Posts: 657
Joined: 4/10/2007 From: Lancaster,
WI, USA Status: offline
Lite weight is always good, but what are you expecting of the plane-it's not a 3-D machine. It floats like a glider even at 14 to 15 pounds. Well maybe not a glider! Maintance-Drain the fuel and put it away, this is the best thing. No glow fuel to clean. I bet the 160FX puts out plenty. I have 12 snotty planes that I fly and one gasser-this is probably what i enjoy the most-not having to wipe this big bird down.
Rceric-Check out our club web site (above)-my GSS made plane of the month-Also check out gallery 7, the first group of pictures shows my maiden. The shot were I'm standing behind the plane is the first take-off. MAN was I shaking, first gas and giant scale for me.
Posts: 87
Joined: 11/23/2007 From: , MD, USA Status: offline
Sweet pics! I guess what is really pulling me toward the gas is that I have never had one. It is an inexpensive way to give it a shot. Maybe I'll love it.. Who knows.
Posts: 657
Joined: 4/10/2007 From: Lancaster,
WI, USA Status: offline
I felt the same way-Glad I did so I have at least one gasser. I'm sure I'll expand, it's WAR BIRDS from here on out in the 60 size and larger. Well, maybe a Dago Red Mustang 46 size with a YS110?????
Posts: 276
Joined: 3/12/2007 From: wilmington,
NC, USA Status: offline
Frenchie,,,have you had any problems with the landing gear? Ive been told that the blocks are week an will break. So far mine is OK, but tis always on my mind when I land. Im thinking of mounting a fixed gear under the fuse .Let me know.
Posts: 639
Joined: 2/26/2002 From: Durham,
NC, USA Status: offline
I broke the landing gear on my SS a few days ago. I had a deastick followed by a very poor landing (completely pilot error) and broke the left main gear. That's right, broke the gear itself not the block. The torsion block in the other wing broke off the main block. I am now in the process of modifying the fuse to mount the gear in front of the wing. I like the look of the wing mounted gear better but the fuselage mounted gear are far more practical. Gotta get some new wheel pants now!
Posts: 276
Joined: 3/12/2007 From: wilmington,
NC, USA Status: offline
Fireman7875 Which main gear are you going to use? I measured up one for a Sukoi, it will fit preety good widthwise for the fuse ti seems a bit heavy but I think it wiil work? When youve finished send me a pic .
Posts: 639
Joined: 2/26/2002 From: Durham,
NC, USA Status: offline
Tazzzz, I am going to use gear from a Giant Big Stick. I will be painting them to match. I will send you a pic.
SBrian, I love that look but how much ground clearance do you have from the crankshaft? I have a 46cc gasser on mine and I am swinging a 20 inch prop so I need a lot of room.
Posts: 7
Joined: 8/11/2005 From: Great Meadows, NJ, USA Status: offline
RCERIC,
I hate to stir the pot more, but check this out: http://jagengines.com/gss31.htm (The pics are shown below, but the site will give you the extra detail. Please note that these pictures are not of my plane but that of one listed on the Jag Site. I do NOT represent them in any way, but I have used this great example as the basis for my SS build.)
The Ryobi seems to be a perfect match for this plane. I got mine over the Christmas holiday, and I have my Ryobi almost done and ready to mount up. The install is nice and clean, and this one is yet another example of the fuselage mounted landing gear. If it's not too late, I'd consider this for yours. I have two Ryobi power tools that use this engine. I've owned them no less than 10 years, and I use them every year. At the end of the season I just run them out of fuel and put them away. They start right back up in the spring and have continued to serve me faithfully. This, and the low cost is why I chose to adapt one for my Super Sportster. I bought a used Ryobi 31cc power head from a string trimmer (720r long shaft if I'm not mistaken) for about $25.00 on ebay, and then bought the Jag conversion parts, and the gas fuel tank conversion kit for just a few dollars when I ordered my plane from Tower.
The Ryobis are very economical to run, and are very inexpensive to acquire and set up and maintain. Also, like any other gas engine, they will not make a mess all over your plane like a glow engine will. In fact, you could run a tube inside the fuse all the way to the back of the plane for the exhaust, without having to worry too much about tuning power loss, and in this manner not have to worry at all about messing up the finish of your ship. This is what I plan on doing with mine, unless I decide to add a smoker. Then the point is moot, but it's still something to consider if you are not interested in running smoke. All the Ryobi conversion parts, including the nice aluminum muffler from Jag were just under $100.00, and even if you were to buy the whole engine from them all set up and ready to go it's still under $200.00. From what I understand, the electronic ignition really doesn't give enough advantage to make it worth the price, so just run it with the stock flywheel and you'll be fine. Again, this is how I'm setting mine up.
No, it won't be a "Barn Burner", but the SS is not a 3D plane either, so I'm not expecting it to perform like one. Let me know what you decide, but for my money I went with the Ryobi Conversion. I haven't gotten around to completing it yet, but based upon what I've seen, I'm very comfortable with my choice and feel it will have been a very wise one, that gives me lots of flying satisfaction and enjoyment.
The other thing I was considering, and I may experiment with it in the future just for the heck of it, is to use a Super Tigre 3250, with a Davis Diesel conversion cylinder head. I'm a Heavy Equipment Diesel training instructor in the real world, so I'm partial to diesels anyway, but if you visit http://www.davisdieseldevelopment.com/ you will see that they have been around for many years, and by converting a glow engine to diesel you get a great power increase, a huge increase in fuel economy, and much like a gas engine, no mess to clean up. I'm starting with a Super Tigre GS40 ringed conversion in a trainer I have, and will see how it performs. I'm sure this will set the hook and convince me to convert all my other engines to diesel as well. One thing's for sure, although electric may have some advantages, for my modeling experience, Internal Combustion is the only way to go for me.
Thanks for listenin'
< Message edited by RCFlyerGuy -- 3/3/2008 3:31:25 AM >
Posts: 7
Joined: 8/11/2005 From: Great Meadows, NJ, USA Status: offline
BTW, SBRIAN Thanks very much for the beautiful job on the modified Super Stearman gear for the SS. I was planning on doing a fuse mounted gear set, but th ones you chose are not only totally functiuonal, but really classy as well.
The beauty of forums like this is the sharing of ideas to everyone's benefit. Thanks for this one. I'll be doing the same to my SS.
Printable Version
All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> ARF or RTF >> RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!! 
RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!! - 
