Balsa Master

post anyting patriot related.

ill start with the set up i hope to use on my future patriot.

plan on doing a set up with fouler flaps door covers, the works planes gonna be a brick but it will be a cool brick
anyway, that jett 76 could muscle it into the air with no wings so i figure im safe lol (note that im not brave enough to mount the .90 up there...)

if anyone sees any problems with my set up or has any questions, feel free and please do bring them to my attention. this is the first time ive made any serious mods to a plane (aside from minor structural additions on a couple) theres some kits out there that seriously underestemate the value of the triangle...

i restarted this since my first attempt was some waht a flop (ok it was a big flop) ill keep this one on topic and not limit it to only pics. anyont who wants to talk patriot pipe up...

Razor-RCU

My Feedback: (50)

I'm down...

The mechanicals would probably be okay on good landings... I would choose Air if it were up to me- Spring Air actually...with the heavier set-up your shootin' for- should still be a missile...

The Jett-76 is a rear-exhaust which would need serious mods because of the firewall (Or are you gonna get the side exh. and the pic just happens to be a FIRE?) Be mindful of the prop. clearance if you end up swinging big-wood

I use Robart Scale-Wheels they are only about $10- and they look MUCH better than those others...They are harder rubber, have treads, and 2 diff. rim types- One guy on here used BVM Wheels (Alum.) and it looked awesome but $$

Servos seem fine- remember you can get similar servos for cheaper, they are called Hitec

Lastly the Hitec Eclipse is a great radio that will serve your needs for years- I use a 9C however [8D]

You got quite a set-up planned there... I LOVE it!

Razor-RCU

My Feedback: (50)

BTW- What color scheme are you gonna use?

CBRC-Tom3rd

Why go with retracts? I'm about to start on the wings but can't make up my mind which way to go. Retracts add weight and also those cutouts have got to add some drag for disrupting the airflow over the wing's surface but they raise the "cool factor" quite a bit. However, I can't help but wonder if they are all that much better than the fixed gear equipped with the thin racing type wheels similar to the ones on the Jett website.

decisions... decisions...

Razor-RCU

My Feedback: (50)

Depends on the goal I guess... A lighter Patriot (without retracts-) with a smoother belly, and missing intakes will be faster than my Fatso Patriot with Air Retracts, and flaps- But I like those features so some day I can get my turbine waiver with it or a DF/OS-91

Seems to me that after READING alot about speed planes on here- the Patriot is not actually that fast... The ducted fans I have flown were noticeably faster, and I am sure my Whiplash will be much faster also- Let alone the Q-500 types, F3D (that correct?) pylon guys that run Hopped up Nelsons and Jetts...maybe even a glider [X(]

If however, you want something 100+ with WHEELS (retracts especially-) that looks great in the air the Patriot is a wonderful plane...It will also KE all day- makes the transition to ducted fans or eventually turbines much smoother than going from a slower sport type plane-

Cheers

Balsa Master

if you take the inlets off its not really a patriot anymore though... sure its faster, but is it really a patriot?
maybe make them smaller, but i wouldent remove them. or make clear plastic covers so theres not that blunt edge.

if you put doors over the gear and use the hobico retracts above (since your plane will be much lighter than mine) it should still be low drag (note that having 2 metal rods hanging out the bottom of your plane is not what you would consider aerodinamic..

the cool factor is what makes it or breaks it isnt it?
i was still unesided on the covering, maybe another 3d flag (the one found here under tips)
or somthing with some noce pinstriped flames that are airbrushed on im still not sure.
figure i need to build it before relly worying about covering... ill look into the pnewmatic retracts though (how much eavier are they than the hoico?)

was figuring i could mount engine inverted and lead a tuned pipe under the fuse, will this not work? (im not sure on patriot dimentions so i dont relly no)

im not sure if id really want to land a plane this size at the speed it will be going w/o flaps on racing wheels, im theinking of a slipery landign with little control... but ive never used them so idunno, are they hard plasic or rubber?
i was originaly thinking of using the euro retracts that a couple people here mentioned as being good. but their site is almoast compleatly under construction and the spring airs have no pics of the full retract unit... (i like to see what i buy b4 i buy it) anyway, waht number springairs do u use? i think i remember someone saying 305's? maybe or somthing like it

banktoturn

CBRC-Tom3rd,

If you are after speed, you need low drag, and retracts will have much lower drag than fixed gear.

banktoturn

Balsa Master

thought i said that... not to mention, you cant build a patriot and not put retracts on it, all the other patriots would make fun of it... and it would never want to go into the air again and you would be foreced to lock it in the basment or move out of planet where they dont have retracts

ya no, im starting to think it would be faster to get a ticket and fly to the eruokit factory and order my retracts there rather than wait for their site to be fully updated to working order...
any one have an alternate vendor of eurokit retracts?

