RCU Forums - 50cc Reactor

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RE: 50cc Reactor

REACTOR 50 c.c builing and flying one!!Hello, My friend Mike in Dallas, Texas built a flies a Reactor 50cc and this is what he wrote.
I must say it is a fabulous aircraft that has not disappointed me in any way. I started with the reactors with a 40 size that I flew and still fly with a Saito 82. That aircraft amazes me every time I put it in the air. I am a fair pilot yet that plane does incredible tricks with great ease, so when I heard Great Plains was going to build a 50cc version I was anxiously waiting for it to arrive in my local hobby shop. I got the plane in late October and flew it for the first time a few weeks ago. The first flight was on a windy day that I should not have flown on. I was at the field flying my little reactor and decided to do some taxing with my big reactor to test the CG and its ground handling abilities “because if you have been around the little reactor they are awful on the ground with the rear swept gear and on the 40 size, you need to turn the gear around so they will taxi on a grass field” but on 50cc inverting the gear is little more difficult so I chose to test it first then modify it if the plane tends to nose over. Well they got it right on the big reactor so after a few quick passes I turned it into the wind and nailed it. The reactor jumps off the strip quickly and flies like a dream. This is one of the very few models that I ever flown and not had to trim it all. My first flight was just some circles around the field with some slow passes to test the stall speed and its reaction. After about 5 to 10 minutes I brought it around and landed it. The plane will just creep into a landing; it has to be one of the slowest landing planes I have. The next weekend I took it back out for more flights and have performed many tricks with the plane. It does the waterfall extremely well and is truly a dream to fly. So for me I couldn’t recommend a plane more than this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Link to photos and radio install. http://rides.webshots.com/album/569326871Hrubhw
Here is a list of the stuff I put in the plane
1. 7 ea HS-7955-TG servos “all control surfaces”

2. 2 ea HS-85-MG “throttle and Choke”

3. 2ea 2600 Mah Li-ion “Receiver power”

4. 1ea 1600 mah Nimh “Ignition”

5. Da 50

6. 22x8 Mejzik carbon fiber prop

7. Eq6 Smartfly “primary reason for this is this board has servo matching which is a must for the dual servo per aileron + the power management for these high powered servos”

8. smartFly remote start switch

9. Smart Fly optical ignition switch

10. 3.5” Tru-turn spinner with the large prop cut out

11. Golden Rod for the throttle and choke

12. World Models Tail Gear with Spring shock absorber

13. 4-40 ball links on every control rod end

14. ¼ scale gauge set

15. Curios George Pilot

The only things I didn’t like about the kit were the instrument panel, tail gear and control horns. For the tail gear I replaced it with the world models gear and for the control horns I wanted to use ball links so a friend of mine “a master builder” suggested that I take two of the ones that come with the kit and mount them side by side with a ball link between them. So if you take two of the black horns and cut them off right through the mount screw holes then they are the perfect distance apart for a 4-40 ball link. It is a slick idea and it works great.

Thank You,
Mike, Dallas, Texas

RE: 50cc Reactor

Mike, did you ever weigh the plane?

RE: 50cc Reactor

closetguy
mine weighs 16lb.

RE: 50cc Reactor

The plane weighs 16lbs 14oz

I think I could have reduced by another 14 oz if I would have moved my flight batteries back one more bay. I placed them in the bay right behind the canopy and radio bay. But even at 16/14 I have unlimited verticle with the DA50 and it will hover at a little less than half throttle but I don't do much hovering.

RE: 50cc Reactor

Go Verticle,

I had a dead stick landing today with my reactor. The plane made it back to the field okay but I did touch it down pretty firmly. The Left landing gear broke out and took all the supporting wood with it. I would have been okay with that but the gear did not bend a bit. The plane should have survide that landing with out a bit of trouble. The fact the gear did not bend a bit tells me the wood just isn't strong enough. I ordered a new fuselage and will fly it again but this time I will build a aluminum tie bar between the two landing gears upper mount. I think I can slide a tie bar in, then the landing gear and bolt it all down at once. This will greatly reinfource the structure since the tie bar will defend the wood against the heavy rotational forces of a firm landing. That is always the trouble with a two piece gear and one of the reasons I shy away from them, but this plane is so incredible to fly.

RE: 50cc Reactor

Hello Mike,
Yea by making the gear one piece it will distribute the load forces over the entire structure rather than the 2 piece gear that does not property distribute the loads over the bottom of the landing gear structure. I would recommend anyone flying this plane to consider a one piece gear or by connecting the 2 piece gear as Mike has indicated above. Thanks, Roy

RE: 50cc Reactor

Mike,

Sorry about the damage. There is always that fine line between making the structure too strong and just strong enough. If it is too strong more damage is done to the plane, if it is too weak, the landing gear comes off prematurely also creating a lot of damage. Keep us posted, including pictures, so we can make the mod's also. I won't be flying mine until spring.

