RE: New 35% Edge
I agree with Jim...no real reason NOT to baffle, if you do it correctly. On mine, only the right (from the pilot's point of view) inlet is baffled. The left cylinder sits smack dab in the opening, and takes up the whole thing...baffling would be pointless there. The whole point of baffling is to give the air nowhere to go but over the fins...in the case of the left cylinder, there isn't anywhere but the fins to go in the first place. For the right fin, i just epoxied in a few pieces of 1/8" lite ply to form a cylinder sized "tunnel" back to the cylinder fins. Nothing fancy or expensive, but it does the trick.
Posted on: 11/19/2009 5:01 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "WildHare R/C Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9265731

RE: Great Planes Escapade Disaster
[quote]ORIGINAL: Mikecam The end result was predicted the day the worker put this Escapade in the box. [/quote] No it wasn't. Like every other plane that goes in for similar reasons, it was "predicted" the moment you neglected to perform a thorough pre-flight on an airplane you didn't build.
Posted on: 11/19/2009 3:16 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9265515

RE: Edge color schemes?
Haven't seen a model of it yet...but just discovered my next scheme for one of the 3 Edges in my shop right now... [image]http://sportsgal.com/Aerobatics/album/slides/461326012303_0_BG.jpg[/image] [image]http://sportsgal.com/Aerobatics/album/slides/edgeflybye1.jpg[/image] Melissa Andrzejewski Pemberton [ul] [*] United States Unlimited Aerobatics Team Member 2006-2007 As The Youngest Female Ever [*] 4 Time Winner Of The "Pitts Trophy" [*] Collegiate Aerobatic Champion 2004 And 2006 [/ul] That's one of the prettiest schemes I've ever set eyes on, imo.
Posted on: 11/19/2009 7:24 AM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Giant Scale Aircraft - 3D & Aerobatic"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9264693

RE: RC + Photography
[quote]ORIGINAL: Juice I'm impressed gb. The photo info says: f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 100. [/quote] Heh...just a little math...well, that and having shot a photo or two in my life. :)
Posted on: 11/19/2009 7:18 AM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Digital Camera & Photo Editing"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9264687

RE: Wild Hare Rc is terrific
I'd just like to second (or third...or eighth...or thirteenth...or whatever we're up to nowth) the sentiment. Fabulous airplanes, great prices, and top notch service. Can't beat it.
Posted on: 11/19/2009 7:17 AM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "WildHare R/C Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9264685

RE: RC + Photography
[quote]ORIGINAL: OzyDave Thanks GB. Good detective work :) [/quote] Thanks. :) [quote] Love your signature by the way. [/quote] [:D]
Posted on: 11/18/2009 7:52 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Digital Camera & Photo Editing"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263915

RE: computer power supply for a triton charger?
I've built several for myself and friends. I use mine specifically to power a Triton Jr, as you've asked. http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-a-Computer-ATX-Power-Supply-to-a-Lab-Power-Supply is an excellent resource for how to do it, though there are dozens more. Just google "convert power supply" and you'll find plenty. :)
Posted on: 11/18/2009 6:10 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Batteries & Chargers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263631

RE: RC + Photography
[quote]ORIGINAL: OzyDave That really is a neat photo. I don't know how you got a shallow depth of field but still got motion blur on the prop. Do you know the exposure and shutter speed used? I love how the photo tells a story. [/quote] First, I have to agree with you...I love photos that tell a story. That one's got just enough "arm" in it to suggest activity, but not so much 'person" to take away from the motor...and the blur/smoke are JUST right to tell us the motor is purring along. Really a nifty shot. As for the shallow DoF w/ blur, consider this: if that engine's idling, it's probably turning what...1000-1200 RPM? Let's call it 1200 for nice easy math. So, 20 rev every second (1200/60), or 1/20th rps. Looks like we got about 10 degrees of prop arc there, so 1/36th of a rev. 1/720th of a second as an estimate. Closest standard shutter speed to that is 800. With a 1/800th shutter speed, an f 2.8 is not unusual on a cloudy day, especially with a low ISO, which that appears to be due to the lack of grain. It would also give us a pretty shallow DoF...so...I'm gonna guess: f 2.8, 1/800th of a second, iso 200.
Posted on: 11/18/2009 5:30 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Digital Camera & Photo Editing"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263525

