I started out with the p80 and then changed to a p120 and love it. Although not much faster it jumps off the runway and will climb like a jet should. My 2 cents, go big!
Jim

by the way i know you will sometimes need the power but when you learn to fly this bird slow to moderate speed you will see that speed is not first on this planes list loves slow flight

I think this may have been covered previously but couldnt find it. Anyone know the difference in the weight of the airframe between painted in mold vs. pro painted out of the mold at the factory? Thanks

The 2M viper is my second turbine, the first with a tailpipe. I am not using bypass. My tailpipe was supplied with stainless tabs for mounting to the engine mount plywood.   What is the best way to afix the bellmouth to the front of the tailpipe?  I have heard it is difficult to cleanly and accurately drill stainless.  If I am reading the directions correctly, they recommend that the bellmouth be screwed to ply formers on the engine mounts, but they also say "glue bellmouth with silicone glue."   

Since it seems the stainless mounting tabs on the front of the tailpipe are quite substantial, they would fix the tailpipe itself in place.  If the bellmouth is fixed separately to ply formers with screws, is the bellmouth physically connected other than press fit to the tailpipe?  Does the bellmouth need to be sealed to the tailpipe, and is that what the directions are talking about, in terms of using silicone glue?  If so,  I am concerned about the high temperature in this area.  Will RTV high temperature silicone (the copper colored tube) be OK here?

From memory I think the instructions tell you to glue the bellmouth onto the pipe with silicone; I don't do this but it does need to be secured. I pop riveted my bellmouth to the pipe and didn't bother with any silicone for sealing. Drilling it is ok with a sharp bit but make sure you support the pipe on the opposite side to where you are drilling to stop the pipe collapsing. I've yet to fly mine but this is the same method I used on my Comp ARF Flash which worked fine.

OK Guys I am working on the install of my Viper and I am wondering with all of these Vipers out there is there anyone who has an extra cockpit or a set of cockpit tubs they want to part with?

I have a FB T-45 and I found that the Cockpit Tubs from that will fit it also... so I should presume that the older Skymaster T-45 BAE Hawk tubs will fit...

Please PM me if you have something that will fit the bill....Thanks

p.s. I picked mt Viper up minus the Cockpit, Landing Gear and Pipe, I found that the Jet Legend T-45 pipe fits perfect, The JL T-45 pneumatic retract units fit, the JL T-45 Main wheels and brakes fit my prolink main legs from Digitec.
I had to turn some aluminum extensions on the lathe for the pro-link legs to get the right height, and I am using the pro-link small front strut which I fabricated a full size direct drive servo to the front strut to rid myself of the nasty pull pull set up.

When I get a chance I will post some photos if anyone is interested.

Rich,

Yes pics please - Especially your direct drive nose wheel servo mount.

PM sent.
Thanks, Jim

Here are some photos

Here are some shots of the main gear extensions and the air / servo wing connections.
I wanted to make sure that the leading edge of the wing could not separate from the fuselage where the servo connector is located so I made some alum extensions for the front location pins, and then made some binding blocks that I can access from the bottom of the fuse. The binding blocks were hysoled to the front blocks that were already in place.
The last photo is the wing before my repair... I bought the kit with shipping damage

Thanks for the pics Rich.  I would guess you have some machining experience...
Is the 'sleeve' that slides over the strut on the NG steering servo mounting plate welded to the plate?  And what keeps it from rotating on the strut?
Need to get some ideas for those of us whose machining skills are limited to a drill and a file...LOL

Thanks, Jim

Hello Jim, yes the Aluminum bushing that get's clamped into the trunnion is welded to the Aluminum servo mounting plate.
I made a steel sheet metal design that I have used in my Flash, instead of welding it was silver soldered to a steel bushing, if you want a copy of the drawing I'll have to dig it up

Here is a sheet metal version of a direct drive servo bracket that you can cut with a hack saw and bend in a vise
The busing was made for a JL retract that has a .435" trunnion opening, if you have a standard retract supplied with the .5" bushing you can use that, just open the bracket hole up to .5".

Excellent.
Thanks Rich.

I'm getting ready to check the C.G. with my equipment installed, I like to hang the model when checking. So on models that have removable wings I make a right and left side plywood jig, (plates) that can be installed between the wing and the fuselage, the plates provide a place to attach hooks to hank the model from.

See attached full size PDF, if you want to print it you will need 11" x 17" paper
I added a letter size PDF also

Well, this is a really good idea.

Did you balance it upside down?

Retracts open and uat full?

Thanks
Alex

Rich,
The Viper is looking good, won't be long till your flying another new bird.
Jim

Right side up, UAT full, retracts down.

Now the question to all Viper fliers, look at the attached photo and tell me if my assumption is correct from what the manual states.

Also should I balance upside down, does it make a difference, if so why?

I don't have my batteries or some of the equipment in yet, I found that I have to add about 1.8 Lbs of material as far up front to get it to balance at the 12.5 mm point.

Thanks Jim, and if your real good maybe I'll let you take it for a spin, but don't expect to get as much stick time on mine as you did on Eric's

They're contagious, once you start you can't stop, you'll fly this bird all summer long and forget about the rest.

Hi Rich:

When we balanced my 2m, we split the difference between forward cg and aft cg. As you are well aware, many have flown my Viper. No one had any negative comments. Dustin flew it and said his best advice was not to change a thing ! That endorsement was good enough for me.

So . . ."Just do it."

Cheers,
Eric

Thanks Eric,
Bill confirmed my drawing in the post above
I will get it set to the 12.5mm position

Thought I would post some of my install photos, I added two extra hinge points to the rudder, and some blocks to stiffen the ends of the hing points and add area to the back of the vertical fin

To make the cooling vents I made a paper template and cut out the vents with a dremel rotary diamond wheel cutter, I included a full size pdf template. The trick is cut out the paper from the template first with an x-acto knife, then use the paper as the guide when using the dremel.

The motor mounts did not have material where it was needed, so I cut some 1/4" plywood and hysoled it in place, when dry I painted to match the rest of the interior.
I used a paper 1:1 drawing of my rabbit (see attachment) as it was mounted in my Flash at the time I was fitting up the Viper. I had to remove material from the inside center of the air inlet box to move the Turbine as far forward as my pipe length would allow. I included a full size pdf template for the motor mount add on pieces.

I was looking for a better place to mount my air tanks when I noticed an area under the motor mounts, the air tanks that I had on hand fit perfect, I used a balsa block through a hole in the rear former to push against the tank, a hole in the front former was just the right size for the front of the tank to fit through. I held the blocks in place with CA