kkn

My Feedback: (3)

Hi Mark,


congrats on the beautiful looking Reaction, I am just finishing mine, could you please let me know your model's finished weight and engine type?

Best regards

Joseph

causeitflies

Joseph,
I haven't weighed it but it should be between 18 and 20 lbs. or just slightly over what Bruce said it should weigh.
Engine is a JC P-60.

It was clocked at 137 mph in a tight turn and about 16 mph near touchdown.

Square Nozzle

My Feedback: (1)

Gentlemen, I have decided to use the electric brake on the nose wheel initially because of cost and the fact that I'll be flying from a grass runway. I installed the brake last night but I didn't like the major wheel offset I got, even after heavily slotting the hub on the brake to fit over the strut. There was a posting about putting the brake on the outside of the wheel but I can't seem to locate it. I looked in Bruces "Definitive list of R54 Threads" but it wasn't there. Someone please guide this old man to the location. I'm interested in how the wires were routed to avoid the wheel.

Thanks All.

kkn

My Feedback: (3)

Hi Mark,


mine looks to be approaching the 19.5 lb mark with all the equipment, but no nose weight yet!! Must be the paint finish. Engine is a Wren MW54 Mk3. Hope to Maiden in about three weeks time, and will enclose some photos then......

Have to congratulate Bruce on a design that goes together without any hassle...

Happy flying

Joseph

dsiems

My Feedback: (1)

John Palica

Go to www.btemodels.com/r54.html under the Builders Updates / Update #6. This is what you are looking for!!!

Dean

speedbrake

John,
Look at Bruce's web site, the information you want is in "update #6".
Keith

Square Nozzle

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Dean and Keith. I never thought to look there. That is what I was looking for.

speedbrake

Marty,
Sorry for the long delay....many, many house chores taken care of recently. The pictures show the 660 strut with yoke. The strut has been shortened. A 2 1/2 inch wheel was used to maximize strut compression length. Brass tubing was used to center wheel in yoke. A threaded rod is used for steering tiller. Torque link is facing forward because of internal fusage structure. Project wasn't difficult to accomplish just took some time to figure out how to do it. The fuselage opening for strut is narrow.

Cheers

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

That looks very nice and clean. Thanks.

I just flew the 54 last Sunday and even going back to full throw on the flaps, I'm getting the Kangaroo bounce and I really think it's due to the springs in the struts. I think I cut too much off when installing them. The last landing I made was ridiculous. It was picture perfect. Speed was slow the plane was two inches off the ground ready to settle nicely and as soon as the mains touched...jumps right back into the air and I get two bounces and then I have to give a shot of throttle cause now she's three feet in the air and ready to stall. Then it lands. It's getting annoying. I didn't have this problem with the wire gear other then they would bend too easy and that's why I went to the struts. My struts are slightly compressed just from the weight of the plane. Anybody else's like this?

Marty

speedbrake

Marty,
My struts also compress from the model's weight. But I've never experienced what you are describing. If you cut too much from the spring then the struts will bottom out. Can you hear them bottom out? If you can then there are two options; stretch the spring or place a spacer in the strut. Of course the spacer will limit the strut travel a wee bit. If they are really bad then order some more springs. BUT...even if your struts are hitting bottom they shouldn't cause the model to become airborne again. If sufficient airspeed has bled off before touch down the then model isn't going continue flying. It will make some loud noises from the struts hitting bottom though.

Without seeing your model flying it is hard to guess what is happening. I wonder if you are landing with too much airspeed. I've done that with both wire and compression struts.

Let me know what you find,
Keith

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

Keith,
I have a long piece of spring material if I wanted to cut new ones which is what I'm probably going to do. As for landing speeds, I know this plane can float forever but my friend Bob who has witnessed my landings was laughing hard from the last one because it really was perfect. The plane was probably moving at no more than 15mph and the AOA was a few degress nose high and two inches off the ground. I eased up on the elevator nice and slow and as soon as the wheels touch, up she goes again. I couldn't believe it cause it really was one of the best landings I've "almost" made. I can only attribute it to the struts as nothing has changed other than installing the struts and with the wire gear, I might have had a bounce here and there but nothing to this extent. I don't hear it bottoming out on the strut but I can't be sure. I don't have a lot of experience with struts so I'm not sure what's too much or not enough spring compression. I didn't check the C.G. after installing the struts but I think they pretty much sit on the C.G. so it shouldn't have changed?

Marty

Eddie P

My Feedback: (4)

I have a feeling, without looking at your model, that it might be two things. Could be too soft of struts with the spring length you have, as well as possibly the noseleg might be slightly too long. I know you already know this but rhetorically speaking if you land with a little excess speed and you have, as you say, soft springs, you will achieve a more positive incindence on strut compression when the nose wheel doesn't compress easily and pops the nose up a little - and you are off flying again. If you land as slowly as possible you would not fly again as a result of the possible nosewheel pop. Ultra slow speed landings aren't always possible though, or safe in some cases - so a slight shortening of the noseleg might be a possible near term solution.

