Propwashed,
No major progress as I was out on a family vacation. I would like to see how you bolt your engine. I am satisfied with how mine turned out, but wouldnt mind switching to a better method.
Asif

Here's some pics of the engine install. I had to notch the bottom front of the fuse for the pitts muff to clear. Also had to remove quite a bit off the side of the exhaust and re tig on some new alum, so it would clear the cowl. I switched the stock Zuma carb with the walbro 433.

The engine is mounted on the standoffs to the new firewall. The engine bolts/washers are counter sunk into the back of the new FW. That assembly is then mounted to the existing where the bolt connections/blind nuts have more bite. the new FW has been glassed and epoxied

On the Walbro carb, I had to trim the length of the choke shaft and installed a new arm. It just sticks barely sticks out the side of the cowl through a slot and works like an on-off switch. Forward/choke on Rear/choke off.

Nice Job There Prop.

I'm impressed that you were able to mig the muffler. With that huge monster cowl I can't believe you didn't have the clearance.

Engine looks good too. Can't wait to hear how it performs. I worked on my Pitts tonight. Rebuilt the bottom and top wing tips. Letting them Gorilla glue up right now. I'll do the cabanes tomorrow.

I need to glass the engine mount area as that suffered damage too. I bought some 15m epoxy and some glass. I plan to thin out the epoxy with denatured alcohol. Is this the correct method that you use for glassing ?


Dan

Dan, When I epoxy/glass I normally like to use Z-poxy finishing resin or marine/automotive grade poly resin (it's cheap and spreads nice). Today I just spread some 15 min on the fire wall squeegeed thin layed on the glass cloth/ spread on some more and another layer of glass and then a thin top coat. I have never thinned the 5-15-or30 before if I want it thin I use the other mentioned. I have heard this works though just never tried it. Let me know how it sets up. I do warm it up with a heat gun prior to sqeezing out of the tubes. It helps it flow better.

Thanks Prop for the glassing tips. BTW.. what is your real name?
Can you post a pic of your servo connections on your ailerons ? I want to see what kind of horn/throw you are setting up.

Thanks,

Dan

Video of the engine running: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTkZnoP1dG0

Had to make just a minor low end adjustment
the carb primed just fine (about 10-15 flips/bumps)

Ignition off choke on about 5 more flips, Ignition on choke on, about 3 flips and bump. Choke off and 5 flips she was running. Ideled up and down smooth transition with no spudder. After a long idle she quit. made a low end adjustment (actually had to go a bit richer) about 1/4 turn and the idle transiton was on and smooth.
It started raining so I stopped for a while.


Tripp

Dan I'll go take a few shot tonight and post them

Tripp

Here's a few pics of the fuse layout. I have the elevator servo arm traveling on a vertical plane to help eliminate or prevent any lateral movement in the elevator pushrod which would cause un-equal elev travel. It works good.

Hello Propwashed,
I like your engine installation. I have few questions:
1. My engine timing is not installed on the engine. It is there with the engine but not installed. what is the exact location of installation?
2. What prop size did you use?
3. How much cowl did you cut to fit the engine? Can you please post complete front view of cowl and underside of cowl and engine.

Thanks
Asif

Propwashed,
I have used one of your picture to explain what I want. Please check the pictrure, measure your installation and let me know.
thanks
Asif

Asif, I will get you the timing sensor location. As for the cowl, My engine is extended out an additional 1/2" from the original firwall than yours. On yours, if you leave it as is you would need less clearance at the front of the cowl. The pictures will give you an idea of what to do. It took about 20 on/off installs and trims to get it right. With your exhaust this may be much easier. I have mine set up so I do not have to disconect the plug cap for cowl removal. Also mine came with some cool little throttle/choke arms that worked out really nice.

On the timing sensor It is hard for me to give exact demensions but it appears to be as follows:

1. Install the sensor ring onto the crank output housing at a horizontal possition.
2. Rotate counter clockwise (viewed from the front) approx 5-6 deg.
3. adjust the plastic sensor mount to center between the 2 mounting screws.
4. Mine did not come with any instructions so I have no technical data.

Dan, I used the du-bro self align control horns for the ailerons. they are set at about 1-1/8" above the surface to the pivot hole I also shorten the length of the horn arm and drill new holes so the mount is closer to the hinge line on this smaller model.

Here's some pics:

BTW I dont plan on flying the TF Prop in the pics. It's all I had and would not recommend it. However, it did hold up during some engine run in yesturday. It is a Power point 20x8

Tripp,

Thanks for the pics of the ailerons. I wanted to get the general idea of length needed.

Well.. It was a trying day at the field. MyEdge 540t wild Hare took a dirt nap. It was running amazing. the ZDZ40 was purring. I had about 5 flights with no mishap. I tooks the "last flight" of the day. I was doing Blenders and they looked fine. I went to pull out of one and my nose just pointed to the ground. I was trying to pull up but the elevator wasn't evevating. It crashed nose first into the plowed cornfield next to our runway. Needs alot of work to get it back. The 3.5 inch spinner shattered. The wings are in great shape. (balsa over foam) When I brought it home I found that one of the elevator servos had stripped gears inside. I don't think it happened on impact. The rest of the tail and rudder surfaces didn't even get damaged. That would explain why I couldn't pull out. Boy do these planes have a death sentence once they're built.

Well, I'll keep on working on the pitts for now

I love the Carbon Fiber Spinner. What brand/size is it? It looks awesome on the pitts.


