John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

I think 54 ounces would be tight. If you carried an overflow tank and took off full, then you might be able to do a 6 - 6.5 minute flight with enough fuel for one go around.

54 ounces though would be about the right amount for the new P-60.

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

John, I'm not sure the mounts for the P-60 and P-70 would do the trick. Better send the turbines along with them...

I kid! It would be awesome to actually get the mounts in my hands so I can draw up brackets for each. Thank you for the help!

And thank you Kraivuth S. for taking a fresh look at the PST mount. The bracket I have for the PST will work, but it's not the most attractive accessory in the world. It's big and a little wider than the fuselage in that area.

Hi Charlie, thanks for the testimonial! You too, Molar Mender, I appreciate it. As a west coast guy, I haven't made it to the "big" shows in the East, so the model hasn't had much exposure. That should change this Summer.

Bruce
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BTE www.btemodels.com

hoppy99

My Feedback: (2)

I received my kit friday. WOW 24" root cord. Like the other BTE kits it looks like an easy build. A 2 view in the instruction book to plan color schemes. Nice touch. Thanks Bruce!

John

Ron Stahl

My Feedback: (12)

I got mine today and just had time to look it over. What a nice package to get as a Xmas present from my family! I am off all next week and should have it well on the way to being done unless I am distracted with honeydo's. I on first impressions would say that the level of quality is what I have gotten when I build BVM kits. Great clear plans and a well written instruction book and all of the hardware. Pictures to follow as I build it up. Thanks Bruce

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Guy's,

I got my kit a little over a week ago and to be honest with everyone, if you hadn't built from one of Bruce's kits before, you are really missing something special. This addition to Bruce's fleet has got to be his best. The quality is nothing but the best and with the number of machined parts in the box, this thing will go together quick. I'm going to use the FTE T-500 in mine and will add a pneumatic brake system (which is probably over kill). Only question I had is the layout of the equipment bay where all the radio and batteries go. I'll probably build a shelf inside to facilitate the installation of the gear and brake pneumatic controls. Another thing that I'll probably do is close in the nose wheel well to keep the crap from flying into the fuselage when flying in less than perfect weather. The idea of spraying water up into the inside of the fuselage during the takeoff roll just doesn't suite me. Will post as the assembly begins.

[email protected]

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

Hey folks,
Rec'd my kit on Friday the 17th. Started building Sunday the 20th. Worked on it "full time" on the 24th, 25th, and 26th. The entire airframe is assembled and ready for final shaping and sanding. All part fits were very good to excellent, wood selection was superb, and the instruction booklet is beyond compare. Should finish up with the final shaping and sanding before the weekend. Monokote covering this weekend..maybe! No build pictures..heck, its a builtup airframe with ribs. This thing is HUGE! Being real careful not to bang it into the floor joists and walls. I have two 4 by 8 foot building boards (yeah, eat your hearts out!) so I could work on one thing and while that was drying, I could proceed to another. I built both wing panels at the same time. I believe this saved a bunch of time too! The preshaed shape and radiused LE was great! Using the Hitec servos as called out on the plans. Installing a new Futaba 9C to guide her. Looks like a Simjet 1200AES+ at 16 pounds of thrust will push her thru the sky. Ordered the Handibond glue package and am very pleased with this adhesive. Used alot of Titebond also! I really forgot how well Titebond sands!
Looking at closing in the nose gear to form a wheel well. Not really liking having open "to the elements". I designed a removeable tail to ease transport as the biggest car we have is the lovely Mrs Rigotti's Santa Fe SUV. Forget the Escort station wagon! Bruce has done a wonderful job with this kit. More updates later!

Dave Rigotti

Wayne22

My Feedback: (2)

Lemme know if you can get it to fit in the Santa Fe....

Ron Stahl

My Feedback: (12)

I started building mine today at 9:00AM took a break for lunch and by 5:00Pm I was ready for another break for dinner. I have the tail finished; I always build the tail first. The fuse is ready to sheet the top and bottom and will be finished by the end of the evening. I am delivering a plane tomorrow in PA, and will begin the wing on Weds. Way to much fun with this one! I haven't built a wood plane in years that was this well thought out and easy to build.

