Mike Connor

My Feedback: (5)

The first link Bob posted is a 40 Patriot with a 90LX video. My doppler program showed 146 mph in level flight after a dive. It was taken at the 1:52 mark.

buzzingb

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks Mike that sounds about right at 146mph and I can say you all have made a believer out of me. I would also go with the 50 or 60 now that all this has been clarified.

bob27s

My Feedback: (19)

Thanks mike.....

Grodus

Buzzingb,
I installed a set of Hobbico mechanical retracts in a Patriot ,12 or more years ago. I think the set was $39.99. Mains are operated by a retract servo and the nose by the cheapest std servo. I am still flying this airplane and I have hundreds of flights off both grass and pavement (mostly grass) . The gear have NEVER failed to extend or retract.
Dependable retracts can be put in this plane for less than $100. Its well worth it.

BTW. I had intended to sell the patriot and all my other glow planes to help offset the cost of my first turbine, but I dont think I can part with it. And after putting a bubbleless 12oz tank in, with an OSVF 46 , its just about the most trouble free plane i could hope for.

Cody

buzzingb

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for that report Cody. I was under the impression that Hobbico retracts wouldn't hold up, so I was pricing some of the more expensive ones. I may give Hobbico retracts a try on my next project.

bob27s

My Feedback: (19)

Hobbico gear are not too bad... I have them in my P-51. Not too bad of a value in the long run... 6 years of service so far.

A few other companies sell essentially the same retracts, for about the same price.

I also like the Cirrus retract servos - they were on sale once for something around $20, and I bought a few.

Dave Brown, B&D mechanicals are very good as well. I am not a big fan of Robart.

Methanolover

Hi !

Yes, this is the Patriot .40 . And the only vid I've got on it so far. The engine did not perform at it's best here and had not "loosened up" yet, and was set at the rich side on needle setting as I unfortunately had some really lean flights on it; the front tank rotated and twisted it's pressure-line. So it had to broken in again.

The planes take off's and vertical performance is much better than the Rossi .53 it had before. So I will, when the engine "comes alive" again, cut an 12x12 prop down to 9,75 or 9,5 inches....
As I like building , I really enjoyed this conversion to the .90 JETT
It is now hanging in the garage ceiling, waiting for the spring to come. If it's not foggy or misty[:@], our grassfield is a frozen retract's-killer....

MC all Bro's!!

buzzingb

My Feedback: (2)

Methanollover, did you lengthen the fuse rear to get the CG to balance? If not how do you think it would work? With the 46 I have on my Patriot it is nose heavy and know the larger engine would be too heavy. Would you recomend the 50/60 engine for the Patriot over the 90?

Methanolover

buzzingb ,
fuze was not lengthen aft. However, 5 cell 1800 mAh NiMh inside a tail cone built to accomodate them. To ensure these cells dont fall off [X(] they are secured around a 3/4" CF-tube glued into the two aft formers.
F1 is moved back 3/4" ,that was what nose leg permitted, If one move it more, it would need cutouts in F2 and the wing for the wheel. I should have done that , so that all that awful lead (over 3 Oz, needed to balance it could have been taken off.

Personally I had a great time in my shop doing all these mods, And, the .90LX is a brutal beast [sm=shades_smile.gif]

But I beleive most will be more than satisfied with the .60LX !!

Mark 5

Methanolover,that is one beautiful Patriot, great job!!! It is a very good flier. What does it weigh? I also had to do some modifications on mine.Here are a few pictures of my Patriot with a YS60.

Methanolover

Thank's Mark5 !

Yours looking great too!! Almost as good as your Patriot-holder there!!

My P. weighs 7,7 Ibs[sm=tired.gif]
but flies great anyway! Rather easy to land, even with no flaps.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_51..._2/key_/tm.htm

buzzingb

My Feedback: (2)

So far the 40 size fuselages that I have lengthened have worked very well and were easy to do. It seems like the proper length for a 40 sized plane that is receiving a 90 motor is about the length of a similar 60 size fuselage or about 3 inches or so. It seems to me that it counteracts the torque of the larger engine better and makes the plane track better in the air. The reason I started lengthening the fuselage was to prevent adding lead to get the CG balanced but had never thought of the other positive side effects. I haven't seen any negative effects of lengthening the fuse but mostly I just sport fly. I feel that I have learned a lot here discussing this topic of overpowering the Patriot and will continue to check back in occasionally. Methanollover, when the weather warms and you get back out flying give me an update on the Patriot 40 with the Jett90. Oh well it isn't for everyone but if you tend to overpower your planes you might want to give it a try someday.

