F-16C Block 50 or 52? MLU?

Close enough. good job. Now back to the fun...

FYI....... My LG legs were drilled and taped for 10-32 bolts and the provided bolts were 8-32. Not a big problem. Also the threads were packed with polishing compound. I cleaned them out by running a tap through.

Make sure to use 10-32 screw/bolts that are 3/4 inches long except use 1/2 inch long on the two inside bolts or you will go through the fiberglass tunnel! Ask me how I know.

thanks for that heads up....Ill cut two down prior to instillation.

That's correct, we made a mistake and sent out 8-32 bolts to replace the 6-32s that also were wrong. 10-32 is correct, and they can all be 1/2".

TF

Tom Am I correct in assuming the cowl ring at the bottom, where it loops up over the pipe tunnel, needs to be removed?

Yes, remove it. Do not remove the tabs that stick out.

It became clear once I mounted the pipe......... the canister makes for one clean installation!

Canister ---what engine are you running?

The only canister kit we have right now is for the DA-50.

I was testing a header for the TOC-53 but it crackd after several flights, so it's back to the drawing board on that one.

TF

Can any of you with the Sukhoi and the TOC-53 please post pictures of the bottom of your cowl with the cutouts? Thanks in advance..

I don't have photos of mine (yet) but I was interested in what method you used to locate your engine ong the firewall....did you center it using the cowl?

I took a small 1/8 inch sheet of plywood and traced the front of the engine box onto it. Tom recommended with my DA 50 to use the supplied 3 inch spacers plus an additional 1/2 inch (if it makes a difference), to find center of firewall and move over 1/4 inch. So I marked 1/4 inch to the right of each corner of the outlined box (on the plywood) and made an x. Then I centered the engine with standoff attached on the x, marked the holes, drilled, cut out the template, placed the template on engine firewall and drilled. When the cowl was put on, the engine prop shaft was dead on.

I used a hole saw to make 1 1/4" plugs I bolted them to the standoffs and put a spot of hot glue on each side to keep them centered on the standoffs.

I used a tape measure to center the engine in the cowl, and slipped the cowl off and CA'd the wood standoffs. use them to drill the firewall.

A hole in the cowl needs to be cut to clear the DA-50 head.

this thread has made me make up my mind, tom i will be calling you guys and get my order in i didnt like the look at first not a fan of the yack, kinda stck on the extra's the big open pit up front turn me around for years ,but now after all of this i will add this to my collection , (wife is sleep maybe go online and order this bird!!!!)wish me luck just got back from korea, hope she dont send me back, when I got my orders i was working on an extra 300 still not finish but I got to get this one

I think my 3MM is a tad low, and it still fits in the cowl nicely. The only holes I had to cut to mount the cowl was one for the muffler, and one for the spark plg cap. The purpose in asking for pictures of everyone elses cowls that had them was to see if everyone had to cut a hold for the head to clear and or cool.

...

Mine with the 3mm 53 is the same as yours, just plug cap and muffler outlet.

Here is what the instructions say;

We suggest this simple method of mounting the engine. Find the center of the firewall by drawing an “X” on it from corner to corner. Now mark a point on the firewall 1/4” to the left of center (if you are looking at it from the front this will be to your right, the left side of the plane). This is the center of the thrust line. Make a template of your engine’s mounting pattern with the center line of the prop indicated. Attach the template to the firewall aligning the thrust lines of the engine and the aircraft. Recheck that you have done this correctly and that your engine location makes sense. Now you can drill the mounting holes and mount the engine on whatever spacers are necessary to get prop clearance ahead of the cowl.

TF

BTW,

Tom's method worked jusat fine for my Sukhette using the 3MM engine. Made it too easy. Just double check everything before you drill any holes to assure that you're going to be happy-happy with the alignment. Then again, every old carpenter rule I ever knew said to measure twice and cut once...

What position is everybody using for the stabs? I didn't know there were 2 positions, as I put mine together with no instructions.

Richard:

I've only ever tested the rear location. I mentioned to the builder off-handedly the desire to have 2 locations, but that option did not get into the planes until the actual production run so I never saw it, and he didn't tell me he had made the change.

If it works like it did on the Extras and Edge, the front location will 3d better, rear location will be smoother and better for IMAC.

TF

Tom, I was trying to figure out how you got the rudder to touch the elevators, during the discussion on here about what size horns to use on the rudder and rudder servo. With the stabs located in the forward spot, it would take 90+ degrees of rudder throw to accomplish that. Mine is completed, waiting on the weather to cooperate so I can get the maiden done.

LOL! Yes that would be more of an air brake than a rudder.

I hope the forward position doesn't make the plane too unflyable... I just put the stab where the holes were opened up. I thought the back positions may have been from the old yak days...... Oh well today may be the maiden if the weather holds up, all the bolts and nuts are fastened, the red and blue threadlocker pn all the right places....Wish me luck.