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Any of you guys taking photo's as you build? Hadn't started mine yet. Need to finish up a Bridi XLT monokote job so I can clear off my building board. Anybody else considering pneumatic brakes for their kit? I went with CompactOmnibrakes for mine. Mainly for the price. They'll work nicely with the Robart 3 inch wheels. I went ahead and installed the foam inserts for them too. Much stiffer and now I won't worry about the compression from the weight of the airframe plus fuel.

OK I'll admit it, I'm brand new to turbines and felt that Bruce's kit would be a good start for me. So if I ask a lot of dumb questions, please bare with me. What are folks opinion about a redundant battery system? Considering the cost of this whole project ( a big chunk for me to bite into any ways) I don't want to take a chance. Receivers these days are pretty reliable so long as one is careful with the antenna placement. But I got to play with the numbers on the milliamp draw of digital servo's under a load and it kind of spooked me.

Lets see some pic's...

Cheers,

Tim
[email protected]

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

There is plenty of pics in the instruction Book. Mine wont look any better than Bruce's. I did a few things different to the instructions. I used BVM Aeropoxy on all the aircraft ply parts (Retract mounts, turbine mounts etc) and also on the wing spar doublers. Took a little longer but gave me some peace of mind.

Mine is almost ready to tape together so I can sit in the workshop and make jet noises!!!!.


Regards

Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

Tim, if you are worried about the additional draw of digital servos, don't use them. You don't need digitals, especially not for this bird. But the way that I do the redundant power system is with the Multiplex 12 channel IPD receiver. It has built in circuitry that draws from the strongest of two 6 volt packs that you plug into the twin battery jacks. Excellent system. If you don't want to use the MPX receiver, Electrodynamics makes a Battery Back'r that essentially does the same thing. It works very well too.

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Do you guys plan on using the metal cable (nyrod type) control linkages for the elevator?

BTW, does the elevator pushrod "push" for up elevator of "pull"?

Thanks

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Woketman,

Appreciate the input and will probably go with a battery bak'r. I was going with digitals based upon Bruce's recommendation and have such already purchased them. I figure that if I go with two 1650 packs on a battery bak'r I should pretty safe. According to Bruce's reports it looks like this thing will not go as near as fast as one might expect. Still, it's pretty respectable and there are some barn door size flaps and ailerons on this thing.

Matt, looking at the plans of this thing, the elevator is a push on the steel cable for up. I'm going to trust Bruce with his design and flight test performance and go with what he did. Staying with the FTE T-500 I don't believe I'll be push the flight envelope anymore than what he states that was done. Now for those who are going to put bigger engines on this thing than what he has recommended, then I guess you're on your own and probably look to something a little stiffer. One has to give Bruce a great deal of credit with his design's. Take for instance the Super King (Yea, I've built one of those too). He originally designed the airframe for an engine up to 80 cc's, but yet there are guys out there flinging that monster around with 150 cc engines on them and it's holding together very well. I stuck with a Fuji 64 cc on mine and it does very well. The point is that his designs are strong and have been proven time and time again. Keep to the original design and keep it light and it'll fly great. Over build and add additional weight only degrades the flight performance.

Cheers,

Tim

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

No doubt this is probably the most controversial part of the kit/design. The elevator and rudder both use a push/pull cable linkage. It's not the 1/16" cable typically used for throttles on sport models. Instead, the R54 uses 3/32" cable with 4-40 sized hardware at each end. The cables are housed in nylon tubing along their entire length except for approximately 3/4" at each end. The instructions advise the builder to flow solder into the last two inches of cable at each end, so there's little chance of buckling (more like zero chance).

I understand the question about whether it pushes or pulls for up elevator. It pushes. But as explained above, buckling is not really an issue. Trust me, I want the cable to work whether I'm flaring to land or on the downside of an outside loop.

Digital servos may not be a neccessity. I recommended them primarily because that's what was used during testing and it would be foolish on my part, as the manufacturer, to recommend anything less.

Bruce
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BTE www.btemodels.com

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

I have to agree with Bruce about the Digital Servos. I have been using them for some time now in all my models, and the real advantage as far as I am concerned is the greatly improved centering. It seems to make the model fly more accuratly. I know my flying seems to have improved since I started using digital servos. I don't have any scientific proof but I will continue to pay the extra cost (there is not much of a difference now) of digital servos wherever I can. As far as the "pushrods" are concerned, why reinvent the wheel?. Bruce has proven they work.

