rcguy!

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YUP...Mentioned it to Bruce the other dat. the Robart tanks are bigger in diameter than their specs. Mine was almost 2 3/8" diameter while Robart says 2 1/4". A few minutes with a drum samder in the Dremel and all is well.

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

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Cool...

So I guess I wasn't going nuts for a moment there. Least it'll be a lot easier with the former not installed...

Cheers,

rcguy!

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Folks,
Rec'd my Jet Tech tank today! 74oz! VERY nicely done..Thanks Gary! I'll mount it with several layers of wing seating tape on the top and sides and then wedge it in with 1/8 ply from the bottom instead of the 1/4" balsa supplied in the kit. I would not want it any larger. This will allow 78ozs on board. Gotta be enough for 10 minutes of almost WOT flying with my still yet to arrive PST-600R. 3 weeks and still waiting! HOPEFULLY before the weekend!
I have to recommend this tank. Being Kevlar and almost on the CG. VAROOOM!

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

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Very nice looking tank...Can you post how much it cost you and the ordering info...I'd like to get one for myself...

Cheers,

rcguy!

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Tim,
Got it from Gary at Jet Tech Fuel Cells. $125 plus $7 Priority Shipping Link below. With the greatly reduced risk of fire in the venet of a "mid-air with a planet" and watching the ENTIRE aircraft burn to ashes, I believe the cost is well worth it.

I suggest giving me a few days to complete the install to make sure there aren't any "AW POOPS!" with the size, spiggot location, etc. Gary is a great guy to deal with. Heck at minimum wage I couldn't justify making my own. "I'd rather be Monokoting!"

http://www.angelfire.com/wi/jettech/page2.html

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

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Thanks Dave

Much appreciated...

I'm still about three weeks away from getting mine done....

Won't be ready to fly for another 4...

Keep us posted...

Cheers,

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

BTW....the mystery word is "event"

fgpierce

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Hi Guys
Well I'm one of the lucky owners of a Reaction 54 kit with a P-60! I bought it at the Ontairo,Ca. RC show from Bruce his self on 1/8/05. It's already in the prep stages for glassing. I'm just one of those guys that can't stand a flying prune. Here is SO-CAL there are a lot of them. Monokote has terrible gas in the summer,spring and yeah, fall as well! Winter can shrivel it abit as well
I have to say that I am super impressed at the quality of this bird. The parts fit was superb as I feel the design is, well.... just great.
It's hard not to do some bench flying and consentrate toward the final goal.
If anyone is considering the Reaction 54 as a first Jet turbine trainer I have to say that if it flies as well as it builds.....
I'm sure glad I got MINE
Thanks Bruce!!!

tschuy

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Okay - 4 weeks before the "event" will happen

Cheers,

BruceTharpe

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Just found out today there's a short video of me flying my R54, bad landing and all! Wish it showed more low-speed stuff, but it must have hit the editing room floor in favor of the high-speed pass. Anyway, take a look - and keep in mind this is a RAM 500 only putting out about 11 pounds of thrust! Oh, and keep an eye out for the Kavan brake doing its job after taxiing into position on the runway...

http://rogue-eagles.com/joestagg/rogueeagles2002.html

The link will take you to a webpage with several videos; the R54 is at the top.

Bruce
----------
BTE www.btemodels.com

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

"Yeah Baby!" OOOOHH Man. I'm wear it out looking at the video! Thanks!

Dave Rigotti

rcguy!

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Here ya go folks....Installed! I cleared out F6 some for the fuel lines. I used both foam pieces that came with the kit. I used 1/8" BIRCH ply by 1" wide strips to hold it in. A drop of CA to fix them in position. Installed the fuel and vent lines BEFORE installing! Used several strips of wing seating tape on the sides and aft end. You can see the vent line routed thru F5. I drilled a 5/16 hole in the ECU shelf and the routed it out the bottom of the fuse just ahead of the wing. You can see the exit in one of the tank pics. I also thought you'd like to see a shot of my radio/retract installation. I'll install the UAT tomorrow.

Come on PST...ship my turbine already!

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

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Oh man am I syc'd. This thing does move pretty quick through the air too....

Bruce you just lit a bigger fire under my butt to get mine done...

Cheers,

tschuy

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Tank installation looks great Dave. Sure is a good bundle of wires too. Very neat installation. Nice work!!

Does anyone have pictures of their nose gear installation? I was wondering how others completed it, with enclosing the wheel well area. I'm going to close mine up to keep the crud out but was hoping to capitalize on what others have done. I have some good ideas but I'm sure there are beter ones out there...

Cheers,

rcguy!

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I'll shoot some pics tonight for the group

Dave Rigotti

rcguy!

