189:. The aircraft required a 170 lb (77 kg) pilot to remain within the center of gravity and was only flown by pilots Robert H. Starr and Lester Cole that met the criteria. The landing procedure uses 125 mph (201 km/h) entry patterns, with 80 mph (129 km/h) on final approach, and 55 mph (89 km/h) touchdown speeds. The aircraft performed publicity flights to promote an airshow act. It was retired in October 1952 after 25 hours of flight time.
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145:. Most aircraft use a flat firewall between the engine and pilot's feet, the Skybaby is configured with the pilot sitting with the engine close to the lap, and rudder pedals located under the oil sump toward the front of the cowling. The powerplant was sourced from an
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446:"A Man and His Aircraft - The Real Story of the Ray Stits Junior and Sky Baby aircraft as told by Ray Stits himself"
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fighter pilot, but claimed he was not an engineer. He went on to develop several home-built designs, including the
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Stits Sky Baby loaded with room to spare in the
Smithsonian's transport trailer at the Stephen Udvar Hazy Center
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midget racer. The aircraft is an enclosed single engine negative staggered cantilevered
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Murray, Elizabeth J. (November 2002). "Flying flashback | 50 years ago...".
232:. In 2014, the Sky Baby was moved to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the
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designed for the challenge of claiming the title of "The World's
Smallest".
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149:, modified with water injection to produce 112 hp (84 kW).
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Stits SA-2A on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
181:. The short coupled aircraft was originally built with
508:"Stits SA-2A Sky Baby | National Air and Space Museum"
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The Sky Baby was designed by Ray Stits and built with
303:5 U.S. gallons (19 L; 4.2 imp gal)
321:with water injection, 112 hp (84 kW)
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185:, which was dropped in favor of the lighter
192:The aircraft was eventually donated to the
133:is constructed of welded steel tubing with
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196:for display. Ray Stits was a mechanic and
658:1950s United States experimental aircraft
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348:143 kn (165 mph, 266 km/h)
342:190 kn (220 mph, 350 km/h)
468:"Van's "RV-1" -- The First Of The Breed"
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354:52 kn (60 mph, 97 km/h)
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492:"Flying flashback | 40 years ago".
220:The Sky Baby was on display at the
204:, which would be the basis for the
285:36.5 sq ft (3.39 m)
267:9 ft 10 in (3.00 m)
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273:7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
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648:Single-engined tractor aircraft
236:, and placed on display there.
173:The aircraft was test flown by
643:Biplanes with negative stagger
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466:Pew, Glenn (March 27, 2012).
234:National Air and Space Museum
230:National Air and Space Museum
194:National Air and Space Museum
653:Aircraft first flown in 1952
16:American homebuilt aircraft
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663:Conventional landing gear
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297:666 lb (302 kg)
291:452 lb (205 kg)
127:conventional landing gear
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179:Palm Springs, California
135:aircraft fabric covering
252:General characteristics
141:, the lower wings have
137:. The upper wings have
617:Stits-Besler Executive
279:5 ft (1.5 m)
240:Specifications (SA-2A)
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117:as a follow-on to the
109:Design and development
559:Aircraft designed by
222:EAA Airventure Museum
187:tailwheel arrangement
183:tricycle landing gear
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496:: 24. November 1992.
419:: 12. November 1952.
99:Stits SA-2A Sky Baby
38:Sky Baby on display
370:Starr Bumble Bee II
216:Aircraft on display
202:Stits SA-3A Playboy
153:Operational history
638:Homebuilt aircraft
512:airandspace.si.edu
226:Oshkosh, Wisconsin
177:on 26 May 1952 at
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103:homebuilt aircraft
47:Homebuilt aircraft
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327:2-bladed aluminum
228:on loan from the
208:and thousands of
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392:"Stits Sky Baby"
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206:VanGrunsven RV-1
198:Second World War
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50:Type of aircraft
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612:SA-11A Playmate
597:SA-5 Flut-R-Bug
592:SA-4A Executive
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494:Flying Magazine
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417:Flying Magazine
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319:aircraft engine
313:four cylinder,
311:Continental C85
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175:Robert H. Starr
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115:Robert H. Starr
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57:National origin
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24:SA-2A Sky Baby
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340:Maximum speed:
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301:Fuel capacity:
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247:Sport Aviation
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587:SA-3A Playboy
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78:First flight
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62:United States
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572:SA-1A Junior
515:. Retrieved
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475:. Retrieved
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449:. Retrieved
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415:"Sky Baby".
395:. Retrieved
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352:Stall speed:
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147:ERCO Ercoupe
119:Stits Junior
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87:Number built
81:26 May 1952
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607:SA-8 Skeeto
517:November 3,
333:Performance
325:Propellers:
315:four-stroke
307:Powerplant:
632:Categories
378:References
365:Stits DS-1
283:Wing area:
561:Ray Stits
477:March 28,
271:Wingspan:
245:Data from
72:Ray Stits
68:Designer
451:June 17,
397:July 16,
359:See also
143:ailerons
131:fuselage
277:Height:
265:Length:
123:biplane
434:: 120.
129:. The
472:AVweb
259:Crew:
139:flaps
125:with
101:is a
43:Role
519:2022
479:2012
453:2012
399:2012
309:1 ×
97:The
224:in
634::
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407:^
317:,
212:.
91:1
552:e
545:t
538:v
521:.
481:.
455:.
401:.
261:1
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
