Crazy4Flight

My Feedback: (540)

I did the turbine thing what a rush....

Even Modified a Kangaroo Jet with Canards

Leroy Gardner

Guess I'll join ya, just ordered the Tiger ( Tower Hobby, $139 and free shipping, could'nt find a coupon ) will be in north Idaho on the 9th. Coming off a TF 1/5 mustang build this will be a change of pace for me, been looking at it for awhile now. I'll probably bash it some, tail dragger, coweled engine, wheel pants and so on. This guy presents a number of options you can do to it pending how you want to fly it. Many good ideas in this thread and it looks like I will have some company as several of you are sitting on the kit and it's building time of year.

Lets all have some fun with the building, take our time ( got all winter ) and build some cool planes Leroy

SteveMuzzleflash

I've secured the parts Ineed to get the old OS engine Ihave on the Tiger in place of the Thunder Tiger.
I call it the ****ty tiger because it just doesn't run for me at all. I'm afraid to throttle back or idle and if Idon't fix this engine problem I'm going to lose my love for this tiger.

I have just acquired a P-51, .40 size model with a .65 K&B and it's a hoot. My friend says that after seeing me fly the P-51 he'd never touch the Tiger again. Idisagree, the Tiger flies very smooth and is easier to fly overall. I don't have to "worry" whenI fly it and if it dead sticks Iknow Ican glide it down. Ihope the engine swap makes it reliable. Trying different props helped out too.But that ****tyTiger is just, well its ****ty.

So now that Ihave the old engine sort of ready to go... let's hope the holes on the mount line up and all that good stuff. I hope to get some pics/video up of the changes. If all goes well I'd like to follow what some of you all are doing and invert the engine and put a cowl on it. I like the idea of clipping the wing but Ithink I would want to keep the dihedral because the plane is a feather and not every plane in my airforce needs to be lightninig. I want to make it the best that it can be, but not what it wasn't meant to be.

jkr_1100

My Feedback: (15)

This will be like an ARF compared to your TF P51 build. the way it goes together is very smart.

jkr_1100

My Feedback: (15)

this will be a fun build. almost like an ARF compared to your TF P51 build.

just saw one go at the swap for $100 with engine and all servos. this was an ARF though.

SteveMuzzleflash

Is it better to mount my replacement engine on its side, or inverted?  I'd like to deflect the exhaust down away from the wings.  If I mount it inverted I'll have to reroute the throttle cable to the other side - but what about the fuel tank?  I can't think of a way to change how its located.  I need more info on an inverted engine setup for the tiger.    Thanks.

Twin_Flyer

My Feedback: (4)

Mount it anyway you want, it won't affect how it flies.

If you mount it sideways you will have to trim the cheek on one side for it to fit.

I see no reason to mount it inverted. A hard landing will scuff up the head or worse, break fins or the glow plug.

You could also make a balsa cowl and enclose it for looks...

http://www.rcmplans.com/issues/reque...-092000-1.html

As for the tank, maybe a simple trim of the bulkheads will allow it to be in the right spot?

Bill S.

Leroy Gardner

jkr 1100 glad you started this thread, I added it to my favorits list as well as 2 others but I'll do my posts here. There is a ton of info on this build and I like the many options. Un like the mustang this will be an easier to manage plane for me. At 72yr's I need to slow down some but I also know the Tiger can be one if you have the mind to go there. I really like the looks of it but mine will not be finished in the traditional theme, much to do before I get there. Reading up on it's traits and balancing issues sets the mind a working and I like to always be ahead of the build, in this case, ahead of the kit delivery, ha ha. I'm going to need a nice set of sport gear for it, wheel pants and want a light but good tail wheel assembly for it so appreicate any reference to look for it. Also thinking gas, perfer the power over weight even though I may never use it.

Just giving you some thoughts of things this old guy is planning, what say you Leroy

Leroy Gardner

Hi guy's, today I recieved my Tiger 60 kit and when I opened it up I found all was in good condition except the canopy is not clear instead it has a foggy mat look to it, is that what you are getting in your's ? All the picts I've seen of this kit including pict. on box showes a clear canopy so what gives. Leroy

I'll call factory tomorrow and ask them the same question. the plane would look alot better with a clear canopy. If you put a pilot in it it's not going to look very good. Bummer if I'm stuck with it.

camsbad

Leroy,
That conopy has a plastic film coating on it, if you work real hard it will come off and the canopy will be clear. It is a tedious process but yes,the plastic coating comes off to reveal a clear canopy.

thailazer

Tedious is right! I remember it taking a long time to find an edge to start from.

hairy46

My Feedback: (1)

Got my retracts in this week for my tiger and this weekend off should be fun.

nh4clo4

My Feedback: (33)

You can use a piece of tape to start to lift the film off the canopy. Mine is the same way. Hope to start Thanksgiving weekend.

