Staib LB-2

The Staib LB-2, also called the Little Bastard, Little Bit and The Monster, is a homebuilt aircraft design of Wilbur Staib. It once held the title as the "worlds smallest monoplane".[1]

LB-2
Role Homebuilt aircraft
National origin United States
Designer Wilbur Staib

Design and development

Wilbur Staib (1914-1993) was a self-taught aircraft designer from Diamond, Missouri. Staib served as a flight instructor during the Second World War at Chanute, Kansas flying PT-14s. Staib designed and built five different "LB" (Little Bastard) aircraft and a helicopter, of which several had the title "world's smallest" at their time of construction. Staib flew his aircraft in airshows with the title "The Diamond Wizard".[2]

The LB-2 is a single engine low-wing, open cockpit monoplane with conventional landing gear. LB-2 was the considered the "World's Smallest Monoplane" when built to take the title from Ray Stits 8 ft (2.4 m) span aircraft. The wing section was adapted from a Piper Cub airfoil.[3]

Operational history

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.[3][4]

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 spring wing ribs with Taylorcraft airfoil sections. The aircraft cruised at 125 mph (201 km/h) 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.[1][3]

Variants
Staib LB-3
Biplane built from fuselage of the LB-2
Staib LB-5
"Little Bit" Volkswagen powered variant. One on display at the Mid-America Air Museum.[5]

Specifications (Staib LB-1)

Data from Air Trails

General characteristics

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 140 kn (160 mph, 260 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 130 kn (150 mph, 240 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 100 kn (120 mph, 190 km/h) est.
  • Endurance: 1 h

References
  1. Experimenter. December 1955. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. "Wilbur Staib". Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  3. Gene Smith (Winter 1971). "A Diamond Rotorcraft in the Rough". Air Trails: 37.
  4. "World's Smallest". Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  5. "Little Bit". Retrieved 16 January 2012.
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