LGM Graphix

My Feedback: (22)

The plane looks good, but at the risk of sounding negative, why didn't you put the tail fairings on? They're not just cosmetic, they add a great deal of support to the fin. Without those fairings you lose a lot of strength in the back end. They're not hard to build, just the solid balsa blocks and some sanding. They look good, decrease drag, and add a huge amount of support to the fin. It might not seem like a big deal, but fin/rudder flutter is quite common on fast airplanes. It might not be doing it yet, but eventually I'd be concerned that it will.
I'd make a set and glue them in if it were me.
Just my 2 cents.

hummingbird111

i did put the tail fairings on now,, i just wanted to do it last because i was afraid the plane would come out nose heavy- and it did, so i put the weights under the plastic for balance, i flew the patriot again for the second time again, and the plane flys straight and true, very fast too, lots of vertical.. , i will soon get the Jett 90 for this bird and rock the house

LGM Graphix

My Feedback: (22)

They have plastic fairings now? They must have changed the kit, they used to be balsa blocks that you carved, I'm guessing they changed the mounting of the fin from the one I had years and years and years ago, diregard my statement then

rmenke

My Feedback: (13)

Buzz:

Yea, your my kind of guy!! Through the years, you occasionally run into something unusual and outstanding that somehow just did not catch on and be converted to the ARF. Being older than dirt, thats a lot of airplanes. Bob will tell you that there are several quick pattern planes out there that will scoot. One of the best, IMHO is the old DC Connection kit "Tsunami" I have had 5 of them over the years, most all died in racing our club "Open class". The last one was close to five years old before a gear failure killed it. In addition to being unusually fast, it is the best flying bird overall that I have ever ever had. It never saw a outstanding engine like a Jett, but was sill the thing to beat with a Irving 53 for yeas, Jett pipe. With fixed gear, pizza wheels, top end is arount 130. There is another Kit, now from "Juno" under the bench that I hope to build this winter and be able to fly next summer if I am still physically able. Age and physical abuses to the old bod through the years is catching up to me. Am thinking, a bay or two off the wing, retracts and a Jett 60LX should get it close to up to snuff with the current flock we'r racing against, and still do a IMA pattern very well. ENJOY

proptop

My Feedback: (8)

I'm in the process of building an XL for a friend...we're putting a Jett .90 in it...but I'm waiting for the Lado electric retracts he ordered....
I will be replacing the plastic vert. fin fairings with balsa.
It's gonna be a nice airplane...and I think a little lighter than usual w/ the Lado's?

hummingbird111

now that i am finished with the 60 size patriot,,, i am also in the process of building the patriot but it's the .40 size,, can anyone tell me about the wing brace/spar,,? is this the only spar i get to join the two wing halves together? this doesn't seem like it's long enough?[X(] see the picks.

Methanolover

Correct! It's about it. Along with the FG-reinforcement over the two wing-half's joining area.
The joint will never go apart! I've tried....

hummingbird111

Ok thanks, it seems like i have read a thread somewhere how someone rigged up another type of brace that was supposedly more safer looking,, but if you have tried yours and it's ok,, then thanks , i shall continue my build ,.[sm=teeth_smile.gif]

SpeedBoy

Hi hummingbird :
I made a piece of the size double to join the wings, and to guarantee greater reinforcement , personally I not take the risk only putting the piece that you show .

Single curiosity, what engine you are going to put in that patriot???

hummingbird111

Yes , i had considered making some kind of extra reinforcement brace, the piece in the picture looks small , i have a new in the box sport jett 50 for the engine, i will be using a 9x9 apc prop,or 9x 7 apc, ,.



---------VAROOM!!!!!------->

SpeedBoy

Good engine [sm=thumbs_up.gif]

I hope that you show us that patriot when you finish it

hummingbird111

yes i shall post some picks when i finish,, here are some build picks i finally got the right side retract in,, working on the left wing now..

SpeedBoy

Hey hummingbird111 how you go with the building ??? any advance , pics ???