KingTech K-45 is here
06-07-2015, 10:05 AM
#76
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Norfolk , UNITED KINGDOM
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My K45 arrived on Tuesday and a quick transplant onto my test glider that has been flown extensively with my own Sprite turbine enabled us to go flying today.
The model is the Topmodel Swift S1 which is strong enough to take the K45 as you will see from the video.
http://www.topmodelcz.cz/index.php?&...etail&id=14664
I filmed the first start with the engine on the plane and the first flight. All I did at home was to prepare was to check the radio was correctly set up with the ECU and to ensure the kero setting started fuel flowing. With Dave Wilde on the sticks we had 4 flights varying from 8 minutes to 10 minutes in length. The fuel tanks are 2 600ml tanks giving 1.2 litres. We did fly till the fuel was exhausted and it seems flights of 6-8 minutes with vigorous flying is possible with 1.2 litres.
The plane weighs 8 Kg with fuel so it will not go vertical but the performance was pretty good. The engine performed flawlessly all starts were free from flames and I used a 3 cell A123 1100 mAh battery for the 4 flights without recharging.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCs7E64ry1g John
The model is the Topmodel Swift S1 which is strong enough to take the K45 as you will see from the video.
http://www.topmodelcz.cz/index.php?&...etail&id=14664
I filmed the first start with the engine on the plane and the first flight. All I did at home was to prepare was to check the radio was correctly set up with the ECU and to ensure the kero setting started fuel flowing. With Dave Wilde on the sticks we had 4 flights varying from 8 minutes to 10 minutes in length. The fuel tanks are 2 600ml tanks giving 1.2 litres. We did fly till the fuel was exhausted and it seems flights of 6-8 minutes with vigorous flying is possible with 1.2 litres.
The plane weighs 8 Kg with fuel so it will not go vertical but the performance was pretty good. The engine performed flawlessly all starts were free from flames and I used a 3 cell A123 1100 mAh battery for the 4 flights without recharging.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCs7E64ry1g John
08-16-2015, 11:58 PM
#77
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I checked my K45 yesterday and it has logged up 140 mins flying. So far it has been entirely trouble free with no failed starts. Any one else logged more?
John
John
08-17-2015, 10:06 AM
#79
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The model I have us 3.14m wingspan. Well worth buying the deluxe model so it has retractable wheel and doors fitted, very quick fit out, just engine mount, tanks and servos. The only mods I have done are to refit the rudder with 3 hinge points rather than just top and bottom, I found on takeoff the nose wheel tends to try and bury itself in the grass or tarmac so I fitted a second retractable wheel just ahead of the pilot position. It needed no lead and playing about with the battery position achieves balance. I have 2 600cc dubro tanks. one under the pilots position and one under the engine mount back of CG. The rear tanks empties first. I get 10 minute flying with the K45 with this set up but the 'record' is 30 mins with some thermalling on a nice day under some low clouds. This is a very strong well built model with wings that stand lots of abuse. It has a nice turn of speed and you will enjoy it. The air brakes are incredibly effective at killing the lift and well worth having.
The K45 is a nice size engine for it.
John
The K45 is a nice size engine for it.
John
08-18-2015, 03:58 AM
#83
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Craig and John
Please realise that this is very much a working plane that I have used as a test bed for several years now and it is getting a bit tired now and was never the neatest installation! I hope though that it will give some ideas.
The engine angle you can get from this photo. If the throttle is thrown open with the K45 there is a noticeable pitch down but can easily be programmed out on the radio. I didn't bother though.
The engine mount is a tongue of 6mm birch ply that extends down onto the top of the rear tank. This ensures the rear tank does not come loose. to stop this tongue from coming out there is 2 3mm ply plates on either side of the tongue on the outside and in the inside I have glued 2 triangular fillets of hardwood. I am well aware of the danger of the engine mount pulling out as happened with Ali flying the Opus jet with my Sprite turbine on it. The equipment I fitted on a slide out tray so I could get to the retract wheel underneath. The design called for a rudder servo operated by a cable in a snake. This failed and I changed to a direct servo mount in the fin. The fin is covered with special ceramic/aluminium adhesive sheets that Colin Straus used in one of his gliders. I am sure I need not have bothered and a simple aluminium take would have been enough. I also put a strip of aluminium tape on the top of the fuselage, this has not proves necessary.