RE: RC + Photography
That's a NEAT shot, Juice!
Posted on: 11/18/2009 3:12 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Digital Camera & Photo Editing"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263167

RE: RE:
[quote]ORIGINAL: sir crashallot Our club waits till we get a gap in the weather then we all rush to the field to try and get a flight in. iv personaly never been a fan of flying indoor though i guess i cant knock it till iv at least tried it. [/quote] With the price of electrics dropping so much, and some of the BNF birds out there being dirt cheap, you really ought to at least give it a go. There's some all-up RTF micros out there for < $300 (radio and all) and some BNFs < $200 that fly AMAZINGLY well. For some examples...nearly ALL of ParkZone's micro stuff is just incredible. Just flew their "Ultra-Micro" P-51 last night...it's SUPERB. The thing looks fantastic in the air, is a real hoot to tool around with, and can be had BNF for $100!! Their little Sukhoi is a real aerobat too. It's a real zoo, but incredibly agile and capable, and also inexpensive. Then the Ember and Vapor are great slow-flight birds, just to feed the addiction, or help newbie get some training done. On the Heli side, the little Blade MCX and MSR, and the Novus CP, all fly remarkably well..way better than you'd expect! And then, of course, there's a few zillion various foamies out there you can put together to do pretty much whatever you want. And don't overlook the fun of simple "silliness". As an example, our gang has been known to PYLON RACE the ParkZone Ember!! Heck, we even cut wings down, change props, take stickers off to save weight, paint tail numbers on 'em, the works! Sometimes it's an absolute BLAST to make planes do something they weren't even REMOTELY designed for. [:D] And hey...at <$100 to purchase, and usually < $20 (most commonly a bit of CA and 5 minutes time) to repair, there's no pocket pressure for getting crazy. :) All in all, it's really improved our enjoyment of the hobby. I don't think any of us "prefer" indoor flying...but it's something we just get together for one day a week during the winter months, to keep our juices flowing. :)
Posted on: 11/18/2009 3:10 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263163

RE: RE:
[quote]ORIGINAL: sir crashallot Any updates on your edge, certainly looks allot happier with ed and ge rejoined. [/quote] Not since Monday, no. Yesterday started our indoor flying season, so I went and spent a couple hours playing with foamies. [:D] Hope to at least make a bit of progress on the right wing the next few days.
Posted on: 11/18/2009 8:02 AM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9262347

RE: Edge 540
[quote]ORIGINAL: tonyg11780 Would it be feasible to get one of them to maiden it and then plug into a trainer box with one of them to get proficient with it? [/quote] Obviously that'd be up to the folks you approach, but is it feasible? Absolutely! I've buddy boxed 3 different people...all supposedly "not ready for a big gasser" on my 100CC WildHare Edge. They had a blast, and all 3 flew it just fine. One even stepped up to the "Holy crap, that's FAST!" high rates, and flew it like a champ. Personally, in my experience, those of us who've gotten into the "big gasser" obsession are just DYING to get others hooked, and will happily spend a fair amount of time helping you discover the obsession. :) Now...I should probably say this... I DO think the advice above is sound. If you thought a .40-sized trainer could do some damage (and it sure as heck can), you ain't seen nothin yet. Big gassers can hurt people, property, and your checkbook in a BIG hurry. Serious consideration should be given to how prepared you are for certain types of flying, certain behaviour of the aircraft, etc. Having said that, however, imo there's just not much sense in slogging through a bunch of airplanes you're not going to enjoy, JUST to meet someone ELSE'S criteria of "readiness". This hobby's supposed to be fun...and if you're flying a plane you hate you're not having a lot of fun. If you're not comfortable, or not sure about a certain plane...say, your ~70" Edge idea...then yes...be cautious, and use sound judgement...but don't just drop the idea because someone else (who's NEVER seen you fly, and CAN'T be in your head) says you're not ready. If you think you've got what it takes, then do exactly as you suggested...find someone experienced who will guide you and mentor you, who can give you some time on the buddy box, and go for it! If, after a few flights, that mentor says "Hey..look..probably not time for this yet. Why don't we try a _____" then you'll still have the airplane, and she'll be ready when you are. Meanwhile, you'll know for sure where you stand, and won't have endangered anyone else, yourself, or your airplane. It's a win win. :)
Posted on: 11/17/2009 12:17 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9260202

