jetflyer

My Feedback: (5)

Johnathan,

Where do you fly at? I've had my Reaper since 2001 and the best advice I can give you is to shut down the turbine as Mick suggests on final once you are lined up and good to land. With the large wing area, it likes to float and bounce.

I also have some information on my website - http://www.houstonhobbies.com/jets/s...er-reaper.html
Take a look at construction photos link.

Good luck,

JR Gautreaux

shout out devil

i fly at two different places, there not dignified rc "airports" but there just as good. one is at my high school in the football field, because its the biggest field ive ever seen and its really flat. and i also fly at stratford highschool at the football field, they keep their grass shorter. ya that is what i thought to do because of the huge wing surfac area. its just that im rookie when it comes to building everything. i just bought my last plane from some one else and i didnt have to do anything to it but just learn how to maintain it and fly it. sorry if im asking stupid questions. thanks for helping me out though.

shout out devil

hey i had a question about brakes, are they nessecary, from what ive heard the reaper doesnt have flaps to slow it down, i just want to know if im going to have to buy them or not, thanks.

HenryRG

shout out devil

You do not need flaps, or airbrakes or even two rudders! You do need to set your ailerons as elevons.

On grass you will have no problem, without wheel brakes. If you have more than 14lbs thrust and occasionally fly off tarmac, then residual thrust when taxi-ing downwind makes wheel brakes very desirable. I found I had to cut the motor to stop it running away with me.

shout out devil

kewl thanks-a-lot. hey i have another question. im putting in retracts wether i dont need them or not, i think they just add reality to the plane. ummmm ya my question, im looking at robart 530 retracts that are pretty basic and easy to install, but what im cofused on is how do get the nose retract and stright robostrut to turn. i tried to find a steerable/retractable robostrut and i couldnt find anything on robart's site. also just to save money i was probably going to leave the retract as wire struts at 3/16" but again how do i get a wire strut to turn? thanks.

Countryboy

My Feedback: (25)

As you can see in the attached pic, the nose gear retract has a steering arm that is attached at the top of the strut ( outlined in the red). Attached to that arm are steering cables which are looped through the eyelets, and those cables then go to a steering servo.

HenryRG

shout out devil

I have the fixed undercarriage. There is a lot of drag. The guys at meetings with retracts go a lot quicker.

However as this is your first jet, I would ignore looks and go for plain steel wire. Most people break their undercarriages using the Micks very pretty oleo, within 6 flights or so. When you have got the hang of landing this model, I would then consider fitting retracting U/cs and nice oleos.

Take-offs are easy. Landings with short legs (there is a big aircushion under this model) can be tricky.

As far as bending is concerned, heat the area you want to bend (dull red will do) and remember to use silver solder or plumbers solder (not so good but cheaper) with non-electronic flux.

shout out devil

ya your right, but when i get the kit in a fixed leg version how do i put in retracts when ive mastered take-off and landing? cant i buy a conversion kit? i wonder how hard that is.

HenryRG

Shout out devil


Check with Mick - but I am fairly certain that conversion is no problem. I believe the front former carries both systems. You might be wise to drill out and fit blind nuts for both systems before you install it. Then all you have to do unbolt one and bolt in the other. You may be OK with a simple wire leg in the front retract to start with. But my guess is that your first few flights will give it a hammering.

Rear wire U/c frame is just bolted to the underside of the fuselage. Do fit Mick's shock absorber - it works very well. No hassle to remove. I believe the rear retracts go into the wing and you will have to cut the recess. Ask Mick for advice whether this is best done before covering.

My main point is that drag on this model is actually an advantage on your first flights and it is your first jet.

shout out devil

the fixed landing gear is the way im going to go because there is an upgrade that i can buy that will replace the iffy wire landing gear given in the kit. but what im going to do later is buy the retractable version of the kit and just for the first 15 or 20 flights ill use the fixed to learn on then when i get better ill put in retracts.

Wayne22

My Feedback: (2)

Do you have your turbine waiver? I may be wrong, but I am getting the impression that your RC experience is limited. If that is the case, don't even think about a jet!

Flyiing from a football field or a school yard is a bad idea, because you can't control access. Kids on bikes, people walking their dogs, teenagers taking a shortcut home...all of this can happen while you are up flying. (It happened to me). What are you going to do when you have to land and there are people in the middle of the field??? The last thing you want to do is hurt someone with a model airplane.

I certainly don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but there are a couple of responsibilites to be taken care of first: your own training and experience, and having a safe place to fly.

