New viper fuse question
#1
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New viper fuse question
I picked up a viper fuse recently and began the usual modifications. I peeled the covering away from firewall and noticed that the forward part of the fuse and the firewall is glassed on the outside. Is this new? Or has it been this way and we still need to provide more reinforcement?
Also the glass on the inside on the nose looks much better that the previous one that I had.
Thanks
Doug
Also the glass on the inside on the nose looks much better that the previous one that I had.
Thanks
Doug
#2
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RE: New viper fuse question
Hi!
This is not new! Had it on my first Viper bought 5-7 years ago.
My experience with the viper is not that the front is week, it's strong enough. The problem is the rear part of the fuselage just in front of the V-stabilizer.
There the fuselage is too week. Fuselage is just a 3mm balsa-sheet and the former inside the fuselage acts like a toilet paper ( dispenser ???), breaking the fuselage at high speeds (high G-forces).
I flew my Viper two years ago with a new LS Nelson .40 and after the second flight noticed that the fuselage was nearly cut in half just in front of the stabilizer.
Removed the Oracover film and made some balsa reinforcements to the rear fuselage and glassed it on the out side. Since then everything has worked just fine!
At the same time I also lowered the stab approximately 2-3mm at the leading edge so I don't need any up-elevator trim anymore. The steel elevator/rudder pushrods were also replaced with 2mm carbon fiber rods.
This is not new! Had it on my first Viper bought 5-7 years ago.
My experience with the viper is not that the front is week, it's strong enough. The problem is the rear part of the fuselage just in front of the V-stabilizer.
There the fuselage is too week. Fuselage is just a 3mm balsa-sheet and the former inside the fuselage acts like a toilet paper ( dispenser ???), breaking the fuselage at high speeds (high G-forces).
I flew my Viper two years ago with a new LS Nelson .40 and after the second flight noticed that the fuselage was nearly cut in half just in front of the stabilizer.
Removed the Oracover film and made some balsa reinforcements to the rear fuselage and glassed it on the out side. Since then everything has worked just fine!
At the same time I also lowered the stab approximately 2-3mm at the leading edge so I don't need any up-elevator trim anymore. The steel elevator/rudder pushrods were also replaced with 2mm carbon fiber rods.
#3
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RE: New viper fuse question
ORIGINAL: scratchpc7
I picked up a viper fuse recently and began the usual modifications. I peeled the covering away from firewall and noticed that the forward part of the fuse and the firewall is glassed on the outside. Is this new? Or has it been this way and we still need to provide more reinforcement?
Also the glass on the inside on the nose looks much better that the previous one that I had.
Thanks
Doug
I picked up a viper fuse recently and began the usual modifications. I peeled the covering away from firewall and noticed that the forward part of the fuse and the firewall is glassed on the outside. Is this new? Or has it been this way and we still need to provide more reinforcement?
Also the glass on the inside on the nose looks much better that the previous one that I had.
Thanks
Doug
#4
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RE: New viper fuse question
One of our local racers got the RTC version and glassed the fuse with 3/4 oz. and the usual glass inside the nose. Seems to be strong enough to race now.