Originally Posted by
Pull Up Now!
Right Jetflyr, the rounded opening is riveted. Took the words right out of my bell mouth. Even the if bellmouth WAS bolted, can you imagine trying to put the screws back in and tightening them working down and aft in that little hole? With the P1 former and the thrust pipe in your hands, it's not immediately apparent that you CAN slide the pipe through the former since the hole in P1 is smaller than the pipe diameter. It deforms the pipe and you have to force it through. One doesn't want to ruin the pipe, and the instructions don't say the pipe will pop back into shape like it apparently does.
Countryboy, thanks for sharing your wood alignment jig photos from the 3-14-2010 Jet Legend F-4 thread, post #163. The idea was new to me, anyhow. Question: Does your plug set just the alignment and not set the gap from the end of the engine to the beginning of the exhaust tube? Mine bottoms out flush with the thrust pipe bellmouth so it sets the gap automatically(notice it's tapered). This is needed on the Saber Dog because there's no access to the area to measure it. Your F4 has amazing access to the area in question compared to this Saber Dog where one is working not only down in the access hole, but offset aftwards one set of formers.
Yes, notice in the second photo that I posted that the end of the jig in the pipe is at the location of the pipe opening and not at the face of the bellmouth . This is the distance I have come to understand that the correct turbine exhaust nozzle to pipe distance should be gauged by. Right or wrong, the stock Jet Legend pipe in my F-4 has shown no evidence of heat related issues after 30 flights and numerous ground runs. Granted, you did have a much smaller area to work in as compared to my F-4. I just think I might have done it a little differently, however you got the job done and that's what counts. Good luck on your maiden.