RE: Alternative uses for turbine engines
Turbines are great for setting off the neighborhood dogs. In fact it has led to a new classification system for turbines. For example, my Jet Central Bee II Kerostart is a class 2B turbine....it sets off every dog in a two block radius. sp
Posted on: 9/12/2012 4:08 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11226578

RE: Need help, I'm stumped!
Same issue here. I contacted the manufacturer and was told that one gear motor had broken components. He suggested I unplug the gear one at a time and see which one was unplugged when the jitters quit. In my case it was the tail wheel. I have to find the time to pull the unit out and send it in for repair. sp
Posted on: 8/14/2012 5:19 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11192810

RE: Proctor-Enterprises 1:4 scale Fokker DVII Build
I have the full kit and a Laser V-300 sitting on a shelf awaiting retirement in 7 or 8 months. As build threads on this kit are scarcer than hen's teeth, I'll be following your build with great interest and probably not a few annoying questions :-) sp
Posted on: 7/14/2012 1:17 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11155166

RE: Aero Works P-51?
Has anyone changed out the inner gear doors? I removed the original ones via a belly landing and ordered a new set, which has been sitting on the shelf over a year. I have tried to remove the little countersunk screws that hold the hinges to the wing, but they seem to be bolts with nuts I can't get at. I suppose I could open up the top surface of the wing and get at them that way, but I thought I'd ask and see if anyone found another way to remove the hinges. Thanks sp
Posted on: 7/10/2012 4:58 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11150607

RE: Best turbine, best service?
I have a Ziroli Panther with a Jet Cat P-70. It has adequate power for the Panther, but barely. Something with a bit more power would be nice. I've not had occasion to have the P-70 serviced so I can't speak to that. I also have a Jet Central Bee II Kero start in my ShockJet. I had it back to be serviced due to my bad and Eric Clapp had it fixed completely for no charge. If I ever buy another new turbine it will be from Jet Central due to their outstanding service. sp
Posted on: 7/8/2012 11:59 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11147648

RE: Hobby King turbine!
Hobby King...you pays yer money and ya takes yer chances. You either end up loving them or hating them. What interests me is the effects "affordable" turbines may have on our hobby, be they from HK or somebody else. Will this increase the odds that an unfortunate incident might close a field to turbines or have an even broader negative effect? Idiots and yo-yos seem to be spread fairly evenly throughout all demographics. A rich fool is as subject as a poor fool to do something inadvisable with a jet model. So on that account it's a wash. Someone trying to get a jet in the air on the cheap may be tempted to take other monetary shortcuts with the build or the radio gear. I know many highly responsible modelers who are forced to be budget conscious, but i have seen some modelers who take saving a buck to the extreme and whose models are less than safe as a result. So will inexpensive turbines run up the odds of an unfortunate incident? I'm afraid the answer is yes to a degree. That leaves it up to local clubs to ensure new turbine pilots get proper training and that proper safety practices, including inspections, are strongly promoted. sp
Posted on: 7/1/2012 2:33 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Jets"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11138887

RE: Aero Works P-51?
Glad you got your balance issues resolved. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger on the collapsing gear. There are rumors that the stock gear may not be as robust as one might hope...:-) sp
Posted on: 6/18/2012 12:51 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11122632

RE: Why not transport your fully assembled aircraft to the field?
Drive slow and take the back roads to the field. Get some cheap wooden yard sticks and cut them about 8 or 10 " longer than the chord of the wing at the ailerons. Use #64 rubber bands on the ends to attach a pair over and under each aileron. That will prevent turbulence from flapping the surfaces and damaging your servos. sp
Posted on: 6/15/2012 7:45 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11119106

RE: Aero Works P-51?
Mine was a bit nose heavy too. I ended up putting one battery, (@ cell 2200 mAh LiPo), behind the tail wheel and another of the same type under the wing hold down plate. I had to ensure the wing bolts didn't protrude and damage the battery. A balsa stand off block accomplished that. So far I haven't needed to add lead, but if your model won't balance by moving equipment around, then add the lead. Better to fly a heavier model than an out of trim one. sp
Posted on: 6/14/2012 2:28 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11118337

RE: Aero Works P-51?
God Bless and get well soon. We're all pulling for you. sp
Posted on: 5/23/2012 10:52 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11091843

