Mark Stull built Lucky Stars with a 4.5-foot-diameter ring tail. It took some clever engineering and some hair-raising test flights to make it work. Stull added a hydraulic damper to ensure that the tail didn’t swing too far to the side, and balanced the tail by adding weights to the ring. He then moved the seat forward to maintain the craft’s centre of gravity.
The Struchen (strew-shen) single seat ultralight helicopter was designed and built by Fred Struchen of North Vancouver. He used a combination of helicopter, motorcycle, automobile and hardware store components that were modified as required.
The powerplant is a Honda Civic engine, cooled by a motorcycle radiator. The drive belt came from a Harley Davidson, while the transmission is from a Yamaha and the canopy is created from a residential skylight. Numerous precision parts were machined or modified by the builder.
The Struchen is complete and fully operational, but it is believed that it was never registered or flown by the builder, although it has done low-altitude “hover” tests.
This aircraft was donated to a Canadian museum by its builder in 1996.
Built by Robert C Stroop at Rome GA circa 1927, Stroop SP-4 was a convertible biplane-to-triplane arrangement.
A single-place powered by a 90hp Curtiss OX-5 it was registered N4197.
It is likely not completed or did not exist long enough to be recorded.
Built by Robert C Stroop at Jacksonville in 1932, the Scout was a major conversion of a Thomas-Morse Scout into a parasol monoplane to test Stroop’s arcuate aileron system. A single-place powered by an 80hp LeRhône rotary engine, only one was built.
The Robert C. Stroop SP-7, created in 1940, was to combine the biplane’s landing characteristics and the monoplane’s speed characteristics.
On the runway the wing is in the X-wing position, and when in the air the wings are retracted to the monoplane position, the wheels automatically retracted.
An AT-6 biplane conversion built in Selma, Alabama, by Robert C. Stroop, for use as a sprayer.
This aircraft, N6435D, c/n 88-17079, was an AT-6D originally ordered by the Army as 42-85295, but later assigned to the Navy as SNJ-5, B/N 84995. It was retired from the Navy, stored at NAF Litchfield Park, and then sold as surplus in the late fifties.
Requiring a low and slow sprayer in Alabama, Robert C. Stroop purchased the AT-6D and two more wings from AT-6, plus some additional fittings, and probably about 1964 converted the basic AT-6D into a biplane sprayer.
The airplane retained the basic configuration of the AT-6D, with only the cockpit and addition of the upper wing changing its appearance. The additional wing consisted of two outer wing panels from another airplane, and enough struts to stabilize the structure. The wing produced a negative stagger, probably to move the CG back so that the spray tank could be made larger, and a heavier load could be carried. Cabane struts braced the center section, and large “N” struts were installed outboard. Ailerons were interconnected by a smaller strut, and some bracing wires were installed between the cabane struts. There were no landing gear doors, and the cockpit was completely open except for the standard windshield. Only the front seat remained. The entire airplane was silver or unpainted.
With quite satisfactory takeoff and landing characteristics and a low stalling speed, it received a restricted certificate “only agricultural work”.
The aircraft was operated from 1965 to 1970 (the last known owner – farmer J.F. Carter, of Monroeville, AL,), after which his fate is unknown.
Constructed by George Strohbach, a skilled mechanic in Company E of the Fifteenth Infantry at Fort Douglas near Salt Lake City, Utah. In April of 1910 however, prior to finishing the project, Strohbach deserted the Army and disappeared. A fifty dollar reward for his apprehension was offered, but the Army also had another problem. Still in its box at Fort Douglas was the motor for the flying machine, ordered from St. Louis, yet no one knew how to handle either the motor or the monoplane, and neither was anyone willing to pay the C.O.D. charges on the crated engine – thus leaving the Army’s aeroplane-building attempt forever grounded.
