rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Update on the retracts....
The MLG units now fit into the wheel well. I removed all the goop from the ply mounting plates AND cut the wing skin back to the rib. I didn't notice a 1/8" wide goop of glue at the rib and top skin. The axle centerline is darn near perfectly centered in the wheel well now. I'm working with Todd to fix one last thing (more on this later). The nose unit will require an extra set of holes drilled into it. Seems PST has shortened this plate from early runs when Todd designed the gear around. No biggie to do. Todd's support is outstanding, just like his products. He did tell me this package is indeed specifically for the PST R54 ARF.

Dave

SimjetAU

Hi Jeremy

Yes the big FEJ F15E arrived on Tuesday with no damage to the huge boxes...I am very impressed with it and you cant believe the amount of stores that come with it as well...go to this
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_79...page_16/tm.htm
link and here are a few pics of it. It was definitely worth the wait






Mark

Ian Cawthray

i have just ordered my ali green scheme reaction from the factory , it should have the removable tail mod done ? I am going to put my jetcat 120 in it ...

SimjetAU

Hi Ian

You will love it...its more manoverable than the XL and flys really well when you have some grunt underneath it. I love mine and I made my tail feathers removable and took it to the ANZAC jet meet in February. Just 2 boxes totaling 22kg was esy to get it on the plane without any extra charges as my luggage

Regards

Mark Kyle

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

OK I figured out the brackets for mounting the 3.8l tank. The 2 shorter ones retain the rear portion of the tank by fixing to F8. A no brainer there. The longer clips (plural) glue to F7 to retain the front of the tank. REAL sure I should have 2 qty of the longer bracket assemblies. Right? I'll contact PST to send another out right away. I'll replace the wood screws with bolts and blind nuts in the brackets as a full tank in a 10 G turn will excert almost 70 pounds of force on them! And yes I'll use rubber padding on them and between the tank and fuse. A small spacer block between F7 and the front of the tank will eliminate any forward moverment. BTW... I'll beef up F8 a bit as Bruce suggests in his build instructions.

Dave Rigotti

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Update to the update :-))

All retract units fitted and necessary clearances provided. One last change remains. I rec'd 3 1/2" diameter wheels instead of the 3 1/4" ones. This "added" 1/8" inch to the wheel well interference. The "other" 1/8" bug was a fillet of glue dripped from the wing skin onto the rib. DOH! Todd is sending them out on Monday. Great service!

I'll post one modification I made to the nose gear strut later today or tomorrow. I think you'll all like it for those who fly from not so smooth grass fields....

Dave

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Folks,
Here is the modification I did to the Dreamworks nose wheel strut. I just didn't like using a 2 5/8" diameter wheel, personal preference nothing wrong with the Dreamworks product. I purchased a TamJets 3" nose wheel as I fly from not the greatest grass field. This required a small machining job to the yoke. I took a 1/2" diameter ball nose EM and removed 1/16" from the yoke to add tire clearance. I used a ball nose EM because I didn't want to cut much into the two lugs the yoke pivots on. The rounded nose allowed this cut to "run out". The width of the cut was 3/4". A few nylon washers on either side of the hub and now I have a 3" vs 2 5/8" diameter nose wheel.

Before you ask...YES the strut is now 3/16" longer with the 3" wheel. I have several options I'll explore when the time comes.....
1. Leave well enough alone and see how much positive stance it gives.
2. Shorten the nose strut 3/16" at the top. An easy thing to do.
3. Shim out the MLG units from the mounts 1/8-3/16". The strut sits well into the wing surface so this won't have them sticking out in the breeze.
4. Any combination of the above.

Also shown is the nose unit mounting rail clearance I added to clear the steering arm and cables.

Dave Rigotti

Ali

My Feedback: (5)

Those nose retract rails looks awfully weakened?
Hey Ian. Congrats on the recent purchase. I hope it gives you of fun!

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Ali,
The width of the cutouts aren't any more wider then the notches from PST. I did make them longer to clear the steering arm and cable swages. Impossible with the narrow slot from PST. See post #507 3rd picture from left. I could add a birch ply cap to the topside. Thanks.

Dave

Ali

My Feedback: (5)

Hi Dave
I would. The nose takes the brunt of the landing forces as its not a wheelie type landing machine.
Regards Al

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

"Check" At least the added weight will be in the right place! :-))

Edit...3/16" Birch ply added to the top of the rails.

Dave

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

OK I have the nose retract unit installed now. I did shorten the strut by 3/16". I set up the assembled airframe on the workbench and discovered in fact the nose was too high. I did take into account the main wheels are 3 1/2" instead of the 3 1/4" Todd is sending. Anyway, I drilled another set of mounting holes 1 5/16" apart from the existing front holes. This worked out to 1 1/2" from the front of the side frames. I think this will work out fine! I have plenty of room for the steering cables now! :-))

Dave Rigotti

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Folks,
Any issuses with the elevator pushrod? Mine "seems" to have an awful thin wall.

