raden201

Turbo, can you post some pictures? I'd like to get an idea of how it will look with th pitts muffler.

Turboprop130

I bought it from towerhobbies, [link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXK232]2-1/2 aluminum spinner[/link]

Turboprop130

My pic on post #349 shows it with the pitts. Would you like a different view? Just let me know exactly what you want and I'll snap a few off.

kq4ra

Here is one pic of my Extra 300 with a Satio 82A and Airtronics RDS8000.

Still trying to resize pics to post them. If they don't appear, I will try again.

kiosk

My Feedback: (14)

am ready to pull trigger on this one, has anyone gone electric can they post their setup?

raden201

Hey GP-G Rod , where did you get your spinner from, Looks really nice anodized blue !!!!

raden201

If its no problem, would like to know if there is a hole for the glow plug or if the cylinder head sticks out of the starboard /right side of the cowl. Thanks. Also you said that you have unlimited vertical with the .55AX. FOR SURE ???!!!!! Just would like confirmation, because this is going to be a 1 and final install with what I have on hand.

ceecrb1

No the cowl comes "complete" but its no hardship to mark the areas needing opened up by marking cards then overlaying the card onto the cowel....
see my photos
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9388662
for the end result and also this review...
http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...rticle_id=1111

notice i basically ended up with the same as this review except I opened up the underside cowel using a credit card as a template... so that the motor has better cooling...
Like I say.. check out my pics. Note i even used the credit card sized cut-out to mask the wood under under the muffler/outlet.....
Honestly if you take your time and you have a dremel tool... do it little by little.... for locating the glow plug etc.. you can even do 1.5mm holes to look though to check your dead center before drilling the larger holes..

Turboprop130

I made a hole for the cylinder head, but I think all that's required is a glow plug hole. The cylinder head doesn't stick out with the 55AX installed. The four strokes will stick out giving better cooling. When cutting the cowling, the idea was to create a vaccum effect. As air passes over the bottom of the cowling it should suck the heat out and pull more fresh air in. I did have some over heating issues at first, which resulted in deadsticks. So I ended up enlarging the opening in the front to provide more direct airflow over the motor. I also enlarged my holes at the bottom. I haven't had a problem since, but I know now that cutting a hole around the cylinder head messed up my vaccum effect and I probably didn't need to enlarge the intake if I had bigger holes in the bottom of the cowling. If someones else has a better opinion on how to cut the cowling for the 55AX please chime in. I can make you a video of this plane with the 55AX and a 12X6 prop showing unlimited vert or you could just take my word for it. I could hold this plane straight up and launch it from my hand if I really wanted.

Remy

My Feedback: (3)

Turboprop,

thank you for all the info, your plane looks great. Mine should be delivered today, I'll be assembling it very soon, with a 46AX engine. A couple more questions:

- what tool/process to you use to cut the cowl? Yours looks very clean.
- what did you use for the needle adjustment?

Thanks,
Remy

ceecrb1

1. Use a 1.5 mm drill bit to start... just to confim you´r spot on location... Then use larger and larger drill bits.. increasing size little by little..
Once the drill bits have made a hole big enough.. swap to a dremmel/mini hand drill and use the small rotary sander.. and just get sanding..
The trick is little by little.. sand a little.. mount the cowel.. see where more needs to come off and sand a little more... look again..... repeat....
mine took me about 3 hours and even then i made a mistake... measure 3 times. cut once.

what you use for needle adjustment? a spare bit of pushrod bent at the end (see my photos)... old allen key... the round thing in turboprops photo is the stock peice of flexible wire and round knob that comes with the 55ax.

Remy

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks for quick reply. You make it sound easy enough :-)

ceecrb1

it is far easier than you think it will be.

Another thing.. technically you "should" when doing this wear at least latex gloves and a mask / safety glasses... the glass dust is quite nasty....

finally dont be scared to give it a good wash under the tap and dry it to get all the dust off.. and cover the engine in plastic film or something... its easier to cover it than clean it later!

