sharbold

Anyone building the Turbinator-E? My plans should be here this week.

Sam

DREAMER-RCU

No, but my Reaction 54 as an electric is almost finished (reduced size 82%, for 4.5" fan).

KingCobra

My Feedback: (17)

I'm planning on building one. Nick was at our field here in NY with his on 7/4. Flew both electrics (as well as his turbine). Placed my order for the plastic at that time. I plan on building mine for bungee launch to save weight. I saw the prelim photos on the MAN website (RCZone), and called in my order for the plans as soon as I got the September issue (maybe 7/1?). Originally, no one at RC Store could find any record of the plan being offered. I posted the question as to availablity on RC Zone and an e-mail from MAN exec. editor on July 3 informed me the plans were now available. I called again on 7/3, placed the order and was told the delivery time was 4-6 weeks!! Can you believe it? It's been 2 weeks now and still no plans. Don't know when you ordered yours, but your timeframe sounds optimistic versus what I was told. By the way, Nick said Schulman in Florida would be kitting or ARFing this plane.

HeliTB

I may have to get kit or ARF after seeing them in the MAN. Is there a video link to this thing flying? If so, can you post it.

sharbold

KingCobra

I must have ordered my plans about the same time as you. I guess I was being optimistic at getting them in a week. The day I ordered my plans they pulled the money from my checking account I just assumed they were shipping my plans. I guess they just want to work off of my money for the next 6 weeks. I will post when I receive my plans.

What fan and motor are you planning on using?

Because we have a grass field I am planning on bungee launching mine.

Sam
http://www.rcairplanephotos.com

KingCobra

My Feedback: (17)

Hi Sam. You are right; it shouldn't take them any more than 7-10 days to get the plans printed and in our hands, but when you call RC Store, you get some place that only takes orders, and then they send them on to the warehouse where they get filled at some point and it doesn't seem promptness is a priority. I'm sure my credit card got charged that same day the order was placed!! I'm going to use an inexpensive 70mm fan/motor combo which my neighbor sourced from Hobby City. We've tested it with a 4-cell 3250 mAh battery and saw 700W at a 45A draw on my watt meter. Should be sufficient. I've started working on a GWS A-4 Skyhawk, and I'm putting that same fan/motor in that as a testbed for performance and durability of the unit. If it proves unreliable, I'll probably go to the HET 6904 fan with an appropriate motor (to be decided) for the same power level. I think the article says Nick used both a Wemotec and an HET fan in his two planes. I do remember he was using a 4-cell 2000 mAh pack which gave good speed for short but spirited flight times. Hope our plans arrive soon so we can start cutting wood!! By the way, our club field is grass too, but not real thick. Nick took off and landed from the field with the model with wheels.

HeliTB, as fas as I know the only three flying examples are Nick's two planes and Shulman's prototype. I checked Shulmanaviation.com to see if they were announcing the forthcoming offering, but didn't see anything. I don't know of any videos of the plane flying, but I did see it fly and it was fast, smooth and well behaved.

CC

cooper998

I ordered my plans on the 7th and expected them in a weeks time (yeah I know "foolish me"), I called and checked on my order this past Friday and was told their order for plans only go in when they have enough for a decent sized order, in other words they don't do their own printing. I was given a time frame of four to six weeks! I am seriously considering canceling my order especially since the retracts called out in the article are not even available yet from Robart!

I am a big supporter of Nicks work having built several planes from his plans, I just wish he would have dealt with a reputable magazine instead of MAN or even better sell his plans direct.

cooper998

KingCobra

My Feedback: (17)

Then what are they waiting for, Cooper??? I requested 4 different sets of plans when I placed my order! It doesn't surprise me that MAN has contracted this service out to some other company, but they should be aware of how they are treating the MAN customers. In regards to the retracts, a club buddy placed an order at the beginning of the year for a set of Robart retracts to retrofit to his Nosen P-51, and it took'em 4 or 5 months to get them made and to him. I looked at the 601P set back in Feb. and the same info was there then indicating they were in development. As an alternative, you might try Spring Air 602 series (http://www.retracts.com/Retrax_600.htm) which is for 1-4 lb planes. Complete system is $150. Or HET offers a mini retract set for jets for $140 (http://www.highendrc.com/index_ecat.php?cPath=16) for up to 3Kg planes.

