I recently got the Extra 300 special and I am wondering which engine to put on it. I perfer to buy a DA 50 but I also have a chance to get a First Place Engines 3.2 and a 3W 50 new in the box for a very good price. Which engine do you guys recommend and why. Will the FPE and 3W engine fly this plane good. I am looking for a plane and engine combo to fly IMAC aerobatics with. I do not 3D yet so that is not important to me. I am practicing so I can start flying IMAC compitition.

Rick

You could do IMAC with a 40cc and one of these planes. Go to www.edge540t.com and you can look at a set up with a 3W. Personally, I'd go with the 3W, but that's just me.

A better choice for power to weight, would be more like a DA-50, ZDZ-50, & ZDZ-60.
Any of the engines you listed will be fine.
If you've got a chance to save some $ on the engine, to spend else where (ie. better servos)
then I'd go for the best value.
Just my $.02

I agree. Any of these will do well for IMAC style flying. Weight is not the most important factor in this type of flying, sometimes a little more weight makes the plane steadier.

TF
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I could save around 300.00 by getting either engine. Some friends that I fly with offered up the engines. I really want the DA and have the money to get it but it will take up all of my budget and I will have to wait awile to get everything else. I already have all of the radio and electronic stuff. The servo's are JR digital's with MPI switches and new 2700 NIMH batteries, Futaba 9 channel PCM receiver and a 9C radio. I just need to get a spinner, props and some carbon fiber push rods and some hardware. I have some thinking to do.

Rick

I am a big DA supporter and will buy nothing else new but if my bud was gonna sale me a brand spankin new 3w 50 for 300 less than the da i would surely use that 3w50 save the 300 and later if you dont like the 3w switch to a da50 thats what i would do

I agree, a 3w50 is a good engine and at the low low price it's a real deal if it's in good shape.

No point in blowing the whole budget on an engine if you have a good alternative.

TF

If you are going to expect the plane to fly like the videos on ANY 50CC engine, you will have to install a tuned pipe. If you are going to fly IMAC and not worry too much about harriers, blenders and TRs on the deck, then you can get by without the pipe and us a standard in-cowl muffler.

The 3W-50 is an excellent engine, it weighs a little more than the DA, but it also puts out a little more power. 3Ws ratings are very conservative. My 3W-24 puts out as much thrust as a good 30cc engine. Since the WH will actually fly pretty well on a Zenoah G62, which is a heavy pig, I would be very happy with the 3W-50.


If you can fly Unlimited or Freestyle like Chip, Mike or QuiQue or want to - go with the DA.
If you are an average or even above average flyer and want to work mainly on sequences, the 3W is going to be perfect.

Don't get me wrong - the 3W will 3D the plane, it just won't have the authority the DA on pipe will.

I'de stay away from the FPE, every one I have seen has had horrible midrange.

Personally - I'de be all over the 3W at that price. I own three of them and they are excellent engines.
MAKE THE 3W HAS THE 6V IGNITION THOUGH.. the 4.8 V ignitions had some pretty severe problems.

DP

Save the cash, get the 3W... and this is coming from a DA user.

I dont trust FPE though, hear a lot of badmouthing of them... could just be fluff though. I like and trust 3W though, and I've heard good things about their 50's.

Another thought... if you decide not to take the 3W-50... PM me.. I'll buy it!!!

DP

Thanks for the posts. I talked to my friend and I think that I am going to get the 3W 50. It pays to have friends that have lots of money to buy whatever they want. My friend has moved up to 35% and larger planes and has 2 of the 50's. He wants to keep one and will sell me the other one for cheap!!!! The engine is new in the box and I think he has a muffler and maybe a tuned pipe for it also. The other one is in a Chip Hyde double vision biplane. The 3W50 flies the bipe around with authority. I have seen it fly several times and it looks great. Well I need to call him back and go pick up the engine.

Rick

I have nearly completed my special and am using a 3W 60 standoffs were one inch and really no problems in mounting at all The only thing is that with DA you get a lot better service ,but then you should they are built here in the U.S.A I would recommend that you go by what you like and what will work best for your application if you buy based on price alone you will be unhappy at some point

I have a Brison 3.2 on mine , havent flown it yet but in regards to the FPE motors i have had and still have 2 of them, great midrange no problem at all.

