Pond Skipper

Yes true piano wire can get brittle the du bro metal push rods are soft enough to go to town on and take less heat to solder.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

For that price, this engine ought to hold a couple AMA or FAI records...?

Pond Skipper

It may have back in its hay day it was the "it" engine to get at one time but not in most folks budget then or even now.. think it was around 140 in its day back in the 1990's


Blinged out the wing if I order all three neon colors should help spur me on to take the time to detail the wing.

aspeed

I passed on a Shurikan maybe 10 years ago at the Toledo show. I just had too many .049's, and no good pavement to fly. Since then I likely have three times as many 1/2A motors. They are just little jewels. I would rather get one of the Fora or other Russian motors, and use it, than look at a $500 jewel though. (Oh, and I did too.) Anyway, piano wire can be bent or maybe flattened easier if it is annealed first. Just heated red hot and cooled fairly slowly. I do that on landing gear sometimes to thread the end for a nut. It doesn't usually ruin the die that way. Sometimes the piano wire gets very brittle, and can't even be bent without snapping, and I temper it first. That would be just past a straw colour when heating it, not red hot.

Pond Skipper

If it was going for 500 back in 2005 I imagine the one that went for 475 was reasonable for 10 yrs later for someone with a fond memory to rekindle or a need to buy because hims didn't snag one back in the day at half that price.
I hear you on the running bit so many engines yet to try and enjoy I only want to buy if its going to have a chance to get some air time.
Good tips on the piano wire!

Pond Skipper

Hey Chuck I picked up a new in the box Killer Bee .049. made in 1995 took 53.88 to make it happen.
Will open it up when it shows and post some pics perhaps by the end of the week.
The real ones have a gold and black color scheme came from a estate sale huge engine collector from the 60's
He had a rare .051 version mint in the box too went for 103.06 many other new in the box engines.

Here is one of the ebay pics.

Pond Skipper

Nice Kustom Kraftsman single port / rear exhaust and pressure back plate 128 thread needle mint from KK.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Put it on a Blink..!
You're acting like a shark at a feeding frenzy with the Cox Ebay stuff...!

Pond Skipper

I have two mint CL planes a Cox PT-19 CL and red Lil Tony either one could benefit the extra power.

Upside on a RC plane it doesn't require the additional weight of a engine mount good for a smaller plane.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

I wonder what the performance diff between that and an "a la carte" Killer Bee clone is. I just built one, but it was frigid outside when I ran it so just did a couple of quick rich runs to confirm it ran.. than parked it and thawed my hands. It's getting nicer out, I'll get some numbers soon.

Pond Skipper

Read the older ones have a piston sleeve tapered fit and lightweight piston / reduced wall thickness and sub-induction.
Think the original cylinders had narrow boost flutes added to each transfer port of the cylinder to improve scavenging.
I will take mine apart when it shows up and take some pics. I wonder if the original came with a mylar reed or the copper star type.

Pond Skipper

I was curious what the manual had to say so found the pdf. should be getting one with the engine here is a copy if you need one..

https://9824b54b-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites....attredirects=0

Says you will avoid the warranty if you use less than 20% total oil mix needs to have a minimum of 10% castor.
For us folks that use tachs it recommends setting it up for max 22k so that may translate to around 24k in the air. 4P / 91 mph.
From the factory it comes with 3 head gaskets installed and a 4th should you want to use a 6x3 prop or in a very hot climate.

Pond Skipper

Cox International makes a Killer Bee II for 49.95

It has some of the original features specs with a 5x3 from 17k to 19k

Pond Skipper

The elusive APC 4.5 x 4 have arrived direct from Landing Products as no body had them for sale on the net, not even big bad tower hobbies all in back order status. So I went with 10 of the lil guys just $2.30 a pop 2nd day air for $6. Weather permitting will do a vid for comparison with no engine mods just yet this weekend. The 4.75 x 4 has proven to yield some good thrust. I prefer the smaller hub of the 4.5 x 4 thus far matches the prop plate.

Pond Skipper

wow that rear exhaust TD is in a bidding war.. folks scrappin for it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111624184448...T#ht_74wt_1125

Current bid:US $455.00 +$6.00 shipping

[ 28 bids ]

skaliwag

My Feedback: (1)

another expensive .049

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PROFI-Ra...item4ae70edeb4

Pond Skipper

Yes least you get a pipe and full spinner along with a screaming beast of an engine.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

How ridiculous.......yet look at that RIRE Nelson FAI engine going for only $260 from a seller with a 100% rating..

Pond Skipper

Ok I'm going to be real lazy or a perhaps a bit smart save me some sanding time and balsa dust.
I have used this product before and I must say its very accurate I give thee

SIGB113 SIG BALSA 1/4 X 4 X 36 AIRFOIL SHEET


Goes for 4.03 each I plan to cut it in half and add a 2" strip with additional 1/4 spruce square stock at the cg then feather in everything for one blended airfoil
I will have to add a hair bit more to the trailing edge at the root as the tapered wing needs to be at least 7.25 x 4 to get a 180 sq. in wing.
With spring weather ahead it tends to be windy around here so I need to whip this project up now so I have a larger 15 size gusty day flyer that's big
enough to handle the not so stellar weekends.

Pond Skipper

I used thicker 3/8th balsa plank on the Skorch and the center section received thin ply skin top and bottom with no spruce spar treatment it has proven to be a very rigid wing in the air. Note the airfoil is not fully symmetrical I bought 4 sheets I may just laminate 2 for a top and bottom will see how it goes will post some pics once I'm under way. I may just sand the underside a bit for a semi symmetrical wing and leave it 1/4th thick will make for a fast wing with a 10 -15 size engine.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

I wonder how they mass produce the airfoiled sheets..?
I try to visualize a process where the balsa slab is forced to pass through a razor sharp arch / tunnel. The balsa slab is pushed by a steel slab that has the exact shape as the airfoil section.
The stationary "arch" needs to be stout enough not to deform, but with a chisel-like leading edge to peel off the excess wood as it arrives.

Pond Skipper

Yea good question I have a wing made of this its on my desk lol was looking at the thickness and relized it was 1/4 thick

Here it is with a TD 15
Wing is 6 x 23in

Pond Skipper

You could just glass the wing, should be good up to a 20 size engine or cover it in carbon and up the engine size a bit more.
I just used the 4in wide as is and added 2in tapper to 1/2in ailerons. The wood is not soft it is preselected for wings. When I put this one together I was amazed of how much time and fuss I had saved cut and sanded the wing tips whole thing was ready to use in about 15 mins. I painted the wing tips with neon yellow and shot some clear to seal the wood. 36g completed as shown with horns and ez connectors. I pulled the trigger and bought 4 wings the whole thing plus priority mail around 24 bucks.

I also figured I needed a robust full range RX for this project so bought a AR400 would have been nice if it had the plugs not facing up but rather out the end -this version is cheap at $26 small and hard shell case should be good to go with an IC engine. If anyone has had good IC use with the AR400 let me know.

Pond Skipper

Also ordered these neon's to match the Slim V rendering
Since I'm going with a ply fuselage balsarite pre prep is a must have.

fit90

I just purchased two AR400's for use in 1/2 a IC planes. Haven't used them yet but looking forward to it. I have had exceptionally good luck with all my Spektrum radio gear, even with 1/2a planes.