Mark 5

I am in the process of building my 1/9 scale Aviation Design Rafale,which I will be flying from my grass field. I would like to know the following, what is the best turbine for grass field operation? P60se, Super Bee, rabbit, p80se. I like the P80se but will it be too heavey and will my 3" exaust pipe be too small for the P80se? Also I have the recommended Spring Air 301 retracts with the Aviation design scale struts, are they strong enough to operate from grass? Does anyone have any experience with the way the Rafale flies with a turbine and what did it weigh? Am I wasting my time thinking that it can fly from grass without any problems? Any advice will be greately appreciated,thanks Mark.

J.F

I've flown my FEJ Rafale (almost exact same size), and it will take off in less than 50m from grass with the Merlin 90 (using wren singlepipe, not bifurbircated), and land in the same stretch. The nose leg on mine does take a bit of a pounding, so fit a trailing link unit, and set a bit of up canard for take off, to help it rog easier. The p80se imo will be too physically big for the rafale, better off with a merlin or rabbit.
keep a little power on and nose high for landings.

Minch

I am in the process of fitting out an Avonds rafale, same dimensions as the AD one for turbine (actually its 2nd turbine), I am going to use a Jetcat P70, I have managed to get 2.2litres of fuel in so should get decent flight times, considered the merlin 90 but with the current exchange rate (which puts it at about £2000) it's currently out of my price range. I changed the standard retracts which were spring air to Airpower units, legs & brakes and they were within a few millimeters of spring airs for mounting so not much adjustment required.

Mine was powered with MW54 but I found it a bit gutless, turbine was producing 14lbs thrust (maybe just under) but with the Avonds bifucated pipe you loose round about a pound of thrust (figure came from Philip Avonds). Weight wise not sure when it had the wren but must have been 13lb-14lb ish dry but it currently weighs 10.75lbs without the turbine and I guess the P70 and accesories will add approx 3.5lbs, aiming for less than 14.5 to 15Lbs dry. Don't know what the grass field operation will be like as I fly from a concrete runway although it shouldn't be a problem.

Flying wise it flies brilliantly, very stable and should land in a fairly short distance without to much trouble, this can be seen on youtube, there is a guy flying a Merlin powered AD Rafale.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtDkf-bDDQo

Nick

jonathang

hi nick it will be fast with a super bee in i had one and now its got a mw54 in and flys from a bumpy grass strip with no problem, so its up to you what turbine you put in it its a very nice flying jet so enjoy it rock solid in flight, i kick my self for selling it but i wanted a bvm bandit so it had to go hope this helps regards jonathan

paulinfrance

I also have the aviation designs Rafale with the kit version of the Wren 54, fitted with pneumatic single action
retracts, it's a really good machine, 'but' the c of g on my plan was wrong, and i had 'tail flutter' on a flight
even though i had reinforced it with ply.

c_makhija

I have a Wren supersport in my Avonds Rafale, its a perfect match for this size airframe. 125 flights on the rafale so far few of them on grass. I had the SA 301 first but later changed the retracts to the robart 530 series ( much stronger than the 301s).

Chaitanya.

Mark 5

Thanks, for the advice on the retracts Chaitanya, I will consider the Robart 530. Paul,your Rafale look great.What does it weigh,and where is the C G location? I would love to use a Kingtech in my Rafale(price) but,I think I will wait until I have enough money to buy the Evo Jet 90.

paulinfrance

87 Cm from the tip of the nose.
What and where acan i getchaitanyaretracts ?.