bonedaddy41

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I have started a project that might be interesting. I have a BME Aircraft (now PAU) 27% Pitts Challenger that I flew for quite a while with an Evolution 58GX ... and really enjoyed the plane. I kept ripping the servo plates out of the wings and decided to semi-retire the plane when I bought my Aerotech Pitts Python – so I moved engine and servos to the Python and put the Challenger in storage for the time being. My plan was to strengthen the areas that I knew were weak in the Challenger, put a nice covering job on it, and then buy all new equipment for it.

Now the project – For something a little different – and easier to see - I decided to recover it in Jim Leroy’s yellow and black Bulldog scheme using graphics from Grafix4Planes. Once I got the original covering off, I discovered the fuselage is built like a tank. Now things have started going through my head that kind of scare me I have an Evolution 45GX (not GX2) lying in the garage … and low-and-behold … the original 45GX and 58GX have the same mounting dimensions INCLUDING backplate spacing. Now for the tricky part – I also have a NIB Evolution canister system for the 45GX (EVO30041407). I am thinking seriously about trying to modify the internal structure of the fuse to allow room for a canister. I am not against a few bolt-in CF support features.

In its original flying form with the 58GX swinging a 24x8 NX at 6400, the Challenger weighed a hefty 19 pounds. However, the power of the 58 and the flying capabilities of the Challenger made if feel like an overpowered 15 pounder I will be trimming about a pound off by going from the 58 to 45 … but adding some of that back with the canister setup.

So … my questions are:

1. Let’s say I am REAL lucky and can get this setup to weigh in at 18 pounds. Will the 45GX on a can have enough power to keep my interest? (Pe, I respect your opinion here)

2. Has anybody attempted to put a canister setup in a 50cc biplane?

My other option is to simply trim as much weight as I can and buy another 58 … but … I just bought a new house so it will be a while before I can afford another 58 []

skyesdad

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weight watchers carbon and.......... then a 45 with a can

mrbigg

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Fly it with both and see what you like. Use cowl mufflers at first. Just leave the cowl off.

Tired Old Man

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With the pipes the 45 will be just peachy. Look over in the Wild Hare forum in the Ultimate build thread for can installation references.

bonedaddy41

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Thanks Pat. I will read thru that thread

bonedaddy41

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It has been quiet around the house over the holidays - so I was able to get the wings' servo pockets beefed up and the wings covered Now I just have to decide on which engine will go back in the Challenger. I was able to buy another used Evolution 58GX that I know is a good engine. Now I have a 58GX and a 45GX with canister exhaust to pick from. I know for a fact the 58 will yank it around like a foamy - but the 45 and canister would make for a neat setup. Hmmmmm, decisions decisons

krayzc-RCU

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love that scheme keep the pics coming

bonedaddy41

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I made a little more headway. The plane now has a removable canopy/hatch to allow for easier access to the internals at the field. In the past, to do anything inside this plane at the field I had to flip it on its back and remove the bottom wing. Not any longer

On the engine decision - if I am reading Pe's website and data correctly, he was able to run a 45 on the 58 canister and swing a 24x10 at 6200 rpm!!!! My 58GX with a Pitts muffler swings a 24x8 at 6400 .... hmmmm. According to his thrust/hp spreadsheet - my 58 is producing about 30 pounds of thrust. His tests with the 45 was producing 33!!!!! I think Pe made my mind up for me I will be contacting Pe about a swan-neck header and discuss the performance of the 45.01 canister to the 58 version. If the 45.01 is "close" - I will probably stick with it since I already own one. If there is a BIG difference ... and if I can get the 58 can in this biplane ... I will get one of those from Pe also [8D]

On another topic, does anybody know how to get paint off of the lexan canopies? The paint is on the outside and is in pretty bad shape so I can't simply paint over it. Plus, going from red to yellow would probably leave the yellow a bit darker than the rest of the plane.

krayzc-RCU

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love the removeable lid

roboto65

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Well if you are going to paint over the same area just mask off the lexan to the paint edge and sand the paint or you could mask it and spray with light color primer then paint the yellow but would still sand a little with 220 or so..

bonedaddy41

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A little update on this project - I started testing canisters on the 45GX this afternoon. Since I didn't start until after work ... and I didn't want to upset my neighbors too much ... I didn't get very far into the test. I am using the Evolution 45.01 canister and header as a baseline only because its configuration will not fit in this plane. To use the 45.01, the engine has to lay on its side ... and the tall/narrow cowl would mean the head would protrude out the right side a good 3" or more [] So ... I will just use that as a comparison to Pe's published performance numbers.

