RC Wingman

I read recently about a plane that had engine smoke stream from the wingtips whenever the smoke system was on. Anybody know how this is done? How was it plumbed?

CafeenMan

I haven't ever seen it done, but I've thought about it several times. Basically what I would try if I couldn't find authoritative information would be to route some aluminum tube to the center of the wing and have it go through the former next to the wing dowels. Then I'd connect the smoke lines from the muffler to the tubes.

I don't know how well it would work because it would cool a lot inside in the wing, but if it's already smoke before it goes into the tubes, then it might not even be an issue.

neilwhitfield

Would it be possible to have a central pump and fuel tube through the wings with electric heaters at the wingtip to create the smoke were its wanted? It'd save worrying about the smoke cooling between the muffler and wing tips although it might take a big battery to get enough heat.

Neil

CafeenMan

It would probably work, but if you want the plane to be aerobatic, then you also need to avoid weight in the wing tips. At the least you'd want an inspection hatch for maintenance and to put out fires.

IFlySlowPlanes

There are other smoke options if you want it to come from the wingtips. The most obvious is the smoke cartridge system at Hobby Lobby: http://www.hobby-lobby.com/atricks.htm.

No plumbing to worry about there but smoke is on from the time you light the cartridge until it burns itself out. No experience with it, but the bigger cartridges are supposed to make decent smoke (multi-colors too). Hope this helps.

neilwhitfield

Fair point , if you cut some holes in the leading edge and the trailing edge it might put the fires out for you!!!

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

This was done in 1983 in RCM magazine. The smoke was piped to the tips inside the wing. In the center of the wing was a tee that split the engine exhaust.