RCU Forums - View Single Post - BVM Composite Bandit Build Thread. Yes from 1998.
Old 03-09-2016, 09:52 AM
  #9  
Harley Condra
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Matt just brought up a couple of very good points.
Never fly the Bandit without using the bypass, and cover.
Years ago a friend (who will go nameless) flew his without the bypass cover after ignoring my warning not to do so. A short time after take off, well below top speed, the air pressure from the inlet blew the engine hatch off, allowing the canopy hatch to slide aft and blow off the airplane. Not only was the jet very tail heavy at that point, but the vertical fin and the canopy transparency were damaged when the canopy hatch struck the fin leading edge. It could have been worse.
Also, to parrot what Matt stated, forget the plastic header tank, and make a tank out of the Kevlar cover by gluing another BVM tank vent fitting to the top forward end, and installing another BVM tank feed fitting and receptacle centered on the forward end of the tank. Aeropoxy the tank halves together and you have a Kelvar header tank.
If you send your purple gear to BVM, Casey can reverse them very easily. No additional parts are required. They will end up looking like a set for the BVM AFS T-33. I would think an hours labor would cover it, but call Patty to make sure.