Later,

Dan

Well The Pitts is ready to fly... It comes in at a whopping 16.5 lbs. Not quite What I estimated but I guess thats what it's gonna be. I was hopeing to be at 15.5 max. Did some more engine break-in this morning and it started right up and ran just fine. The RPM's max's out at 6400+- with the prop thats on it. I assume there is a bit more to gain if I lean out the top end a little and go with a 18x10 but I think it will perform best with a 20x8. My idle is right around 15-1600. I'd like to see it a bit lower as well but for now it will work. On grass it's fine but on asphalt I like the plane to not roll at idle.

With this engine, it is almost impossible to tune with the cowl on. I will have to fab some pretty long extensions for the adj. screws to be accessable. The carb is mounted on a 45 deg lean towards the back on the right side as installed. The extensions will have to extend up and back towards the top rear of the cowl approx 5-6 in. to be accessable. I will probably make this mod prior to maiden at the field.
Nothing worse than not being able to readily tune the engine as needed.

Few Pics:

I think that came out awesome. The black Carbon G Spinner really sets it off. I can't believe it comes in at about 16 lbs.

Went to the field to fly my Twist. The Magnum 52 isn't broken in yet so I came in deadstick.
I was running it on the safety bench when a small wind nosed it over into the bench.. By the time I got to it the 10-8 prop became 8-8 prop. and was burning into the wood like a router. What a riot. Then I had linkage problems with the throttle so I packed it in while it was in 1 piece.

I again working on the Pitts tonight. I am going to glass the front fuse by the engine mounts. That cone shape front is very punky. I hope that the fiberglass takes care of it. It seems that it would need some other type of support.

Later,

dan

Thanks Dan, I still need to finish the graphics. I ran out of white vinyl so I have to wait. I made the extensions for the needles. Just need to trim an access hoe in the cowl. Continued running the engine some more. I have a much smoother idle now. and I so far I'm impressed with how well it is running and starting. Hope it holds up for a while. I can feel that it will hover at about 3/4 throttle or so. holding it verticle it wants to pull up and away! Oh, BTW the spinner is a "Petes Models Spinner I had from one of my Yaks. I't a 3.5" CF Bullet. They are really light for the size.

Sorry about your mishap at the field. Crazy that the engine kept running while the prop was in contact with the bench. They usually stop with any interferance.

Tripp

Propwashed,
Thanks for your reply. I have slowed down my work this past week as my schedule was very busy. Hopefully will begin soon.
Asif

Tripp,

Did you make those pull/pull and rudder extensions for the servos or buy?


From the pics , it looks like you can take off from your driveway.


Later,
Dan

Dan, I fabbed the servo arm for the pull-pull out of a piece of alum. It is mounted to a trimmed large plastic servo wheel. The control horn at the rudder is made from phenolic material I had left over from my comp arf yak. I could take off from my drive way and or the side of my house. I fly allot of my planes right here but the landings can be tricky.

The control horns look good. Actually I'm very impressed with the way your plane came out. Did you end up using the y- pushrod or go with separate servos for the elevator?

Here's the Pitts wings.. almost done.

Flying out your back yard is pretty cool. Here's a pic of one of the flying fields I fly at. It's about a mile awale from my house.. so it's not to bad a drive. The other field I fly at is about 35 mins away.. A hassle but a bigger field.

Oh ya.. Ther'es a pic of my mew pt-19 I picked up last week. Saito FA-100 black night in it. It looks like a nice relaxing flyer.. 80+ " wingspan.

I also bought a H9 Edge 25% yesterday to replace my Wild Hare. It's all complete w/ servos. All I need to do is pop in the zdz40. I'll save the Wild Hare as my winter project repair.

later,

Dan

Dan, Your worse than me... I've already started two other planes as well. A SisT FW 190 which I just got 2 days ago ( got a threat going on warbirds page) and I have the 3W Bearcat I'm starting also. Cool PT. Get out the lawn chair and crack open a beer. Looks real nice. Ah..Good 'Ol Gorrila glue on the wing repair! Great stuff!

Waiting for some weather to maiden the Pitts. I'll try to shoot some vid of the first flight.

Ahh.. A Focke Wulf 190 . I'll have to shoot you down with my P-51. But first I'll send the PT-19 out to scout it out. lol

Ya.. some gorrilla glue never hurts in the cracks. Send some pics of the new planes.

Question:

I am fooling around trying to get my Brison 2.4 running right.
I installed a falcon ignition that I had (from ZDZ) . I took out the funky Brison spark advance thing and replaced it with this unit which is automatic. So.. it gets spark , no prob.. but it's still hard to start. I got it to start last night but it died like not getting enough fuel. The Carb settings are very sensitive. I was thinking about upgrading /replacing carb parts. (pumping portion) What Walbro Carb do you think I should use 542 ? Do you have any carbs laying around?

Later,

Dan

Tripp,

Take a look at these struts


http://www.sierragiant.com/prod45.html

Dan

Here is a neat idea for those tiny wing screws that you need to put together at the field.

Some more progress on the Pitts

Dan, Funny pic of the kitty.

I have the Sierra struts as in your picture. They are SCHWEET!!! and the ret tailwheel. Check out my build thread in warbirds.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6531187&key=

Not sure what to do on your Brison. I'd half to try to start it myself. No extra carbs as of right now. I have the Walbro 433 on the SPE 40.
Seems to be working fine. You may be too lean on the bottom as well. One or the other...Don't know...
Cool wing screws. Where did you get the Nylon wing nuts?

What happened to Asif? It's Asif he disappeared! lol
Later,
Tripp