pm sent.

HI Jordan,

When you received your T33 from SM, was the main actuator already installed and air lines plumbed for the opening canopy option? I just received mine through Pacific RC and was charged for the opening canopy option, and the rep quoted "That is the extent of the operational canopy. They do not install it on this plane because it gets in the way while building it and you will end up removing it." I saw no actuator to close or open my canopy at all.

There should be a large air cylinder to open the canopy- same style that is used for the gear doors, except longer. Mine was attached to the fuselage, but not to the canopy as you do have to remove the canopy to get any work done inside the plane

Jordan,

Did you end up using the stock Skymaster Kevlar fuel tanks that came with the kit? How about the thrust tube that came with it? Thanks.

Yes I used the supplied fuel tanks, but I used a larger pipe to fit the 180 sized turbine

Hi Jordan,

Did you use the UP2 or UP3 mechanical valve for your canopy and lock? Also what kind of hi and low rate did you set on your t33? Any expo? How is your flap set for take off and landing? Thanks.

I believe I'm using a UP3 valve for the canopy/lock, but it shouldn't really matter. What'll change is whether the canopy locks close again or remain open while the canopy is in the "up" position. I don't use dual rates on my planes- everything (including flap position) is set up with the endpoints per the manual, and I don't think it needed much adjusting except for a few clicks of trim.

Hi Jordan,

what is your flap/elevator mix settings for take off and landing? Thanks.

I do not have any flap/elevator mix programmed. I use as much flap as was mechanically possible, but I think it was a little less than what Skymaster called for. I can check the exact flap setting when I pull it out of storage for the flying season in a few weeks.

How did you get the canopy H frame inside the canopy?

Those of you with SM T-33s, did you have issues with the retracts? Paint? Other areas that you’d caution me as a potential buyer?

Thanks,
Don

Right off the bat the jet is a great flyer and I loved mine. The air presence for a T33 is outstanding and it rolls like it has a stick up it's butt. The build...a royal pain in the ass. For a supposedly engineered jet you will spend a lot of time making things work. Rudder servo, stab installation, tank fitment, operating canopy all required too many brain cells for a jet that has been on the market that long.

Don,

Other than replacing some hardening brittle airlines over many years, I have not had any retract issues. I always install two large airtanks for doors and retracts and pressure to 120lbs before take off, on all my jets. The large air volume and high pressure has never let me down. The paint work on my jet is perfect.

I believe your level of satisfaction with this kit will be directly related to your level of building and construction experience with proper planning for your final result. The best outcome is to have all your basic access through the nose section and the engine hatch. All other components will be under the cockpit interior and servicing access should be planned from the beginning. The fitting of all basic components like tanks, turbine, bypass, tail pipe and servo's are no problem. All the rest will require your ingenuity and taking cg, system type and prefight access into account.

I enjoyed putting my T-33 together as it was not as much work as a basic builders kit, but it was great to do more than just assembling another ARF.

Regards,

JanR

tp777fo nailed it. The jet flies great and looks awesome! The build is a bit of a PITA- I specifically remember spending a lot of time on the rudder servo mechanism and getting the fuel tanks to actually fit, but it was worth it once the plane was actually finished and flying. It would be nice if someone went through and did updates to the jet to make the build more user-friendly. I never had any issues with the retracts and I can’t comment on the factory paint job because I did my own over Flite Metal. The only issue I came across was the canopy came off in flight even after a pre-flight check of the locking mechanism. If you build one, make sure that is solid. When I got replacement parts, I just made the canopy fixed and never had another problem with it.

Thanks guys. The posts have been very helpful.

Old thread bump, I know. Maybe some owners are subscribed to this thread and can provide some feedback.

Been going through one of these and replaced/upgraded the rudder servo after the original burned out having been in contact with the pipe, along with a few other fixes. Now trying to align the main landing gear doors - hate the ply brackets glued to the struts - but in any case the main tires are contacting the bottom of the engine inlet just enough that the doors don’t close clean. There is just enough for the trunions to engage the uplock but not enough for the doors to seal up. Anyone dealt with that? Curious if I’d be better served to recess the inlet in some fashion or just refab shorter main door standoffs from the struts.

hello
can someone help me with my T33 i want to get the canopy off and not break it?
regards
Chris

Chris,

You will need to remove the two saddle tanks first.

JanR