Dave

Ron S

My Feedback: (2)

My elevator pushrod is seeming to hold up fine, with 29 lbs thrust. Make sure you wrap the pushrod ends with CF tow though (or Aluminum tube epoxied in place) to ensure the CF tube ends do not split. [8D]

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Ron,
Well wrapped I might say! P80SE for power if it ever gets here!
Thanks
Dave

Ron S

My Feedback: (2)

A P-80SE with a Reaction will be a nice combination. [8D]

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

I think so. ALMOST pulled the trigger on a P120SX for it.......
The P80 SE should do fine. The 3.8l tank will allow some WOT and still have plenty of flight time.

Dave

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Making more progress!
Tank is plumbed and mounted. PST says only 3 clips are used. "Okie Dokey" I used a section of brass tubing in the clunk line to prevent it from folding over in a not so perfect landing. The clunk must weigh a pound! (454g)! "Do ya think there is enough glue on the leading edge dowel hole doublers?" :-))

Leading edge fairings are in place. These fit pretty darn good. I don't know if PST has made changes to the mold from Bruce's parts. I did sand the flanges pretty thin to get the fairings to be flush with the fuse. BVM Vpoxy is the adhesive of choice for these. Bruce's procedure worked out pretty good!

I did add a battery compartment hatch to the nose section. I choose one on the top as opposed to the many I see on the bottom. This will allow access to the batteries without flipping the beast over. I added an anti-glare paint section to help mask the actual hatch outline. I believe the spray can said "Dove Gray". A touch of black on the nose and she looks pretty good. I added 2 strips of 7oz tape to each side to stiffen up the openning. Some 1/4" lite ply for the mounting and all is well. I'll add some tabs to the fuse to better stabilize the hatch from rocking side to side.

Lastly is the elevator servo hatch. Since I'll need access to it to assemble the removeable tail I thought some hinges and a latch was in order instead of 4 screws. In retrospect I should have used 2 latches as the corners don't lie flush. May fix this later....

Blue Box pilot on order (Blue Angels guy) so I'll have to wait a bit to finish off the cockpit. "My" first jet with a pilot on board!

P-80SE is 2 weeks away I hear so the "build" is taking much longer than planned. Hope to have it at Blue Grass Jet Rally in late May.....

Dave Rigotti

Ron S

My Feedback: (2)

Since you've already installed your clunk, I'll throw this idea out. I had been having a hard time draining my fiberglass tank, from day 1. I like to drain the tank after a day's flying so I don't have residual fuel sloshing around... The last 1/4" to 3/8" though, I cannot pump out of the tank. It is therefore, unusable fuel. I in fact started to partially drain my UAT a few flights ago, and while taxiing back from a long flight, my turbine died, while still showing this amount of fuel in the tank.

I've recently replaced the large brass filtered clunk that came with the model, with a Sullivan Super Clunk - whatever it's called, it is more of a large plated cone shape. I can now drain practically all my fuel out, which should increase the amount of fuel that is burnable in flight.

I don't know if others had a similar issue. I think the large dia of the supplied clunk just means the clunk hole is that much farther away from the tank floor.

I also like your upper forward hatch. I'm always going in there to cycle my gear up/down. It is a tight squeeze going thru the canopy hatch.

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Ron,
Good point on the clunk. I usually use the Sullivan super clunk without issue. I'll do some fill and drain tests tomorrow to see what happens.
On the retract/brake tray, my retract valve will be the aft position. The inlet of the UP6 dictates this arrangement. From the gear down outlet of the retract valve I'll install a tee to pressurize the brake system. I'll use both tanks "in parallel" to supply all on board air needs. A single fill valve (BVM) and gage is all that's needed then. I'll post pics (of course) when I finalize the layout. Worked well in the Kingcat.

Dave

av8rk

to rcguy (dave)...i like your idea of the hinged elevator servo cover.....but if you install the metal heat shield above the turbine, it may or may not interfere with the servo cover.....i would check it out on my model, but i'm not at home...........

Richard

B777

I like Dave's front hatch and we will evaluate all comments and suggestion to improve the Reaction ARF.

Thanks, Kraivuth S.

skywarrior

Dave,
just a reminder re one of my posts a few pages ago, my clunk had a filter in it which due to my own dirty fuel problems completely clogged up when filling over half the tank. When I emptied it, the stuff went back to the main "Jersey modeller " tank which completely baffled us for a while as to where the problem was.
I have now removed this clunk filter and added a better filter in the fuel line having purged the entire system.

At least I wont have to open the on board tank again for any similar problem.
Just a friendly tip.

Regards

David

Ian Cawthray

my reaction is gone through customs here in australia and in the truck for delivery !

Ehab

My Feedback: (44)

Ian, if you have any questions that are not answered here, email me or email B777 for any help.....