Well I got to fly my Patriot some more this weekend. Without changing the pipe length I tried the 10x7 prop & peaked at 16000 rpm, the 10x8 prop peaked at 15000 rpm. The pipe now is 13 ¼ inches long measured with a length of solder from the glow plug, along the centerline of the header & pipe to the back of the widest part of the pipe where it starts to taper back down. With the 10x8 prop it would seem to load up at about 13000 rpm on the ground & wouldn’t go any higher, but if I throttled back down & revved it up a couple of times then went to full throttle it would jump past this 13000 barrier & rev up to 14400 where I have the NV set. I think this is the point where it jumps on the pipe. Put 8 flights on it this way with no problems other than trying to slow her down for landings. Still have the OS A3 plug with about 12 flights on it with no burnouts. I was expecting it to fly a bit slower with the 10x8 vs. 9x8 since the 10x8 is unloading to about 15000 rpm vs. the 9x8 at 17000 rpm but she flew every bit as fast with the 10x8 & shortened the take off roll to about 125 feet off grass. Had the LHS order the 9x9 prop, should get them in a couple of days & should be able to test again next weekend. If this is the most speed I can get out of her I’ll be happy as she is really hauling right now, there is a slight howling I believe is from the nose retract cavity catching wind. I kept all linkages as tight as possible, hinge gaps as small as possible & sealed the hinge gaps. As yet even in power dives she is rock solid with no hint of flutter.