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Here ya go.......
Pictures tell it all. The foam is to keep the retract from vibrating and wearing out. Just follow Bruce's instructions and you'll be home free. I will paint the edge red.......

Dave Rigotti

rcguy!

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DUH! Here are the pics!

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

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Hey Dave you can build an airplane for me anytime

Nice work and appreciate the pic's.

Cheers,

rcguy!

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Hey Tim,
This is the first kit I've built in 10 years. The last one was a SIG Fazer when they first came out. A few ARF's since then. The kit was well engineered and parts fit was very good to excellent on the R54. I must admit that I have forgotten alot of the hints and tips in those 10 years. A few "ah *****s" and a few Monokoting boo boo's and It all started coming back to me. I will NEVER miss balsa dust! Man that crap is everywhere. I usually sand outside on the deck enjoying an Iced Tea. Well, when its 10 dregees outside...ya just gotta do what you have to do!

Looking forward to finishing it up this weekend...a lot of little things. The wing is flight ready and with a bit of pushrod work, the fuse will be too! I'm looking at a revolution whip antenna. The retract servo WAS hooked up to a channel (Futaba 9C super) with EPA and found out I needed THAT channel for the steering servo. Sooooo I hooked the retract servo to ch9 and find out it dosen't have EPA's! Damn... A NEW 9 channel radio and I'm out of options! WHY can't Robart make the valve a bit longer to allow 1/2" travel instead of the very limited 1/4" travel????????? I'm looking for an after market gizmo that will plug in between the servo and RX to allow EPA. Any ideas?

I keep on building...AND watch that video of Bruce flying at least twice a day to help make the time go by WAITING for my PST-600R to arrive, heck, "ship" would be progress! The thing better be worth the wait......

Want any more pictures?

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

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Hey Dave,

Least you can say that you were having fun can't you??

I've been working on closing in the nose wheel well tonight and pretty close to having it done. I'm one of those guys who engineer's as he builds and it take a bit longer to come up with something that I'd be happy with. I made a plate that is raised around the nose wheel to capitalize on some space in the hatch area (kind of worried about that with the redundant battery system) and it came out pretty good. Going to close off the area on the front side of F3 after I get the steering lines in. Once that is all done then I'll put a light coat of finish resin in the wheel well.

For me I'm always building something related to R/C. It's my stress relief from work. In the past two years I've built 4 airplanes and working on number five now. Interesting thing thing is that three of them are from Bruce. I have to agree with you on Bruce's kits. Very well engineered and a pleasure to build from. They cost a little more then what one would pay from another business. But well worth it when considering the quality of the parts fit and wood selection and the plan sets. I haven't come across a kit with better quality then what Bruce has to offer.

I bought one of the Revolution whip antenna's for my R54 based upon a recommendation from one of the long time jet flier in this area. With all those wires inside the hatch area I was a little concerned about how it would affect the range. Probably have it pop out through the hatch well away from the battery cables going to the ECU and the ECU itself. Figured I would mount it on the receiver plate somewhere.

Have to work tomorrow but then I'm off for the next three days starting Sunday. I'm at the point of drilling holes on the wing so that I can mount it to the fuselage. Once that is done then the rest will go pretty quick. Goal is to be ready for Monokote by Monday.

Can understand about the steering servo. I'm just going to use a Y cable and plug it into the rudder channel. I'm using a Futaba 7CAP radio which is all my budget will allow for right now. I should be OK but will be using every stinking channel on it. Well time to let my dog water the grass

Will have pic's soon for everyone...

Cheers,

rcguy!

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Hey Gang,
My R54 is complete EXCEPT for turbine install. Weight without turbine and electronics is right at 13 pounds. Looks like 17 pounds is doable! ALL throws are per Bruce's recommendations. My 9C super is all programmed and mixing is in place.

GREAT job on the engineering and manufacture Bruce!!!!!

Dave Rigotti

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

More Pictures!

Dave Rigotti

tschuy

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Very nice work Dave!!!

I'm still working on getting the fuselage built...

Got tied up with my home cumputer repair business (got to make those extra bucks to support my toys )

But the nose wheel well area is closed up and starting on the rest of the sheeting process. Hopefully will be done with the major assembly work by tomorrow and then start sanding all those nice curves.

Really neat that your's cam in at 13 pounds. Should move right along with the PST-600r engine. Hopefully those folks will get that to you soon. But then you'll be on weather dely until some of that snow goes away...Bummer


Cheers,

mr_matt

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I might build one with a P-60 or a P-70, I have not made up my mind yet as I have not decided on what mods I want to do.

TommyWatson

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Looks Great Dave,

My Wheels etc are on their way to Australia. What is that white stuff on the ground!!!!. We never see it down here.

Regards