Leroy Gardner

'Hey" ever feel dumb, I do. I looked that thing over good and I could'nt find any film - then I read the little lable on it, duh ! anyway I scratched the heck out of one corner and sure enough there it was, great way to start a build, ding,ding,ding, thanks guys

Now all I gota do is order a DLE20 for it and then I can get serious, "I'll be bock". Leroy

SteveMuzzleflash

Tiger Dilema:
So Itook off the Thunder Tiger and my OS doesn't line up with the existing mount. I need tomake it morenarrow by a few milimeters. There's no way I'm moving blind nuts that distance. I'm going to need to craft something to get my OS engine on this plane. This is an old OS that goes back to my childhood and Ireally want to see it on this Tiger. And my Thunder Tiger doesn't run well at all.

So since it didn't line up Iwent ahead and cleaned up the ThunderTiger and put it back on to try it one more time. I replaced two o-rings for the needle valve and the carb neck where it seats against the engine. It's tight. It doesn't spit fuel everywhere like it did before. I thought Ihad it running good. But she dead sticked on me... as Iwas about to abort a landing... forcing me to land way over speed. Ipulled a greaser and she rolled forever and still had enough force to break a prop on impact with the tall grass at the end. IAMDONEwith that ThunderTiger.

So... what is the best method toadjust for the size difference of the mounting holes?
The ThunderTiger is wider than the OS. Ineed to bring it in a hair.
Shims? If so who makes them?

This plane flies great but the unreliable engine is killing me.

bikerbc

I wonder if you could drill the motor mount mounting to the firewall holes out one size to give you a little slack then put washers on the bolts...Would that give you enough? Also there is those mounting clamps that sandwitch the motor beams onto the mount instead of bolting it... I dont really like them but they seem to work...I think the Nexstar has it OS46 held on That way.... Just a thought...Dont blame you for wanting to dump a poor running motor..Tiger deserve better than that... what kind of mount do you have? Is it fiber or metal? Another Idea...Could you make a horseshoe that fits your new motor and then drops into the old mount ? It would raise your motor up about 1/4" but that wont hurt anything...You could make it out of aluminum...

SteveMuzzleflash

Iwas thinking about the shims and your "horseshoe" ideais really what would be better than two wafers on their own.

The mount is fiber and its drilled wider than Ineed it to be for the OS engine. If Ihold the OS to one side the other side won't grab at all.
A horseshoe would share the load and Ican leave the mount exactly where it is.

There's a machine shop up the street that makes parts for the car garage nearby. Those guys should be able to make me something.
What material do Ineed to make this mount-shoe out of? Steel? Aluminum? It's going to bolt through the fiber and raise the engine the thickness of the material.

thailazer

Steve... Rather than doing that, how about looking at all the aluminum and composite engine mounts that are available that fit your OS perfectly. Buy one, and then add new blind nuts on the fire wall, OR have the local machine shop slot the firewall holes so you can get it to fit. I would be looking to have the engine bedded perfectly in the mount, and then work on the firewall side to make it fit. Slots on the firewall end could let you move it to the perfect location if you can't put in new blind nuts.

SteveMuzzleflash

It is a two piece mount so to make the mount more narrow (to fit the OS) means Iwould have to move the blind nuts just a hair. Idoubt Icould do that without making a new firewall.Iwas hoping Iwouldn't have to do that. The existing mount is solid.

thailazer

Got it. If you were to elongate those existing holes and make them into horizontal slots, you could move the both mounts inward a bit. Question is if you have enough material on the sides to allow you to make the holes into slots.

jkr_1100

My Feedback: (15)

Woa, hold on too much work... do this,. Skin firewall with 1 64th inch ply..( or tape if you dont care about seeing old holes) fill existing holes , from behind, with epoxy. Redrill, new mount, done..


Ply on outside of course.

jkr_1100

My Feedback: (15)

Leroy Gardner #53


I think you will have a riot with a Tiger 60 with a DLE 20 on it. makes me want to build another.

I will post some build pics in a minute for you.

thailazer

Also a good idea. Steve: You can get the old blind nuts out easily with a soldering iron. Make sure you have good ventilation and stick the soldering iron tip inside the blind nut. Once it is hot it pulls out easy and you can fill in the holes with epoxy and microfill. I think you have a lot of options on what you can do.

jkr_1100

My Feedback: (15)

Tiger 60 build photos

SteveMuzzleflash

Wow great ideas.

There MIGHT be enough material on the engine mount to slot the holes and slide it over a hair. I would only have to do this to one side. Or do Ihave todo it to both sides to make it equal and balance? With this method I can use existing blind nuts, etc.

IFthat doesn't work then Iwill make a new setup like you guys suggested and cover the existing holes and just redo it. At that point I'll probably rotate the engine and get the exhaust down to keep the plane clean.