RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

I have about 4 or 5 flights on the shock jet with the P-60. It flys very well on this engine and has plenty of power. My engine is the older version. This is a great airplane to get a turbine waiver with.

I had a dead stick landing with the jet due to an EGT sensor failure on the P-60. So after landing on the runway the jet rolled out to the end of the pavement and into the grass. At the very end of the runway the jet turned to the left and turned up on it's nose and right wing tip in the grass. As we were watching it standing straight up in the air, it fell over onto it's back and hit the ground. So we went out to pick the jet up and the fuse was near broke in half right behind the rear wing bolts. The only thing holding it together was the bottom fuselage sheeting above the engine.

I have the older version of the kit with the one piece fuselage and they may have made improvements since then to the side sheeting and to the amount of plywood going back to the tail. So I glued the jet back together piece by piece. I removed the top sheeting behind the wing up to the front of the vertical fin. I then reinforced this area with hard balsa and 1/8th 5 ply plywood on the sides. I fit the balsa in between the square balsa stringers on the sides then sandwiched this in with 1/8th ply and hysol.

Now this area is a lot stronger than it ever was prior to. I went through the fuse before the first flights and reinforced every corner accessible with hysol.

Now granted, if the jet would not have made a hot landing and rolled over onto it's back, of course it would not have broken the fuse. My reason for this post is to point out an area that may need to be looked at and reinforced.

This is a great flying airplane and a great trainer for jets and to folks looking to get a turbine waiver...I will take some pictures of what I had to do to reinforce the rear fuse area and post them.

I have a 50 oz Dubro tank with a 16 oz Sullivan boat tank mounted on top of that. I get 7 minutes of flight time with 1/4 tank of fuel left in the 50 oz tank on the P-60 at a mid range throttle setting.

MACE

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

anyone???????

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Random thoughts: A real fun jet. While getting an air-in-the-fuel problem sorted out, had 9 out of the first 12 flights dead-stick. But never worried a bit with this jet that just floats and floats. If I felt I was going to overshoot, I just dropped some flap. On the negative side, I never hit the nose gear hard, but after the 12th flight, the bulkhead to which the nosegear bearing is attached popped loose. I couldn't see any glue at all. The only thing holding it in place were the tabs. A batch of Hysol and I'm good to go. Take-off with one notch of flaps and full power (Super Bee) is a little wild. It goes almost vertical. Full flaps on landing and it almost stops. I think I prefer no flaps on take-off and half-flaps on landing. Our runway is paved and plenty long. It is a bit slower than the Boomerang Intro, so it may be a better jet for a beginner-jet-pilot than the Boomer. Flies like an LT-40. I do have to find some decent tires. I'm up to 50% expo on the elevator. Seems really touchy. Those little threaded rod-ends for the control rods are pretty soft aluminum. I accidentally bent the threaded part and went to straighten it out, it broke off. Used a DuBro HD setup with SS threaded rod jacketed with CF tube instead. Balanced with two A123's and a couple ounces of lead in the nose. I painted the silver heat tape with 2 coats of BVM Heat Shield and always use an exhaust tube for startup. Thanks to everyone who wrote in tips to help me on the build.

Jack

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Come on up to Vegas and fly with us some time!

Chad

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

MIne was the 2 piece fuse. What you cut has NOTHING to do with structure of it. I have over 30 flights on it and I ring it out HARD!!! I have the Jet-Tech tank. Let me know if you have any other question. Gerry

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

OK Gerry. I glued the fus tonight. I will cut out for the tank later this week.
Freddy

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Just look at the cut of mine on TBM web page. What engine are you going to use?

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

P-70

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

P70 will work good in it! You shouldn't have to cut the bottom out where engine goes. I do think you will have to move 2 of the engine mount holes. That Jet-Tech fuel tank should give you about 10 min. of flight time. Gerry

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Chad

Thanks for the invite. I'll try to get up there some time. Maybe in November for your big event.

Jack

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Hi Gerry, I hope you can make it over to the "Jayhawk Open" this weekend. Bring one of the TBM jet aircraft. I believe the Heart-of-America show team is coming(3D's) as well as Pete Rosas and his group from Iowa. Gary R

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Would Love to but I am going to be in Clinton This Weekend. Thanks!!! Gerry

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Is there any way to put regular brakes on the main and change the front wire double strut to a single wire strut? Thinking of putting a P-80 in..:D

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Yes, You can do that. But this plane needs NO brakes. To me, its a waste of money. But thats just my opinion.

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

You won't need brakes on the mains, unless you plan on doing some road racing :D

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

I agree!! Drags you will need them, I have a Falcon on mine and have NEVER needed the brakes.

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

FWIW

Here is an example of when one may need brakes that work well and in this particular instance, brakes on the mains would have been much better.

MACE

http://www.vimeo.com/4347865

Most of the time, brakes are not needed, but this day I would have loved to have a good set on the mains...

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

nice vid. So the nose brake had no affect on a fast dead stick landing?

Freddy

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Freddy,

It had little affect on that particular landing. Most of the time it works great, but then their are some times that you need a little more braking power and that time was one of them...


MACE

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

i need help with several things. my brake is backwards from picture it works is that ok? the linkage for the controls i have no idea how it works. can anyone send pictures and dummy instructions. do servo arms mount close to control or away?

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

That won't work!! Just flip it. The controls are both ways. Gerry

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

If you go to page 10 you can see servo set-up there. Gerry

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Just a report on my shock jet. Last weekend flew a demo for two new guys at the field that want to buy Shock jets. During the demo, past the four minute mark, finishing the smile on the smiley face at about 60% throttle, the right side of the wing blew off, the plane did a death spiral, the wing floatedto the groundand the fuse got a little dinged up when it hit the ground. Inspected the fuse and found all four screws were still mounted in place and the aluminum wing joiner was not bent. The plane had about 100 flights,never crashed, a Super Bee, with Jet tech tank, split for smoke. Took thepieces home, cleaned the Bee, installed on stand and started right up, no damage. Electronics have been tested and are fine. The Jet tech tank is no good, total bummer, the tank worked great. Last Tuesday, called TBM and asked if any wing failures have been reported and the response was no, so though I would just post as a caution to Shock owners. I am still trying to decide purchasing another, or just find a new air frame for the Bee.The two gentleman I was doing the demo flight for are having second thoughts of purchasing the Shocks, due to seeing the wing failure. A photographer, Dennis King, was able to take pics of the wing coming off in midair and of the crash sight. So have any other owners had wing failures? Should I buy another Shock and hope the wing stays together?Two weeks ago, I maidend my TAM Hawk with a Super Eagle and the flight went well.</p>

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

Here are more pics during the flight before its retirement.

RE: TBM Shock Jet
 

bummer about the wing, mine has just over 100 flights with P-70 for power. I have always been concerned about that big wing with the extra power and not knowing of the build qaulity without cutting the wing open.  hopefully just a fluke.</p>

</p>

Kevin</p>