UNFINISHED BUSINESS!!
 

That's right, ever since my ol' Cyclon ripped itself free from this SWR, almost all model aviation came to a halt around here. The new engine showed up a few weeks ago. DG sells it for less than Mr Cyclon, but in this case I had to be patient. I think DG gets a bulk discount, plus he substitutes the Cyclon NVA for what looks like a $5 SuperTigre unit, so there is probably more savings passed on that way.
Anyway, IIRC this plane was only into about the first minute of the maiden flight when the firewall ripped out. I was probably just starting to get comfy when tragedy struck. I've flown it since with a AME, but that just isn't the same.

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Sweet!

Is that the results of all your hard work in the background...!?

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Yep, except the photo makes it look like it's more done than it really is. There is still a solid week's worth of rock raking, but during this heat wave I'm germinating an area the size of a football field on a slope. The sprinklers need to be moved continuously.

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That thing looks crazy fast!  More details please.

Kurt</p>

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Hey there Bozarth. I did a build thread IIRC late last year titled something like "Q-125"? Anyway, I recall wading around in frigid water looking for the engine, so it had to be the last quarter of last year if you want to search for the thread. It must be 50 pages back by now.

Here is what I do know, it spans 26", has 5 inches of chord and the wing is a solid sheet of 1/4" balsa. Flat bottom airfoil and a full depth spruce spar out to mid span on each wing panel.
The fuselage is 22" from firewall to where the sides meet. The leading edge of the wing is 4 inches behind the firewall.
The V-tail is placed just far enough forward so the linkage can be totally concealed. I cut holes in the fuselage sides to clear the pushrod clevis.

There are no tricks involved if you go with a standard tail, the V-tail is extra work. Typical throws are 1/8" on elevator and ailerons, but have an extra 1/16" available for the elevator if the CG is off.

With a pair of HS-65 servos, 300 mah battery, Berg RX and just a latex bladder "tank" these planes usually turn out weighing 11-12 ozs with a Cyclon or Fora.

The speed of these planes will put a smile on your face. :D

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... or instigate the need to change underpants!
That thing looks like the devils skateboard. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...what_smile.gif

S

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JM, losing the engine created a log jam with pending projects, too. It meant that another model never got flown and also the cowl for another plane never got done. I'm going to tie a steel cable from the engine to the wing bolt before launching this little racer again.

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Looking good CP!
I assume it is your standby 4.2x4 - unbalanced?
what static rpm does that poor prop endure?

The red bellhousing the fuse is sitting on looks like a giant TD fuel tankhttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...y/msn/idea.gif

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RR, yep 4.2x4 is all I ever run. Just buy them by the bag and run them 'till they snap. They haul around 125 sq inch planes pretty good.

The most rpm I ever saw was the piped G&Z .061 cranked out a couple dozen 42,000 runs with a 4.2x4.
APC set a safe rpm limit of 190,000 divided by diameter, which barely covers running a 4.2 incher into the early 40s, but the smaller these props are I'm sure the safety factor goes up.

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That looks like that little thing Pilot kit.. [run downstairs and check my stash].. ah yes, the Cobra Z. But it doesn't have a v tail. Other than that it is quite similar in that it is a small box with a wing, tail group and a half A. ;-) Man that must have hauled patootie!!!

The Profi waits for me to get over kit release week dithers.. but it will be fine until I get to it.

Do it again, do it again!

MJD

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CP, What does the cyclon spin it at?

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Rob, I've never explored that to the Nth degree. As delivered you will get 34-35,000 with a 4.2x4 prop on low nitro. They respond very well to higher nitro, but then run time on a bladder that holds 3/4 oz really suffers. Larger bladders have too much pressure differential from full to empty for 1/2A engines to handle, I've tried it with no success.
FF guys run crankcase pressure, but I don't know if they're doing any 9G manuevers out there?

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I wonder then if a pair of 3/4 ounce bladders and Y connection would do the trick? A bit of PITA factor but it's only plumbing.