BTW, how did you go about setting up the dual aileron servos? Did you use the control horns that came with the plane?

Chuck

RE: 50cc Reactor

Chuck,

I will keep you updated as I improve the structure. the problem with this design is when it fails the landing gear arm acts as a prybar and rips everything under it out. the base ply that the gear is bolted to is only 1/4" ply which isn't much for the forces that are applied to it. If the rotational forces are minimized then the wood structure is likely strong enough as is. I have thought alot about this one and am still planning my upgrades but will surely keep everyone in the loop both with verbage and pictures.

for the dual servo alirons I used the supplied hardware but I doubled the supplied horns. I placed two side by side then cut them along the mounting holes that faced each other, then mounted them to the aliron using four suplied screws, then drilled two new holes where the two horns met and added two additional screws for a total of 6. I then used a ball-link sandwiched between them. VERY STRONG and looks great. I am traveling this week but will post pictures when I return this weekend.

RE: 50cc Reactor

Mike,

Thanks for the info on the control horns, I remember now that you posted that earlier. Regarding the aileron servos, how do you go about setting them up so they aren't fighting each other?

Chuck

RE: 50cc Reactor

Chuck,

I used the Smartfly Turbo eq6 it does serveral things for you but the most important and the primary reason I used it was it has servo matching abilities and reversing. it can handle several servos per channel. so the Smartfly controls the servo's center and endpoints. With this system I am using a seven channel radio with a channel left over even with a choke servo and an optical engine kill switch. The Smartfly EQ6 is an overkill but it has many great features that I liked besides the servo matching it has dual regulators and will ignore one if you lose one battery.

My aliron servos are perfectly insync with this system so there is absolutely no fighting between them. I also have all my mixes still available on my radio so I am free to add other mixes for other tricks instead of using them to manage servo sets.

I am sure there are some techno people with other solutions to the problems but for me this was the simplest and smartest.

RE: 50cc Reactor

Quote:

ORIGINAL: rdawson

REACTOR 50 c.c builing and flying one!!Hello, My friend Mike in Dallas, Texas built a flies a Reactor 50cc and this is what he wrote.
I must say it is a fabulous aircraft that has not disappointed me in any way. I started with the reactors with a 40 size that I flew and still fly with a Saito 82. That aircraft amazes me every time I put it in the air. I am a fair pilot yet that plane does incredible tricks with great ease, so when I heard Great Plains was going to build a 50cc version I was anxiously waiting for it to arrive in my local hobby shop. I got the plane in late October and flew it for the first time a few weeks ago. The first flight was on a windy day that I should not have flown on. I was at the field flying my little reactor and decided to do some taxing with my big reactor to test the CG and its ground handling abilities “because if you have been around the little reactor they are awful on the ground with the rear swept gear and on the 40 size, you need to turn the gear around so they will taxi on a grass field” but on 50cc inverting the gear is little more difficult so I chose to test it first then modify it if the plane tends to nose over. Well they got it right on the big reactor so after a few quick passes I turned it into the wind and nailed it. The reactor jumps off the strip quickly and flies like a dream. This is one of the very few models that I ever flown and not had to trim it all. My first flight was just some circles around the field with some slow passes to test the stall speed and its reaction. After about 5 to 10 minutes I brought it around and landed it. The plane will just creep into a landing; it has to be one of the slowest landing planes I have. The next weekend I took it back out for more flights and have performed many tricks with the plane. It does the waterfall extremely well and is truly a dream to fly. So for me I couldn’t recommend a plane more than this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Link to photos and radio install. http://rides.webshots.com/album/569326871Hrubhw
Here is a list of the stuff I put in the plane
1. 7 ea HS-7955-TG servos “all control surfaces”

2. 2 ea HS-85-MG “throttle and Choke”

3. 2ea 2600 Mah Li-ion “Receiver power”

4. 1ea 1600 mah Nimh “Ignition”

5. Da 50

6. 22x8 Mejzik carbon fiber prop

7. Eq6 Smartfly “primary reason for this is this board has servo matching which is a must for the dual servo per aileron + the power management for these high powered servos”

8. smartFly remote start switch

9. Smart Fly optical ignition switch

10. 3.5” Tru-turn spinner with the large prop cut out

11. Golden Rod for the throttle and choke

12. World Models Tail Gear with Spring shock absorber

13. 4-40 ball links on every control rod end

14. ¼ scale gauge set

15. Curios George Pilot

The only things I didn’t like about the kit were the instrument panel, tail gear and control horns. For the tail gear I replaced it with the world models gear and for the control horns I wanted to use ball links so a friend of mine “a master builder” suggested that I take two of the ones that come with the kit and mount them side by side with a ball link between them. So if you take two of the black horns and cut them off right through the mount screw holes then they are the perfect distance apart for a 4-40 ball link. It is a slick idea and it works great.

