RBean

I acquired a used 72" KMP Hurricane and started redoing and converting to gas. Removed the 120 OS and installed an RCGF 20cc rear carb engine. Made a templale of ply wood and mounted engine on it. Used a nut and bolt to locate mounting holes on firewall. Epoxed my template behind firewall for reinforcement. Put plane on c.g. meter and found it was tail heavy. I have now mounted both ignition and receiver batteries above the engine (not to standoffs) and mounted ignition modual below engine on firewall. Replaced plastic spinner with a True Turn aluminum spinner for the heavier back plate. The plane is still slightly tail heavy. Trying to get c.g. to 105mm which is reported best for this plane. Not much room inside the cowling much more. Any body make heavy hub for gassers. Needs 5mm hole. Need a heavy steel one to replace aluminum front prop plate. I'm replacing retracts with robo strut ready spring airs and robart struts and replacing 3.5" wheels with 3.75" ones and also shimming gear to give a little forward rake. Starting to be more involved than I planned. (It had 1.5 lbs of lead bolted to the mounts with the OS 120, which I have read is normal).

RBean

I acquired a used 72" KMP Hurricane and started redoing and converting to gas. Removed the 120 OS and installed an RCGF 20cc rear carb engine. Made a templale of ply wood and mounted engine on it. Used a nut and bolt to locate mounting holes on firewall. Epoxed my template behind firewall for reinforcement. Put plane on c.g. meter and found it was tail heavy. I have now mounted both ignition and receiver batteries above the engine (not to standoffs) and mounted ignition modual below engine on firewall. Replaced plastic spinner with a True Turn aluminum spinner for the heavier back plate. The plane is still slightly tail heavy. Trying to get c.g. to 105mm which is reported best for this plane. Not much room inside the cowling much more. Any body make heavy hub for gassers. Needs 5mm hole. Need a heavy steel one to replace aluminum front prop plate. I'm replacing retracts with robo strut ready spring airs and robart struts and replacing 3.5" wheels with 3.75" ones and also shimming gear to give a little forward rake. Starting to be more involved than I planned. (It had 1.5 lbs of lead bolted to the mounts with the OS 120, which I have read is normal).

RBean

I'll try the pictures again. Don't know whats going on with them.

spaceworm

Great pictures, though first ones hard to see even reducing on screen to 50%. Next batch ok to view. Nice installation, but I would be a little concerned with the ignition module that close to the muffler. Perhaps add a shield or insulation to help keep the heat from the module? Just a thought. I think Harry Higley makes prop hubs to fit about everything out there, even metric. Maybe Du Bro also. If not, maybe someone with a lathe can make you one. Depleted uranium would be the heaviest, but hard to get unless you can dig up some A-10 projectiles from the desert. Nest to Spitfires, Hurricanes are my favorite warbird.

spaceworm

First set of pics were around 713 kbytes each second set around 12 kbytes each. Suggest reducing pics before loading to forum. But, good pics none the less.

RBean

I'm am concerned about heat on the ignition modual, but now it is exposed to the cooling air and with have prop wash and slip stream air going over it. Not sure if a heat shield would do more harm than good. Guess I'll find out. I finished my engine installation, and installed fuel system and tank and radio etc. When I put it on the c.g. meter with the gear retracted it was right on 105 mm. Looks like I won't have to add weight. I still have the landing gear to work on, changing out the wires to robo struts, but than shouldn't add weight and its near or slightly ahead of the c.g. Total weight is 13 lbs 1 oz. That should be ok for this size airplane. Hope to test fly some times next week.

ZERO-322

My Feedback: (2)

By the time I realized that I must have this plane I discovered it is no longer available You LUCKY DOG ! best of luck on the maiden , and please post some pic of the completed plane !

Mike

RBean

I ran into a slight snag in my landing gear plans. I already have some robo strut ready Spring Airs and 3/8" Robart struts which will fit the Spring Airs. Only problem is the Robart 3/8" struts are about one inch too short. The plane has Spring Airs with the wire. I really don't want to mount the robo struts with the wires but I might as the alternative is new Robart Robo strut ready retracts and 7/16" Robart struts (they are long enough) at the cost of $200.

ZERO-322

My Feedback: (2)

If you do go with the wire connector use a titanium rod in the gauge you require , total cost around 10 bucks ...peace of mind knowing it won't bend priceless ! LOL

try it out I've had a similar dilema with a set of retracts , the set up required me to bend the wire at about 3 degrees or so to get the forward rake needed , however every time I had a less then perfect landing it would bend , the titanium 3/16 rod solved that issue and hasn't failed me yet on a 13 lbs Zero

RBean

Sounds like something I might try. Where do I find 3/16" titanium rods??

