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Lanier Ripper info - 4/16/2007 3:39:19 AM   
JohnMcGowan


 

Posts: 797
Joined: 12/14/2001
From: Birmingham, AL, USA
Status: offline 		We are to have a ssc combat meet at our club next month in May. A friend has an extra ripper kit he said he would sell me at a good price. What are you guys doing (if any) to modify or beef up your rippers? I am going to use a magnum 15 2 stroke on it. Are standard servos the norm for this plane? I've never done any combat before so this ought to be a blast- if I survive, lol
Any advice or tips for assembly and trimming/flying would be greatly appreciated!! (as well as any bad traits known , if any for this plane)
Thank you!!!
John
       Post #: 1

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 4/16/2007 4:34:41 AM   
Montague



Posts: 4630
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Laurel, MD,
Status: offline 		The kit doesn't need any "beefing up", it's plenty strong as it is, and you'll just add weight you don't need. You can even leave off the plastic leading edge cover if you want.

The biggest thing to be aware of when building it is to make sure the spar sits all the way down inside the wing and doesn't stick up and leave a bump on the top or bottom of the wing. I'm not sure what the problem is that leads to this, but I've seen this on several of these planes, and it really does hurt the performance. It might be that the spar slots aren't always cut deep enough in the wing, or the polyuratane glue is lifting the spar up. Whatever it is, watch for it, and keep that spar flush with the wing surface.

For flight trimming, set the elevator so that you can hold full-up for at least 2-3 turns if not forever with out snap-rolling out of the turn. A lot of guys who are new to combat set their elevator travel way too high and wind up spinning in to the ground, espeically in SSC. (the good news is that usually you don't break anything if you do spin in, espeically if you remember to cut the power before impact. Nothing saves airframes more than cutting power before you hit the ground).


_____________________________

Kirk Montague Adams
RCCA 560

(in reply to JohnMcGowan)
       Post #: 2

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 4/16/2007 4:48:32 AM   
JohnMcGowan


 

Posts: 797
Joined: 12/14/2001
From: Birmingham, AL, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks Kirk, I appreciate that. So, are standard servos usually what people are using?(maybe even a mini on the throttle?)

(in reply to Montague)
       Post #: 3

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 4/16/2007 2:42:47 PM   
Montague



Posts: 4630
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Laurel, MD,
Status: offline 		Yes, standard servos on aileron and elevator. I honestly don't recall what people put on their throttle on that plane. I don't fly that particular plane myself, and I do use HS-81s on throttle. But I'm not sure what size cutouts that plane has. A fair number of guys do use standard size servos on all 3 controls though.


_____________________________

Kirk Montague Adams
RCCA 560

(in reply to JohnMcGowan)
       Post #: 4

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 4/16/2007 2:51:17 PM   
JohnMcGowan


 

Posts: 797
Joined: 12/14/2001
From: Birmingham, AL, USA
Status: offline 		So what do you fly Kirk? Do you have a preferrence from one plane to another in ssc? I need all the help I can get, lol, if I am to survive the 'king of the hill' combat meet.These will be 15 size planes we are dualing with.
Thanks again!!
John

(in reply to Montague)
       Post #: 5

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 4/16/2007 3:41:08 PM   
Montague



Posts: 4630
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Laurel, MD,
Status: offline 		Well, I designed my own SSC plane to match my particular style and tactics (the Rapier). I will occasionally sell basic kits for it, but I'm not a kit company, and the kits really aren't suitable for someone who doesn't already know a bit about how they like to build combat planes. I'm also random when it comes to shipping and some support.

However, there are some kits I think are great flying planes. The Avenger line designed by AJ Seaholm are very strong performers, and it's hard to beat AJ on support and helpfulness in getting them flying right. I think the url is http://www.teamseaholm.com

The Battle Axe is a generally good plane. The fuse design is solid, but some recent testing here has shown that the Battle Axe's wing is only so-so in turning ability. So while it's a durable and common plane, it can leave you at a disadvantage to others at times. (Some guys here took Rapier wings and put them on Battle Axe fuses. The result was a plane that turned much much tighter than it did with the Axe wing. I don't know if it's an issue with the airfoil or wing area or what). On the plus side, the guys kitting it support the plane quite well, and sometimes sell ARF versions, which is a great thing. And they ARE really common at a lot of contests, espeically in the south, which means that you'll be likely to find someone to help with any issues that come up.