The engine mount is a strap of thin stainless steel like the tailpipe is made from and I spot welded the over centre clip and the thicker stainless brackets to it. This allows me to change engines very quickly when testing.
I used the recommended servos Hitec 225 though you can fit the slightly strainer digital version.
The retractable main wheel is factory fitted and has rubber operated doors that have worked well just getting perished and being renewed occasionally. The retract wheel has been trouble free.
The extra wheel I used a BVM wing servo operated retract and a small HK leg and wheel. This has very little force on it as all it does is to stop nose over when taking off. I am a bit embarrassed about the extra wheel I fitted and I am sure you can some up with something better.
To join the wings securely I fitted a threaded joiner with a that I can screw into blind nuts I screwed into the wing rib. The thread has heat shrink on it so it is screwed in so far and when both are ready I can push the second wing on clicking the joiner together. This makes it much quicker than screwing screws in from the inside of the fuselage.
The only problem we have had with the plane was the rudder which developed flutter and came off the plane together with the wire in the snake! The plane was still flyable and it was retrieved and fitted more securely with a direct link and 3 hinge points.
It is a great flying plane and it would be interesting to see a better fit out. Hope this helps.
Best Regards
John
John
Please realise that this is very much a working plane that I have used as a test bed for several years now and it is getting a bit tired now and was never the neatest installation! I hope though that it will give some ideas.
The engine angle you can get from this photo. If the throttle is thrown open with the K45 there is a noticeable pitch down but can easily be programmed out on the radio. I didn't bother though.
The engine mount is a tongue of 6mm birch ply that extends down onto the top of the rear tank. This ensures the rear tank does not come loose. to stop this tongue from coming out there is 2 3mm ply plates on either side of the tongue on the outside and in the inside I have glued 2 triangular fillets of hardwood. I am well aware of the danger of the engine mount pulling out as happened with Ali flying the Opus jet with my Sprite turbine on it. The equipment I fitted on a slide out tray so I could get to the retract wheel underneath. The design called for a rudder servo operated by a cable in a snake. This failed and I changed to a direct servo mount in the fin. The fin is covered with special ceramic/aluminium adhesive sheets that Colin Straus used in one of his gliders. I am sure I need not have bothered and a simple aluminium take would have been enough. I also put a strip of aluminium tape on the top of the fuselage, this has not proves necessary.
The engine mount is a strap of thin stainless steel like the tailpipe is made from and I spot welded the over centre clip and the thicker stainless brackets to it. This allows me to change engines very quickly when testing.
I used the recommended servos Hitec 225 though you can fit the slightly strainer digital version.
The retractable main wheel is factory fitted and has rubber operated doors that have worked well just getting perished and being renewed occasionally. The retract wheel has been trouble free.
The extra wheel I used a BVM wing servo operated retract and a small HK leg and wheel. This has very little force on it as all it does is to stop nose over when taking off. I am a bit embarrassed about the extra wheel I fitted and I am sure you can some up with something better.
To join the wings securely I fitted a threaded joiner with a that I can screw into blind nuts I screwed into the wing rib. The thread has heat shrink on it so it is screwed in so far and when both are ready I can push the second wing on clicking the joiner together. This makes it much quicker than screwing screws in from the inside of the fuselage.
The only problem we have had with the plane was the rudder which developed flutter and came off the plane together with the wire in the snake! The plane was still flyable and it was retrieved and fitted more securely with a direct link and 3 hinge points.
It is a great flying plane and it would be interesting to see a better fit out. Hope this helps.
Best Regards
John
John
08-18-2015, 10:19 AM
#86
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The angle I used as you can see is pretty well parallel to the centre line of the wing root median line(measured from trailing edge to leading edge). On reflection maybe it could have done with a few more degrees. It is not that critical.
John
John