BTW, you do need brakes. A jet must be able to stop on command, and you need them in case you have to abort a takeoff, as well as reduce your landing rollout..

shout out devil

that your right my expirence is limited but alot of people dont understand how big my school fields are and during the summers there is no one there, for atleast a mile or 2 radius from the fields. but i always check for people because i dont want anything to happen. but sorry for being a amature, and ive got to start with jets somewhere. if you really think that i am dangering the sanity of the public ill find a new place to fly. i never had the pleasure of learning with a instructor, ive alway taught myself how to do things, plus with the types of video games that the so called "youth of today" play with, i bet that their depth perception, motor skills, ect.. are all more adept and adriot to such activities. and another thing that really makes me mad is that, how the adults completely undermind teens. i know thats not entierly true but atleast 2 times a month i get mistreated by an adult who thinks that they are smarter or better than me just because their older. in school ive taken 2 years of aerospace, 3 years of advance physics and chemistry, and 3 years of precalculus, and calculus, but hey what do i know. im just simply trying to learn, does anyone have a problem with that. im 17 years old, im pretty capable of learning. not that age has to do with anything. lol

shout out devil

NICE reaper NONY i looked at it in your photo gallary. how long did it take you to buil it? how did you order it from mick seeing how hes in the UK?

Wayne22

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for clarifying..I just want you to have the best chance of success possible..surely there is someone in Houston you can hook up with. You are probably blessed with fantastic hand to eye coordination, and that is a great start. Flight sims and the internet are helpful too, but they are not a substitute for real life experience. Going at it by yourself has got to be really tough. I admire you for getting this far.
Please, do yourself a favor and find some jet pilots that you can talk to, look at their hardware, look at what they do, and watch them fly. Heck, if I lived down there, I'd invite you over so you could poke around the insides and see what makes them tick..I'd even let you try the Reaper on a buddy box ('cept it is broken right now..) I'm sure youi can find some one to mentor you down there..
Best of luck to you..

Wayne22

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for the complement!
We ordered it direct from Mick Reeves, and he sent it over air express. We started on in in Sept '02 and the first flight was in May '03. We only worked on it on Saturdays, except the last three weekends we worked both Sat and Sun to get it finished.

shout out devil

god i cant wait to start on mine, lol. ya ill talk to some people i know and go to the local air field here by my house. do you have any pics of your reaper b/c the ones that ive seen are good but there not showing what i want to see. if you have pictures of her, do u have a pic showing how the servos are set up and your turbine set up? thanks.

SALMONBUG

My Feedback: (1)

my reaper is now loging 10 flawless flights, it's the kit version powered with a wren mw54 and fitted with retracts and brakes. my version is with operational canard. I know that all those gadgets are making the bird coming out heavy, but I wanted to test my skills on building a jet with all the options available. it's a good flyer......... by the way flaps on a delta wing is something I don't suggest

DocYates

My Feedback: (102)

I also built the MR Reaper (blue and gray in my gallery) and if you use an engine larger than 14 pounds of thrust you gonna find yourself gliding right past the touchdown point. I found the rudders to be extremely useful when programmed in the radio to act as airbrakes. They pick the nose up and help to slow the plane down. If you have tried this is a real asset to the Reaper. Mine was powered with a Ram 750 (18 pounds) and would no slow up to land without them. The residual thrust alone was enought o fly this plane. I would defintely go with the fixed undercarriage and use the aftermarket model available from our friend out in Texas. Retracts on this plane, especially off of grass is going to be troublesome. Also get some help unless you already acquainted with trubines, they are a different breed and require a little more attention to safety than glow/gas models. Also besure and use the brakes, you can find a used set of BVM wheels and brakes here on RCU that will work fine with the aftermarket solid gear.
Good luck
Tommy

ChuckC

My Feedback: (24)

Hey Shout Out Devil,

There are a bunch of turbine flyers around Houston. Why don't you meet us and go over this in person? A genuine invitation and no disrespect guaranteed. We just want you to be successful for several reasons. 1- it's what we do as modelers - help. 2 - we want to be sure you are successful and do not smoke it in in a "politically undesirable space". 3 - there's absolutely NO substitute for meeting with an expereinced jet pilot. I might even be able to pursuade JetFlyer (aka JR) to meet so you could get someone with a Reaper to show you in person.

Just let me know and we'll see if you can get hooked up.

shout out devil

definitely, sounds kewl.

shout out devil

where do you guys fly. i live next to a rc model air field by west oaks mall. its kinda south west houston.

ChuckC

My Feedback: (24)

Typically The RC field at Texas City/Dickinson. There's NOTHING to hurt around there, except a stray cow or the ground... but please avoid any cows. I beleive there's more jet action on the west side at Bush park somewhere, though I've never personally flown there.

shout out devil

how far is that from west houston?

ChuckC

My Feedback: (24)

Oh - a ways. Depends on what you mean by "west Houston"? Yahoo Map zip code 77539; look for Humble Camp road on the South side of Dickinson - a two laner that ends up not far from Hwy 146. In round terms, it's halfway to Galveston from 610 south and I-45/Gulf Freeway. Say 40 minute drive, no traffic from this intersection.

You can PM me for more details, I think there's a club map on the internet.

shout out devil

ok, that cool, i might have to come out there the next time your flying. is that cool? i had a question for u too, what do you think about flight simulators. i know that on jets there not very accurate, but they will help me alot with teaching me how the reaper going to react in basic situations. right? lol