Tom,

Yes the colors are supposed to match . I have had 4 venus's and only one had a mismatch in colors.
From your picture the differences in color are the same differences I had. I don't think you got a single bad cowl, I think they had a bad run that passed their QC checks (if they have such). I wonder how many missle red cowls are out there. Tom, did Tower seemed surprised, or where they aware of it alread?

I called and the woman went to customer service and when she came back she said they would send a new cowl. She didn't offer any explaination or comment. No questions asked. She said a replacement is on the way and let them know if it matches.

Glad to hear it. Tower Hobbies' customer service probably is one of the best.

BTW, how do you guys store the loong piece of wing? I made a crude stand for it.

This is how I store mine

Wall mounting is not a bad idea. It can be my next project. Thx!

Tom,
You have an unfair advantage.
The picture of your workshop reveals that you have an 'organized personality'.
I have tried several time to get my shop organized and get everything in its proper place. But after two days, it's all back like it was....a mess.

Question: Has anyone in here mounted the engine upright in their Venus?
I realize it doesn't look cool, but I don't like inverted engines and I'm thinking it will fly better if the weight is all centered on the centerline. Any advice?
Regards
JC

What engine are you using??? If it's a 4-stroke, upside-down isn't a problem because the valves keep the fuel from entering the cylinder and flooding the glow plug. I have run a couple of Saito's inverted which is what I'll do on the Venus II.

However, If your using a 2-stroke I would recommend any configuration but inverted. I had the Venus 40 with an OS 46 FXi and it just didn't like that. You had to turn the plane upside down, motor right-side up, to start it and 1/2 of the landings were deadstick[:@]

The only successful inverted 2-strokes I've seen use a Sullivan on-board glow system.

Finally, the inverted engine requires almost no cowl cutting where with an upright you will need to cut the top out of the cowl. The Venus models are designed, as well as most pattern planes, for an inverted 4-stroke.

I will be using an OS 120AX. Mounting upright makes engine more accessible and more reliable.
JC

JC,

I've had several airpalnes over the years with inverted cowled installations with great success. Sometimes a little balky until broken in and the idle mixtures dialed, but that is true for any installation. I have an O.S. .120 FS in mine and had a few dead sticks until that one settled down. Now it's Toyota reliable. I also have an airplane right now with the 2 stroke engine mounted at a downward angle as shown in the instructions. No problems with it, Definitely more accessible, and the exhaust fits in the bottom opening. The Venus has kind of a high thrust line, and the cylinder weight may indeed balance out the wing weight. Whatever you choose, I am sure that you will enjoy your Venus almost as much if not more than your Vertigo II of days past!

Robert

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but my OS 2-strokes have always run just fine inverted. Had one of the small U-can-do's with a .46 AX and it ran perfectly inverted, right out of the box. A good friend runs a 1.40 on a Black Magic, and it runs extremely well, so I think it is just a matter of tuning the low and high ends properly. Easier to flood, perhaps, but just make sure the tank height is correct and don't choke it too much.

To see if the low end is too rich, with the engine idling just stick your finger in the exhaust and then smell for raw fuel, then gradually lean for a good transition. That's it.

If mounted upright, that cylinder is gonna be sticking WAAAAY up above the fuse just look at the thrust line![X(]

For me horizontal mounted 2 stoke has worked incredibly well. The glow plug is very accessible. As far as i'm concerned having the cylindar stick out a bit does not bother me at all. After almost 1000 flights on 4 venus II's with this configuration I have had nothing but complements on it's looks and performance. At the field my plane is known as "the reliable one". While others are messing with their engines I am flying. As far as the lateral balance with horizontal engine, not an issue at all. My lateral balance is right on exactly.

Just a thought to consider...

FYI: If you do consider horizontal engine i would reccomend the Slimline Q-Series AX120 pitts muffler. It was not available when i built my last Venus. It is better then the Bisson i have in mine, and should fit much better to.

Here is a pix of the horizontal mounting.
[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7443334]Venus II W/ Horizontal OS AX120[/link]

Codfish, as horizontal mounting goes, that is a pretty good-looking setup!

For reference, the new AX 1.20's have that box-shaped muffler that can be turned 90 degrees for a Pitts-type installation.

Actually it looks organized? In reality, I just hang stuff randomally all over the peg-board and in a bunch of drawers. Than I forget where I put it ,an age thing[&o] and have on numerous occasions ordered stuff I already have someplace. I just did it with fuel tubing. I ordered three packs, one each red,green and blue and after it came in I found one of each in a drawer??? I still spend too much time looking for stuff I know is there and cant't remember where I put it. My problem Is there is no real system. I put item where I think is a good place at the time??