I talked to my friend today and he deciced to get a 27% plane for the other 3W50 he has so he won't sell it to me know. I am going down to get me a new DA 50 tomorrow. I hope they have some in stock. I flew my flying buddies Wildhare 300 extra LX today. What a great flying plane. I hope that my extra special flies as good as his LX does. His has a DA 50 on it and it has plenty of power to do anything you would want. I can't wait to fly mine.

Rick

Brit,
I will be putting a 3W 60 on either my Edge or 300L.
Did you use pull/pull or go with rudder servos in the tail?
How is it balancing?
Any info they you think is important?
Thanks,

I am sorry it took so long to reply, finished everything tonight after work except final items loctite etc. I used pull pull on the rudder I have two li-ion batts for the receiver 2800 mah on the tray (yes overkill ) a 2000 mah li-ion in front of the fuel tank for ignition the module is mounted on the firewall I have a 3W 22/10 prop and tru turn spinner. Believe it or not my wife helped me just 10 minutes ago it balanced perfectly at 2.5 inches back from leading edge as per spec, I like nose heavy for first few flights.
I used JR 8611 servos all round and the pull pull turnbuckles and 1 inch engine standoffs from swbmfg.com also their 3 inch rudder arm. Now if only I can do justice to this beautifull plane (and I mean that Wild Hare has a great product,there is no way I could have built it any better) with my flying skills It will be a great winter flying season hear in sunny FLA.
Any thing else I can help you with let me know

sweet any chance of some piks[sm=RAINFRO.gif] if you can i like to see the insides of all planes gives me great ideas for my future planes TY

(I consider turning on a computer quite an accomplishment !!!!!!) as soon as I get the plane flight ready I will try to figure out how to post some pics for you. Dont hold your breath though!

Did you have to reinforce the firewall for a 3W 60? I thought about putting one in my edge but then Tom had ZDZ 50 NG's on sale. I want to get the Extra Special next though and I've been wanting a 3W 60. It really balanced with a pull-pull set up?

Now this looks like a good group of guys.. I get my Edge tommorow unless UPS is lying.. Are there any good flying videos out there? I hover once in a blue moon and it seems that all of the video's Tom has are a bunch of 3D namely hovering.. If any of you have video's and need a site I would be glad to host them.. Can't wait to get this bird!!

Yes Sir, It sure did It is right at the front though specs are 2.5" to 3" back at the leading edge and it hangs level at 2.5" I did re-inforce the firewall with triangle stock and 1/4" ply as stated earlier I am using duralite 2800 mah 2 of them for the receiver with regulators and they are as far back on the tray as I could get them my ignition battery is a duralite 2000 mah (all li-ions by the way) and it and the regulator at this time, are in front of the gas tank I will move them back after break in

Hey Scott your in the Marine Corps and you still have time to fly? What the hell is wrong here!!!!!
Just kidding man thanks for your service and I am sure you will love the plane, keep us posted

Yup.. I am from St. Pete, FL by the way.. I am lucky this tour and I am an Artillery Instructor and on a mobile training team at Ft. Sill, OK.. I travel a lot with my job but I find time to fly.. If I didn't I would have got out years ago

Hey Scott remember me from the Giles thread. What happened to your giles. I sold mine before I ever got the chance to fly it. Someone liked it so much they made me an offer I couldn't pass up. I am the guy that is in the Air Force stationed in Tucson Arizona. I just reinlisted for 3 more years. I will have 27 in when I am finished with this tour. I moved on from the giles to a GP Gene Soucy extra and while it flew great I wanted a gasser. I finally took the plunge and got the Wildhare extra special. I wanted the edge but got the extra at a very good price off of someone here on RCU. The plane looks great and I can't wait to start building it. I went down to Desert Aircraft and got a brand new DA 50 WOO HOO. DA is a top notch company to do business with. I just sold my 1/3 scale laser today so I have the funds to get some other things that I need to finish it. Like a couple of props and a new rudder servo. I hope you like your edge. I think that once you fly it you will wonder why you didn't get one sooner.

Rick

Hey Rick I remember you.. I wrecked the Giles.. Downwind low knife edge and ran out of GAS!! Stalled it trying to pull out.. First time I have run out of gas in years.. I felt like such a woman Edge is due to arrive today UPS, and hopefully the motor next week.. I can't wait.. All I have to fly right now is an Extreme Flight Yak-54 with a YS 1.10.. Could be worst but I am looking forward to this..