ZERO-322

My Feedback: (2)

I got mine through my Local hobby shop, I asked and apparently they had a source and ordered it for me , I would ask them first

RBean

Finished the engine installation and ran engine for the first time today. RCGF 20cc rear carb. After needles set has good idle at about 1,450-1,500 rpm. Top end is 7,450 with 16-8 three blade prop. A side carb RCGF 20cc turns the same prop 7,800 rpm. When the engine is broke in and using 40 to one mix I should get close to the same. Ordered Robart Robo Strut Ready Air up-spring down retracts and 7/16" straight Robart Struts. Have same on another plane and they work great. The Hurricane already has Spring Air gear, but I don't like the wires. If we have good weather before the new retracts and struts get in I may fly the plane with the old gear. Also raked the gear forward by putting 1/8" plywood over (under?) the rear flange.

a65l

My Feedback: (17)

I found mine to get a little sensitive in pitch when it got slow. It didn't fly like it was tail heavy, just acted the part when it got slow. Beautifull airplane, though....

A

RBean

I ordered the titanum and got it the other day. Hard on the cutting wheel cutting this stuff. Got the Robart struts installed. Increased wheel size to 3.75". Made new gear doors out of aluminum. CG is still 105 mm, but gained an ounce some where. Weight is 13 lbs 2 oz now. Ready for test flight when ever schedule and weather match. Only thing left to do is to paint the gear doors when I can find some paint that matches.

ZERO-322

My Feedback: (2)

GOOD LUCK ON THE MAIDEN !

don't forget to post the flight report

Mike

RBean

Flight test program. On first flight was able to taxi on our rough field. Takeoff ok. Not over powered. Had made about three circuits while triming. Several clicks down and 2 right. Did some loops and rolls. Then the engine seemed to be loosing power. Was over the approach end of runway planning on coming overhead and into down wind for landing when engine quit. Droppe the nose to keep speed up, lift gear up as I was afraid I was going to over shoot the runway and land in corn stubble which would have ripped gear out. Bellied in on far end of runway, just short of cornfield. Only damage was crunched air scoop on belly. Then engine would not run. Had spark but was not drawing fuel.
Took home, removed and cleaned out carb with high pressure carb cleaner. Didn't see anything wrong, but next day the engine ran.

Second Flight: Take off was good, tracked well, gradual climb out while accelerating, gear up. Flew several circuits. Tried loops and rolls. The put gear and flaps down. Was some down pitch, probably needs about 3% up elevator mix with gear down. Stall was not too bad. Flew surprisingly slow and with break, fell off on left wing, but didn't snap all the way over. Brought it around for landing. Was coming in a little hot, touched down on mains with slight bounce, about six inches, tried to three point, but couldn't hold nose up. Ran out of elevator. Came down on mains, not real hard, and the 3/16 rods bent and went onto nose.

The gear was not adiquate. Replace with 7/16" Robart Air up spring down robo strut ready retracts and 7/16 robart struts. Added 10% up elevators with EPA and 3% up elevator mix with gear down.

Third flight: Engine running good, takeoff good. Needed some up trim. (that should have been my first clue). Was just going to fly around and put time on engine with the 32 to one mix to get it broke in. Had made about three circuits when I saw a control surface come loose and trailing behind tail. Still had some control. Entered down wind, put gear down (first mistake) with gear down, aircraft pitched down and I didn't have enough elevator to bring nose up. Pulled gear back up and was able to get nose up some but am heading away from field. Turned base, but in doing so, nose dropped. Added power and helped get nose up. Control is poor. Can't get nose up any more and is headed down at about 5 degreed angle. Tried to keep wings level and pulled power to idle just before it hit the ground. Post crash investigation reveals CA hinges on the right elevator tore loose and elevator was held on by control horn and flapping in breeze behind plane.

Airplane is repairable. No major structural damage. Just beat up with a few tears and holes and control surfaces damaged. Engine and gear ok.

This should be a lesson to me. When you buy a used plane, cut and replace all the CA hinges with some real hinges, especially if you are installing a gas engine, because CA hinges get old and the extra vibration of a gas engine does not help. Even the cowling survived. Canope is damaged, but I have a spare. Scale exhaust stacks are destroyed, but ones for similar sized Spitefire would work. While I'm repairing, I'll re-inforce the front fusilage behind engine, replace all the CA hinges. After I get it flying I'll maybe repaint.