High monowing with enclosed cabin. Control surfaces include tip rudders, which can be split When applied simultaneously they act as air brakes. Construction consists of layered foam and fiberglass from premolded external skins and some spruce. Wings, tail surfaces and fuselage are covered with fiberglass. Powerplant: One Yamaha mounted in a pusher position aft of the wing on the centerline. A reduction gear of 3.6:1 turns a two-blade wooden Ritz propeller. Fuel is carried in a fiberglass tank mounted in the wing. Landing Gear: Shock-mounted tricycle gear with a fiberglass leaf spring and steerable nosewheel. Options include wheel fairings for all three wheels for $100, larger diameter wheels (16 inch, 40 cm) $105, skis $150, floats $750, removable side windows $100, instrument panel, radio, shoulder harness $22, ballistic deployment parachute $850.
Engine displacement 100 or 225cc, 12 or 20 hp
Static thrust, 70 lbs or 110 lbs
Wingspan, 32 ft
Wing area, 151 sq.ft
Aspect ratio, 7:1
Overall length, 14 ft
Empty weight. 185 lb
Usable payload (include fuel), 250 lb
Wing loading, 31 lbs/sq.ft
L/D power-off glide ratio,17:l
Cruise speed (85% power), 59 mph
Stall speed, 18 mph
Ap¬proach speed, 35 mph
Flair speed, 25 mph
Liftoff speed, 25 mph
Takeoff roll distance, 225 ft
Rate of climb, 250 fpm
Fuel capacity, 5 Usgal
Range at cruise, .325 mi
A high monowing with enclosed cabin. Three-axis controls with conventional aileron, rudder and elevator. The elevator and rudder are operated separately, and all are operated by a control stick. Construction makes use of some spruce, but is mostly composed of layered foam and fiberglass from premolded external skins. The wings. tail surfaces and fuselage are covered by some fabric. POWER-PLANT: One Cuyuna mounted in a tractor position forward of the wing on the centerline. A 2:1 reduction gear turns a two-blade wooden Ritz propeller. Fuel is carried in a fiberglass tank mounted in the wings. LANDING GEAR: Shock-mounted tricycle gear with a fiberglass leaf spring, a steerable nosewheel and no brakes. All wheels are 12-inch. Options include wheel fairings for all three wheels for $100, larger diameter wheels (16 inch, 40 cm) $105, skis $150, floats $750, removable side windows $100, instrument panel, radio, shoulder harness $22, ballistic deployment parachute $850.
First year built. 1981. Units delivered by June 1981 4.
Trike undercarriage, brake on steerable nosewheel.
Sky Ranger
Engine: Cuyuna 429cc, 40 hp
Static thrust 300 lb
Wingspan, 36 ft
Wing area, 180 sq.ft
Aspect ratio, 7:1
Overall length, 17 ft
Empty weight, 360 lb
Usable payload (include fuel), 440 lb
Wing loading, 4.5 lbs/sq.ft
L/D power-off glide ratio, 15:1
Cruise speed (85% power), 77mph
Stall speed, 30 mph
Approach speed, 40mph
Flair speed, 35 mph
Liftoff speed, 35 mph
Takeoff roll distance, 250 ft
Rate of climb, 1000 fpm
Fuel capacity, 5 Usgal
Range at cruise, 250 mi
Max pilot wt: 470 lb
First year built: 1981
Sky Ranger Silver Cloud
Engine: Cuyuna 430, 420cc, 30 hp
Wingspan 33’6”
Wing area 127 sq.ft
Aspect ratio 8.6:1
Length 16’
Empty weight 350 lb
Payload 450 lb
Gross weight 800 lb
Wing loading 7 lbs/sq.ft
L/D 13:1
Cruise speed 80 mph
Stall speed 29mph (flaps)
Takeoff and landing roll 250 ft
Climb rate 600 fpm
Fuel capacity 10 USG
The prototype Lone Ranger made its first flight on the 23 October 1980. It is a development of the Super Flac with which it shares the integral cockpit, but unlike its predecessors, the Lone Ranger has a triangular section spar carrying a conventional tailplane and its wing is fitted with ailerons. Sold in kit form, one requiring 150 h for assembly (fast flight kit) and the other less elaborate (economy kit), the Lone Ranger was tried with various engines and in 1982 was offered with Yamaha KT100S 15 hp, Zenoah G25B 20 hp, or Cuyuna 215R 20 hp engines.
