AX .55 for Contender?
 

Just as the title says, I have a new AX .55 and I would to build
the TopFlite Contender. Good choice?

The Contender states .40-.60 sized 2-stroke engines. The Contender was designed at a time when engines were pretty mild when compared to today's standards. The 55 AX has at least as much power as a .60 sized engine when the Contender was designed, so you will do just find with it on this plane.

We have a guy at our field that has a Saito 52 4-stroke on his Contender and he has power to spare!!

Hope this helps

Ken

I can't see mounting my SuperTigre .61 on a 54" span model. Seems like
today's .60s are much larger than the old ones.

I'd do it. That'll be a fun plane to fly!

I've finally gotten my contender up in the air this summer. I put an Evolution .61 in it, and I don't find it overpowered at all. That nice thick wing helps keep it from getting outta hand. Love how this plane flies! And with the flap extended it lands almost hands off alot like my Kadet sr.http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=1917663

Two questions: #1 How does your engine, setting up high as it is, perform reference the fuel tank being - as it looks -- rather low?

#2. Back in the early 70's when the original Dave Platt designed Contender was kitted by Top Flite (then a separate business as great "pains" was yet to be) had a problem in that the model rolled oposite to rudder deflection. Ever notice that today? Other kits of the time period, Sterling Lancer SL-62 did the same, and there was a 40 size scale model, forget the name, that did the same. Kind of making real trim a waker-up until one found the situation. Dave P. wrote an article on the Contender but that was too long ago for my memory. So just wondering.

The issue is still there. In the GP manual for the kit, they offer two ways to circumvent it, IIRC. One is to build Hoerner tips onto the wings, which is what I did. The model flew beautifully with an old & tired 70 Surpass.

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I used a "Narrow" tank like was suggested in the manual and it is mounted all the way at the top in the fuse. That puts the pick up well in the draw zone in relation to the carb. I haven't noticed the" adverse yaw " problem , but I did build the up turned wingtips.

From what I understand the odd shape of the rudder is what caused the
adverse yaw. I would build a Normal shaped rudder.