MJD

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I think I've tried that and IIRC 1 bladder empties into the other...but it's worth another try. It seems like it should work.
Wait, now I seem to remember that it starts out where 1 bladder always empties out a little sooner, then the fuller bladder tries to feed both the engine and the other bladder, leaving you with a lean run.
1 bladder will give a satisfactory flight of 3 or 4 minutes if it doesn't pop.

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Thanks CP,
I'd be tempted to run case pressure as I have a bladder phobia

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With the amount of tea I drink in a day my bladder threatens to pop all the time.

MJD

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Put that sucker in a box and ship it out here for the 27th!!! That or I just need to renew my man card and get a Cyclon for my Quick Shot.:D

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Vic, there's an almost identical setup collecting dust down in Brunswick......;)

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The Q125 flew great! :D The first flight was just a tiny bit sensitive on "high rate", but good enough to stay with. Launches and landings are both very easy. The plane grooves in flight but is capable of snappy turns without flipping rate switches.
Time to record the flight settings and move on to.................

UNFINISHED BUSINESS II

The bat-wing-thing. Losing the Cyclon created a chain reaction of misery and woe. The red-bat-thing flew nicely enough for me to try a cleaner version, but I never got the chance to fly it. I just swept a pound of dust off it tonight and will give it a try soon. The problem is figuring how to grip the "row boat" shaped hull?

I tached the Cyclon today on what I believe is 15% nitro fuel watered down with extra castor and it was turning 33,000 with about 15 minutes worth of break in time on it already. This is just like my first engine, if it follows the same pattern it will continue to get stronger.

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Cyclons are some kind of evil. The first time I ran one, it broke the 2-56 mounting screws that held it to the wood block. IIRC, it was a 6-2 APC, can't remember if it was broken in yet. Man,... that was a long time ago-maybe 1996?

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DD, back around 1996 I was watching Cyclons invade 1/2A Combat and turn it into demolition derby on 35 foot lines. C/L Combat had reached it's Zenith for ridiculousness and stupidity :D

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Nice sticker buddy!
Whomever could that be???:eek:

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I cannot imagine the lap times - how fast is an AMA 1/2A airplane anyway, in the 80 area?

I just drove 100 miles round trip to pay 15 dollars for 2 dollars of fasteners. :eek: Living in the sticks rocks for the most part, but sometimes you pay.

That little pylon racer looks fun - has anyone flown a Blink on a Fora or Cyclon or Profi level of engine? Should I? I could easily have it done for NC, they take about 3 minutes to build.

MJD

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I think you could build a Blink for Top Fuel 1/2A, but make sure the airframe is rigid [doesn't twist] and the firewall needs to be locked in to handle the power.
I think 1/2A Combat planes are doing about 80 or better? A step up from TD combat that was flown more likely at 70.

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No st, so the lap times would be faster than AMA fast? 80 at 35 feet versus what, 125 on 60 or so..... if so, egads.

I picked up a strip of 1/8" x .030 (I think, should check) uni CF laminate for the spar tops if I leave it open. It would add 2.5 grams to the Blink - whoopee. Or, I might sheet and tissue it. Not sure yet. I'll be able to think straight when a pile of Screamin Demons leves here in a trail of dust first of the week. But it has all finally come together.

Not to totally wander off topic, but I must say, I am no spring chicken when it comes to working in industrial inside sales, or manufacturing or R&D aor purchasing or admin and all that crap. No raging expert either , but the point is I've been there and done that. I have to say, supppliers/vendors in general have reached an all time f-g low (pardon the implied language folks, but really it's the best word for it) when it comes to the effort expended on customer service. What I mean is, despite me clearly spelling out what I need and having glowing assurances on the other end of the phone/desk/email, it seems nobody can fill a simple order without a list of boneheaded mistakes that all come down to pure apathy. And they grumble about our economy in the process. You reap what you sow folks! Oh well.

Oh my gosh, MJD got all po-litical-like, you ain't supposed to do that here I think, but I bet everyone is subject to this on what, an hourly, daily,weekly basis..?

MJD