Welcome to Club SAITO !
My Feedback: (1)
Dick Katz 84" wingspan version (available from Ziroli plans now) and Jim Pepino's Mammoth Scale Plans 112" wingspan version (available thru Bob Holman now) are the versions of this aircraft I know about. My airplane is a modified version of the Dick Katz design but I own a copy of both. Bob Holman knew I guy offering cowling and pants for the mammoth scale version but I didn't purchase them leaning toward the Katz size. Russell Williams out of Redmond WA owns the full size airplane, he told me it floats pretty bad and doesn't want to land without the airbrake deployed. I have enough laser cut parts to build the SC-W and the SC-M prototype. My obsession with the airplane started with the first kit I built at 10 years old.
I love those open cockpit planes, I saw a photo of a P-37 with an open cockpit, it was a racer. but I have not been able to find the photo.
Jim
Last edited by the Wasp; 09-18-2020 at 05:46 PM. Reason: the cat told me to add the "u"
Got the engine and it is a perfect fit! Sure is a purdy thing too. Didn't know it but it comes with a wiring harness for the GP too, was considering trying to make my own, but don't need to now. Fits inside the cowl perfectly, so all I need to do then is make the fake engine fit it for decent baffling. Weight with the pipes and harness 2 pound 1.05 ounces, DLE/XYZ20 2 pound 2.65 ounces, so slightly lighter too and that does not include the ignition battery it would need. I can add a battery for on board glow and still be under the DLE/XYZ20 weight.
What is that nipple by the intake for?
What is that nipple by the intake for?
My Feedback: (6)
Mike, I like that plane, you should build 2, build on with an open cockpit, move the seat back a bit. LOL let me flying it LOL
I love those open cockpit planes, I saw a photo of a P-37 with an open cockpit, it was a racer. but I have not been able to find the photo.
Jim
I love those open cockpit planes, I saw a photo of a P-37 with an open cockpit, it was a racer. but I have not been able to find the photo.
Jim
Going into a Top Flite .60 Corsair. The original mounts almost work, going to have to reposition them to center the engine, sits a little high but centered side to side. Plane has some hanger rash I need to fix, especially after getting knocked over and landing on the tail cone.
I have to clean it up well, some moisture dripped on one wing panel, probably from the AC duct it was under and touch up a few places, then give it a sanding and clear coat with Auto clear. Then I can fit everything, the only thing that I need to work on still is the cowl to get flaps opened up on it. I have a cockpit kit and dummy radial for it as well. Just need a pilot to complete it. I have Century Jet retracts installed too. Yes I know the axles were facing the wrong way, that is how they shipped.
I have to clean it up well, some moisture dripped on one wing panel, probably from the AC duct it was under and touch up a few places, then give it a sanding and clear coat with Auto clear. Then I can fit everything, the only thing that I need to work on still is the cowl to get flaps opened up on it. I have a cockpit kit and dummy radial for it as well. Just need a pilot to complete it. I have Century Jet retracts installed too. Yes I know the axles were facing the wrong way, that is how they shipped.
So I discovered RTFM. Interesting how the dimensions have top to bottom distance split by engine CL, but not side to side. Must mean it is dead center side to side. Trickiest part of the install will be the exhaust tubes, where I want them to exit and where they are wanting to exit are two different places. I will see if I can route one to one side and two to the other so they exit the scale locations. Before that though I need to clean and paint the fuse and wings with clear and get the engine on the test stand. I also need to shim the 3 blade prop, it was reamed for the 100 which is 8MM and the 120R3 is 7 mm.
Boca Bearing Failures
The flying weather is on again around here, my favorite time of the year to fly. I have lots of planes ready to go too.
Engines are a different story. I'm not sure what's going on with Boca lately but I've had 4 bearings fail in the last 3 months or so. Seems I get less than a gallon of fuel run through a newly overhauled engine and they start rattling due to rear bearing failure. As always Boca has no problem sending me free replacements but I'm getting a bit tired of tearing down otherwise perfectly good running engines.
Upon teardown of those 4 engines I have checked everything. Cranks are straight, bores are fine and bearings fit the cranks just fine. There's plenty of oil in the cases for proper lubrication and my props are always balanced perfect. Whatever!
The most recent rear bearing failure (#4) was yesterday on a 70 Surpass with less than 1/4 gl of fuel run through it. It had been running great, 10150 peak spinning an apc 12x8. I was really looking forward to flying the WM P51 40 this weekend, ain't gonna happen.
