Aussie1

I have both aircraft, and I don't even fly the Falcon any more! There is nothing wrong with the Falcon 120, but it is time consuming to assemble at the field and you can throw the Excalibur around like a prop sport plane. I have a PST800R in mine and at around 18lbs of thrust, is a perfect, and light weight combination. Here are some pics of my two jets, and the home made lights on the Excalibur.

Dave Wilshere

Sorry missed this! Either work, but I use the metal version. CARF got me onto them with their systems and I have used them ever since (10 years) never had one leak!

Dave

Si_B

Just before I make a situation worse, are the rudders handed or not. When I glued my hinges in I could have swore it looked like there was the same hardwood plate on both sides. Looking at it tonight I'm not so sure. Not glued on yet but I'm a bit stuffed as I've got one rudder with hinges glued in and one boom (other rudder needs a tweak to the hinge holes).

Worst case is removing 3 hinges, so don't want to commit to doing anymore gluing before I'm sure.

Simon

Dave Wilshere

Hardwood blocks both sides, so should not matter.
They are half moon in the bottom corner

Dave

Si_B

Thought so, I didn't mix them up from the bags.

Onwards..................!!

Simon

Nev01

Hi Simon, It's good to see you have succumbed to the Xcalibur. I have been working on mine on and off since February but hopefully will have it finished soon. I have just got to fit the fuel lines to the turbine and sort out the batteries, the rest is in or ready to go in. I think the fuel pump will be the last piece to go in, Wren have advised me to run some oil through it on low voltage before I attempt to start the turbine for the first time, this is because it has been in storage for 12 months.

I went to Greenacres Fun Fly yesterday, I kept my eye open for you but didn't see you, I guess you were too busy hinging your new bird. There was a couple of jets there, a Boomerang Élan and F15.

I hope all goes well with your build and you keep us updated on your progress.

Nev.

Si_B

Nev,

Shame the dates clashed but the way sites are closing I want to enjoy some time flying off tarmac!!

With your Wren, I would plumb it all in but keep some access to the final joint between your fuel line and turbine. Before you go for your first start, just split the line just in front of the turbine and run a spare bit of pipe into a clean container. Go to the setting to prime your lines and just let fuel run through it for a minute then reconnect. You will have primed the lines and loosened the pump up in one go.

Cheers
Simon

Pttcrisp

Sticky Retract Valve. I have a HS81 on the supplied retract valve and when the plane has not been used for a while this valve sticks and causes great pressure on the servo. Anyone else experienced this and any ideas how to combat it

Nev01

Good advice, thanks Simon.

Dblex

My Feedback: (81)

Dave,

Does the Blue Angel version have full graphics? I am looking at pics and I see some with them and some without? But I haven't seen actual pics of the airframe other than a first opened box...

Dave Wilshere

I'm just finishing one, So will post pictures tomorrow. It comes with yellow Navy and Blue Angels test, plus insignia

Dave

Fly Mower

Two simple questions (just don't know the answers.....)

1) I want to secure a couple of MAP fuel line tidy clips to the tank - Should I Hysol or Thick CA.
2) What sort of grease do I need to Lub the threads on a Jet Cat Fuel Filter.

Thanks in advance :-))

Si_B

Hysol is the best for those little clips. I think the cyno is to brittle and will snap off. I just used some Teflon grease on my filters, never had one leak. You don't use much.

I'm sure Dave will pop in and correct me if it has to be specific.

Simon

Mk23socom

My Feedback: (7)

I'm thinking I may have to get rid of my Xcalibur. I don't have the space or time to get it going, it's still new in the box. Is anyone stateside looking to get into one?

Dave Wilshere

Either! I use CA, but either way you need to flat off the bottom of the tidy clip and the tank.
I use silicon grease used in helicopter assembly

Dave

Dave Wilshere

Blue Angels Xcalibur just finished today ready for a turbine.
Looks good as a blue yellow sports scheme!?(without decals added)

Yogi073

Hi Dave
Looking good
Is that another one that you have put together?
You must have assembled half of the Xcaliburs in the UK

Dave Wilshere

This one was a joint build, with various people here doing bits (hinging and servo installation) I just did the installing landing gear and making the plates etc.
I think I have only built 5 and we have sold over 70!