Thank You,
Mike, Dallas, Texas

great setup! I am finishing up my aircraft and am wondering what the best options are, as I see you are using a DX7. Should I use a JR Matchbox, Equalizer II from SmartFly or some other product to match the servos on the ailerons and elevator? There are Hitec HS-645MG's (4) on the ailerons, Hitec HS-7985MG Digitals (2) on the elevators. Is it possible to use a Y cable? Or will the servos fight each other too much?

Maybe I should just get a SmartFly EQ6...? If so, how do you have yours setup?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks.

RE: 50cc Reactor

Just a heads up.....CHECK YOUR STABS !!!

I was just out re-tuning my engine for 50:1 (finally off of break in oil) and noticed while cleaning the Reactor up that the stab is loose on the left hand side as seen from the rear. I used Gorilla Glue and you can clearly see where it cracked the length of the stab along the fuse, top and bottom. I'll probably see if I can make it sturdy enough with triangle stock glued against it and the fuse. That was one of the few things that I didn't like about the Reactor was one: the one piece stab, and two: the way it is attached to the fuse by just the thin balsa sides of the fuse and nothing in the middle of it !!!

This is after about the eighth flight..the last two or three I've been doing a few high speed walls and so far this is the only problem that I've found and hopefully the last for awhile...

RE: 50cc Reactor

THANKS Flyer3, when I build mine I WILL do the mods...

RE: 50cc Reactor

I have reglued the stab, and all over, added bracing around motor box , sheeted the alierons and used just one servo on each. Didn't feel like spending the extra $200.00 for two more servos that you don't need. Works the best. Other than that I Love this plane. About 55 flights so far. And it seems to be holding together DA 50 , hi tect 7955tg used but I think they are totally overkill for a plane this small. I think you only need about 120 oz servos.

RE: 50cc Reactor

I was thinking about using a 7955 on the rudder and 5645's on the rest?? Would this be a good decision??

RE: 50cc Reactor

My friend used a hi tect 985 mg on the rudder , futuba 3152 on everything else and has had no issues. all at 6volts.

RE: 50cc Reactor

I've been getting alot of e-mail about using one servo. I centered it , sheeted the ailerons, and recovered the bottom of the wing. A bit of work. I did it because I had damage to the bottom of one wing any how. I think the best would be probably like using the two servos, HITECT'S HS985mg servos all around would be a good choice for this plane and not over kill on the bugget. You could use the new 7955 on the rudder , I did. I not sure you really need that much though, on this size plane.

RE: 50cc Reactor

5645's on mine but make sure you glue in the servo arm screws. I've had two vibrate off. Some adhesive silicone solves the problem. Thanks, Jerry.

RE: 50cc Reactor

I always just put a drop of blue loc tite , still removable but only when you want them to come out.

RE: 50cc Reactor

Quote:

ORIGINAL: jbarnes

5645's on mine but make sure you glue in the servo arm screws. I've had two vibrate off. Some adhesive silicone solves the problem. Thanks, Jerry.

On any gasser you want to use loc-tite on almost anything that has threads...

RE: 50cc Reactor

Just flew my Reactor for the first time tonight, AWESOME! This plane tracks well and knife edges like a dream. I just got a couple quick flights in, but when I took the wings off, a wooden dowel fell out of my wing tube. The stock wing tube seems pretty strong, is this needed? Or should I try and glue it back in?

Thanks!

RE: 50cc Reactor

Hi, I had this plane for a few months, got it new and built it!
the quality and instructions are pretty good a generally a nice flying plane.
the only reservation i have is the location of the wing tube and wings!
this plane c.g is very forward - the location of the wing is too far back, with only my DA50 and gas tank are in front of the wing tube
and the batteries/receiver and etc are as back as possible i still needed to add 200 grams in the back and still the C.G was not good enough basic 3D flying!
the tail part of plane (elevator and rudder) are very light combining with to rear wings makes the C.G very forward to my taste.
other than that the plane is very steady, lands nice... and no problem with the BIG ailerons - i used 2 5625 servos on each wing with JR-Matchbox to
match them and the handling of it was excellent.

Here is a link to the build thread in a 3D site in my country:
http://www.planesandmodels.co.il/for...p?t=780&page=2
it's in hebrew but the browsing between pages is the same as here (numbers at the buttom of the page) and there are a lot of pics!

I'll be glad to hear other peoples C.Gs and if they had some issues with that!

RE: 50cc Reactor

:)My Reactor was a little nose heavy also. I put a dummy servo in the servo slot in the tail and also added 1oz beside for a total of about 3.5 ozs on the tail to get it to balance properly. Still a light plane at a shade of 16lbs. I love the way it flys. Best description is.....FUN. Fun to fly.

The stock wing tube is fine without the wooden dowel. I went to a carbon fiber wing tube and it's holding up fine.

thanks
Barry

RE: 50cc Reactor

I bent the little metal piece that holds the landing gear a couple times by landing on grass, does anyone have a good idea for a replacement tail wheel setup?

Thanks!