RE: RE:
[quote]ORIGINAL: sir crashallot Are they that good an aircraft that you have developed an obsession for collecting them[:)][:)] iv personaly never owned one so is it me or am i missing somthing[&:] [/quote] Eh...it's like everything else in this hobby. Whether something is "that good" depends primarily on the pilot in question, and also on the airframe itself, and its manufacture. Have I flown a miserable Edge? You bet. It was kit built, heavy as a brick, and its owner was a big fan of nose heavy airplanes with minimal control throws. I thought it was a slug, barely capable of the simplest aerobatic maneuver. Of course, HE loved it, thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. *shrug* What I DO think is relatively consistent amongst most of the Edges I've flown, and most of the pilots I know who fly one, is that the seem to be the most forgiving and stable in high alpha/3D flight. This certainly isn't to say that an Extra, or Yak, or Sukhoi, or Ultimate, or anything else can't be built and set up to be a 3D monster...it simply seems to me that the "average" out-of-the-box Edge likes the high alpha stuff best. For me, though, it's mostly about what I call the "plane-brain connection"...and that's completely and totally a subjective thing, and has not one whit to do with one type of airframe being "better" than another. Edges and I just seem to "get along". They simply do what I expect them to do, in precisely the way I expect them to do it, every single time. I've said a dozen times...in over 100 flight, this WildHare Edge was NEVER in any danger or trouble unless my thumbs put it there. Not once did it ever surprise or startle me with something unexpected. Granted, the WildHare 102" Edge is, imo, the finest example of the breed you'll ever fly. But even that miserable Edge I mentioned above still never surprised me, heavy as it was. Edges just...fit with my brain. So...do I think it's the greatest airplane ever made? I dunno. For ME it is...for you, it might be a hunk of junk. I'd absolutely, however, recommend flying a quality Edge at some point though, so you at least know what you're missing. :)
Posted on: 11/17/2009 7:43 AM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9259753

RE:
Look at it this way...with only half as much plane, you should get yours done in half the time! :)
Posted on: 11/16/2009 5:12 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9258379

RE: Kids - 5 year old how to get him started
I'll toss one out here I haven't seen mentioned yet. Want to get him hooked on RC airplanes? Take him up in a full scale one. Head out to the nearest small community airfield, find a flight instructor, flight school, private owner, leasing company...ANYBODY who can take you guys up in a small GA aircraft...and offer to pay a little money in exchange for a 30 minute flight. Our kids these days really have NO exposure to aviation the way many of us did. To so many of them, "airplanes" are big metal tubes they only see through thick windows, or thousands of feet in the air. Riding in an airplane is a cramped seat, crummy snacks, and grumpy parents...followed by being hustled through a crowded airport. Is it any wonder the coolest part of the trip for most of them is the luggage carousel? They don't get to touch the planes, walk amongst them, visit the cockpit, meet the captain...nothing like that. So get him out where 'real aviation" happens. Let him feel the prop on a Cessna, climb into a Mooney, actually hear the radio traffic (even CTAF advisories at a non towered airport...he won't know *heh*), watch the ground drop away as it rotates...the works. If he doesn't BEG you to do SOMETHING the next time you're at the airfield, then there's no hope for him, and you should trade him for a nice Edge. [:D]
Posted on: 11/16/2009 4:23 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9258266

RE:
LOL I prefer to think of it as "living on the Edge". I'm keeping you guys on the Edge of your seats, wondering what color schemes I'll do. Once they're all done, nobody'll be able to get a flight in Edge-wise. Etc etc :) ================= Quick update...left elevator is now back in one piece, all finish sanded and ready to go. That leaves only the two wings as far as any "rebuilding" goes.
Posted on: 11/16/2009 2:44 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9258047

