Adrianhn

Following my frightening attempts to start my new engine I am pleased to say the guys at Kingtech USA have been fantastic at helping me resolve the issues ,following on from this I would appreciate any help and pictures of anyone who has mountedted their K80 in a Modellbau Tornado

Thanks to all

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

Glad to hear they got you going. Everything I hear about their willingness to help people is always positive. I think a k-80 is going to be my next engine.

Adrianhn

Hi

my normal weapon of choice is naturaly Wren turbines...they are British and they are just a few miles form me so its real easy.I wanted another engine but just fancied a a change,Jetcats proved difficult to get everyone seemed to have no stock, only on order...I had looked at the Kingtech before but over here theywere not so popular and withnot such a good reputaion,I think this was just badpress by people who had no real experience of the engine.I can honstly say now that I own one I am verypleased with her,despite the teathing problems it afantastic piece of engineering and I have no doubt I will have years of good service.I would like to thank Kingtech and Modellbau for alltheir help.I will certainly buy another.

I would still like to hear from people who have puta K80 in their Tornado and any snags I should be aware off.....I know some people over here have knocked out the formers and strenghtened the fuz with carbon fibre....??..I have been sent some detailsabout strenghtening the booms...


thanks to everyone.....

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

I don't have the "Tornado"... but I do have a Falcon 120. And regardless of what Modellbau tells us... it's the same plane, it just has a few mod's for Modellbau. (I got to fondle one a few weeks ago)

I can say with absolute certainty... yes... knock out the formers, and re-glue them. The Tornado has the same crap glue that the Falcon has. I'm not sure if the booms are really that weak... but I know that they need a little more support around the mounts.

My Falcon is set up with an AMT AT-180... it is a little heavier than the K-80... but its putting out about the same power. (about 18Lbs thrust) I have it mounted at 0 degrees thrust angle... and I haven't had any issues. Also... my elevator is about where the Tornado manual says to put it. If you take a straight edge, and set it on the elevator... then adjust the trim so the edge just comes into contact with the top stab surface... that will be a good starting point. Oh... and I went with the Falcon balance point at 13" back from the leading edge, at the fuse.

Hope that helps.

Adrianhn

hi
thanks for the info...over here we are told to put 6 degree of down thrust on the engine.......????? and also to adapt the wooden blocks to mount her too....
I will make a nice alloy mount,may even have it anodised to match the engine..if you have any pics I would really appreciate them...if you can send to my email direct
at [email protected]that would be fantastic.Now here is a silly question,do you guys leave it as a 'one piece model' or dismantle for transport...ie booms off and the wings
I saw the thread about strenghtening the plates where the booms bolt on.....good idea for more powerful engines....and also about permanently glueing the stab in ,not just bolting it on
so that raises the question do you guys unbolt the boom/stab as one unit and transport it that way,if so I thought about making a little brace to temporarily bolt on the front of the booms to help
while moving the model.......sorry so many questions...the instructions are not the clearest in the world.....I really appreciate any build advise and tips you can offer,she is going to get flown hard and I really dont want
her to disintrgrate in mid air......

best regards

ddlstang

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Adrian, what turned out to be the issue with the turbine. Would like to know for my knowledge.

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

I would like to know too, since I may be buying one this winter.

Anyway....

I take my Falcon apart for transport. The booms come off as one unit. (both booms and the stab) and then both wings. SO... I'm transporting it as 4 parts. I can transport it built... but then I couldn't fit anything else in the back of my truck. (I like to take a couple models to fly when I go out) Right now, my booms and stab are just bolted together. I was thinking about gluing it together since I don't take mine apart... and that would better support the booms. (I guess I would recommend that)

With that said... I don't use retracts in this jet, since it's my "Turbine Trainer." I fitted bent aluminum gear to the fuse, and that way it can stand on it's own legs. The aluminum gear is strong, light, and a bad landing won't crack my wings.

As far as the up thrust... that has been a point of debate on the Falcon thread, but there have been a few of the "old timers" who said... it's not needed, and it makes take-off rotation much easier. So... I made my mounts with no up thrust. Also... it won't burn grass with the engine flat... and my stab isn't even warm after a flight.

As far as it disintegrating in the air... I'm not sure that will actually happen. The guys that have had issues have mod'ed it in ways that may not have been very good. Also, several of the guys who have had wing issues never installed the buckets for the landing gear. So... the wings basically puffed up from inside. Honestly... I bet most of the "Falcon" related issues can be traced back to hard landings that caused minor damage... and then in a stressful flight... that damage failed.

My major mod's were: 1) knock out, and re-glue the formers. 2) replace the Nylon bolts with stainless, and aluminum. 3) soak thin CA into the boom mounts in the wing. 4) Corner, and epoxy the boom mounts in the booms. 5) add glue to the wing landing gear mounts. (but I wound up not using them) 6) Added a wood block for my new landing gear, and supported the engine mounting plate better. 7) made my own push rods with ball joints. (The stock hardware sucked)

Give me a few minutes, and I'll go click a new picture of the jet in it's finished form... but for now... here's the mounts.

Adrianhn

hi

this info is invaluable,thank you so much,your engine mount is the best I have seen,normally just bent alloy or mild steel....did you machine it ?
I want one !!!!..I dont care what it costs.....some guys over here replace the main alloy wing brace with a carbon one,may be a good idea but the standard one looks like it will do the job just fine......My new ECU is coming today so I am really keen to run the engine to make sure its all ok,then I can get on and and finish the model....I'll send you some pics....keep in touch,I may have to pick your brains yet.......and if you can get me an engine mount like yours I will gladly pay for it.......
best regards
adrian

Adrianhn

hi

today I received a new ECU,so not without some nervousness I set the engine up again on the test bed and went for it......perfect start
wont push my luck tonight as its getting late here and the neighbours will start to complain,will give her a real good blast at the weekend.
All I can say at the monment I must have been unlucky and had a bad ECU unit,but thanks to Kingtech USA and Modellbau UK I am back in business
Cant wait to get it in the air.Thank you to everyone who has helped,greatly appreciated.
I would still like to hear from people who fly the Falcon 120/Tornado...advise and mods on the build are appreciated plus any not so good point that people have found

Dr Honda.....who made your engine mount...I want one

thanks to all

Adrian

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

Hi,

Sorry... I've been sick, and I didn't get the new pics.

Anyway... I got your PM, and I'll get back to you there. But yes... I made the mounts, and machined them out of aluminum. Right now... they are set up for a generic mounting ring... but the tops are flat, and you can drill and tap holes that match your mounts.

Oh... one other mod I did, was to make the bottom hatch removable with a spring loaded latch. The screws are a pain.

Here's a couple more pics I had in my computer. This is what it looks like, standing on it's own legs without it's wings.

ddlstang

My Feedback: (2)

have you had any problems with it rotating on take-off with the mains so far back - behind cg.

Dr Honda

My Feedback: (4)

It's an illusion with the wings off. The rear tires are only about an inch behind the CG... and they are actually forward of the stock location. If you look close at the side, where the wing bolts on... you will see a mark just in front of the rear wing tube, but behind the wing bolt hole... that's the CG mark.