rcjetn

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Opinions wanted:

An older gentleman in our club, who is an accomplished builder, gave me a Turbinator he'd built from a laser-cut short kit. It's been covered. It looks good. The only turbine I have available now is a P-120, which I'd turn down to about 18 lb. Looking at the fuselage insides, I noticed that he has apparently used CA exclusively, landing gear mounts included. I have to assume that he's done the same with the wing. Question: Will this structure be strong enough? I'm a titebond/epoxy builder. Just wondering before I start the equipment installation.

TIA

Jack

hooker53

My Feedback: (106)

Guaranteed it's stronger than some of these ARF's with thier hot melt glue inside of them!!.

Ron Stahl

My Feedback: (12)

Mine has a P-120 and it is way over powered. I never fly it over 2/3 power including takeoff. The prototype was flown with a 12-14 lbs thrust engine according to Nick so a p-70 would be perfect. Watch the main gear mounts; mine pulled out of the wing as they are a litte narrow in mounting plate width.I think that they should go to the front and rear spars (but they don't if built from the plans and kit) in my opinion if you are going to fly off grass. I would glass the inside of the whell well area prior to flight it really stiffens up the skin on the top side of the wing. I also will warn you that it will take off at very low air speed and you will need crow to stick the landing. Mine has 1/4 inch up on the ailerons with full flaps and about an 1/8 inch of down on the elevator to set the glide slope. All in all a great flier and too bad guys don't want to build anymore, that is why you don't see many of them. I get offers to sell mine at ever rally I fly it at.

rcjetn

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Thanks for the info, guys. I had a P-70 but stuck it and my Baby Boomerang in the side of a hill. Bob Wilcox said it wasn't worth fixing. Anyway, he said wait until this fall when the new P-100 comes out, about the size of a P-70! It seems like a big, heavy plane to fly with a P-60. My P-60 flies my Nano fine, but that's only about a 16+ lb plane.

In looking at the rudder, it sure looks like a pull-pull system is called for, even though the plan shows a pushrod. I think I'll matchbox the two elevator servos. I don't like those long pushrods on the elevator, but I can probably dig up some CF rods. Ron, any problems with heat under the tail section with your P-120? Maybe some BVM heat shield paint on the aluminum heat guard would help. Also, does anyone alter the thrust angle of the turbine, or just stick with the thrust angle built into the mount?

I'm rambling, but any comments would be welcomed.

TIA

Jack

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Well done, Todd!

Have you had a chance to fly it from your home field yet? Looks like you guys did first flights at Tipton, no? Such a great place to fly jets, and so little full-scale traffic. I'm going to fly my 118" Tigercat there when she's ready.

Hope to see it in action this summer at the CR Warbirds event.

Regards,

Noah
Iowa City

Hot Rod Todd

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Noah, I have not got to fly the jet on our runway yet. I'm looking forward to getting it done, maybe this Sunday if the weather is good. I hope to have it at our Warbird fly-in, and maybe even bring it up to Iowa City for the Tri-hawks fly. Good luck on your big Tigercat flight. Maidens are stressful, doubly so with a big twin. Hopefully you'll have it ready in time and bring it to our Warbird event.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Todd,

No, unfortunately the Tigercat is still in the early stages of construction. Next year it'll fly, if I can get enough accomplished this fall/winter.

This year, for the CR event, I'll have my old Meister 109 and my brand spanking new Kellogg Avenger, which I recently flew for the first time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HtOAFNTd2A

Regarding the Tri-Hawk event... I saw some confusion over the date. I'll investigate. Our President recently stepped aside due to health/personal issues. I have been only peripherally involved with club calendar of events this year, and I must admit that even I am confused. The group from Mexico (and their limited flexibility regarding scheduling their trip up here) is one of the reasons for the date-change/confusion, as I recall. But again, I'm not 100% sure and I will follow up and get back to you and your club.

See you soon!

Noah

shepp

I'm gearing up to build a Turbinator for this winter's project. Got a couple of questions. What size turbine are you guys flying, anyone with the p-60? What landing gear are you using? and Finished weight ( really).
Thanks for you help

Shepp

snooper

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aquaskiman

My Feedback: (46)

I am going to build one soon and put a wren MKIII 14 lb in it.