RE: Aero Works P-51?
Y'all hush about the DA ignition modules, Sally might hear you and get ideas. My Mustang, Sally, is finally ready to fly again and I'm worried the old hangar queen will present another problem before I can get her to the field. I was kind of hoping to get more than two consecutive flights between "issues". ;-) I'm waiting on good weather and time off from work to coincide. sp
Posted on: 5/22/2012 2:19 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11090799

RE: Aero Works P-51?
Zeeb I was going to suggest settng up the model on the driveway, turn on the Tx and all the switches on the model and flip the prop till the neighbors complain about the blue language and you can assume the module is bad, but it sounds like you did that or something similar already. Plugging the module into the battery directly may work, but even if it doesn't you'll be a lot closer to sure that the module is bad. Good luck with a frustrating problem sp
Posted on: 5/20/2012 10:14 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11087706

RE: Aero Works P-51?
Hey Russ: I managed to get the broken screw shank out of the backplate. There is a trick to it. No way can you drill out a steel screw in an aluminum plate. Not happenin'. I got a tip from RCFlyerDan, he told me to use a thin cut-off wheel on a dremel to cut a slot in the top if the screw shank. This cuts a little bit into the aluminum plate for maybe 1/8" either side of the broken off screw, but the slot was enough to use a small flat blade screwdriver to remove the broken shank. Works like a charm. Thanks again for the kind offer of the extra backplate, but I won't be needing it and I hope you won't either. Having a spare part in hand seems eliminate the need for it, :-) sp
Posted on: 5/19/2012 2:06 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11086973

RE: Aero Works P-51?
ROTFL The dang thing flies great when it flies. I still haven't installed my new inner gear doors. The original sequencer was one of the few items that gave no trouble once we figured how to set it up. Now I have the sequencer that came with my Down & Locked upgrade. I want to get a few flights in before installing and setting up the doors. If can get them working, then the model will be fully functional again. sp
Posted on: 5/16/2012 12:25 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11083256

RE: Aero Works P-51?
Russ Thanks. I'd be happy to pay the going rate + shipping for a new backplate. Knowing that one is available without buying the whole spinner assembly emboldens me to attempt extracting the broken screw. I just finished fixing some tail wheel issues and the old hangar queen was all ready to go to the field when I spotted the broken screw in the spinner. Now that I seem to have a handle on that, I wonder what she'll throw at me next....and if I can catch it in time to prevent a disaster. Common sense dictates I should have unloaded this model a long time ago, but I let it get personal and I got determined to make it all work. I've dumped way too much money into it and if I sold it now, I have no doubt whomever bought it would tell me he found no problems and then go on to fly the model for years :-) So I'll just keep plugging away until the model runs out of issues. Making this thing work has become kind of a hobby within a hobby. I'll holler at you if I end up needing the new backplate. Thanks again sp
Posted on: 5/16/2012 11:30 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11083199

RE: Aero Works P-51?
I'm having issues with the screws holding the spinner to the backplate. They have a tendency to break off. First time one broke off, there was enough of the shank left above the edge of the backplate to get a grip on and remove. Not so lucky the second time, it snapped off dead even with the surface of the backplate. Has anyone else had a similar problem with the spinner screws? I don't have an easy out for 2-56 size and hand drilling a steel screw in an aluminum plate seems like a recipe for disaster. Short of removing the backplate and somehow clamping it in a drill press, does anyone know a trick that might work to get this thing out? Thanks sp
Posted on: 5/16/2012 9:09 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11083038

RE: STOLEN MOWER! THIEVES!
The vermin will get in and steal whatever they want. Locks, cameras and such only keep honest people out. One positive preemptive step is to record all serial numbers and takes lots of close up photos of whatever your club owns and keeps at the field. That info may have been turned in to the insurance company, but duplicates need to be kept OFF SITE. It is important to have them handy for the investigating officer. The police have the ability to get those numbers to local pawn shops. Doing so in a timely manner can often get you your goods back and maybe even make it a bad day for the scum who robbed you. sp
Posted on: 4/22/2012 12:39 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11052401

RE: I tried to warn him
This guy is the Poster Boy for not teaching yourself to fly. It should be mandatory for people getting into the hobby to have to view this clip. Got a good laugh at someone too dumb to listen to friends who know better getting his wallet spanked. I bet 100 experienced pilots couldn't have flown through a similar obstacle course. Pure Dumb Luck sp
Posted on: 4/15/2012 10:56 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11042888