In a dramatic development at Sun’n’Fun in March 1983 at Lakeland, Florida, the company announced that it was renamed Ranger Aviation and released literature on a single seater named the Silver Cloud. Differing from the earlier Lone Ranger, the principal modifications involve the wing, which benefits from a new high lift profile, wind tunnel and flight tested, and which exhibits a coefficient of lift of 1.9. As well, the rectangular planform wing (without leading edge sweepback) of the Lone Ranger has been dropped for a tapered wing having 7 deg of leading edge sweepback.
The Lone Ranger shown at Sun ‘n’ Fun in 1983 had already abandoned the two V struts under each wing in favour of a single strut, which according to the previews will disappear altogether on the Silver Cloud to give a cantilever wing, an arrangement which was purely optional for the earlier models. Another modification is that the ailerons are not tacked on to the trailing edge but are integral within the wing profile and run full span, using the same new profile as the wing.
They are usable not only as ailerons but also together as flaps, coming down to 30 deg, and are quoted as giving a coefficient of lift of more than 2.4, which lowers the stalling speed to 25 mph (40 kph). Finally, the preview plans showed that the monobloc elevator of the new model is now carried midway down the tail cone instead of being level with its top surface.
The Silver Cloud is not only different in terms of design; it also represents a change of marketing policy, as it will be sold complete rather than in kit form one of the first composite construction ultralights to be produced in quantity. Ready to fly it costs around $10,000, exact price depending on specification. Options include wheel fairings for all three wheels for $100, larger diameter wheels (16 inch, 40 cm) $105, skis $150, floats $750, removable side windows $100, instrument panel, radio, shoulder harness $22, ballistic deployment parachute $850. Three engine types are offered: the Zenoah G25B with 22 hp, a Rotax whose type is not quoted giving 20 hp, and the Cuyuna 215R.
Single seat single engined high wing monoplane with conventional three axis control. Wing has swept back leading and trailing edges, and tapering chord; conventional tall. Pitch control by fully flying tail; yaw control by fin mounted rudder; roll control by full span ailerons; control inputs through stick for pitch/roll and pedals for yaw. Cantilever wing; wing profile; double surface. Undercarriage has three wheels in tricycle formation; suspension on all wheels. Push right go right nosewheel steering connected to yaw control.
Composite construction fuselage partially enclosed (totally enclosed optional). Engine mounted above wing driving tractor propeller. Construction uses carbon fibre, Keylar, fibreglass, various foams and epoxy resin; steel and aluminium fittings.
First year built 1980. Units delivered by June 1981 150.
The Sky Ranger Silver Cloud is a two-place version of Lone Ranger SC. The Silver Cloud II was basically the same as the Silver Cloud except being a side by side two seater. glass fibre on main wheels. Fuselage totally enclosed. As with the single seater, the reshuffle at Striplin reflects directly on this product. Previously called Sky Ranger, the company’s two seater is now called Silver Cloud II and is classified in the US as an experimental aircraft, requiring a pilot’s licence.
The prototype Sky Ranger, developed by Keith Striplin from the Lone Ranger, was on static display in August 1981 at Oshkosh and differs principally from its successor by having Fowler flaps and a T tail. The latter was dropped in 1982 for a conventional tail which is retained for the Silver Cloud II.
At Sun ‘n’ Fun in March 1983 Ken had on show the first prototype of the Sky Ranger, but this aircraft is being used as a flying test bed and has changed greatly since its debut in 1981. It sported not only a conventional tail but also a new wing with flaperons (ailerons usable as flaps) and the new profile destined for the Silver Cloud IL The two V struts carrying each wing had been replaced by single struts, although production models will be cantilevered. The landing gear had also been redesigned to give greater ground clearance.
Originally the Sky Ranger prototype used an engine mounted above the cabin and driving two twin blade propellers mounted on the leading edges, but at Sun ‘n’ Fun a similar motor was used to drive a single tractor propeller. An engine mount shaped like a fairing allows this propeller to operate in front of the fuselage nose, the engine intended for the standard Silver Cloud II being the Rotax 503.
