuilding were provided afterward, due to demand.[2]
The original biplane was built around a Continental A65 65 hp (48 kW) engine. The biplane has the unique feature of a single lift strut placed directly forward of the pilot at a sacrifice of forward visibility. The biplane did not require expensive, drag producing support wires, using steel tubing instead.[3] The fuselage is steel tube with aircraft fabric covering.[2]
Operational history
In the mid 1960s, a biplane class was added to the Reno Air Races. The Mong Sport met the basic qualifications, and has been extensively modified over the years by builders to be used as a biplane racer. In 1965, Bill Boland won with his "Boland Mong" at 148 mph and again in 1967 and 1970 with speeds of 151 mph and 177 mph respectively.[4] The Mongster won the 1968 Biplane class of the Reno National Championship.[5] Long Gone Mong won in 1987 and 1989. A highly modified Mong Phantom with carbon fiber wings won in 2006 with a speed of 251.958 mph,[6] and has recently raised the record to 284.454mph.[1]
Variants
- MS-1
- MS-3[7]
- Green Sky Adventures Micro Mong
- An ultralight designed by Ed Fisher at the suggestion of Ralph Mong in 1993. In 1996 Ed Fisher acquired the rights to the Mong Sport aircraft.
Aircraft on display
A Mong Sport is on display at the Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum and the EAA AirVenture Museum.[2]
Specifications (Mong MS1 Sport)
Data from EAA
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
- Wingspan: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m)
- Height: 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
- Wing area: 80 sq ft (7.4 m2)
- Empty weight: 550 lb (249 kg)
- Gross weight: 970 lb (440 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 16 US gallons (61 litres)
- Powerplant: 1 × Continental A65 , 65 hp (48 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 100 kn (115 mph, 185 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 96 kn (110 mph, 180 km/h)
- Stall speed: 43 kn (50 mph, 80 km/h)
- Range: 350 nmi (400 mi, 640 km)
- Service ceiling: 13,000 ft (4,000 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
- ^ a b "Mong Sport Biplane". Retrieved 15 Feb 2011.
- ^ a b c "Mong MS1 Sport". Retrieved 15 Feb 2011.
- ^ Air Trails Sport Aircraft: 70. Winter 1969.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Philip Handleman. Air Racing Today: Heavy Iron at Reno. p. 110.
- ^ Popular Science. September 1969.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Tom Aberle's Phantom". Retrieved 15 Feb 2011.
- ^ Air Trails: 80. Summer 1971.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)