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Old 11-14-2004 | 01:18 AM
  #6  
Gill
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Prescott, AZ
Default RE: Twin Engine Questions

Thank you all for your comments. I will take pictures of the plane next week after I return from a trip and try to post them.

A few observations that I relied on for my approach of thrust angles;

The North Star, a delta seaplane also by Mikulasko has the engine mounted above the wing almost the same distance as my conversion ( 5 1/2" from center of prop shaft to center of wing rib, my conversion is 5"). The North star has the prop located 14" behind the center of gravity, mine are 8 1/2". Very similar setup for a very sucessfull model.
The North Star plans call for 1 1/2 to 2 degrees down thrust. Thats why I thought it would be OK to leave the original down thrust in the Enforcer. (Thats down behind the CG, so maybe has a net positive effect at the front).

With the prop behind the CG I think the side thrust needs to be intoward the center of the plane to offset the single engine turning force. ( Left engine out, right engine pulls the right side of plane to turn left- so some left offset will push the rear of the plane to the left to correct the left turn - ???) I have mounted the engines so they can easily be adjusted so if the plane lasts I can experiment. I would like to have it right the first time though.

I have mounted a single 16 oz. tank ahead of the engine plate with a single pickup of 3/16" diameter tubing that T's as it comes out of the tank. The two equal length 1/8" lines then go to the carbs. Both exhaust taps for pressure will feed the tank with check valves so one engine running will not bleed pressure out the other's exhaust. I hope I don't have to use a pump, but we'll see.

Each engine will have it's own throttle servo and channel and I will be able to do any mixing and control scheme we can think up. I have a Multiplex MC 4000 system.

The two rudders will also have individual channels and can be mixed to suit.

As far as an emotional investment, every plane I launch has some, but the experiment and learning process is the real thing.

Please think about the thrust offset issue. I want to get it as close as I can for the first flight.