X2
I agree with speed. (Did I really just write that).

If you go with the World Models, and can afford to go with the YS 70, do so. It is an outstanding combo for Bronze. Propped effectively with some higher nitro, you have the option of advancing to Silver, eventually; without the added expense of replacing the engine in order to do so.

If you think you'll stay in Bronze for quite awhile, it is hard to beat the friendly, downright "sweet" overall flying characteristics of the WM T-34 - especially with the added ease and reliability that its tricycle gear affords. (For what it is worth as a 3-time Season Champion in the 4 years I raced in Bronze, I found reliability was the key to success in Bronze. I always knew that the reliability advantage I enjoyed back then was largely due to the ease of ground handling from my tri-gear P-39.) I've never tried a YS 70 in a T-34, but would expect that would also be a great combination.

So, I think that makes three-in-a-row, TN . . .

Hope to see you racing, soon!

Ollie

Thank for all the advice. Unfortunately or fortunately, I just picked up a used WM T-34 and a new OS 55 AX. I guess I will stay in Bronze for a while. The previous owner of the T-34 installed outboard ailerons and inboard flaps. Should I fly it as is or convert it to full span flaps?

Looking forward to see you all soon in September!

Trung

Has anyone installed retracts on the TWM T-34? And if I convert the T-34 from tricycle gear to tail dragger retracts, is that allowed in the rules of the SAM club races?

Ok first question, The outboard ailerons will work fine. For racing you don't need a lot of roll rate. In fact too much can and will get you into trouble in a hurry. I tend to run as little as possible to get a nice smooth line on the course and have to switch to a higher rate for landing. As far as the flaps are concerned, I can't imagine why they would have been needed. I would lock them up and cover over the hinge line.

Retracts, I have seen it once, a bay area guy fit trike retracts to his and powered it with an OS 91 VDF engine and ran a pipe through the canopy. IMO I would leave the gear alone. Get it flying and get over to Sam's for some practice. Two things will happen. If you ask you will get all the help you can handle and you will meet some of the best guys in the hobby. If you have not raced as of yet, getting that T-34 flying and practicing laps will help a ton. You will also want to practice air starts and get your start up and tuning process worked out so you can reliably do it in less then 2 minutes.

As one of the CDs, I'd love to help you, and address any questions. However, I am unclear regarding your question. Can you elaborate on what you mean by "convert . . . to tail dragger retracts?" Are you saying only the mains will retract, and the nose gear will remain fixed? Or, that you want to modify a tri-gear plane to a full-fledged tail dragger configuration? Or am I way off the mark, and you mean something else, entirely?

Ollie

I would modify to a full-fledged tail dragger like a Mustang, where only the mains will retract. So the history is that I bought the plane used and the previous owner had floats on it. Hence I don't have landing gears. I do have a set of retracts for a 60 sized model that would fit in the T-34.

Thank you for the help.

Is there an engine that I can put into a .60 size warbird that would be fast enough to be in Silver? I really want to get a Spitfire race plane however .40 size Spitfire ARF are really difficult to find. I know at Kyosho made one but I think it has been discontinued. Sorry for all the questions. I can't get enough of this stuff, LOL.

You must keep the plane in a scale (or close to scale) look. T-34's did not have a tail wheel so that type of modification would be out of the question. The warbird race rules can be found on the SAM site at www.sacramento-rc-flyers.org Look them up for motor and wing area rules. Or as Speed and Iron Dog have stated, come by the field and talk to some of the racers. We will be more than happy to help. Day use at SAM's with a member signing you in is $10. We can also go over membership costs.

Hope to see you soon,
Jimmy Skids

If you can wait a little bit I am sure I have a spare set of WM T34 gear struts front and mains that I would be happy to give you. They are buried in a storage unit at the moment so hard to get to.

Disclaimer as I am not able to go and check I can not guarantee I have the struts.

James

Jimmy Skids addressed the concerns regarding the T-34 and expectations regarding maintenance of scale fidelity for a scale warbird race. If you can live with it that way (especially for just an initial racer), my suggestion would be to leave the gear fixed. As I stated previously, reliability and consistency is the key. It may not look as pretty, but fixed gear are far more reliable, with far less headaches and tweaking; and, reaching competitive speeds shouldn't be an issue with the OS 55AX. I believe that is what most of the guys are running with the T-34. (I tried to verify this by looking at the registration forms which detailed the plane/engine combinations from my race last month, but it looks like Trashman held on to all the registration forms. Sorry.)