RE: security at the field
Larry has an excellent idea. Many clubs and ours is one, have had the local TV people out to do a segment on flying models. Contacting the reporter who did that story may get you a follow-up story that generates more police interest than a routine report of break-in/theft/vandalism. The cop who gets the job of investigating these reports is probably more frustrated than you about such crimes as he or she investigates this sort of crime almost daily and is probably painfully aware of the stretched resources and general unlikelyhood of making an arrest and conviction. It's the higher-ups who decide the allocation of resources and these good folks are highly sensitive to public image and perception. A TV segment or newspaper article will make them much more inclined to provide regular drive-bys. There have been several very funny and satisfying solutions proffered, I love the one about videoing the crook's reaction to a blank shotgun round going off. Just how fast can a thief move with a full pantload. :-) However, before you set up something like that, ask yourself if your booby trap can differentiate between kids and criminals. The public perception issue mentioned above is a double edged blade. If something happens to "kids just being kids", you could earn your club a real public black eye. Best to keep the inventive Rube Goldberg mousetrap solutions for club bull sessions under the pavilion. Spend your real efforts in keeping things thieves would want secured out of sight when not in use and cultivating the good will of the local media and police. A good club program for helping youngsters get involved in the hobby marks your club as one of the community's "good guys". It's that perception that will get the resources allocated if your club does suffer a theft. The crooks play the system and count on the cops not doing much about a bunch of old guys who play with their toy airplanes. So play the system back at them by making it a crime against a bunch of old guys who are doing something for kids. Perception is everything. sp
Posted on: 4/12/2012 5:35 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11038697

RE: security at the field
Our field's gate is in the back parking lot of a local fire station, so we have had relatively little vandal/thief problems over the years. My home OTOH has been hit several times. We put up 4 security cameras that are IR at night. I bought a small boat and outboard one afternoon, parked it in the back, (alley access). The next morning came home from a 12 hr night shift and decided to take a nap before going and buying a lock for the outboard motor. The camera caught "Fat Albert" waddling up and unbolting the motor at 0930 on a weekday morning in broad daylight. The video showed him noticing the camera. He moved his car out of camera view, came back and got the motor and gas tank. Even had the license plate on the video that could have been read if the video had been enhanced. Gave the cops the video and heard nothing else from them. Evidently nabbing and convicting a neighborhood thief doesn't sufficiently further a State Attorney's political ambitions enough to be worth catching. Budget cuts and all, don't you know. I guess I was lucky as my enclosed trailer was parked next to the boat with 10K worth of models in it. The point I'm making is that if there is easy access to your field, either secure valuable stuff inside, (out of plain sight), or remove it from the field. These thieves have big brass ones and don't seem to give a @#$% and evidently aren't deterred by video cameras. I guess they know more about police budget cuts and prosecutional priorities than hard working, tax-paying citizens do. I was pretty aggravated and told the cop who came out that I wished I'd gotten a chance to take a shot at the thief. He told me he'd have been glad to come out and arrest me. Seems that prosecuting gun toting property owners tends to further a State Attorney's career these days. The best defense is to have it appear that there is nothing there of value in the first place. Thieves may be brazen, but they are still lazy and if it doesn't look worth the trouble, they will move on to a more sure target. Getting personally involved in catching someone in the act is a real bad idea, (despite being a satisfying fantasy), as you stand to loose way more than what the stinking thief took. They don't let you build & fly models in jail. sp
Posted on: 4/11/2012 1:30 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11037912

RE: Hobbyking no customer service?
To those of you who report consistently good service and product satisfaction from Hobby King, I have one piece of advice: Go buy Lotto tickets....lots of Lotto tickets.... before your run of good luck runs out :-) sp
Posted on: 2/28/2012 3:10 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Batteries & Chargers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10980464

RE: Do you remember being a beginner???
My first R/C model was when I was 13 and in the 8th grade. I skipped lunch and pocketed the 35 cents I was given daily for lunch for months. It was a Carl Goldberg Jr. Falcon. Cox .049, single channel rudder only pulse proportional with an Adams actuator and borrowed Galloping Ghost Tx. Hand launched, it flew "off the board". I was using the old EverReady Carbon/zinc AA cells and on the third flight, it flew out of the low voltage reduced range, (<100'). Totaled it. I already had a Mini Mambo half built, so the engine and radio migrated to that model. IIRC it crashed on a rooftop. I recovered the wing, but never found the fuselage. I believe some kit grabbed it and ran inside. Hundreds of crashes and thousands of enjoyable flights later I'm still hooked on the hobby. sp
Posted on: 2/19/2012 4:56 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10965599