I will have mine all finished except for the undercarrige by tomorrow afternoon.

Regards

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Here is the first Australian Reaction 54. Still a lot of work to do. Just waiting on the gear and it will be standing on its wheels.!!!

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Nice job Tommy on the first Australian Reaction 54...

I finally get a week free from work so I'll get started on mine on Thursday.

Hey Bruce, What's the latest word on the Robart retracts?

Cheers,

Tim Schuy

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

G'Day Tim,

I have had a lot of time off over the holidays and have been hard at it for about a week. I must say however that the quality if the kit makes construction fast and easy. I really liked the fit of the parts. I cannot cut a model from a plan as good as this.
You do need to follow the order of the steps in the book. It is easy to paint yourself into a corner.
I used BVM epoxy on all the high stress parts and that took a little longer than normal. I still need to glue the wing joint an finish the sheeting. It has been a really good model to build.

Regards

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

Robart has promised to ship to me this week!

Bruce
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BTE www.btemodels.com

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Kewl Beans!!!

Thank you Bruce

Tim Schuy
[email protected]

Ron Stahl

My Feedback: (12)

I will try and get some pictures of the mods I did. I opened up the bulkhead in front of the wing where the ECU is supposed to live to except a Dubro 24 oz tank and also moved the UAT to the front and now can carry 74 oz. I put the air-tanks in the back hatch area where Bruce shows the UAT. Started the wing spars this evening and will begin the wings in the morning, If all goes as well with the wings as the fuse and tail did I will be finished by the end of the weekend. Great Kit!

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

How's Everyone doing on their Reaction54 kits? I finally finished covering a Bridi XLT so that I can clear off my bench and get to work on my kit. Have the left wing panel almost done and getting ready to start on the right. Boy are Bruce's kits a joy to build from. It goes together quickly and the wood is superb. I sent an e-mail to Bruce asking about the Retracts and he told me that they still hadn't arrived from Robart yet. Boy I hope this isn't a bad sign.

Lets hear from you all and see how far you've come along on your's.

Cheers,

Tim Schuy
[email protected]

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

I have my airframe complety built except for the fairing under the wing. I have covered the tail and installed all the servos. I am just now installing the engine and plumbing. I cut out a little of the boat tail so I can move the engine a little bit foreward.
I wish I had some wheels to stand it on the bench. At the moment it is sitting on the shipping box.
I used a BVM Hatch Latch to hold the rear hatch. I also have my Servo controlled fuel tap under the rear hatch. Here in Australia we must have a servo controlled tap to stop the engine.
I ordered three rolls pf monokote from tower but I don't think it will be enough.!! I used almost a full roll on the tail.


Regards

tschuy

My Feedback: (1)

Yea it is a big jet. Might even be tough to cover with 4 standard length rolls of Monokote. I went ahead and bought two 25 rolls of the film for mine. Overkill, I know but it's always handy to have the extra on hand for those other projects to come along. I chose to use insignia blue and yellow with metallic red trim. Will cover the hatch with the aluminum color like what Bruce did with his.

One question I have is where to mount the valves for the fuel and gas. I didn't see it posted anywhere in the plans or instruction book. I guess I'll figure that out when I get there. But still it would have been helpful information for those of us who are brand new to turbines.

Does anyone have a list of recommended readings on flying these things. Mainly in preparation for the AMA waiver.

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

G'Day Tim,

Here is mine so far. I installed my R/C Fuel tap under the rear hatch, I alsohave a manual tap ther also. In Australia we must have a Radio controlled tap to stop the engine.
I use external gas, glow and starter battery. I don't have any onboard gas valves. So to startr I just plug the gas into a festo fitting uner the main hatch, plug in the ECU Display cable and plug in the Glow and starter plug. I run the starter manually and when the engine display show "Running" , I just unplug everything and close the ahtch. I need to do a cool down after stopping the engine, but I dont need to carry such a large battery to run the glow , and starter. All I have is a 3cell pack to run the pump.

Regards