I did not cut any spring length on mine at all. They are slightly stiff but they will compress when I push down on the model. I clean the shiny strut piece off every once in a while just to see the compression based on grease marks after the flight, and it does compress on landing about half way - but does not bottom out very often or at all.

Sitting stattic, my R54 sits slightly nose low. I don't have a problem rotating on takeoff with the slightly nose low stance. I also have not had any bouncing since I took the wire struts out and went with the Robarts. In fact the Robarts on mine really made the landings a lot easier in my case. I'm sure Robart can send you new springs too but the noseleg thing might help right away.

I use 40 degrees of flap. I also have a fairly forward CG on my setup as I like the handling better with a light main tank during the landing. Originally I found a mid CG on my setup gave me bouncy landings but that was with the wire struts so it's hard to tell if the bouncing went away with just the struts or a combo of the CG. I know there are a million ways to skin the cat but my setup works well for me.

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

Eddie,
You make some good points. I've got to get it back on the bench and really look at things. I think it sits pretty neutral but it needs some distance to rotate as I have a Sullivan 16oz tank ahead of the C.G. so lowering the nose might make it worse.

Marty

speedbrake

Marty,
After reading your response and Eddie P's comments, I would keep this really simple. Eddie didn't cut his springs at all; I cut about a 1/2 inch off. Both of our planes are landing normally. Your plane isn't, so the variable is the amount you cut from the springs. Put new springs in the struts and go from there. Don't change the flap setting or CG or go to a nose low stance. All those things might help your current situation but might not be needed if the springs are causing your problems. I'm confident if you try one cure at a time the problem will be fixed quickly and simply.

Cheers,
Keith

Eddie P

My Feedback: (4)

Very good advice. One step at a time is best for identifying a problem and finding the best solution.

afterburner

My Feedback: (18)

I agree as that was my plan. Will post back here after I get to fly her again, whenever that might be. Thanks for the advice guys.

Marty

flyinfool1

My Feedback: (2)

Wheewwww
I just finished reading all 1814 posts in this thread.
And all other threads with Reaction 54 in the topic.
Not a bad thing to be found.
My new to me R54 with P-70 is on the way.
Now I just can't wait for it to get here.

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Go to Bruce's web site. He has it all indexed.

flyinfool1

My Feedback: (2)

Been there, and it is a great help, (Thanks Bruce) but there were still a lot of little tidbits of good info that I picked up along the way that are not in Bruce's Index.
It took me 2 weeks to read all info that I could find on RCU concerning the R54.

I kept learning more and more and now I feel that I know everything there is to know about nothing at all.

I sure wish I could make those delivery people drive faster.

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

Okay, now that Jeff knows everything about the R54, I will be forwarding all customer questions and inquiries to him.

I kid . Welcome to the group Jeff! What's Gohbee?

flyinfool1

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks Bruce, but I have to warn you, I am a trouble maker.
My profession requires that I always change things, so that does have a trickle effect to the RC world.

Once I get this animal figured out, go ahead and send the customers.

As soon as this plane arrives I will be starting with the questions that have not yet been asked.
I have a few but they may answer themselves with the plane in front of me.

This will be a real test of the landing gear since our field has long grass, many big bumps, and many critter holes big enough for wheels to fall into.

Gohbee is a line of helicopters. [link=http://www.gohbee.com]www.gohbee.com[/link].
The other dark side.

Square Nozzle

My Feedback: (1)

Let me start out by asking the first question for Jeff. I modified the wing servo installation on my R54 so that the servos are completely inside the wing. Now the question, I can use a completely straight pushrod for the flaps and ailerons by extending the servo arm out through a slot in the servo hatch cover or I can conceal the arm inside the wing by putting a slight bend in the push rod. This being my first jet, I don't know if bending the push rod is taboo. They will be 4-40 rods with metal clevises. Actually it is more critical for the aileron than the flaps since the aileron requires push and pull, while the flap is only pull. Opinoins are welcome.

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

I understand your desire to streamline this area, but I lean towards the "bends in pushrods are taboo" camp. I've made exceptions on light/slow models, but not on jets.

Boomerang1

I have installed servos in wings & used straight pushrods with external horns. Have you built yourself into a corner or are you just starting to fit the sevos? - John.

Square Nozzle

My Feedback: (1)

Bruce, I had a feeling that the answer would be "Straight!". 100+ MPH is a lot different than poking around at 40-50.

John, you're the man!!! I have not built myself into a corner. I was looking for streamlining as Bruce observed but with a minor mod to my servo hatch covers I can use straight rods and still get the servo connection inside. Thanks for the photos and for opening my eyes.