Good stuff, Gary...thanks for the info.

Hey, if you need help later as far as set up or test flight, give a holla! Just down the road a bit. Who is your LHS?
Later, Randy

Awesome, Randy! Thanks for the offer. I'm sure to take you up on it.

LHS is PAC RC down in Smyrna...Mike and Maureen Dunphy. They're incredible. In fact, I'll be doing the build down at their store, so I can lean on Mike and their son Scott for help along the way. You'll be welcome to come join us sometime to stand around and point out all the mistakes I'm making.

Well, as I said in the original post, this is more likely to be a journal than a build thread...so thought I'd toss some of my recent musings in here...

As I mentioned, I was having some trouble deciding whether to go with a scale USAF combat color scheme (of a particular specific aircraft) or a higher vis scheme. perhaps a bit of explanation is in order.

My father helped design the F-15 during his days as an engineer with McDonnel Douglas. Specifically, his expertise was propulsion systems, and his work includes the propulsion system for the Harpoon Missle as well as the Variable Geometry Inlet technology originally developed during the F-4's reign, and later designed into the Eagle.

It was dad's good fortune, late in his life, to become friends with a particular F-15 pilot who, after some success flying the Eagle in 91, earned a position with one of the Eagle demo teams. It was during an airshow, shortly after the Eagle's performance, that the two men met. They formed a fast, and as it happened, lasting friendship that continued until my father's passing a few years later. It has been MY good fortune to maintain a friendship with that pilot, and he stands as one of the most special ties I have to my dad.

So, for obvious reasons, the desire to scheme this Eagle as closely as I could to one of his Eagles is quite strong.

HOWEVER...

Upon seeing Bob's video (included with the kit), and learning that this aircraft, properly configured, is capable of well over 100mph, discretion became the better part of valor, so to speak, and I have decided to go with a higher visibility color scheme. I hope Chris doesn't mind.

That having been said, the search was then on for a scale paint scheme that held the same sort of emotional weight for me that the scheme above would have. It wound up not being a very long search, since some of my earliest memories of the F-15 feature one aircraft in particular.

#71-0291

If you're familiar with that particular aircraft, forgive what is likely to be a boring history lesson. but hey...it's my journal, and I feel like telling her story.

#71-0291 was, despite frequent assertions to the contrary, technically an F-15A, the 12th of such aircraft to be built. Its 2 seat configuration leads many to classify it as an F-15B and, in fact, it was later reclassified as such, becoming the 2nd F-15B. Its original designation, however, was a TF-15A Two Seat Category I aircraft. Category I aircraft were used to perform test flights with McDonnel Douglas test pilots. Though I did not know it at the time, as it happens, 71-0291 was probably the first F-15 I ever saw, and I was introduced to its pilot shortly after one of his flights.

The F-15B was, technically, nothing more than a 2 seat trainer version of the F-15A, and after successful test flights, 71-0291 was reclassified as an F-15B. interestingly, from that point forward, every 7th F-15A was built with 2 seats, and thus designated as an F-15B, explaining some of the apparent "gaps" in the identifier sequence.

The official production run of the F-15A/B was begun in 1973, and in 1974 the first F-15 was delivered to the 555th TFTS at Luke AFB. It was shortly after this that 71-0291 (which was NOT one of the aircraft sent to Luke) became one of the best known F-15's ever built.

In 1976, as part of a sales drive by McDD, 71-0291 was repainted in a Red, White, and Blue color scheme to celebrate the nation's bicentennial. She was flown all over the world, including the Farnsborough airshow that year. I rather fondly remember my father's humorous views on a bicentennial F15 appearing in England. During that year's airshow in St Louis, the "flag plane: as many called it was a huge success, and clearly the most popular aircraft at the show. It was there that I would, for the second time (unaware though I was at the time), glimpse the inside of 71-0291's cockpit.

After 1976, 71-0291's career was far from over. She later went on to serve as the test bed for the Eagle's FAST fuel tanks.

After that, in 1980, an Eagle was equipped with a modified radar, given a WSO station in the back seat, given FAST packs and various other equipment designed to demonstrate its ability to fulfill the role of an Air to Ground strike fighter. the program was, of course, called Strike Eagle and was to lead to the development of the F-15E model. The plane that was so modified? You guessed it...71-0291.

Now, I must admit that, beyond her time as the Bicentennial Eagle, I hadn't known much of this aircraft's history. I decided on that color scheme simply because of my vivid memories of that aircraft at various airshows, and flying around St Louis that year. (She is, in fact, in the McDd display at Lambert Field now, I am told...might have to make a trip up there to find out.) I was intrigued, however, to learn that she made quite a few significant contributions to the Eagle program as a whole, and in fact holds a special place in the line's history, as well as in my heart.

So...a suitable choice, I think.

Very interesting history lesson! I am a big F-15 fan and enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing!

Glad someone did. I rather enjoyed learning about her...and was somewhat surprised to learn that one particular aircraft had played such a role in so many notable aspects of the F-15's herritage.

Probably going to place orders for the Fan and Pipe this weekend.

Question for you experienced folks:

I've already settled on the Dynamax tractor fan. RUnway is 400' long paved, so there's plenty of room for her to take off.

