What happen... things got a little crazy with crooked Cyclops...hahahah

Eddie

Yes, things got "out of hand". [X(]

PS. Is Rhonda still watching a lot of "TV"?

Sorry for the slow response.... I've been busy for a couple of days.

That's interesting (the lap joint) I don't know if the cyclonic airflow is strong enough to intrude on the seam, but it makes sense to lap the seem so that air is rotating over it, rather than "into" it.

It is strong enough. I put it in the wrong direction a few years ago on an Isobar, and it melted some aluminum foil before I figured it out.

Rocketman.. your pipe had some kind of ridges in it that were not normal..

If done correctly with a 6-32 bolt every 2" - 2.5" and keep the hot starts to below 10,000C
it should be fine...

Eddie

WAIT A MINUTE! Which pipe we talkin' about here?

Essentially I finished the build last night, just took a couple pics this morning on the way to the office. Will take more detailed tonight and the next few days. I installed some easy access information and fill ports. First time I've done this, don't know if I'll like it or not.

Next is turbine, exhaust, fuel lines install. Looks like I'll be test flying sometime this weekend weather permitting.

one more

The fuel tank I built ended up a compromise between what I wanted 185 ounces and what exists for an isobar tank. A stock isobar tank is 140 ounces. I filled my tank and then emptied it by defueling into several 26 ounce graduated cups. My tank defueled to bubbles at 168 ounces. Did the same thing with stock tank came out 138 ounces. Plus, my tank is further back on the cg by being formed into the intakes. I leak tested my tank, NO LEAKS! Pretty cool [8D]

Look closely and you'll see Todd and Kim's zip tie pull pull cable tip!

Sean,

I think you should have that zip tie on the end with the servo closer to the wheel. That's how Todd showed it and I installed mine like Todd's. Your may function perfectly well though.

Mike, I can see your point, might be luck, but this install works excellent. When am I going to see you at a meet this year?

Putting the ties at the servo created the maximum clearance for the wires/nosewheel. No biggie, just thought I would point it out.

Hopefully if all goes well and work doesn't send me down to Kennedy Space Center, You'll see me at MS Afterburner. I might need to bum tent space.

Eagle to Hawk: Are you listening?

Sean- You made a bunch of progress since I last saw it! Are you planning to maiden it this weekend? Give me a call and I'll come out and see it. All I have this weekend is the stupid Cap 10K on Sunday.

Looking good, Sean. Glad to hear that your tank is working as expected. That must be satisfying to have the first one work.

Hey... Don't let the zip tie tricks get out...
Next year we'll be seeing adds for "carbon-reinforced, turbine ties" for $20 each.

Since you guys sometimes don't see a finished product. I'm gonna paint this later this year. I just ordered a P-200 Pipe and Bypass.

I will maiden the airplane probably sometime in June. The initial ground testing of the airplane showed that the pipe I made was too small for the Merlin. Another Isobar here in Austin maidened on a P-200 last weekend and I'm lot more happy with that bypass and pipe setup than what I have.

Hey Sean what pipe and bypass are you using (for the P-200)? And what are the linlet and exit diamters of the pipe?

Thanks

Matt

It's my understanding you got to have 3 and 3/4 inlet on the inside of the pipe. I don't have a measurement on the backside.

The bypass is custom made plug/ female mold laid up in carbon fibre.

The pipe I made was 88 MM or just a hair under 3.5 inches. I believe that is ok for a Titan, but the Merlin is moving a lot of hot air so to speak. A single wall pipe wrapped in aluminum wrapped in ceramic blanket was getting so hot at the inlet of the pipe that the pipe heated the resin out of my fiberglass by pass where the pipe meets the bypass.

A couple of lessons I learned

1) I had the engine moved as far forward as possible in the engine compartment to get CG requirements in check. This meant my pipe inlet had to follow the engine to get proper clearance between tailcone and pipe. When I did that, I brought the pipe about two inches inside the bypass. This cause another suspected problem in that there may not have been enough cooling air from the inlets through the by pass and into the pipe to mix with the hot air coming out the engine. While my EGT never hit 600, my pipe inlet went well above that.

So I chopped off some of the pipe and was working towards moving the bypass more forward to make up, but long term I just decided I was chasing problems rather than just buying a correct solution. A couple more hundred bucks for the right stuff will go a long way.

2) That aluminum hvac tape.......... The aluminum is good to some pretty high temperatures. The adhesive is not

3) The only guys I know that can make a single wall pipe work are a NASA rocket scientist and a polar opposite trash talking cajun weatherman. I need to stick with commercial solutions for now as I burned up all four pipes I made (burned up in the sense they turned blue and I don't trust blue pipes as a rule).

The P-200 Isobar that flew last weekend didn't even turn their dual wall pipe bronze. That's a solution I can live with.

Anyway, once I get that stuff, I'll post here as it comes together.

Love the orange on the tips. He_ll, just shoot some clear Krylon on her and you're done!!!

Great job Sean!!!

Did this plane ever see the air? Is it done?

Oh and by the way, is there such a thing called a manual for this kit? I do not know if I ever had a manual or if it just got lost.

Got it painted, sorry so long since an update, I'll have the new and improved insides to show later!!!

Sean, love the paint scheme. Very cool. When do you estimate first flight? What motor?

Jetcat Titan. It's got a Tams larger Diameter pipe, and I custom made a bypass a la BVM with removeable cover held by velcro. The nose gear has been retrofitted with formers from a Kingcat with BVM Kingcat Flex plates. The design is wonderful and really fits well in the front of the airplane.

The landing gear has been upgraded all the way around to Robart 635's. Intairco 3.5" wheels are on the way.

I didn't paint a circle at the cockpit cause I've got a custom cockpit designed speciffically for the isobar coming.

Gonna be Pretty cool!!

I'm probably going to maiden it at Mississippi Afterburner.

Wow Sean, that's a beautiful color scheme!

Other pics, Jetcat Titan, new nose gear landing mount system