RE: RE:
[quote]ORIGINAL: bmapope Fuse is looking good Gman! Congrats. Hate to hear about the wing. It would be kind of cool to have the wings in foam, and being that you know a great guy to laminate them.....well, there ya go!<img src=''http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/biggrin.gif'' alt='''' /> [/quote] Well, we'll see. As it happens, Paul and I found the counterbalance off the left elevator yesterday...apparently it had been dropped by whoever was carrying it in the day of the wreck. Now that I've got it, that's a fairly significant "scratch build" process that I won't have to go through. Essentially that leaves the left wing as the ONLY major project that'll require significant fabrication and true "building" as opposed to simple realignment and patching. Given it's the only one, I might just be more motivated to accomplish it. :) ========= One other tidbit...picked up a used original 50cc WildHare 540T yesterday, along with a DLE-55 to fly it. The question now becomes...how many Edges is too many? That's 3 in my hangar now. Maybe I'll just get 7 more, and do the entire Red Bull Air Race compliment of Edges from 2009....nahh...Hannes Arch can bite me. 6 more will be enough.
Posted on: 11/16/2009 8:15 AM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9257250

RE: RE:
[quote]ORIGINAL: basman Now that you have done such a good job the expectations on the cover job are high..............a greaat design we hope. [/quote] Well, _I_ think it's a sharp color scheme... Others may find it less appealing. :) Either way, I won't be able to take any of the credit for it. Color scheme will be 2009 Red Bull Air Race champion Paul Bonhomme's Edge 540. [image]http://images35.fotki.com/v1130/photos/8/163128/7530432/IMG_0153-vi.jpg[/image] [image]http://images110.fotki.com/v551/photos/8/163128/7530432/IMG_0165-vi.jpg[/image] [quote] Are sure you didn't repiar this months ago then post all at once, because if projects could get out that fast off my bench .................... [/quote] It helps when you've got friends like Paul, who comes over for hours at a time, and is the perfect assistant! [:D]
Posted on: 11/15/2009 9:24 AM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9254925

RE: Keeping planes in a trailer?
My trailer has two vents on the side, that remain open year round. Planes stay in there year round as well, unless they're in the shop for work/charging/etc. No problems after a full year of doing this.
Posted on: 11/14/2009 7:38 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Giant Scale Aircraft - General"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9253932

RE: New 35% Edge
[quote]ORIGINAL: rcplanenut I am starting to put my Edge together and had a question about where I can mount the elevator servos. I noticed there are mounts on the stabs and it looks like there are mounts on the fuse also. For transportation purposes I will need to remove the stabs. So, Is it better to mount servos in the stab, requiring longer servo extensions or to mount them in the fuse? Thanks [/quote] Mine are in the stabs, no problems, makes removal easy.
Posted on: 11/14/2009 6:55 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "WildHare R/C Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9253840

RE: RE:
[quote]ORIGINAL: JNohsey Hey gordon, it is looking good on the rebuild. you have any pic's of the wings? Also you heard anything on the DL111 from Jody? [/quote] Thanks, Jim! I really must admit...I'm darn proud of how well that fuse came out. It's hard to tell at a glance it was ever wrecked, and it should look flawless once the covering's on. Don't have any pics of the wings yet, other than what's in the original post. I'll get some up tomorrow probably. Started on the right wing just a bit ago...it's gonna be a breeze to get back in shape, I think...should probably have it pretty much finished up in just a day or so. And no...haven't heard a word from Jody yet...of course, this COULD be because i haven't sent him the motor yet! LOL Just kept not finding a time to run it to the post office last week. Supposedly, I'll have some spare time next week, so I'll get it out soon.
Posted on: 11/14/2009 5:46 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9253681

RE: DLE-111 rod bearing failure...
My apologies, Tom...shoulda thought of you as well....given that i bought MY DLE-111 from you, and have raved about your service. *heh*
Posted on: 11/14/2009 5:42 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Giant Scale Aircraft - 3D & Aerobatic"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9253673