It is easy now though...no thinking time needed :-)

Dave

Fly Mower

‘Woo-hoo’ she runs………

Well after nearly three months of weekends and the odd hour in the evenings, I fired up a Jet turbine for the first time yesterday. Yes, it was noisy and scary but the turbine did everything I expected it to and so far no leaks in the fuel system.

I’ve made hard work out of this build seeming to snooker myself at every stage but as it’s my very first turbine build I’ll let myself off. The biggest problem was my early choice and purchase of a GBR CAT. It's a really nice well-made unit, that just doesn’t fit in the Xcalibur without much head scratching. In the end I had to construct split boards and angle the right hand side board down at 30 deg, as you can image this was a mega pain in the butt from a construction point of view.

I’d like to give a public ‘thank you’ to Dave Wilshere. His contribution to this thread is outstanding and every question I have asked (and there have been many) has been answered usually within minutes, offering excellent advice gained over many years. Thanks again Dave, you have certainly secured my business based on the genuine ‘added-valve’ you offer over every other dealers I have traded with.

So now I only have a few items to complete; mainly fitting of horns on the control surfaces. The hinges are all in, servos fitted etc. just the horns and control rods to go.

I have included a few snaps so you can see the lay-out. I hope they help others in the same way the build-logs and pics have help me from zero to ‘turbine-starter’ in 3 months….

Before I go two more questions for my Xcalibur friends;

1. Should I drain down the main tank after each run or leave it full? And do I seal the vent or leave it open (assuming the tank has fuel) in for storage?
2. What does everyone use for ‘Tank Fill adapters’? I have 4mm poly off my tank station and it doesn’t like mating with the tygon CAT fill line – even worst when trying to separate them!

Now what colour Ultra-Flash should I have………..

lxfly

1. I just leave the rest of fuel in the tank and do not seal it (no over-pressure with changing temperatures and no pain to forget a seal.
2. Since years I am using the Festo self-closing connector on my jets http://aviation-design.fr/?self-clos...ctor-for-festo. Never had problem with these also some people say they could open with high underpressure. But you may check this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLGYe8aTCbc, if ever underpressure is so high that it might open, their is another tank problem.

Si_B

I think my fill station has 6mm tygon and in the end is a piece of 3mm festo tube (could be 4mm). This just unclips from the festo fitting and pushes into the festo tubing for filling the tank. No valves or anything fancy, and then I just put my stopper back in, just like yours. You don't need to push it far into the tube to make a good seal, but I never leave mine filling unattended, just incase something pops off (can happen if you try and fill too quickly).

Just starting the get the retracts into mine, but lack of time is slowing my progress.

Simon

RENO

My Feedback: (17)

Hi Dave,
I have noted your explanation describing the construction of the "PLUS". Do you have a feel of the booms and flying surfaces compared to the Elan? More rugged construction
or the same?
RENO Skeet

Dave Wilshere

Hello all. Thanks fort kind comments Fly Mower, just back in the small hours from the Helicopter Nationals in Aberdeen (Scotland) Great time over four solid days of flying. I managed to set up and test fly an Xcalibur on a JR 28X and I took my Xcalibur+ for a Scottish holiday and did demos with it at their amazing flying site. We also took the Blanik turbines for some formation demos and Rob W had his UF, so plenty of jet flying mixed in with other stuff (I think we had around 30 models in the van!)

The Elan booms are glass, quite heavily moulded. the Xcalibur and Plus booms are made from balsa, plywood and hard plastic tube core. They are much lighter and I'd say more resilient and the glass used on the Boomerang can be a little brittle.

Dave Wilshere

1. Should I drain down the main tank after each run or leave it full? And do I seal the vent or leave it open (assuming the tank has fuel) in for storage?
2. What does everyone use for ‘Tank Fill adapters’? I have 4mm poly off my tank station and it doesn’t like mating with the tygon CAT fill line – even worst when trying to separate them!
3. 
   As the guys say I never drain my systems. I will plug the overflow for transport, but disconnect to allow it breathing once on the shelf. 4mm SMC tube goes in 1/8" (3.2mmbore) tygon quite nicely, I only have to push it in 3/8" and it holds and releases fine

Dave

Fly Mower

That's what I have! - although all the tubes are new so a little tight. I suspect they will easy off after a while.

Dave, I have been looking at my fuel filter mounting (or lack of ) do you think it will be okay just hanging off the short lenght of tube from the Festo ball valve. I was wondering if movement (G force) may strain the fixing into the ball valve. Should I try and mount it a little firmer??