ORIGINAL: da Rock
BTW, models didn't originate down and side thrust. Full scale planes often have some.
No kidding, I didn't know that... I thought it was the other way around.
ORIGINAL: da Rock
If the kit mfg has been in business awhile, you can make book on the angles they build into the firewalls of their planes. If it's a plane that was a really great price, it might or might not be appropriate.
The amount of down thrust really seems to be fairly constant. The amount of right thrust is usually constant for an average airplane, for example one that doesn't have something like really short wingspan (like triplanes ).
With established mfg's like Great Planes and Hangar9, they seem to take care to either develop the model with some care, or insure the stuff they get from China is tested and fixed before sale. You are sensible to wonder about earlier versions. On the other hand, the earlier version would have had a problem with a different thrust if this later version shows it being there. Make sense?
If the provided motor mount screwed to predrilled holes for it puts the prop shaft where the provided cowling has a hole for it, there is a good bet the right thrust is going to be a good idea for your plane.
Also, you're not usually going to see really bad things from too much or too little side thrust until you really start pushing the envelope.
Thank you, I guess I was a little nervous when I saw the angles. I can relax now knowing a tri-plane would need a little more in the angle department than a regular average plane.
I'm guessing my plane is a little over 10 years old. Not sure when Great Planes discontinued the model. It had the updated landing gear do to the first few batches had issues, so I'm guessing it's a later release.
Anyway, I really liked how you explained it to me da Rock, and I also thank Lnewqban explaining the theory on engine angles. The Fokker DR1 also has a short fuse as well short wings. I guess with anything with a long fuse like my Hanger 9 Fokker DVII doesn't need as much right angle.
This stuff is good to know because after I'm done with the Fokker DR1 I plan on doing some kit building eventually.
Again I thank you all,
Pete