CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Thanks to Pat I discovered we tranfer, it's an app where I have downloaded the Turbinator building pictures, all the ones that I have, about 146 pic, I can do the same with the Reaction pictures, if anyone is interested to be able to see all the pictures together, send me your email via pm and I will include you to the share list.

Sample.

Slotus7

Hi Carlos
Your rabbit is more fun
I would also like to receive your photos of the construction of Reaction 54.
Regret about the construction of the Reaction 54, I don't like the servos sticking out of the wing, if I build it again, I would put the servos flat in the wing.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

You got it! I will send the Reaction pics in a minute, the servos don't look to appealing sticking out but, once the wing is on and during flight they are not visible and soon forgotten.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Pictures send.

The Turbinator servos are mounted the same way as the Reaction, make plans to change that on your build, I didn't, after a little while you tent to forget them since they are not visible when the airplane is on the ground or flying.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Need some math help, I'm going to post it here because it is related with the R54.

I would like for someone to confirm or correct my math, I'm trying to find the fluid oz capacity of a tank, I want to remove the two forward tanks I have in the R54 an make one single forward tank to reduce fail points and increase on board fuel, the other idea is to convert it to smoke, just doing some brainstorming

LxWxH
4x4.4x5.5= 99cu in to oz=54.8 fluid oz.

Thanks

Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

53.64 fluid onces.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Thanks, that's 23.64 more fuel in the same space.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

The K80's PW and temps at idle and max rpms numbers available to check with first start of the day.

With them on my face, I can do a cross check with the first start numbers and hopefully catch a problem before it gets worse.

I can only hope

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Ok, added rpms this time around.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

Callie Graphics comes through one more time, two more graphics to complement the PB bunny.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

flyinfool1

My Feedback: (2)

OK the time has come. I need to do something different with the landing gear on my R54. I am getting tired of constantly replacing the struts or wire gear. I have tried Robart struts, the stock wire gear and many sets of home made gear, does not seem to matter what I use.

I fly from a rough grass field, it is not just the occasional not so soft landing that is doing the gear in. I have have bent gear on takeoff. I can tell because I can see that the gear are not fully retracted because the wheel is hitting the wheel well.I need something stronger. In 15 years I have never damaged one of the retract units so that is not the weak link although they are getting a bit sloppy from wear. I would also like to upgrade to electric retracts and brakes so I will be looking at a complete new setup.

Should I go with new electric retracts like what is in there now and just upgrade the legs from the stock 3/16 music wire to either 7/32 or 1/4 music wire, or would I be better to go to a bigger size retract.My first inclination is to stay with the same size retracts I have now, IF they last another 15 years they might just out live me and should be minimal work to install..

joeflyer

My Feedback: (48)

Jeff,

Sounds like you need some knee action struts. I've had good luck with the Prolink struts from Dreamworks. I usually have to replace the springs each season.

Joe

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

I agreed with Joe, some knee action is needed there, go with an entire new gear set, electric retracts same size and prolink struts with wheels and brakes, the ones in the jet maybe good but if you are going to up grade then do it as a set, you will be happy that you did it that way.

If you can, post pictures of the up grade.

Good luck.

Trent3786

+1 on the knee action struts. I installed pro-link struts on my reaction last season as I fly off grass and the wire gear were getting a bit sad.

Not only do the new gear look fantastic but my landings have improved as the knee action absorbs any bouncing so it really sticks to the ground.

flyinfool1

My Feedback: (2)

The pro link trailing link gear look good, Do you know which gear you used? The Dreamworks website does not give enough info to pick one that will work.
I am in the process of making up some new experimental gear, Set 1 will still be 3/16 Music wire, but the coil size is increased from .300 ID to .400 ID to give more spring action, the set 2 is bent out of 7/32 music wire but has 2 turns to the spring coil at .400 ID. My gear always fail right at the welded on bushing. I don't know if the welding heat is annealing the wire right there or not. I can tell from the bender that the 7/32 is a lot stronger than the 3/16, math says it should be about 25% stronger.

Since the Robart gear is no longer available, is there another drop in gear that will work for the electric conversion?

I would like this to be as close to bolt in as possible, I hate to start cutting into the wing to change things.

Trent3786

I got the Xcalibur nose strut and nano main struts. From memory the only modification I had to make to the airframe was to notch out a small section for the knee on the main strutsand shift the main retracts ~10mm towards the wingtip, Otherwise they were a perfect fit.

https://www.dreamworksrc.com/pro-link-nano-main-struts
https://www.dreamworksrc.com/landing...bur-nose-strut

flyinfool1

My Feedback: (2)

Well I have some new gear made up.
Set 1 is out of 3/16 and made the same as the stock gear except the coil is bigger diameter to give it a bit more spring action.

Set 2 is made from 7/32 wire with 2 turns in the coil and a bigger coil diameter. I am not bending the bottom leg for the axle, I do not want to open the holes in my wheels or brakes. I will make a separate axle that will attach to the leg with 2 set screws.

If neither of these work well then I will order the Prolink gear and try that.

jonnyjr

I have been reading through this thread for some time and have decided to build the Reaction 54 as my first turbine jet. have purchased the plans from Bruce and currently familiarising my self with the overall build before looking at sourcing the materials required for the build. Our main supplier in the UK of balsa is struggling with the sourcing of balsa currently due to their usual plantation being taken over by new owners so it may be in the new year before I actually have any parts cut out.

In the mean time I am having a think about jet engine choice. I see a lot of people using the JetCat P60-SE, although I notice Bruce lists this engine as being under size for the plane. So I am looking for some feedback on what turbines people are using and overall performance achieved. I notice the KingTech K80 is also gaining popularity. I am not looking for speed, more so reliability and adequate power without increasing weight too much.

Afterburners

I initially had a P-60 in mine for a few years and it is definitely marginal. I now have a JC Rabbit(19 lbs) and it has brought the plane to life and makes it more enjoyable to fly. I would look at something between an 85 to 100.

Trent3786

I have had a jetcat 60 in mine since day one. I have also seen reaction jets with 100 size turbines and that is a bit much because it can be hard enough to slow this plane, especially when there is no wind so the extra residual thrust can make things a little challenging. I think the 60 is more than enough even flying off grass like I do, but if I had the choice all over again I would probably go for an 80 size.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

With a P60 the dry weight will come out to 19 lbs even, with the K80 it comes out at 20 lbs even, best choiyhere is the K80 or K85, throttle management is the key here, I fly mine at just above half throttle and full throttle for climbs only, at level flights full throttle doesn't help because of the drag been created at those speeds ( the wing core is 3.5 " thick )

The K80 is super reliable and 1/3 cheaper than the P60SE and the P60 burns way more fuel than other 60 size turbines.

With the K80 the airplane comes out 1 pound heavier but you gain about 5.5 lbs of thrust and it burns just a tad more fuel than the P60.

I replied to your pm with links to the Reaction TOs and landings with both engines.

CARS II

My Feedback: (7)

P60 TO.


K80 TO

Eaglepilot2

So is Bruce not planning on running any more kits?

jonnyjr

Thank you all for your responses. It’s all food for thought. The KingTech 80/85 is quite appealing from a thirst vs price point of view. I shall keep an eye out for the engines at meets and look at overall performance and user feedback.

I am sure Bruce will make more kits, but he was unable to advise me of when this would be, I also like the challenge of building my own from scratch.

Just working equipment choices out at the moment. I want to go with electric retracts and had a look at Electron retracts and think the ER-40eVo will be a suitable alternative to the Robart units.
I am a fan of Savox servos so will also look at suitable units in due course.