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Struts instead of flying wires?

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asport22

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I just saw pictures of Mike's Starduster Too wing build, and noticed that it uses tubes instead of wires for drag/anti-drag. That would be easy enough on the AS II, but I've got drag/anti-drag wires, so I'll stick to that.

However, streamline flying wires are pricy, and I don't have the streamline wires. Streamline tubing is expensive too, but I'd guess lots cheaper than the wires. Has anybody considered switching to struts? I did a quick search of the forum but didn't find anything. I haven't tried to do any analysis of weight, drag, or any other consideration other than cost (and that's only a guess). And I'm not sure I know enough to do it, anyway. (But it seems like a strut the size of what is used on Citabrias would be a starting point.)

I know of at least one biplane with struts - the Durand Mk V - but it was designed for a different mission, and I don't know the designer's rationale for using struts. But it sort of seems like newer technology that was developed for monoplanes and just not applied to biplanes because there weren't any commercial biplane designs done after monoplanes came along.

Warren
 

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