I thought I'd write up my opinions on the plans I've seen, with the hope that other people would do the same.
I didn't want to include exact prices, but here's a legend:
$ - under $200
$$ - $200-$400
$$$ - $500+
Cassutt (Hansen)
Price: $$
Detail: **
These plans total out to about 25 sheets, and include all the relevant detail you need for things like the core fuselage structure, wings, and controls, but no real details on finishing information, like firewall shape, seat structure, former position and shape, or fairings. You could build a Cassutt from these, but you would be working many details out from scratch. Some dimensioning doesn't add up, but it's mostly in places that don't matter (like rib gussets). I suspect that the vague parts are because these used to be sold with pre-made parts by Ib Hansen. Rights ownership seems to be up in the air currently, but I've heard that someone is working on modern plans to replace these.
Curtiss-Wright Junior
Price: $
Detail: *
Pages are blown out by frequent copying, and some pages no longer seem to exist. These plans could be used for repairing a Jr., or as inspiration for a Jr. style pusher, but you probably wouldn't end up with something matching the original aircraft exactly.
Pitts S-1S (Aviat)
Price: $$
Detail: ***
The Aviat Pitts plans feel like the gold standard for tube and fabric planes. Materials are all specified and modern, incorrect dimensions are few and far between, and all details are clearly provided. It's worth having a set of these plans if you are building any biplane, as they can help you understand what is missing from your plans, as well as possible ways to do the work.
Some items (wing fairings and engine baffles in particular) need to be done from scratch, as what's in the plans is listed without full dimensions. The plans still provide guidance, and any dimensions on these would probably be useless for a homebuilt aircraft.
Pou HM360/380 (Pontois)
Price: Free (http://pouguide.org/index.php?page=plans-hm360-380 / http://www.nestofdragons.net/flying-flea/english-mignet-plans-for-free/ )
Detail: **
These resemble the Cassutt plans, but with a 1930s French flair. The HM380 sections are sparse, but the HM360 sections are very usable. Pages are often over-crowded with parts, but things are reasonably dimensioned. Construction details are specified in the plans, but a copy of Mignet's book would probably help. The pages of brackets are really messy, and under-dimensioned, but should be usable.
Stampe SV.4 (French)
Price: $
Detail: ****
Detailed to the point of excess. Every item is individually drawn, and the plans run to hundreds of pages. It would be extremely difficult to turn these into an aircraft without both an example Stampe to work from, and a familiarity with French. The plans are full of beautiful draftsmanship, but the tendency to put every single item on it's own page and include multiple revisions of the same drawings makes them difficult to understand.
I didn't want to include exact prices, but here's a legend:
$ - under $200
$$ - $200-$400
$$$ - $500+
Cassutt (Hansen)
Price: $$
Detail: **
These plans total out to about 25 sheets, and include all the relevant detail you need for things like the core fuselage structure, wings, and controls, but no real details on finishing information, like firewall shape, seat structure, former position and shape, or fairings. You could build a Cassutt from these, but you would be working many details out from scratch. Some dimensioning doesn't add up, but it's mostly in places that don't matter (like rib gussets). I suspect that the vague parts are because these used to be sold with pre-made parts by Ib Hansen. Rights ownership seems to be up in the air currently, but I've heard that someone is working on modern plans to replace these.
Curtiss-Wright Junior
Price: $
Detail: *
Pages are blown out by frequent copying, and some pages no longer seem to exist. These plans could be used for repairing a Jr., or as inspiration for a Jr. style pusher, but you probably wouldn't end up with something matching the original aircraft exactly.
Pitts S-1S (Aviat)
Price: $$
Detail: ***
The Aviat Pitts plans feel like the gold standard for tube and fabric planes. Materials are all specified and modern, incorrect dimensions are few and far between, and all details are clearly provided. It's worth having a set of these plans if you are building any biplane, as they can help you understand what is missing from your plans, as well as possible ways to do the work.
Some items (wing fairings and engine baffles in particular) need to be done from scratch, as what's in the plans is listed without full dimensions. The plans still provide guidance, and any dimensions on these would probably be useless for a homebuilt aircraft.
Pou HM360/380 (Pontois)
Price: Free (http://pouguide.org/index.php?page=plans-hm360-380 / http://www.nestofdragons.net/flying-flea/english-mignet-plans-for-free/ )
Detail: **
These resemble the Cassutt plans, but with a 1930s French flair. The HM380 sections are sparse, but the HM360 sections are very usable. Pages are often over-crowded with parts, but things are reasonably dimensioned. Construction details are specified in the plans, but a copy of Mignet's book would probably help. The pages of brackets are really messy, and under-dimensioned, but should be usable.
Stampe SV.4 (French)
Price: $
Detail: ****
Detailed to the point of excess. Every item is individually drawn, and the plans run to hundreds of pages. It would be extremely difficult to turn these into an aircraft without both an example Stampe to work from, and a familiarity with French. The plans are full of beautiful draftsmanship, but the tendency to put every single item on it's own page and include multiple revisions of the same drawings makes them difficult to understand.
