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The Pitts 12 is a two-seat, single-engined biplane built using fabric covered welded steel tubing for the fuselage, and fabric covered wings with wood spars.
The leading edge is made of formed plywood. The landing gear is solid aluminum. Starting in 1993, the Model 12 was designed by master builder Curtis Pitts of
Pitts Special fame, but there are some big differences between the Pitts Special and the Model 12. The Pitts Special line ran on standard piston engines.
The big Model 12 was designed around a growly, round Russian radial, the 360-hp Vedeneyev M-14P/PF engine. Pitts presented his completed design on his 80th birthday in
December 1995. The Pitts Model 12, also known by its nicknames 'Bolshoi','Macho Stinker', 'Pitts Monster' is a high performance aerobatic biplane. The aircraft can be
built from plans or as a kitplane, or can be bought ready-to-fly from the factory. Jim and Kevin Kimball of Zellwood, Florida, have been selling Model 12 plans and kits
since 1997. More than a hundred of the aerobatic biplane are either under construction or have been completed and a number of people have purchased plans.
Of the Pitts
Special, known as the most ubiquitous aircraft flown in amateur aerobatic competition, were several versions built.
Pitts main versions
- Pitts S-1 — took its first flight in September 1944. It was first popularized by aerobatic performers Betty Skelton and Caro Bayley in the 1940s and 1950s.
- Pitts S-1 — basic single-seat Pitts aerobatic biplane with a flat M6 aerofoil section and lower wing ailerons only, fitted with a variety of engines.
- Pitts S-1C — Amateur-built S-1 single-seat aircraft, flat bottom wing with ailerons on lower wing only, designed for 100–180 hp engines. First flown in 1960, is available as a plans-built aircraft from Steen Aero Lab.
- Pitts S-1D — Amateur-built S-1C with ailerons added on all four wings, generally similar to S-1S.
- Pitts S-1S — Aerotek-built certified S-1C for competition aerobatics, round airfoil section, four ailerons, and powered by a 180 hp Lycoming AEIO-360-B4A. 61 built. This model is also available from Aviat Aircraft as a plans-built aircraft.
- Pitts S-1T — Aerotek-built S-1C with a 200 hp Lycoming AEIO-360-A1E and minor changes; 64 built. Four-aileron, single-seat, symmetrical wing, symmetrical ailerons, constant speed two-blade or three-blade Hartzell propeller. The top wing was moved forward compared to the S-1S for weight and balance.
- Pitts S-1T Raven — Amateur-built S-1T with Raven Factory built wings; powered by a 260 hp Lycoming AEIO-360-A1E.
- Pitts S-2 — Scaled up S-1 with tandem two-seat fuselage and powered by a 200 hp Lycoming AEIO-360-B4A piston engine.
- Pitts S-2A — Aerotek-built two-seat version of the Pitts Special, similar to the single-seat S-1 in basic configuration and construction, but slightly larger in overall dimensions, with no attempt at commonality or components. The S-2A is fitted with a 200-hp Lycoming IO-360-AIA engine, driving a Hartzell two-blade metal constant-speed propeller with spinner.
- Pitts S-2B — Aerotek-built S-2A with a 260 hp Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5 engine, upper wing auxiliary fuel tank, the landing gear and upper wings were moved forward six inches.
- Pitts S-2C — Four aileron, two-seat, factory-built, symmetric airfoil, 260 hp Lycoming driving constant speed three-blade propeller; evolution of the S-2B model, with improved ailerons and rudder, flat bottom fuselage, lower profile bungee gear, better inverted handling, and certified for +6 -5g. In production by Aviat Aircraft
- Pitts S-11 — became the S1-11B. It increased the previous Pitts S1 models' 180-200hp engine to 300+, and is is known as the "Super Stinker".
- Pitts S-12 — known as the "Macho Stinker" was built around the Vedeneyev M14P/FP 360hp radial engine. It's also known as the "Bolshoi" and "Pitts Monster".
- Pitts S-14 — has a short 21.5 feet wingspan with a straight upper wing; uses the Vedeneyev M14P/FP 360hp radial engine as powerplant.
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Pitts Model 12 s/n 131 was built by Chatman Ira Douglas out of a kit manufactured by Jim Kimball Enterprises. On 24 July 2004,
the amateur-built Pitts Model 12 was certified airworthy and registered N75WU in the USA. In 2011, the N75WU was sold in Switzerland
and registered with Aircraft Guaranty Corp Trustee on 2 May 2011. In 2020, the aircraft was sold in Germany, and transferred to the
new owner in July 2020. Since, Pitts Model 12 N75WU is based at Flugplatz Koblenz-Winningen.
On 12 May 2022, Pitts Model 12 N75WU
was seen at its home airfield Koblenz-Winningen (EDRK).
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Pitts S-12 is PTMS. |