I also noticed you live in Newark, DE. I lived there from '89-2000. Worked for Dupont Ag until Uncle Dupy tossed a large percentage of us researchers to chase biotech (a dismal failure!!) But in the 10+ yeares I lived there, I don't recall ever seeing an article in the Wilmington paper about Warbirds Over DE. Consequently, it wasn't until I got to NY (the Tax'em to Death State) that I got into RC planes. Funny thing was when I joined one of my club (The Lazy Eight) in 2001, Nick was a member of that club and at the field frequently. Early on someone said Nick Ziroli was a member of the club and I replied "Nick who???" Now I have a Skyraider project ongoing in my basement.

I'll wait it out for my plans, but I may have to write a letter to the editor informing MAN about the lack of promptness of delivery of items to paying customers.

CC

cooper998

KingCobra,
Like two ships passing, I left New york and you went there!
Looks like I will be putting this project on the backburner for now, too many other projects.
Nick is a great designer and I have built several planes from his plans including a P-51, P-47, two Zeros (I like Zero's) a Beech D-18 and soon to hit the bench is B-25 number two.


cooper998

ByronRC

My Feedback: (2)

sharbold, Just wondering if you're gonna do a build thread.

KingCobra

My Feedback: (17)

Well, my Turbinator-E plans arrived today. 3-Weeks for delivery; wow!! But to top it off, I had ordered (and paid for) two sets so a club buddy could have one, and MAN only sent one set of plans. I called the RC Store customer service and complained emphatically. Know what they said? They would put the request in for the missing plans, but could take up to 3 weeks to get it!! Can you believe it????

Anyone else get their plans?

CC

sharbold

I received my plans today also. Now I can start inputting the parts into CAD so that the cutting can begin.

ByronRC

Yes I am planning on doing a build thread.

Sam

ByronRC

My Feedback: (2)

sharbold, Are you taking the CAD drawings to a cutting service? I can't wait for your build, I ordered a set a couple of days ago. Have you decided what hardware your going to use?

Can anyone tell me what MAN issue the build article is in?

sharbold

ByronRC

The build article is in the September issue of MAN.

I have a CNC machine so I will be doing my own cutting. As for the hardware I have attached a pdf file of the hardware I am planning on using. I have decided to go with retracts and would like to use the Robart retracts but in talking with Robart this week they can not tell me when they will have them ready for production. So depending on how fast my build proceeds ( work tends to get in the way[>:] ) If the Robarts aren't available when I am ready I will try the units I have listed on the attached pdf unless I get a better suggestion.

Sam

cooper998

sharbold,
what battery? the 2w-20 is meant to run on 4 cell lipo.
I am contemplating a similar setup but with an ARC motor (haven't decided what kv yet) Castle 80 and the same minifan.
After seeing Nicks fly at WOD I am sure I can get mine off our grass strip.
Also you may want to consider adding a short 3~4" thrust tube behind the fan to increase the velocity out from the fan

cooper998

ByronRC

My Feedback: (2)

sharbold Thanks for the info. I look forward to the build

KingCobra

My Feedback: (17)