RE: Thrust or no thrust on your large WWI models?
Some good information here. I have built lots of smaller, electric powered WWI models, (Peter Rake and Aerodrome RC designs), and followed the motor thrust and flying surface incidences given on the plans. I've recently been moving to larger models, (helps to fly when my poor eyes can see the model in flight). I have a Proctor Fokker D.VII kit as a first 1/4 scale WWI model. The kit recommended a Laser V-200 or a Laser V-300 engine, (both 2 cyl 4stroke glow engines). I went with the V-300 based on my experience that an over powered model will fly better at a lower throttle setting than an underpowered one wide open. The plans for the Proctor D.VII show the firewall located for the smaller V-200, so I will have to re-locate the firewall to accommodate the larger V-300. Fortunately the mount for the V-300 is a ring type which bolts flat to the firewall. Thrust can be easily altered by using washers like I used to do on my Cox .049 powered free flights I built as a kid. I'm planning on building it with a straight thrustline and adding down and right thrust as/if needed. I also plan to offset the fin if the original had the fin offset. (My references are still packed from a recent move and my memory is unreliable). Does anyone's experience with large D.VII's indicate that this is the wrong, (or the correct), approach? sp
Posted on: 2/9/2012 5:15 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10951050

RE: Do You Still Range Check Your Radios??
I have a fair chunk of money and/or building time tied up in some of my models. I always range check with the engine running before the first flight of the day. I don't see how I can afford not to. Dumb thumbing a model into the ground hurts, (Boy how I know...), but to loose one because I didn't take a minute to range check or to see if all the controls are wiggling in the right direction would hurt a whole lot worse. sp
Posted on: 1/2/2012 5:58 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10888559

RE: Aero Works P-51?
I replaced my stock retracts and now I have found a buddy who can use the struts on a model he is building. Only problem is that the struts need to be shortened an inch or two. Can anyone tell me how far from the top end of the strut, the strut is solid? In other words, how much can be cut off the top of the strut without getting into the spring shock mechanism? Thanks sp
Posted on: 12/30/2011 4:47 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "Aero-Works Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10883550

RE: looking for a ME 163
Joe Saita flies at out field and I have had two of his Me 163s. One years ago was built up balsa and ply and .40 powered. The current one is a glass fuselage and built up wing, it is powered with an OS 1.08. Great flying models, though the dolly take offs can be exciting. The dolly is an axle with two wheels. In the center is a metal tab about 1 inch wide and two inches long, about 1/8" thick. It fits into a slot in the bottom of the fuselage, just drops out when the model lifts off. One fellow at our field fixed one up with conventional landing gear. Take offs seemed more predictable, but the thing looked silly in he air with the gear hanging down where they shouldn't be. Joe is currently flying a turbine powered one and it is quite impressive. I haven't seen a .40 sized one in years, but give Joe a shout, he may be able to help you. b17gjoe@juno.com sp
Posted on: 9/24/2011 5:09 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10731690

RE: YT (ESM) 50cc Spitfire
I was thinking more of opening the cylinder up as opposed to removing it entirely. Even if I use the round motor mount to position the motor inside the cowl, I'm not dealing with the vibration of a 50 cc gas engine, so if i cut away some of the top, it probably won't matter. all just dale speculation at this point. sp
Posted on: 9/21/2011 9:55 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10728368

RE: YT (ESM) 50cc Spitfire
Great picture. Full of ideas to steal :-) First thing that strikes me is that that cylindrical motor mount can be dispensed with and a flat firewall added to mount the electric motor. Definitely leaning toward the electric option at this point. sp
Posted on: 9/21/2011 8:22 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10727285

RE: YT (ESM) 50cc Spitfire
My Spitfire is at least a couple of models down the que, We close on a new home next month, so modeling time will be scarce for a while. OTOH, the new place has a separate 3 car garage, it is divided between a 2 car garage space and a 1 car wide air conditioned shop. I'm sure looking forward to setting that up and having a proper workspace. sp
Posted on: 9/21/2011 5:54 AM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10727083

RE: YT (ESM) 50cc Spitfire
Chris: I saw a video of an Aeroworks P-51 that was electric powered. They cut a hatch into the top cowl in front of the windscreen for battery access. The motor requires a 12 cell LiPo pack. Four 3 cell packs might be fitted around that cylindrical motor mount with an access hatch on top. Being a Spitfire, it's likely to need nose weight no matter what the power system. At least the electric motor leaves a lot of room to bolt on serious lead if needed. sp
Posted on: 9/20/2011 10:13 PM by Author "smperry" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10726837