Mong MS1 Sport

The Mong MS1 Sport is an early original homebuilt biplane design from the 1950s. Over 400 sets of plans for the aircraft have been sold.[1]

Mong MS1 Sport
Role Homebuilt Biplane
National origin United States of America
Designer Ralph Mong
First flight May 1, 1953
Introduction 1953
Number built approximately 200[1]
Unit cost
approximately $1750 to build in 1971[2]
Variants Green Sky Adventures Micro Mong

Design and development

The first Mong Sport was built as a personal aircraft by the designer Ralph Mong, Jr, and plans for homebuilding were provided afterward, due to demand.[3]

The original biplane was built around a Continental A65 65 hp (48 kW) engine. The biplane has the unique feature of lift struts placed between the lower fuselage frame and the upper wing I strut attachment. The biplane did not require expensive, drag producing support wires, using steel tubing instead.[4] The fuselage is steel tube with aircraft fabric covering.[3]

Operational history

In the mid 1960s, a biplane class was added to the Reno Air Races. The Mong Sport met the basic qualifications, and has been extensively modified over the years by builders to be used as a biplane racer. In 1965, Bill Boland won with his "Boland Mong" at 148 mph and again in 1967 and 1970 with speeds of 151 mph and 177 mph respectively.[5] The Mongster won the 1968 Biplane class of the Reno National Championship.[6] Long Gone Mong won in 1987 and 1989. A highly modified Mong Phantom with carbon fiber wings won in 2006 with a speed of 251.958 mph,[7] and has recently raised the record to 284.454mph.

Variants
MS-1
MS-3[8]
Green Sky Adventures Micro Mong
An ultralight designed by Ed Fisher at the suggestion of Ralph Mong in 1993. In 1996 Ed Fisher acquired the rights to the Mong Sport aircraft.

Aircraft on display

A Mong Sport is on display at the Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum and the EAA AirVenture Museum.[3]

Specifications (Mong MS1 Sport)

Data from EAA

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m)
  • Wingspan: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m)
  • Height: 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
  • Wing area: 80 sq ft (7.4 m2)
  • Empty weight: 550 lb (249 kg)
  • Gross weight: 970 lb (440 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 16 US gallons (61 litres)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Continental A65 , 65 hp (48 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 100 kn (115 mph, 185 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 96 kn (110 mph, 180 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 43 kn (50 mph, 80 km/h)
  • Range: 350 nmi (400 mi, 640 km)
  • Service ceiling: 13,000 ft (4,000 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
gollark: Nooooo! My unrealistic automatic control system!
gollark: Seems overcomplicated, and I wouldn't be able to have my automatic control system use that.
gollark: What does your controller look like then?
gollark: Is that BONE?
gollark: I see.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References
  1. "Mong Sport Biplane". Retrieved 15 Feb 2011.
  2. Leo J. Kohn (Winter 1971). "The true cost of building your own plane". Air Trails: 63.
  3. "Mong MS1 Sport". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 15 Feb 2011.
  4. Air Trails Sport Aircraft: 70. Winter 1969. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. Philip Handleman. Air Racing Today: Heavy Iron at Reno. p. 110.
  6. Popular Science. September 1969. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. "Tom Aberle's Phantom". Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 15 Feb 2011.
  8. Air Trails: 80. Summer 1971. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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