However, I've not yet selected a pipe. Honestly, the only options I've been able to track down are either the System II pipe from JMP (their page says they're out of stock however) [EDIT : Just spoke with JMP, they claim the pipes will be available again by the first of the year. I can certainly wait that long, but should I? Anyone have opinion/experience to suggest that JMP will (or won't) be good to their word on that? Is the pipe good enough to wait that long for it? Etc] or the pre-tuned pipe Bob offers on his website.

Does anyone have a source/suggestion?

My criteria are:

1) Top speed is not hugely important. I'm quite certain this thing will go plenty fast enough for my liking, so squeezing a few extra MPH out of it isn't an issue.
2) I'd prefer a muffled pipe, simply for personal reasons. I like quieter aircraft. It's not a requirement by the club or field or anything, just personal taste. I understand a muffled pipe will probably cost me 1-2k RPM...not a hge issue (see 1 above)
3) Price...Bob's pipe goes for $119, the JMP System II pipes for $180...so, I'm thinking the $150-$200 range.

I call upon the power of RCU.

Heres a little tip for all you BP F15 builders/ owners out there. As you know the ducting in his jets are substandard. Unless things have changed a bunch. The tip is the Yellow Aircraft F18 ducting will fit in the F15 from the engine back, which is perfect for a Dynamax 5.25 fan and a Small head OS91. Thats what I did to mine and worked out great.

The JMP pipe is the best. I would wait for it.

jedi,

Thanks for the tip...I must admit to having wondered about the rollup plastic for a thrust tube, and I STILL haven't quite figured out the inlet ducting to my satisfaction. I may well investigate your idea.

Gary,

Thanks for the input...Any particular reason(s) you reccomend that pipe over others? Also, cna you speak to JMP's reliability in terms of having things available when they say they will?

Thanks again guys.

It's THE best pipe for the OS.91. Tom Cook is the nicest guy in the jet industry and you can trust his word.

Good stuff Gary. Thanks!

Hi Gary,

What about OS pipe?, i got that with my engine..

Sammy

OS doesn't supply a pipe with the OS .91 so I'm not sure what pipe you have. If you are running a tractor fan, then the JMP is the one to have. If you're using a pusher (Byron) then you need a Byron pipe or the Weston pipe from JDE.

Hi Gary,

Well i have Byron pusher set up on my jet, this pipe starts as regular pipe, half way down starts to flair to 1.5" diameter and ends 3" after that, then just before end there is exhaust pipe extention that is smaller diameter that comes out from side, bends towards engine and ends just before fan unit itself!...so what you think what pipe do i have?, i still have todrill and put back pressure nipple on it.

Sammy

Not sure what pipe you have without a pic. Here are a couple of pics of Byron pipes.

Its almost like the one in bottom of pic on left, but its squaired off instead of capsule end. So i guess its not OS pipe but its byron.

Another question for you, whole floor inside of my RE is glassed except for area right after the air intakes!, its about 3-4 " width and across from one side wall to another, just wondering if i should glass it or leave it!, i am concerned if i ever had fuel leak inside of the fuselage and floor getting soaked...

Sammy

Sammy,
Sounds like you might have the TGA High Volume Pipe. If you post a picture I could tell you for sure.

Joe

TGA pipe has a 3/8" dia X 3/8" or so aluminum knob on the very end of the round bullet shaped end. I think what he has is a very early Byron pipe, they were totally flat. (no bullet end)

Silly question:

I am thinking about adding a short piece of tubing to the end of a similar pipe to get the exhaust out of my fuse. I don't want goo building up inside the fuse once fuel goes throught the Byron fan. Is this feasable? Would the extra tubing cause the engine to experience excessive heat? would it rob me of performance? Is there any good reason not to do it?

Thanks
Anthony

It will work. All the Goo gets on the outside of the plane instead of inside the thrust tube. I did it on one Byron F-16 I had. but went back to adding a short silicon tube so it dumped just in front of the fan. I took the thrust tube out every few weeks or so and washed it then put it back. Easy to do with the lexan/mylar tubes.

I misread post #40. I thought he was saying it was 3" diameter at the end. You're right Terry, if it has a flat (as opposed to bullet) end it probably is a #1 Byron pipe.

Joe

gboulton,

What a great story. It's great to see you're going to dupliacte an aircraft that means so much to you.

Terry And Joe,

Since its #1 pipe that i have, how does it perform?, what do i have to do in order it to get its best performance?, I will be installing engine, fan and pipe in about 1.5 week, this weekend i will be finishing all the sanding, priming. Next weekend i am hoping to start painting it. I finally found the FS number for early pre production F15's air superiority blue.

What i like to now is if i can use Day-Glo red (Rescue Red) Ultracote film on painted blue surface since top will be flat and bottom will be glossy.


Rbeav533 ,

I am impressed with dedication and ambition of Gboulton by making one perticuler model after his father's close friend, I have same ambition in my heart too, but i want to take one setp backward to take many steps forward by getting my Regal Eagle airborn and fly sucessfully and get experiance with. I will be doing my TGA F15 in Royal Saudi Airforce scheme as my jet of all times.......


Sammy

*heh*

Thanks, guys.

Gotta admit...I'm looking forward to seeing her fly already, and haven't even made the first cut.