Turboprop130

I second the use of a dremel. It's the best tool for precision work. Just try not to inhale the fiberglass dust while working on the cowling. The 46AX uses a different carb than the 55AX. The needle valve is external. You can mount it in two position. Straight up and down or to the side. This will give you the option to have it come out the side of the cowling if you prefer. I'm pretty sure it comes with the extension, but don't hold me to it.

Edit:
I see ceecrb1 beat me to the fiberglass dust warning. I'll just second that too!

ceecrb1

The offical RC Universe review uses the 46AX.... theres some decent photos in there of exactly what will come out of the build. I posted a link to it a in the last page I think..

edit.. here it is...
http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...rticle_id=1111

kq4ra

I use a Dremel loaded with a 1/8" sprial bit. It works very good as long as you stay on the line.

elderair

My Feedback: (29)

Been following the thread for some time and while I set in the cold frozen midwest and wait for parts for my Extreme Flight 58" Extra (need a cowl and canopy/fuse) which I wrecked in the fall. I am starting to get the feeling that if I had the GP Extra I would be able to get all the spares I ever needed since I have owned many of their arfs and currently own the Super Skybolt ARF with a .91 OSfs. The flight characteristics of the many GP planes I have owned has been overall good. This one looks similarly constructed when compared to all the laser cut outs of the EF 300. I am running the YS .63 FZs on the EF and feel it would totally rock the GP. Since I got a $20.00 off coupon for a 149.00 order from Tower it may be time to pull the trigger on one of these. A bird in the hand as they say. How much better could the EF fly than the GP if at all. Anyone tried both and have an opinion. Doesn't really matter when the EF spares and kits are non obtanium and no one will tell you when they will be in stock!

Turboprop130

I don't have experience with the EF but I can honestly say this GP Extra flies great. Some days I fly it as a sport plane, other days I shift the weight back and do 3D. It's very stable, to the point I fly with +30 expo on all surfaces. I don't want to feel like I'm selling this plane, but I do truly enjoy it.

raden201

Man, thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. But I'm still torn on which engine to put in. What does anybody think off the OS .70 Surpass (Black Top)?. My very first nitro plane was an Extra 300 .40( YES the red one with the white stripe and blue pin stripe), from GP. Man let me tell you that that was one great plane, pardon the pun. I had an OS .46AX in it and it flew very good. More scale like than anything. Then i bought a Nitro Planes RedBull Edge 540, and put the .55AX on it, and holy smack, that was a fast plane. Then I tried to put the .70 Surpass on.....quick like, and crashed on take off !!!! The Edge didn't have enough control surface to fly 3-D from the start, so i never trie, with any of the engines so mentioned. Any suggestions would help.

obriendigital

My Feedback: (13)

I fly mine with an .82 saito and it has plenty of power for most 3D, not sure the .70 surpass would provide as much as the .55ax. So, I would go with the .55ax out of all the ones you mentioned.

That said, you will enjoy the quality of this plane, it flies great.

ChuckW

The .70 Surpass is an outstanding engine and it will power your Extra well. It may not have quite as much grunt as the OS .81-FSa but it should still perform nice. The .55 2-stroke would be excellent as well.

Turboprop130

If price is of concern, I think the 55AX is the way to go and a pitts muffler. I have both the slimline and bisson pitts and they both work great. The slimline is larger in size, but still fits nicely inside the cowling. If you have the extra dough, a four stroke is always nice as it provides that scale sound.

raden201

Thanks you guys, for all of your inputs. Sounds like I'll be installing the .55AX with a Pitts Muffler. Also going to use Spectrum DS821 servos on all but the throttle. I'll have to save up for another Spectrum Rx. though. Definitelly would like to use the Tx. functions. BLUE SKIES....................!!!!!!

raden201

I do have a .91 Surpass pumped!!!! Only concern is weight. And, I would definitelly install the engine inverted, with a Pitts, just dont know if it would fit or how it would look ??

Jeff Spicoli

I just fininshed two of these, used a mix of Hitec 545 and 625s with the spectrum radio gear. In the first I put an OS .81 which I intend to fly, and in the second I put an OS .55 with a pitts muffler (from Slimline I think), and i will fly it if I crack up the 4-stroke. The .55 is now hanging against the wall of my office downtown.