I use Blue on the fuel line, Red on the pressure/exhaust line and Green on the 4-stroke bleeder nipple. That way I can't get the lines confused.

However in the Pix, it does look pretty good at that time.

Bob, Thanks for the complement on horiz mounting.

I tried to use the stock muffler in the "Pitts" position, but it did not fit, so i went w/ Bisson.
If i were to do again i will now use the Slimline Q-Series. I used on on my 55AX and it is much lighter than the stock muffler and a better fit. Slimline really came up with a good muffler line with the Q-Series.

Tom,

I too, have many labled drawers and hanging objects. When you think about it this hobby really has so many different parts and equipment that it is amazing we ever find anything. Your extra fuel line occurence made me smile. I recently went to the LHS (1 hour round trip) JUST to pick up some clear dope, because i had totally run out. When i got home to my shop i was in a hurry to get something accomplished on my plane, so I quickly put the new bottle of dope up on the shelf. As I saw my hand in slow motion find a resting place for the dope, it's neighbor was... you guessed it... another un-opened bottle of the same dope! I wondered who the dope was at this point!?

A big day of building on the Venus II. 100* here so I worked in the shop. I mounted the Saito 150 about 5* off of inverted so the Cylinder heads fit exactly in the air flow slot on the bottom.
I will have to cut the cowl a little to clear the rocker arm covers. The only other holes will be for the needle adjustments and a hole to access the dubro fuel probe mounted to the firewall.
Instead of CA hinges I used Robart Steel pin hinge points. These are very strong and make a tight seam. The also make the rudder hinge stronger above the tail wheel which will be a Sullivan.
With the Saito 150 I plan to mount the Receiver behind the throttle servo and I needed the battery on the cross member where the push rod tubes would have gone had I not put all the servos in the tail.
Servos: Futabe S3010 on the Rudder,2 Hitec HS 5475's on the Ailerons, Hitec HS 425 on the Throttle and 2 Futaba S 3151 on the Elevators.

That's wher I am to date.

Can someone post a link to parts and some information about how to run the exhaust with a 2 stroke engine and one of those pipes? I know nothing about this. Are they considered 'tuned pipes' or is it just plumbing to get the exhaust to the back? Do you use a muffler too?

Thanks.

Joe,
Here's some tuned pipe info:
http://www.rcaerobats.net/tuned_pipe_info.htm
The man who wrote this will be at the Jackson contest in September. The tuned pipe acts as a muffler and also helps increase the torque of the 2-stroke engine. Think of it as a supercharger that works on the exhaust side rather than on the intake side.

John Pavlick
Team Black Magic

flew mine for the first time last week. nice plane. very smooth, but it is slow. i didn`t expect a speed demon, but still a little disapointed.have a os120 fs-pumped in it w/ a 15x8 apc prop.

Does this plane (or most planes) need a pump, or is it just an option so you can move the tank back?

Thanks for the pipe info John.

I'm not sure how slow is slow but I have a Venus II / OS 120FS / APC 15-8 @ 9300 and it is no slouch. Vertical is foever & ever. If you want more speed try a 14-10 or even a 13-12.

I have 15X8 on a YS110. I did not feel it is slow. In fact, it can fly moderately fast because of the thin wing profile. The high RPM is @ 9200.

I received the replacement Cowl from Tower yesterday and it is a shade darker but it still doesn'y match the Monokote??[]
I called and I have the only colors they have. I got the one in the box and one that they have for replacement. So I'll have to make do.
I cut the cowl tonight, so all I have to do now is dye and install the canopy balance and it's ready to fly.

I ran the Saito 150 inverted on the Venus today for a break-in and fine tuning. It take about 1/2 throttle to start it but after that it idles at 2400 rpm and peaks out at 8800. I'll run it at 8550 with a 16/8 APC prop.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them.

Does anyone use an OS four stroke on this plane? How do you like it? Have you competed with it?

If you read back through the thread you'll find lots of us have the OS 120FS in it. Speaking for myself after 300 flights with this combo I think it is ALMOST perfect. If I was doing it again I would want a pumper in order to put the fuel tank on the CG. Mine is a bit nose heavy and combined with the forward tank - well it could be better. From a realiability stand point the OS can't be beat. I have almost 500 flights ( 2 planes ) on my OS 120FS using CP 20/20 fuel and it is 100% original.

There were a few posts in here where people did compete with this plane and they did very well.