RBean

I've got her all put back together. Not as bad as I thought at first. I use dubro hinges for the elevator. Already had real hinges (not CA) on the rudder. Front of fuslage and cowling were cracked. Used epoxy, glass cloth, paint and bondo. Reinforced areas of fuslage and patched holes in wing. The cowling is painted with flat dark brown. Subsituted 2-56 machine screws and blind nuts for the wood screw holding on the cowling. I have some scale exhaust stacks for similar sized Spitefire on order. The canopy is an old on off a VQ Hurricane. Not real scale but can't find one for this size Hurricane. Retracts work and ran up engine today. Everything is checked out. I know she will fly if all the control surfaces will stay on and the engine will keep running.

RBean

Had better results today. Good weather, light winds, quartering cross wind to down runway. Take off uneventful. Gradual climb out, then gear up. Very little trim needed. Flys a little strange. In a bank it wants to keep on rolling into the bank and have to use a little opposite aileron to counter. Right rudder needed going up and left rudder going down. Rolls are not axial but its not a pattern plane. It gets a little touchy in the elevators on landing. Flew three times. First landing was a good wheel landing. The next one I got her too slow and bounced but recovered ok. Last was a good three point. This engine has enough power for scale flight, but could use more power. Turning up 7,200 rpm. My side carb 20cc RCGF turns same prop 7,800. May still be running a bit rich as it would occasionly four cycle while wide open. Also has a J-Tec pitts muffler and is quieter than the side carb with the stock muffler. Than mighht be restricting the engine too much. I'll have to do some testing, maybe take the cowling off and run with the stock muffler and see if there is any difference. Also going to a 40 to one fuel mix will help.

This plane is easier to fly than the Top Flight P-40 but not a Hanger 9.

RBean

I put the stock muffler on and gained 50 rpm. A little difference but not much. Put the Pitts back on. I'll try a 17-6 two blade prop and see if I can get more thrust. Engine is enough to fly scale, but I'd like just a little more power to make some manuvors a little easier to do. Toned down the elevator EPA a little and upped the neg. expo and that helped. At this weight, it lands at a reasonably slow speed. The Robart air up spring down continue to work good. Good flying plane. Too bad its been discontinued. Got the paint touched up and the scale exhaust installed.

RBean

I've got more problems with the Hurricane. Ignition quit. Its under warranty and Bill Jensen is sending a new unit. Told me to use 4.8 V ignition battery not 6 V. As you can see from the picture, the ignition modual is mounted on the lower firewall, behind and under the muffler. There is not much room in the cowling and there is no other place to mount the ignition modual in the engine compartment. I'm concerned about heat from the muffler, although four of the modual's six sides are exposed to direct cooling air flow. The only thing else I can do would be to mount the modual in the fusilage under the gas tank up against the back side of the firewall. That will get it away from the muffler, but it will have little direct cooling air and would be closer to the radio receiver by an inch or so. Which is best?

RBean

An update on the Hurricane. Got the new ignition in and engine is running good. Tried a 17-6 two blade prop and it helped some. This plane is a little under powered with this engine. Had another mishap during a cross wind landing and damaged the plane again. Now repaired. Installed an APC two blade 17-8 prop. Havn't flown it yet with this prop but seems to have more thrust. I'm a little gun shy of flying this plane in gusty cross winds after my last incident. Does anyone know what color the spinners and props were on the Mk I Hurricanes with the two blade prop? Can't tell from the old black and white photos.

RBean

Finally got a chance to fly the Hurricane today. Wind 10-15 mph N to N-W, with E/W runway. Engine turning up 7,350 rpm with APC 17-8 prop. Seemed to be quite abit more thrust. Good cuban 8s and loops etc. Landing w/o flaps ok. Kept speed up because of gustly wind. The power is now enough, not over powered but ok. Increased aileron throw slightly and reduced elevator throw slightly. Seemed to help. Flying better. Maybe engine is getting broken in. I'll change to 40 to 0ne mix with syn oil when I'm through this gallon of gass. That should help power and have less mess.

RBean

Make that wind W to NW 10-15 mph. I won't fly this plane with a 10 mph direct cross-wind. I'm not good enought pilot.

RBean

I've been flying the Hurricane with the 17-8 two blade prop and it has been doing better. I moved the CG back for 105mm to 108 mm and that seemed to help with the landings. Maybe I've got this thing sorted out.

RBean

Here is a picture with the two blade prop. The MK I Hurricane used a two blade prop, so I guess its still close to scale. Also after one of my mishaps, rebuilt the landing gear mounting blocks, moved them further into the wing so the gear retracts further into wing.