Hey Sam, a CNC cutting machine??? Wow. it's nice to be able to afford such toys. I'm doing mine the old fashion way. Nice choices on your equipment. Just to toss it out there, unless you're wanting the optic isolation feature on the ESC to help minimize potential noise/interference, the new E-Flite 60A ESC is claimed to have a switching BEC circuit which is supposed to be able to handle the voltage you would probably be using and it will provide 3-3.5A for the servos. I think it is around $85. And the Turnigy 60A ESC also has a switching BEC feature. I've seen that ESC used in some other 70mm fan projects on forums, and that's what I'm going to use. My neighbor got it for me somewhere for ~$45. I checked 2 hobby shops today for the 3/8" aluminum wing tube and neither had it; may have to order it. CC

sharbold

cooper998
I am planning on using an FMA 4 cell 3300 20C battery. I will look into adding a thrust tube to the plane. I was not able to make WOD this year. I sure would have like to see the Tubinator flying. By the way I've seen some of you photos from WOD and they are great. I like to fiddle with taking some photos also. I am not real good at it but just the same I do enjoy it. Sorta like flying I am not real good at that either maybe if I didn't divide my between taking photos and flying and just do one I would be a little better at it. Here is a link to some of my photos.
http://www.rcairplanephotos.com

KingCobra
My wife and I own a custom millwork business so we purchased the CNC for the business. So as a side benefit I get to cut airplane parts out. Thanks for the heads up on the E-Flite ESC I will have to take a look at it. Save a few $ plus I won't have to add a stand alone BEC. I haven't checked for the wing tube yet maybe tomorrow I will stop by the local Hobby Shop and see what they have.

Anyone going to the Liberty Bell Jet Rally next weekend? I am planning on going up on Saturday for the day.

Sam

KingCobra

My Feedback: (17)

I was examining the plans again today, and I noticed it calls for 1/8" ply for all of the fuse formers. Wondering if that isn't a bit overkill, and 1/16" would work just as well and cut some weight too. And in regards to the thrust tube, the plan has the fan unit right at the back of the fuse, so to append a 3-4" thrust tube it seems you would have to fabricate a support for it dropping down from the tail boom. Actually, it looks like there would be enough room in the fuse forward the fan that you might could move the fan forward and keep the thrust tube internal. But who am I to think about re-engineering a Ziroli plan. Besides, I've seen it fly and it seems fast enough for my old eyeballs and reflexes. What I don't recall seeing on the plan is the small central fin on the lower front of the fuse that Nick used to bungee launch the plane. CC

cooper998

ok, finally received my plans today!
I was just about to cancel my order when the postman shows up with a well worn manila envelope with the plans inside.
I most likely will start cutting a couple of kits later this month (always need a spare!) and work on obtaining some retracts in the meantime.

Is anyone working on theirs yet?

cooper998

gsartz

I asked Nick about the bungee hook. Here is the info and picture he sent:

Attached is a photo of the launch hook / skid on my Turbinator-E. It is 1/4" plywood and the location is not to critical.
I'll be working away for all of August. Nick Ziroli

KingCobra

My Feedback: (17)

I'm still prepping my patterns and need to get some more lite ply before I start cutting anything. Couple of RC events on weekends have impeded my activity on the subject. I got an e-mail from laser-design-services.com offering to laser cut the parts for me. No specifics (such as price). I've checked a couple more hobby shops for the aluminum wing tube with no success. I may think about substituting a carbon arrow shaft which I can pick up readily and inexpensively.

gsartz: thanks for the picture of the bungee hook! I had seen Nick's plane so I had a fading mental image of how it was configured, but the pic helps! CC

limeybob

My Feedback: (6)

Nick is letting me cut the laser parts, so if you are interested please send me a PM.
don't want to get too commercial here.
bob

Shok

My Feedback: (28)

We have them available right now

http://laser-design-services.com/turbinator-e.html

LJE4357

My Feedback: (74)

We also are laser cutting the Turbinator-e. After making a test run, I found that almost all the parts are off on the cut sheet. F-5 is way out, actually unusable. I am now redrawing all the cut parts on Sheet 2. I also am providing a short kit of all the cut parts on sheet 2, along with the canopys for $75. I also make the retracts specifically for the Turbinator-E. The mains are 85 degree, and the nose gear is plate mount. They drop right in place oft Robarts, no changing is required. The retracts are $ 150 and come with all the support hardware. This offer is only available if you purchase the short kit at the same time. Interested partys can contact me at [email protected] or call at 407-381-8060






Larry E.
SouthEast Model Products
Orlando, Fl.