Hat Trick, run by Mike Fredricks at http://www.hattrickrc.com/ produces some really solid planes as well. I honestly don't know what he is offering in SSC kits these days, but Mike's planes always fly well, and he's very helpful.


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Kirk Montague Adams
RCCA 560

(in reply to JohnMcGowan)
       Post #: 6

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 4/16/2007 9:21:02 PM   
glowplugboy


 

Posts: 580
Joined: 12/26/2001
From: Pasadena, TX 77505/77508, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Regular sport servos will work just fine. If you have some sport priced metal gear servos, I would use them as impacts tend to strip aileron and elevator servos in combat planes.

(in reply to JohnMcGowan)
       Post #: 7

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 4/17/2007 5:33:42 AM   
rcfury



Posts: 968
Joined: 10/19/2003
From: Manassas, VA, USA
Status: offline 		I also run the lanier ripper, and personally I love the plane. It is my first combat plane, and in fact its still my only combat plane. Use standard servos like the futaba 3004 servos on the elevator or throttle if you want. Im used an el cheapo expert mini servo which works for the throttle but, changed to a HS 85 regular geared servo as the expert died on me. You can use a HS 85 metal gear servo for the ailerons if you want however, you are not really gaining much from it, as its almost the same weight as a standard servo. Currently im using the OS 15 CVA on it with a mousse can muffler with great success. Although, its not legal for SSC use. One thing i could tell you is build the wing with the plastic leading edge protectors. It adds a great deal of strength to the wing, and if you have any misshaps the wing would survive with little damage.

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Nathan
AMA# 794162 + R/C combat association (RCCA #788)

(in reply to glowplugboy)
       Post #: 8

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 4/17/2007 3:15:42 PM   
JohnMcGowan


 

Posts: 797
Joined: 12/14/2001
From: Birmingham, AL, USA
Status: offline 		Thank you guys very much for the info!!
Glowplugboy, I am glad to hear that you are up and running again( pun intended, LOL) after having you leg injured. I hope all is well!
Thank you,
John

(in reply to rcfury)
       Post #: 9

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 4/17/2007 3:57:36 PM   
glowplugboy


 

Posts: 580
Joined: 12/26/2001
From: Pasadena, TX 77505/77508, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Ha! Actually, I am "up and limping", but that sure beats what I have been doing! Thanks for your good wishes!
Regards,
Mike

(in reply to JohnMcGowan)
       Post #: 10

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 5/2/2007 4:14:16 PM   
JohnMcGowan


 

Posts: 797
Joined: 12/14/2001
From: Birmingham, AL, USA
Status: offline 		One more question for you guys about the ripper,....How do you think a rcvr out of a gws slowstick would work for the ripper- its a 4 channel single conversion that weighs almost nothing. I almost have the wings finished and I am going to use a magnum 15 2 stroke for power.It would save me a little weight, if you guys think its ok to use? Otherwise , I have a hitec dual conversion 7 channel rcvr but it does weigh a little more than the single conversion one. I am about ready to make my cutouts in the foam wing for the battery and rcvr so I thought I would ask.
Thanks !!!!!!
John

(in reply to glowplugboy)
       Post #: 11

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 5/2/2007 5:41:39 PM   
Montague



Posts: 4630
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Laurel, MD,
Status: offline 		A lot of the small single conversion RXs have very limited range, they really don't work well at all in anything other than a park flyer being kept close. And they really are prone to interference during a contest when there are lots of transmitters all in close proximity.

I have one of those RX's around somewhere, but I long since stopped using it, even in my park flyers, it just glitched way too often.

Your best bet is to pick up a quality small receiver, or use that larger Hitec. Personally, I use Hitec 555 and Electron 6 dual conversion RXs. A lot of guys use the 04MG, which is single conversion, but works well since it's considered "full range".


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Kirk Montague Adams
RCCA 560

(in reply to JohnMcGowan)
       Post #: 12

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 5/2/2007 6:29:14 PM   
JohnMcGowan


 

Posts: 797
Joined: 12/14/2001
From: Birmingham, AL, USA
Status: offline 		Thats what I needed to hear- the GWS rcvr had about a 1500 ft range but I thought glitching may be a factor since it was a single conversion. I will go with my hitec rcvr. Thank you Kirk!!
Jmc

(in reply to Montague)
       Post #: 13

RE: Lanier Ripper info - 5/2/2007 6:45:28 PM   
Montague



Posts: 4630
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Laurel, MD,
Status: offline 		The range you get with those GWS single