One of my good friends is putting a YS70 in a 60-sized Hanger 9 P-51 and with sufficient nitro, expects it to be competitive in Bronze. But, you're easily looking at a YS 115 to power a 60-sized warbird for Silver. A 60-size would have enough wing area for a YS 140, and likely have sufficient wing area for a YS170, even -- just note the wing area for the plane and refer to the Engine/Wing Area Chart in the SAM Warbird Racing rules that Skids linked you to, to know for sure. However, I don't have any experience with those engines, so I'll have to hope someone else is willing to chime in on their effectiveness vs. the new Warbird Racing version of the YS115, and what is the better choice for your intended airframe. For a better likelihood of accurate responses, I would suggest that you specify which 60-size airframe you are intending to use.

I called Kyosho personally, m-a-n-y months ago, regarding the unavailability of the Spitfire, and the rarity of their other SQS series warbirds; as I love them, too. Their personnel informed me that these were all discontinued; that they had "no intention of building any more for the forseeable future"; and, "if [they] ever decide to produce warbirds again, that these models would be new designs." So, unless you find one at a swap-meet, E-bay, or similar, I'm sorry to say that a Kyosho Spitfire is not likely to be an option.

Ollie

Hi James,

Thanks for the offer. If you find those TWM T34 struts please let me know as I would gladly pay the postage for them.

Trung

Ollie, I was thinking about building the .60 size Hangar 9 Spitfire as a silver class racer. I would like to know what engine / prop to run in that airframe. I would use up to 30% nitro because I am not interested in making my own fuel.

Trung,

Again, as stated in Post #36, I am hoping someone with more experience with the other engines -- especially installed in .60-sized airframes -- will offer a more informed opinion and express it here . . . (come on, guys!)

But as that hasn't happened yet, for the last four days; and, because time is ticking, I don't want to leave you hanging with NO feedback. The Spit is among the sleekest of airframes, so that is a definite plus. Realize, that there are still higher nitro commercially available glow fuels. I have used Wildcat 45% with great success, as YS engines take the higher nitro very well. This would afford more power that the 30%, still without having to mix your own fuel.

If some of the Gold racers are accurate when they tell me they are breaking out of Gold times with a .40-sized, YS 115WS running on only 20% nitro, I would think that the new YS 115 WS with 45% nitro and propped effectively would be competitive for Silver, even though your spit is a larger .60-sized plane.

Weigh-in here, guys! Do you agree? (Please feel just as free to disagree.) Which APC prop?

Ollie

I belive the 1.15 on 30% with the Hanger 9 Spitfire would be more than fast enough for Silver. There is also a world models spitfire that may work as well.
Jimmy Skids

Thanks for the info. I will checkout the World Model Spitfire too.

Trung,
Looks like Jim, Ollie and Speed have answered your questions. I am going to jump in on the T-34, Jim is correct, it must stay as a tri-cycle landing gear. If you like to put retracts in it, that is fine but again it must be a tri-cycle. Everyone that has raced the T-34s this year have had all fixed landing gears. Ollie is correct and almost all Bronze class is all T34s.

Glad you are getting involved with our races and looking forward to talking to you at the Trashman Classic Race.

The exact location of the rules is http://www.sacramento-rc-flyers.org/...birdrules.html

Thanks Ollie, Jim and Speed for helping out!

I have finished installing fixed tri-cycle gears on the T-34 so I should be good to go.

Trung, that's good news. The next step is to get out to SAM's and fly some practice laps. There are usually qualified guys out there any weekend that will call you through some practice laps. I was out today and had a couple great practice runs on some new engine mods. I plan to be out there again the Friday before the Trashman Classic and would be more then willing to lend a hand.

Trung,
I am glad to hear you are ready for.the race. People like Speed, Ollie, Jim and many other people are great to listen to. They will not steer you wrong. You will enjoy racing and just hanging out at the flying field. See you there.

Speed,
You might need more practice then just Friday to beat me. I am winning this race since this is my last Silver race. That is right, I am making the announcement know that I will be moving to Gold next year. So, Jim better look out next year because I will be taking over Gold. :-)

What prop do you guys recommend for the OS55 AX in Bronze class? And what percentage nitro fuel?

what about a .60 sized Topflite ARF...with a OS 1.20 AX piped????
Is that legal??

what is the wing area on the .60 sized top flite? Once you have that you can refer to the rules on the SAM site as listed in post #42.

As for Nitro on a 55 AX, I really do not know what will work for it. It has been my experience that you really do not normally want to put more than 20-25% nitro in a 2 stroke. There are a few 2 stroke guys that may chime in if they have the experience with said motor. I fly mainly YS 4 strokes and as such do not have much experience with the 2 cycle motors.

Jimmy Skids

For the OS 55 in a T-34 I would run an APC 10X7 with a stock muffler and a 10X8 with a Jett muffler. The engine would handle up to 30% nitro without issue but there is little return on that investment. 15% to 20% works just as well and run at least 18% oil. The good old OS #8 plugs work well but I seem to get a little more life from an Enya #3

Quit giving away all the secrets. You know I'm trying to win in that class too right!?!