I'm hoping you all won't have my bad luck.
Engines are a different story. I'm not sure what's going on with Boca lately but I've had 4 bearings fail in the last 3 months or so. Seems I get less than a gallon of fuel run through a newly overhauled engine and they start rattling due to rear bearing failure. As always Boca has no problem sending me free replacements but I'm getting a bit tired of tearing down otherwise perfectly good running engines.
Upon teardown of those 4 engines I have checked everything. Cranks are straight, bores are fine and bearings fit the cranks just fine. There's plenty of oil in the cases for proper lubrication and my props are always balanced perfect. Whatever!
The most recent rear bearing failure (#4) was yesterday on a 70 Surpass with less than 1/4 gl of fuel run through it. It had been running great, 10150 peak spinning an apc 12x8. I was really looking forward to flying the WM P51 40 this weekend, ain't gonna happen.
I'm hoping you all won't have my bad luck.
Last edited by Glowgeek; 09-19-2020 at 06:13 AM.
I just use the econo hard chrome ones for 4 strokes. No need for high performance, stainless or ceramic bearings. Maybe covid knocked out the entire quality dept at the china bearing co, assuming there was one to begin with.
I'm not sure what's actually causing the bearing clearances to open up so far.
I'm not sure what's actually causing the bearing clearances to open up so far.
Yeah, I know what that means. Since switching from RC to Boca last year I was having good luck though. All except the one engine the rest ran great all last season and this season too. Something has definitely changed recently.
I hate the thought of paying double or more for bearings. NSK has had manufacturing sites in china since 1995 and other name brand bearing manufacturers have gone that route as well. I'm not a bearing expert and don't want to become one just to select bearings that live up to their life expectancy. Aaaaarg!
This kind of stuff is in your wheelhouse Gary. Can you recommend an affordable quality hard chrome bearing manufacturer?
I hate the thought of paying double or more for bearings. NSK has had manufacturing sites in china since 1995 and other name brand bearing manufacturers have gone that route as well. I'm not a bearing expert and don't want to become one just to select bearings that live up to their life expectancy. Aaaaarg!
This kind of stuff is in your wheelhouse Gary. Can you recommend an affordable quality hard chrome bearing manufacturer?
Ok, a few hours of research tells me ALL BEARING MANUFACTURERES HAVE FACTORIES IN CHINA! So there you go.
Looks like the best we can do is pick a manufacturer that has a history of producing high quality bearings eg Nachi, Fag, SKF, Fafnir etc and hope that we receive authentic bearings made to their spec IN CHINA, instead of a counterfeit MADE IN CHINA.
Apparently china is capable of making fine precision bearings to very tight tolerances when required to by the buyer. Obviously RC and Boca just don't require that kind of precision and don't think we need it for our model engines. No, we don't need the most precise bearings in the world but we don't need junk either. I think junk is what I have been buying from both distributors for a while now.
Rant over and I'm PO'd about this whole bearing thing. Sad, very sad.
Looks like the best we can do is pick a manufacturer that has a history of producing high quality bearings eg Nachi, Fag, SKF, Fafnir etc and hope that we receive authentic bearings made to their spec IN CHINA, instead of a counterfeit MADE IN CHINA.
Apparently china is capable of making fine precision bearings to very tight tolerances when required to by the buyer. Obviously RC and Boca just don't require that kind of precision and don't think we need it for our model engines. No, we don't need the most precise bearings in the world but we don't need junk either. I think junk is what I have been buying from both distributors for a while now.
Rant over and I'm PO'd about this whole bearing thing. Sad, very sad.
Last edited by Glowgeek; 09-19-2020 at 04:14 PM.
My Feedback: (1)
Lonnie I'm telling you, back a few years I rebuilt both my OS 50 Hyper Heli engines, in one I bought the standard NTN rear bearing, the other a NSK rear bearing, I tell you the NSK felt smother in the hand, yes Sir,
Jim
Jim
Ok riddle me this my fine fellow Saito Freaks. How did Saito bench mark the 120R3 using an APC 14 x 6 prop when the prop hole diameter is 8mm and the engines prop shaft is 7mm? Got the engine mounted to the test stand, had to drill and tap a few holes to make it work, went to put the brand new prop on only to find it is much larger than the shaft. Guess I will use a Xoar 13 x 8 for break in instead. Will have to dig through my scraps and see if the aluminum tube I have is 7mm or less and make a bushing if it is.