Originally Posted by
Uncas
I would use the lighter, more powerful engine.
I would not use ball links on anything but a throttle and sometimes not on that either. Unless you are meaning the swivel type ball link.
I have a Reactor also. I am using the Saito 82 and it lacks power for hovering. But even worst than that - I find the plane really difficult to hover. I am probably missing some key point, but this plane also does not want to take off of the runway! So I wonder if you have to make some adjustment to the thrust angle or to the wing incidence? I moved my thrust angle up a little and it seemed to help.
I too have a Reactor that is all beat up, I guess I built it light since it climbed like a rocket with a Magnum .52 2 stroke. I have since converted it to electric, glow fuel soaked the hatch to a point where I was not able to recover the ever peeling off covering. I ended up buying a new hatch and now I fly it with a Tacon 46 motor, that is plenty of power on vertical lines although flights are limited to 6 1/2 minutes. I have to agree this plane does not hover too well.