Great Planes 1/3 Pitts Firewall Failure  
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    • All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Kit Building >> Kit Manufacturer Direct Support Forum >> Great Planes 1/3 Pitts Firewall Failure
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    Great Planes 1/3 Pitts Firewall Failure - 9/5/2006 7:19:03 PM   
    skylark-RCU


     

    Posts: 16
    Joined: 4/4/2003
    From: Sheridan, IL, USA
    Status: offline     		Hi,

    I was considering buying the Great Planes 1/3 Scale Pitts Special until yesterday when a friend of mine with a Fuji 50cc(the recommended engine) in his 1/3 Pitts Special had an interesting but very dangerous experience with it.
    While taching the engine, the firewall failed and ripped out with the engine attached. The prop shattered into pieces and the engine continued to run at full throttle because it was pulling against the throttle cable. Finally my friend hit the switch on his transmitter that controled a servo kill switch inside the plane.
    The firewall is maybe 1/8 inch LIGHT PLY or some metric size smaller. It is also not attached to the airframe very well especially for a 50cc gasoline engine. This is an accident waiting to happen. If this is a fluke then it should be replaced right? But if this is the way they are all built I need to know because I will not buy this plane if it's built as described above. It would be dangerous to me and anyone around this plane wouldn't you agree.
    Has the plane had recalls? Has the plane been re-engineered for safty? I have attached a picture, I have more if needed.

    Please reply,
    Skylark-RCU
    [image][/image]

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    _____________________________

    Skylark
           Post #: 1

    RE: Great Planes 1/3 Pitts Firewall Failure - 10/8/2006 10:29:57 PM   
    Dave G



    Posts: 251
    Joined: 10/21/2002
    From: St Augustine, FL, USA
    Status: offline     		Skylark, I don't want to get into a pissin* match over which size engine for this plane but... a 50cc gasser is not on the list for recommended engines from GP. The 41cc gas is the max listed.

    I've got 2 of these. One with an OS-300 (50cc) 4 stroke glow. The other was built with a BIG caution plaque close at hand when I decided to install a G-62. This is such an overkill for this airframe that I've never pulled full throttle while tethered. I do concede that the firewall should not have pulled out, but GP will direct you to many other threads here on RCU where builders put in everything imaginable and wondered why they failed.

    The OS-300 twin is the perfect engine for this Pitts.

    If your buddy is handy, the firewall could be reinstalled and reinforced substantially for the Fuji. I still wouldn't want to witness a
    3-D routine with this set-up.

    Good Luck.

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    _____________________________

    "Bearcat" Dave

    (in reply to skylark-RCU)
           Post #: 2

    RE: Great Planes 1/3 Pitts Firewall Failure - 1/19/2007 7:16:32 PM   
    bignasdy



    Posts: 255
    Joined: 9/8/2002
    From: TX
    Status: offline     		SHOULDA RE ENFORCED THE PLANE TO BEGIN WITH.
    ITS AN ARF..........NOt an RTF
    sorry, not yellin.
    Fix it .......glass it and drop the engine size as stated above.
    good luck
    d

    (in reply to Dave G)
           Post #: 3

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