RE:
Well...good news and bad news today. Left wing's hurt a good bit more than I'd thought...gonna be a major process to rebuild. Shopping around now for another set over in the WH forum. Barring that, going to have to give some serious thought to having Mike cut a set of foam cores and just building a new set. HOWEVER That shall NOT dampen my spirits....as today has proven to be a GREAT day for the rebuild. With the help of good friend Paul, we introduced Ed (The front half of Edge) to Ge (The back half of Edge)...and came up with: [image]http://images52.fotki.com/v738/photos/8/163128/8155218/IMG_0002-vi.jpg[/image] [image]http://images54.fotki.com/v555/photos/8/163128/8155218/IMG_0003-vi.jpg[/image] [image]http://images52.fotki.com/v738/photos/8/163128/8155218/IMG_0004-vi.jpg[/image] [image]http://images52.fotki.com/v734/photos/8/163128/8155218/IMG_0005-vi.jpg[/image] [image]http://images54.fotki.com/v555/photos/8/163128/8155218/IMG_0006-vi.jpg[/image] [image]http://images53.fotki.com/v420/photos/8/163128/8155218/IMG_0007-vi.jpg[/image] [:D][:D][:D] The thing went together about as perfectly as you can imagine. To be honest, if I hadn't seen it, I doubt I'd have believed it. Everything you see above is with things just glued back together...NO sister plates, NO patches, nothing...already strong and solid. (Obviously, appropriate patching/plating will be done as necessary) Two indications of how straight the fuse went together: 1) There are some "diagonal" braces, inside the fuse sides, that span the breaks. Both were undamaged, one still attached to Ge You can see it in the "bottom center" of this earlier picture, sticking forward inside the right fuse side: [image]http://images52.fotki.com/v738/photos/8/163128/8130387/IMG_0004-vi.jpg?1257545339[/image] When the halves went together, the tab you can see on that brace slipped right into the notch for it on the fuse side. Ok...good. Then, went to the left half. The other diagonal brace was completely out of the airplane, but had remained undamaged. With NO adjustment, it slipped perfectly into place..all three tabs lining right up. 2) Once we'd tacked a few joints, just to hold things on place, I threw the laser on it to see how much adjustment we'd have to do. I didn't figure it'd be too much, with those braces dropping in like that. Turns out I was right. We needed to adjust things precisely 0". Laser cut a perfect line right through the centerline on the firewall, right down the top of the turtledeck, and right up the vertical stab. You could even, in spots, see the line in the bottom of the airplane...falling exactly on the center stringer on the bottom. It really could NOT have been more perfectly aligned. ========= So...started doing some "permanent" repair work. First just soaking all the breaks/mends with CA, and sanding to fill. That's pretty much done, and is the point things are at in the set of pictures above. All the "jigsaw pieces" found homes, and I wound up with only one gap on the right side, and have already cut and installed a new piece there. All that remains for the fuse at this point is to finish up putting in patch plates where they're needed (it won't be too many), and then do the finish work overall to get her ready for recovering. All in all, I'm awfully pleased. [:D]
Posted on: 11/14/2009 3:37 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9253469

RE: New 35% Edge
Don't suppose anyone has a "regular" set of wings around, do they? :) Looks like the left wing of mine is hurt a good bit worse than I'd thought. Probably still rebuildable, but a ton of work. So...figured I'd see if an existing set might be running around somewhere. :) Obviously, color scheme doesn't matter, as I'll be recovering anyway. A bit of light damage is even acceptable, as once the covering's off, i can get in and make some repairs if needed. Barring someone having an extra set, Tom, could I order a new set? If so, how much, and ballpark how long to get them? If they need to come across the pond, could a set be ordered without covering, or with plain white covering? Thanks in advance to anyone that might be able to help. :)
Posted on: 11/14/2009 3:22 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "WildHare R/C Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9253442

RE: Edge color schemes?
You caught me about a week too late. Coulda shot my Red Bull Edge and PS'd what you need. Alas, it went in last Friday, and is now uncovered, being rebuilt. [image]http://images50.fotki.com/v1529/photos/8/163128/7764275/IMG_0841-vi.jpg[/image] I do, however, have quite a few shots through arrival, assembly, and some flying shots over in this gallery: http://public.fotki.com/BluesConvert/airplanes/rc/builds-and-designs/35-wildhare-edge-54/ Not everything you were looking for, I'm afraid, but maybe they'll help.
Posted on: 11/14/2009 3:15 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Giant Scale Aircraft - 3D & Aerobatic"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9253431

RE: DLE-111 rod bearing failure...
Call Valley View RC, talk to Jody. http://www.valleyviewrc.com/
Posted on: 11/14/2009 3:12 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Giant Scale Aircraft - 3D & Aerobatic"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9253426

RE: Sig Kadet Sr ARF Wing Failure!!!!!
[quote]ORIGINAL: bw5493 Hey everyone with a...ARF. Check your glue joints... [/quote] FTFY :)
Posted on: 11/13/2009 7:26 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9251901

