RE: Reaction 54 Jet Kit
Yeah, John, I knew there would be guys "bummed" about not being able to bolt on a 18lb (or bigger) turbine, but I will have to live with that. I hope to be selling this kit ten years from now, and expect turbines to continually creep up in power. You are already seeing it in the 54 class. The norm used to be 11-12 lb, now it's 13-14. Wren is talking 18lb with its Mark III. Sorry, I have no plans on doing a larger version of the model.
Matt, no structural mods need to made as far as I can tell. On the Reaction 54, the turbine hangs externally from the fuselage tail boom, and the front of the engine is actually above the trailing edge of the wing to protect it from FOD. That vertical space was sized for the 54 class turbines, but there's just enough room for a P-70. The P70 is just a little heavier than the typical 54-class turbine, which means you have the extra weight of the turbine plus extra balance weight in the nose. It will probably require a custom mounting bracket which is not too big of a deal.
Ultimately, I think the P-60 is going to become a very popular choice for this bird.
Bruce Tharpe - BTE