CBRC-Tom3rd

Gaaaak! You're right! Got the Jett .50 and a set of Spring Air retracts on the way for the plane now.

FLAPS... am thinking about using the stock aileron and lopping off a few inches to make the flaps work from the trailing edge of the wing. Will that work ok or should I plan on making the flaps hinge down from under the wing?

Razor-RCU

My Feedback: (50)

Jett-50? Spring-Air?

Sounds like a winner (and a bit familiar!)

Mine has the split flaps but I would think inboard flaps would work just as well-

james

seanreit

My Feedback: (60)

I guess it depends what DF y'all are talking about. I've owned over 10 patriots and I fly them routinely (have three flying right now). My fastest patriot is with a ys 45 no intakes with spring air retracts. It is much faster very noticeable than my Kangaroo Turbine jet with 18 lbs of thrust. Which then again is much much faster than my old DF F-15 and BD-5 and F-16.

Good Luck,

Sean

Taildrager-inactive

My Feedback: (11)

I have not ordered a Patriot yet, but could the wing ribs be cut down for a thinner faster wing & more speed. How about taking some weight out of it in the construction, how many ounces could be shaved by using contest grade wood, and other weight savings methods. The Jett 50 would be my choice of engine, as I don't see any better with a throttle. Thanks

FUZZ

I have my wing 95% finished "all framed up" just need to run the air lines. Im appx 70% done with the fuselauge. I went with a YS .45SE with a Macs tuned pipe, so I could add a larger tank above the wing area. This will be my 1st plane with retracts. I had to modify my tank floor in order to get my B&D pneumatic nose gear unit to fit, but all looks good so far. I wanted flaps too but kinda got a little lazy so I decided to just add an extra servo in the wing and just program in flaperon mixing. Im not 100% sure just yet but I think I'm gonna go with the USAF Thunderbirds scheme. I'll keep you guys up to date. I have to admit alot of you guys have helped with your suggestions. Some of the suggestions were kinda obvious that I just didnt see due to Cranial Flactulance, and still alot of others were very innovative. Well,..... Thanks so far,......

FUZZ

John A

This is how I put an OPS 40 RI/RE engine into my patriot. You can fudge the landing gear off to one side and get the tuned piped down the other. I built the cowl to cover everything up. The canopy didn't look right so I moved it to the front and enlarged the rudder to make up for it. Hobbico mechanicals. I can recommend you go to a six volt reciever pack, as it will bump up your retract servo to about 20% more power. Helps fight the airstream better. It's been finished since this picture, and I finally got a decent camera so I'll put some pictures up next week. The drop tanks (yep,funtional) are still in primer until I put a couple drops on them and see if they hold up. I've thrown them across the yard and they tumble well, so they should hit softly.

FUZZ

John A,

Thats a nice looking patriot,.....I look forward to hearing from you on how she flies. I think I will snap some shots of mine,....while its still in the bones.


FUZZ

Razor-RCU

My Feedback: (50)

Here is #3

Dave03B

John A, with that nose intake, it looks a bit like my A7!

eugene

I have built five Patriots over the years....three had fixed gear, with speed wheels, and a Webra Speed 50, no problem with a 9-9 APC prop, and very fast... built the last one with retracts, using the Magnum 50 with pipe, weighed 5#8oz. At speed it sounded like a high pressure air leak... alas , the cornfield grabbed it after a high speed stall coming out of a dive... some advice, dont cover it in aluminum... ask me how I know..

js3

My Feedback: (3)

Ok. How do you know?

eugene

Tooo far..too fast, disappeared in the sun and haze for an instant, thats all it took...in a split second, it was cuttin' the corn....

js3

My Feedback: (3)

I used to race against a guy who covered his plane in chrome monokote. I swear he was the only one who could see it. He did pretty well with it too. Perhaps the cut judges couldn't see it eather.

AWDEVO8

Does the Patriot come in an ARF? If so, where do I get one?

Dave03B

Convertable patriot. The MDS 58 hauls @$$! Made this mighty fast. Shame i cant be bothered to put the retracts in yet....... Kicks @$$ though at the moment!


Canopy tore off today.

Razor-RCU

My Feedback: (50)

Dave- Pretty good speed when parts of the aircraft decide to depart-

When my Patriot was still with us (Moment of silence here-) some times on takeoff, if I had to steer a little with the nosewheel, one of the tires on the mains would spin right off, leaving the plastic wheel in tact, and run off into the weeds... Never hurt anything just landed on 2 tires and one wheel-hub!

That just shows how fast that thing tracked down the runway with the Jett-50 I literalle wore out a set of nice tires doing nothing but taking off as straight as possible-

Razor-RCU

My Feedback: (50)

BTW- What prop you runnin' on the MDS-58 and what RPM you gettin'?