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Wing incidence

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footloose

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I've been busy reworking the wings on my Smith project . I'm at the point where all hardware will be going back into which gets me to a critical decision . I've chatted with some of you here on the forum and all advise puts me in the direction of both wings (upper and lower) should be set up with the same incidence , whether it be 0 degrees as what the upper wings are fabbed to or the 2 degrees that the lower wings are fabbed to . I've already made new lower wing front spar attach plates that will lower the spar by 5/8'' which should get me in the ballpark of 0 incidence on both upper and lower . I guess what I need opinions on is how flight characteristics will most probably be effected , especially in stall configuration . The horizontal tail surfaces will also be set to 0 incidence . Making the adjustment to the lower front spar to accomplish 0 and 0 is by far the easier than lowering the upper wing all across the attach points (cabane, N Struts) to come up with 2 and 2 degrees . The lower rear N Struts are already adjustable and might need slight rework but that would be minor . From my understanding the difference in upper and lower incidence is actually designed in to have one wing stall before the other . Will the break in stall be more aggressive etc. Also the Pitts Special has both wings (per plans) set at 1 1/2 degrees and I have heard that some builders build to 0 and 0 for inverted reasoning . I have very little Small Biplane experience so I up for all opinions on what I'm trying to accomplish , from those that have been there . Remember , We are talking Smith MiniPlane here with a Continental O-200 . No comepitition intended . Thanx Dennis
 

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