knifeedgeyak

This is where I bought all of my stuff.

http://dreamworksrc.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=41

Hanapi

My Feedback: (3)

Thanks.
JR

SPLIT S

Just got the base colors applied over the weekend on my Reaction. P70 powered.

Dan

racer8297

My Feedback: (13)

Sweet Dan!

Boy, you have allot of airplane kits! The boxes are piled up! And that Shuttle looks like it's ready to launch!

Jim

SPLIT S

Someday I would like to get to them, at least finish what is started. Busy sanding the wing for the Reaction, may have it ready for paint this weekend.

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

What kind of paint are you using?

SPLIT S

Hi Bruce. PPG DBC with 2021 clear.

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

Can't wait to see the whole thing out in the sunshine. You too, I bet Sure looks great so far!!!

flyinfool1

My Feedback: (2)

WooHoo....
After being down for 2 1/2 years due to turbine and job issues at the same time my R54 was back in the air over the weekend.
The turbine had a bad starter motor and the trip to JC was not in the budjet. So I went to a local surplus store and found a small motor the same size and voltage as the JC starter for $3 and walla, 5 perfect flights on a hot Sunday afternoon. I went back and got a few extra motors as these may not last as long as the JC motors, but what the heck, I'm back to burnin kero for a lot less than the postage one way to send it in.
My 3 year old kero seemed to burn just fine. I did pour it all through a coffee filter just in case there was any gunk in it from sitting.

I had forgot just how much fun this thing is to fly.

Now I have to redo some of the covering that started to lift due to the extreme temps causing it to over shrink..............

SPLIT S

Have the base colors applied to the wing. Just some touch up and off to clear. It's coming out really well, should be very visible in the air.

Dan

cjshaker

Gorgeous! I am usually tired of seeing that paint scheme, but it looks fresh and new on your Reaction 54!

Chris Shaker

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Dan amazing scheme!!

Everyone, what length servo arms do I need with this bird? I looked over the manual but for some reason cant find any lengths.

Thanks!

SPLIT S

I have some aeresol dry graphite that I would like to apply to the rudder and elevator cables. Problem?

PaulD

My Feedback: (39)

I'm not sure you really need it. They work pretty good without.

PaulD

bobparks2

My Feedback: (1)

i am not at home right now, so cannot access the plans or manual, but I think the control throws are specified. So, you want to use as much servo throw as possible, so set up your TX to do that (usually means increasing things a bit from the default settings). You dont want the servos hitting any throw limits, either electronic or mechanical, and you want a bit of margin for trim throw.

Then, use the farthest out hole on the control surface horn that you can reasonably use, and finally, pick the hole in the servo arm that gives you the suggested throw.

Bob

maxvertical

That's a nice bird Split S...Classy.. P-70 Powered... You won't be disappointed. I fly 6 min with a little reserve on 76oz with the P-70 in mine.. It's wonderful.

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

I honestly do not know if it would cause any problems. Can't imagine why it would. Shouldn't need it, but then again, it might reduce the friction to near nothing. Let us know if you try it.

JohnVH called me with the question about servo arms. I think he was looking to order some aluminum arms and wanted to know if the R54 needed any extra long ones anywhere. Pretty sure 1" arms will work for everything.

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Thanks a bunch Bruce, arms are on the way! Hope to finally get this bird going this fall or sooner!

rcguy!

My Feedback: (69)

For what it is worth... I've never lubricated the elevator and rudder cables. They slide free enough and I never get a buzz from the digital servos at center. I would worry about the plastic sleeve swelling and causing a bind IF lubricated. Secondly, the lube might just thicken over time and cause the very thing you wanted to "cure". I won't mention the mess graphite would make... I say leave 'em dry and don't fix something that ain't broke.

Dave Rigotti

Hanapi

My Feedback: (3)

I finally finished my Reaction and maidened it yesterday.
All was great. Very little trim, CG was perfect after adding a little lead to the very tip of the nose.
During a down wind turn the Vertical stab came off and it just disintegrated in the air.
I went back and looked at the plans to see what the heck I had done wrong in installing the tail feathers but could not find any mistakes.
Obviously I did something wrong.. Worst thing is...I don't know what. Maybe flutter??...I have no clue..

BruceTharpe

My Feedback: (1)

Hanapi, I got your email about your maiden flight and really feel sick about it. I'm sure you do too. My best guess is flutter (rudder) because that's about the only way an air load could break off the fin, assuming proper construction. The fin has two important posts, or spars, that carry through slots in the horizontal tail and glue to the bottom of the fuselage.

I don't recall ever hearing of an inflight structural failure of the R54 in the past. The cause of yours will probably never be known for sure. I'm truly sorry for the loss of your plane, which really looked great in the pics.

knifeedgeyak

<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 9pt">I am sorry to hear about your plane. Hope that your equipment is reusable.</span></p>.

Hanapi

My Feedback: (3)

Bruce,
I am sick to my stomach....I love the looks of this bird..As short as the flight was,I really like the gracefulness so I am going to build another one. Tomorrow we will try to find the fuselage with turbine since we only found the wing yetserday. There was not enough daylight to look further. Mind you we have fileds and fields of thron bushes and cactus so going in there is painful.
I just don't get it. I had 7 or 8 hinges on the rudder. As you said, I will probably never know why. It hurts but it is all a part of this great hobby of ours.. I'll be in touch soon.

SPLIT S

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the insight. No, I would never use a wet lube, no reason for that and it certainly could bind over time and the like. Graphite is a dry lube, aerosol that dries in seconds. Leaves an extremely thin, almost imperceptable graphite film. Doesn't fill the cable strands, nothing like that. I did apply it to the elevator cable and it does give a noticeable slickness to the operation.

Hanapi,

Sorry to hear about the Reaction. Hope you can find the fuse, would be the only way you can possibly determine what may have happened.

Dan

Square Nozzle

My Feedback: (1)

Hanapi, loosing a jet is a real heart breaker. I lost my first R-54 in the sun (my own stupid mistake). When I picked up the remains, the nose was burried 18" in the dirt. However, the tail section was virtually undamaged. I agree with Bruce in that the cause of your vertical stab failure must have been the result of rudder flutter. I also built a new R-54 because I liked the plane so much. Needless to say, I stay far away from the sun.