RE: 50cc vs 100cc 3d fear factor
[quote]ORIGINAL: q8cub Thanks guys for all the well explained thoughts and this reply is for all. Someone mentioned getting a good quality 50cc versus a lower quality 100cc: Here is the general specs of the two: Both were put together by the same guy who is an excellent flier and builder and known for putting the best stuff in his models. 1- 50cc -SD Model 50cc Yak. (I read on the pilot-rc site that most of their team came from the sd model company) - DA-50 engine. -All high quality servos - total of 6 - (2 13 Kilos for aileron , 2 13 kilos for elevator, 1 25 kilo for rudder and 1 for throttle) and all [b]have enough torque to be used in a 100cc yak[/b]. -Three good batteries (one for ignition, and 2 for receiver where power switches between them as needed). 2- 100cc - SD model 100cc Yak. - DL-100 engine. (yes a DL-100 not a DA-100), this also could be another factor for those who do not trust chinese machinery. - All high quality servos (total of 9) plus powerbox. Also, another issue here, I am looking to add a smoke system, so can this 50cc model handle a smoke system without losing 3d capabilities? Thanks again. [/quote] Either of those is, imo, a fine option. SD sells a top notch airframe, and you seem committed to high quality servos and equipment. Couple of responses to specific points: Either the DA or DLE will be a fine choice. I currently fly a DLE-111 on a 100cc Edge, and it's an absolute gem...and has been for an entire season, well over 100 flights, pushing 10 gallons through it. DA also makes a top notch, proven power plant, and their service is legendary. You won't, imo, go wrong with either choice. On the 100cc size...I highly recommend at least speaking briefly with Tom over at WildHare RC. He's got some package deals with 100cc airframes, DLE-111 engines, and lots of hardware/extras in the $1500 range. Several of his big birds also fly only one servo per aileron, dropping another couple hundred bucks off your build costs. As mentioned above, i can vouch (in more ways than one now!) for the exceptional quality and flying characteristics of the 102" WildHare Edge. WH's 50cc stuff is also first rate. Again...can't say anything bad about SD at all, high quality stuff...just wanted you to be aware of another option. :) Finally, as for smoke. Do a quick search for "smoke" with my name as the author. You'll find two fairly recent threads with lots of good info, pictures, links to resources, video, etc regarding this very topic. I can tell you from experience that everything I discuss in those threads will work just fine on a 3D 50cc bird.
Posted on: 11/13/2009 6:57 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Giant Scale Aircraft - 3D & Aerobatic"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9251840

RE: Menz 22/8 rpm discrepancies?
[quote]ORIGINAL: Bass1 Dang, I have to spend about $150 to have all that fun?[:D] [/quote] LOL Nothing says you have to do it with expensive Giant Scale props! *heh* [quote]ORIGINAL: Bob Pastorello Yeah, and then you won't "know" which is best.....because of environmental variables.....Ain't it FUN ?????? :-) [/quote] I still maintain there's an easy way to decide what the best prop is: FLY IT If the airplane does what you want, it's the best prop. If it doesn't, it isn't. *heh*
Posted on: 11/4/2009 4:05 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9228113

RE: Menz 22/8 rpm discrepancies?
If you ever want to really learn how much difference even supposeldy "identical" props can have, try the following: Buy five "identical" props of your choice. Doesn't matter what material, manufacturer, size, whatever. Just 5 of the "same" prop. Run the 5 props one after the other, on the same motor, marking each with a number and noting its RPM. Place the 5 props in the following locations for 24 hours: 1) Outside, covered. 2) Outside, exposed. 3) In your house, covered. 4) In your house, exposed. 5) On the plane, storing the plane however you normally do. Run the test again the next day. You'll be AMAZED at how much difference a seemingly simple thing like "covered or not" can make. For real fun, do the same thing 4 times in a year, once every 3 months. It's for this reason (among many others) that "My engine turns ____ prop at ____ RPM" arguments are so foolish. ==================== For what it's worth, a friend of mine weighs props as obsessively as he weighs balsa for building. he's not necessarily looking for lightest, but rather a batch of props as close to the same weight as possible. He believes (and at least his tach numbers seem to bear this out, though, again, who knows?) that similar weights are the best indication you're able to get of props having similar materials and treatment before/during/after manufacture.
Posted on: 11/4/2009 1:54 PM by Author "gboulton" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9227850