Hot Rod Todd

My Feedback: (1)

because I modified mine a bit I added some weight to it. It weighs about 23lbs without fuel. I run a jet Central Rabbit in mine (19 lb thrust) and it is about right. Good for about 140 mph (nose down) and plenty of power for quick takeoffs. I used Robart gear that's made for the Top Flight Beachcraft Bonanza. It fit with little modification to the plans and allows the plane to sit lower for the appearance I was after. I have over 50 flights on mine this year, and it has proven to be an excellent first jet. It comes in very slow if need be, and flies great. Here's a rough video of a flight at my home runway showing how slow it can land.

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rdq6NFpvPA]Iskra Flight[/link]

shepp

Thanks for your replys. I am torn between the P-60SE and a P-70. Dreamworks has the p-60Se on sale at an attractive price, but I'm not sure about the p/w ratio. I'm sure it will fly the turby but unsure about performance. In any event I will have the plans soon and can get started gathering up the goodies. I am also planning on Dreamworks Pro-Link gear. Has anyone put this landing gear in a turbinator?

Shepp

shepp

Finished Turbinator this afternoon. Jetcat p-70 Pro link gear, weight with uat full tank empty, 23 lbs
All dressed up and no where to go..........

Shep

Hot Rod Todd

My Feedback: (1)

Your plane looks great Shepp, I like what you've done with the wing tips. I'm sure it will fly as good as it looks. Make sure you post a flight report this spring. I got 75 flights on my Iskra Turbinator last year. I hope to make it to some jet events this year. Here's a couple of in-flight photos to get you in the mood to fly (like you need any help).

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

I hope you can make it down to Kentucky Jets, its well worth the 8 hour drive (about 9 or 10 for us). We'd love to see your Iskra Turbinator there. My son and I are building one that hopefully will resemble an F2H Banshee when we are done...

Bob

Hot Rod Todd

My Feedback: (1)

The banshee would look good. The wing has a distinctive look that would be hard to duplicate without a major change to the turbinator wing (straight leading edge, tapered trailing edge). The pods on the wingtips would be a bit of work but would add to the effect. Of course the Banshee was a twin, so you could make "fake" outlets and hide the actual turbine outlet under the fuse in the stock location. The elevator is quite a bit higher, the wing is up in not so low. With a bit of rounding and the right paint scheme it looks like you could get the desired effect.

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

Yea, the key phrase is "hopefully will resemble"...

We're going to leave the tail in the stock position and also leave the wing in the stock shape - I'm no aircraft designer and I don't want to change the flying characteristics. Our changes are mainly going to be rounding the fuselage, making the inlets look more like a Banshee - with the "fake" twin and the engine in the stock location as you said, adding the tip tanks (from a Ziroli Panther), and changing the canopy a bit.

That, and a Banshee paint job, should make it look "cool" and different enough that Louie will be happy with it. Oh, and we're also going to add BVM dropable bombs - for the "cool" factor too...

Bob

hooker53

My Feedback: (106)

Bob, I hope you do a good build thread on it if you do the Banshee. I have a short kit and was wanting to bash the heck out of mine as well!!! Roy

DaveJohansen

My Feedback: (8)

Looks great Shepp. I am hoping to get started on my Turbinator as soon as I get past these house renos.

Dave

shepp

It does fly... and land too. Shepp

hooker53

My Feedback: (106)

Shepp, you did a great job on that turb. Straight and level!!! What turbine did you put in this??

RAPPTOR

My Feedback: (41)

How come it comes out to 23 lbs?? Lots of plywood or something??

shepp

Thanks guys,
It has a Jetcat P-70 for power and I'm not sure why it weighed out at 23 lbs. I really don't trust my scales, but that is all I had.

First flights were performed by Scott Harris and he did have a few issues, all traced to the construction engineer and his apparent inabliity to follow the designers specifications

I built the stretch wing version ( extra 6 " span) plus tip tanks, and it looks like it is going to be a floater. You may note in the photos the two mounting holes for the tip tanks , these are removable and I have built winglets to go in their place. They look good and we may try them next.

Shepp

RAPPTOR

My Feedback: (41)

Thanks for info. Wher did you get the kit that is the streach vertion?? Laser Lizard?? Ziroli? I LIKE THAT LOOK .. NICE JOB

Ron Stahl

My Feedback: (12)

The stretch version just adds one rib per panel and the rib is shown on the plans so all of the kit cutters should include it or be able too. I built mine with the stretch version and use 1/4" of crow to keep it from floating. Mine flies great and I am building a second one, The smaller EDF one from MAN Plans and a enlarged turbine one. I just have not decieded on how much bigger 115% or 125%.