The aircraft was sold ready to fly for $15,000 in 1983 in the standard version, which includes wheel fairings, removable side windows, shoulder harness, instrument panel and strobe. Otherwise, the options are as for the single seater.
Lone Ranger
Engine: Yamaha 100cc, 12 or 20 hp
Static thrust, 70 lbs or 110 lbs
Wingspan, 32 ft
Wing area, 144 sq.ft
Aspect ratio, 7:1
Overall length, 15 ft 8 in
Empty weight 196 lbs
Usable payload (include fuel), 240 lbs
Wing loading, 31 lbs/sq.ft
L/D power-off glide ratio, 17:1
Cruise speed (85% power), 61 mph
Stall speed, 21 mph
Approach speed, 40 mph
Flair speed, 29 mph
Liftoff speed, 27 mph
Takeoff roll distance, 225 ft
Rate of climb, 250 fpm
Fuel capacity, 5 Usgal
Range at cruise, 350 mi
Max pilot wt: 230 lbs
First year built: 1980
Lone Ranger Silver Cloud
Engine: Cuyuna 215R, 20 hp at 5500 rpm
Propeller diameter and pitch 54 x 27 inch, 1.37 x 0.68 m
Planetary gear reduction, ratio 2.2/1
Power per unit area 0.17 hp/sq.ft, 1.8hp/sq.m
Fuel capacity 5.0 US gal, 4.2 Imp gal, 18.9 litre
Length overall 16.0 ft, 4.87 m
Height overall 7.0ft, 2.13m
Wing span 32.0ft, 9.75m
Chord at root 4.0ft, 1.22m
Chord at tip 3.0ft, 0.91m
Dihedral 5 deg
Sweepback 7 deg
Total wing area 120 sq.ft, 11.14 sq.m
Wing aspect ratio 8.6/1
Wheel track 4.0 ft, 1.22 m
Wheel¬base 4.0 ft, 1.22 m
Nosewheel diameter over¬all 8 inch, 20 cm
Main wheels diameter overall 8 inch, 20cm
Empty weight 245 lb, 111kg
Max take off weight 500 lb, 227kg
Payload 255 lb, 116kg
Max wing loading 4.18 lb/sq.ft, 20.4kg/sq.m
Max power loading 25.0 lb/hp, 11.3kg/hp
Load factors +6.0, 4.0 design
Max level speed 63 mph, 101 kph
Never exceed speed 80 mph, 129 kph
Stalling speed 25 mph, 40 kph
Max climb rate at sea level 600 ft/min, 3.1 m/s
Best glide ratio with power off 14/1
Take off distance 75ft, 23m
Landing dis¬tance 75ft, 23m
Range at average cruising speed 210 mile, 338 km
Silver Cloud II
Engine: Rotax 503, 46hp at 6500rpm
Propeller diameter and pitch 60 x 36 inch, 1.52 x 0.91 m
Power per unit area 0.36hp/sq.ft, 3.9hp/sq.m
Fuel capacity 10.0 US gal, 8.3 Imp gal, 37.8 litre
Length overall 16. 0 ft, 4.87 m
Height overall 8.0ft, 2.44m
Wing span 33.4ft, 10.18m
Mean chord 3.8ft, 1.16m
Dihedral 5 deg
Sweepback 7 deg
Total wing area 127sq.ft, 11.8sq.m
Wing aspect ratio 8.6/1
Nosewheel diameter overall 8 inch, 20 cm
Main wheels diameter overall 8 inch, 20cm
Empty weight 350 lb, 159kg
Max take off weight 1000 lb, 453 kg
Payload 650 lb, 295 kg
Max wing loading 7.87 lb/sq.ft, 38.4 kg/sq.m
Max power loading 21.7 lb/hp, 38.6 kg/hp
Never exceed speed 100mph, 161kph
Max cruising speed 80mph, 129kph
Stalling speed 29mph, 47 kph
Max climb rate at sea level 600 ft/min, 3.1 m/s
Best glide ratio with power off 13/1
Take off distance 150ft, 23m
Range at average cruising speed 250 mile, 402 km
All Aero 