The second canister I will try is a prototype/one-off that I got from a friend that is a distributor for the canister manufacturer. From what I can see when looking down the inlet ... it is a simple pass-thru can with no baffling or chambers. It is a front inlet with a front stinger and its size falls between the Evolution 45 canister and the Evolution 58 canister.

The third "muffler" I will test is one that I made I used altavillan's guidelines in his thread on building aluminum beer bottle mufflers: [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_7385806/anchors_7385806/mpage_1/key_bud%252Cbottle/anchor/tm.htm#7385806]"Building and tuning, Bud Bottle Mufflers"[/link]

I really just used today to get the baseline with the 45.01 and make sure my test stand was going to do what I needed. I will carry everything to the flying field this weekend and do the actual testing. I will have to make runs gathering the rpm data with 2 props, switch mufflers/canister ... and make runs with the same 2 props. I am starting out with a KS swan-neck header at full length, so after testing both cans with both props - I will cut the header - and perform the tests again - until I reach the best performance. Obviously, this would drive my neighbors crazy

I think my baseline is close to Pe's. His baseline numbers were gathered using a TD75K canister on a full length header with a 3W 21x10 prop - 6650 rpm. My baseline (45.01 can and header) with a NX 22x8 = 6650 (cold canister) and 6530 (hot canister) I also got a baseline with the 45.01 setup using a 24x8. This one concerns me a bit. Although I got real close to Pe's numbers (24x10 + 45.01 = 5900 rpm), it seems the hotter the canister got the worse it ran. With a cold canister, I got 5880 with the 24x8 prop. As the canister got hotter and hotter, the performance continued to go down. I gave up when it reached 5400 rpm [&o]

Anyway - I will do more testing this weekend and hopefully find a sweet spot with the prototype canister.

skyesdad

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WOW that is a huge drop bring wings for the test stand and we will fly it that should fix em

bonedaddy41

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Yep. That rpm drop had me concerned - but Pe just straightened me out in my educational thread in the Gas Engines forum [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8390642/tm.htm]"I need some canister education"[/link]

I will probably be bringing my test stand, my hacksaw, and about a gallon of gas on Sunday I hope people bring plenty of Aleve because I WILL be making some noise [:@]

btw - I had to tie my workbench to my truck. It weighs about 20 pounds and it scared the crap out of me when it started scooting across the garage - so the wings might be a good idea. We have always said you could fly a cinder block with enough power [X(]

skyesdad

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That makes sense after reading Pe's comments But that would be sweet to fly a test stand think anyone would notice ???? but noise sunday that sounds like fun

bonedaddy41

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Let's see if we can get Keith the build a flying test stand

skyesdad

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he'd do it oh wait till ya here what I picked up today a spare with engines

Flyfalcons

Looking really nice, Bonedaddy! I saw one of these flying a week ago and was really impressed with how it looks in person - it had a bit more slender appearance than an S-2B. Nice work on the canopy hatch!

bonedaddy41

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Thanks Ryan. I think the hatch is going to be a big time - and stress - saver. I really enjoyed the plane with the Evolution 58GX. It had one of the nicest flat spins I have seen. I'm not much of a 3D flyer - more airshow aerobatics. Spiraling towers, Flip top, Centrifuge (we won't discuss that last low level attempt with the previous Christen Eagle ), etc. Pretty much anything Sean Tucker does ... or Jim Leroy did. I never did find anything it couldn't do. I hope the testing I am doing with the 45GX pays off. I am getting anxious to get this thing back in the air. Then I'll have a real tough decision on flying days - Pitts Challenger, Pitts Python, or Christen Eagle. Maybe I'll buy a trailer and take all 3

hahahahahaha - I just realized something and had to edit the post to add something. This 45GX I'm testing with WAS in the previous Christen Eagle - until that low level centrifuge attempt