Carpenter Special Serial number 3 N63Y was built in 1933. The third aircraft built by Walter Staib. Each side of the aircraft has four flying wires and three landing wires, plus N struts. The upper wing is mounted on six cabanes, forming two pylons. It was powered by a Continental C-85 in 1955.

Originally installed was a Continental A-50 engine. Registration N63Y(X), the black and white biplane, called “Little Dea-Dea”, has a fuselage construction of steel tubing and wood stringers, wooden wings and the whole aircraft is fabric covered. Fuel is in a 12 USG wing tank and a 12 USG header tank.

In 1949 Charles E. Rawson bought the Special for $1800, recovered it, and installed a 125 hp Warner Scarab. He later scrapped the Warner as tired out and installed an 85 hp Continental. Rawson also installed Cessna 140 wheels and brakes, and Stinson 108 wheel pants.

Carpenter MLC-3
Engine: Continental C-85-12, 85 hp
Wingspan upper: 21 ft 0 in
Wingspan lower: 19 ft 9 in
Length: 19 ft 6 in
Height: 7 ft 10 in
Wheel tread: 5 ft 8 in
Max speed: 110 mph
Cruise: 100 mph
Landing speed: 65 mph
Fuel capacity: 24 USG
Cruise range: 325 mi

The LB-2 was flown at near top speed, with stalls untested. The roll rate was good, but turns were difficult. Landing speed was 120 mph (193 km/h). The fuselage was disassembled in 1953 to build the Staib LB-3 biplane. The LB-3 used new 14 ft (4.3 m) span wings made in the same fashion as Staib’s LB-1 with brazed steel bedspring, which was obtained from a local manufacturer, wing ribs with Taylorcraft airfoil sections. This airplane sat higher off the ground than others. The spring steel gear was of local manufacture, and was made of one piece.

The aircraft cruised at 125 mph (201 km/h), landed at around 55 to 60 mph, and operated on the airshow circuit for two years. Cliff Baker operated the aircraft one more season, suffering a broken back after a high-speed incident.

The Staib LB-5 “Little Bit” was a Volkswagen powered variant. One is on display at the Mid-America Air Museum.

Designed and built by Wilbur Staib, the LB-1 N5927V (X) was a single engine, open cockpit biplane with conventional landing gear. The low-cost construction included using brazed steel bedspring wire for wing-ribs, and bed-sheet muslin covering. Metal ribs are spaced on a wooden spar and normal construction methods are used throughout. The airfoil was patterned on a Taylorcraft BC-12D. Fuel is in two 6 USG tanks in the fuselage. The aircraft used three fuel tanks: one in the headrest, one in the baggage compartment and one against the firewall. The red and white checkerboard-painted aircraft was outfitted with a smoke system for air show work.

The top wings are swept back, and lower wings are straight. Both sets span 17 ft. Note that the centre pylon slopes inward from the fuselage top. Arrangement of the other struts is a pair of parallel struts and I-struts connecting the wings at the outer brace point. Ailerons are only provided on the lower wings.

Staib used the LB-1 to perform on the pro-akro circuit, performing stunts such as inverted ribbon cuts. His LB-1 was comparable to the Pitts Special flown by Betty Skelton at the same shows. The aircraft performed from 1949 to 1952.

By 1955 it had flown approximately 1000 hours. The prototype was registered as late as 1990.

Staib LB-1
Powerplant: 1 × Continental C-85
Propeller: 2-bladed Metal
Wingspan: 17 ft (5.2 m)
Wing area: 95 sq ft (8.8 m2)
Length: 15 ft (4.6 m)
Height: 4 ft 9 in
Empty weight: 600 lb (272 kg)
Fuel capacity: 17 U.S. gallons (64 L; 14 imp gal)
Maximum speed: 96 kn (110 mph, 180 km/h)
Cruise speed: 87 kn (100 mph, 160 km/h)
Cruise at 2450 rpm: 110 mph
Stall speed: 48 kn (55 mph, 89 km/h)
Endurance: 2.5hr
Crew: 1

The Staib DM was a home-built, single-seat, aerobatic aircraft, registered N9V.

An open-cockpit biplane, powered with a 65hp Continental engine, the speed was 140 mph.