Reaction 54 Jet Kit
01-08-2019, 06:07 PM
#4252
I will be mounting the turbine tomorrow and was looking for pictures of others that have done it to get an idea to speed up the process, found two and now, I'm ready to do it, I will be making a small change, whatch for it.
Last edited by CARS II; 01-08-2019 at 06:34 PM.
01-09-2019, 12:59 AM
#4253
My P60 R54 is stored 100 miles from my home for the moment, I go to it tomorrow evening ( tomorrow afternoon for you ) and can take close pic if you want . By the way it will be extremely similar to the pic post posted above.
As far I remember I mounted it exactly as described in the book using stock parts.
The only thing that you have to take care is when you drill the holes for the engine mount , be precise so the engine mount is perfectly aligned with the fuse and also try to position it to have the turbine starter as close as possible from the boat tail
The stock part provided to tilt the turbine revealed to be good for the p60 setup in my opinion ( no pitch change when playing with thrust)
By the way a terrible thing hapened when I instaled it. If you go for stock instalation like me ( and like on the picture ) you have to tapered 10 holes in turbine mounting rails ( 5 in each rail). When I tapered the LAST one, I maybe worked a bit too fast and my tap brokened in the rail......... AAARRGHHHH........
OF course it has been impossible to remove it and Bruce provided me a rail . That involved a 2 weeks delay.
As far I remember I mounted it exactly as described in the book using stock parts.
The only thing that you have to take care is when you drill the holes for the engine mount , be precise so the engine mount is perfectly aligned with the fuse and also try to position it to have the turbine starter as close as possible from the boat tail
The stock part provided to tilt the turbine revealed to be good for the p60 setup in my opinion ( no pitch change when playing with thrust)
By the way a terrible thing hapened when I instaled it. If you go for stock instalation like me ( and like on the picture ) you have to tapered 10 holes in turbine mounting rails ( 5 in each rail). When I tapered the LAST one, I maybe worked a bit too fast and my tap brokened in the rail......... AAARRGHHHH........
OF course it has been impossible to remove it and Bruce provided me a rail . That involved a 2 weeks delay.
Last edited by SALMONBUG; 01-09-2019 at 01:07 AM.
01-09-2019, 01:19 AM
#4254
I look a bit more closely to the pics above, and something is different on mine. My eat shield is different. Its glued on the wood with epoxy ( covering removed under the eat shield), no screws. The aluminium tape and the engine mount hold it in place. It's also more forward because I considered that it's instaled not tho protect the belly from the exhaust gas but to protect the belly from the heat radiate by the engine itself on ground. All I can say about that is that after a extensive season of flight I don't have any damage due to heat.
I found this pic of my R54 building were you can see the eat shield position
I found this pic of my R54 building were you can see the eat shield position
01-11-2019, 11:12 PM
#4258
So now, I'm South from LA at Hemet's jet meet for the weekend, we drove all night to get here early in the morning today, Im still working on the jet's install, had a blocked UAT and the pump couldn't draw fuel, the blockage was clear and changed the glow plug again, finally today after sunset at the field we were able to make the engine run, tomorrow I will put it all back in and wait for a window to do the range check and maiden, weather permitting,
the build is done, covering, install, control surfaces checked, main gear checked, fuel system checked, air system checked, batteries checked, CG checked and a lot more things checked, I still have to build me ( I have all the parts ) the thrust deflector tube stand tomorrow.
I've been very busy for the last three weeks trying to finish the reaction and I'm almost to the end and the begining of fun times
I'm exhausted from the build and the drive last night, I will post more.pictures of the event and maiden if we get to do it ( video? )
Last edited by CARS II; 01-11-2019 at 11:36 PM.
01-12-2019, 12:52 PM
#4263
I have to say that I was a bit afraight of burning my covering when I instaled the turbine. But I decided to go with stock instalation. No damages after aproximatly 200 flights. Due to turbine tilt I think that as soon you use the deflector for each start and remove it once you are sure that you don't have any torching you won't have problems.
but that's my opinion only
but that's my opinion only
Last edited by SALMONBUG; 01-12-2019 at 12:56 PM.
01-15-2019, 01:35 PM
#4266
In the winter I am used to store my planes with tank full, so I am sure that no humidity can go in the tank and there is no possibility for water condensation to develop ( I know this is a bit overkill, but i do like that with my bikes and cars and I have this abbit).
This morning a fellow call me to go for a flight before going to work I said yes ( either I had not lot of time), dropped the plane in the car and went to the field.No need to refuel, I started the bird planing to make one rapid flight, then go to work. Taxi, take off and flame out........ I was very low and slow. No other option than lower the nose and land straight ahead.
It finished in the rough field at the end of the rway. with a bended main gear wire . Not a big concern.......
Reason of the crash : Forgot to remove The fuel vent line plug.......
This morning a fellow call me to go for a flight before going to work I said yes ( either I had not lot of time), dropped the plane in the car and went to the field.No need to refuel, I started the bird planing to make one rapid flight, then go to work. Taxi, take off and flame out........ I was very low and slow. No other option than lower the nose and land straight ahead.
It finished in the rough field at the end of the rway. with a bended main gear wire . Not a big concern.......
Reason of the crash : Forgot to remove The fuel vent line plug.......
Last edited by SALMONBUG; 01-15-2019 at 02:54 PM.
01-15-2019, 03:35 PM
#4267
Sorry to hear that man, I don't plug the vents on my jet or gassers any more, my main reason was explained by one of our jet guys here on RCU, the fuel tank will implode and you end up with a crack on the Kevlar tank or tanks.
Last weekend my friend's T1 run out of fuel, we were not paying attention because we were very tired from the overnight drive to get there, he filled up the smoke tank instead of the fuel tank, this is a reminder for me, any complex aircraft of mine will not be put togather or try to fly in a rush when there is not enough time.
I keep one or two simple nitro or gas airplanes to keep my flying skills sharp and to get my needs to go flying during not so good weather or rush days.
Last weekend my friend's T1 run out of fuel, we were not paying attention because we were very tired from the overnight drive to get there, he filled up the smoke tank instead of the fuel tank, this is a reminder for me, any complex aircraft of mine will not be put togather or try to fly in a rush when there is not enough time.
I keep one or two simple nitro or gas airplanes to keep my flying skills sharp and to get my needs to go flying during not so good weather or rush days.
Last edited by CARS II; 01-15-2019 at 03:51 PM.
01-19-2019, 04:54 PM
#4275
The maiden flight was a total success!!!
I got help from two of my jet friends, we got all the checks done and got the engine running perfect, taxing was good, there is one or two little things to check for later.
On TO I was surprised that it needed more elevator that expected, climb out was good and got it trimmed at around 2/3 throttle, the ailerons only needed a click to the right and the elevator needed about 3 or 4 clicks but removing some of the lead from the nose should help on the TO rotation and flight.
I got to exercise the throttle a few times and was doing flat 8s in front if me for most of the flight, gear down or first notch of flaps didn't show any attitude change, for full flaps I needed to take out 2 clicks of elevator down from the 1/8 down already on it, it slows down fast and it landed super slow that I didn't applied brakes at all, I let it roll to a stop on its own close to the end of the runway.
The weather was perfect, very light winds, clear skies with very high clouds.
Over all a very pleasant flight, I now want to fly the heck out of it soon
pictures and a short video soon, I got to get it from my friend's phone.
Last edited by CARS II; 01-19-2019 at 10:35 PM.
