KenJ
Veteran
Location: Ohio, USA
| It depends on what you want to do!?!Raptorkid,
It all depends on what you want to do with it.
If you want to have something you can fly and still drag race in the .30 class, buy a TT .39, get a fairly good tuned pipe, Weston or Muscle pipe, (hopefully CY will have his 50 pipe out soon) get some good carbon blades SAB/DY/Hi-Products and go have some fun. Cost, about $350 for engine, blades, and a pipe.
If you want a DRAG RACE ONLY machine, which by the way is not fun to fly for anything except racing, and speed runs, pic up a .39, and send it to Brett Moorer at Allied Hobbies, or Bruce Bennett in Pittsburgh, and tell him you want the head configured for running 30% nitro fuels. Use a V-Tech pipe - (VERY LOUD) - and a minimum of 30% nitro. Get some undercambered blades that WILL NOT fly upside down and bolt them on to the rotor head of your choice. I do not use the stock Raptor rotor head for drag racing, the spindles bend way too easy on a hard holeshot. The new head may be much better with the larger feathering shaft. The head from the new XL Fury bolts right on with only having to drill one hole. It also clamps to the main shaft which is much better than just using one jesus bolt.
Costs
Engine $200 + motor work of $200 = $400
Blades (2 pairs) = $200
Fury head = $175
V-Tech and header = $150
30 to 50% nitro = $20 to $45 a gallon, you need lots = $$$
Total = Around $1500 plus a flying heli to start with.
If you just want the fastest Raptor 30 in town with any engine, either put in a .50 or check my gallery for the 60 in a 30. With the .60, you definitely need the Fury head!!!
Cost = Machine the motor mount, gearing changes, Fury head plus a full blown modified .61 = $1200
Options 2 and 3 will take your speed machine out of the ability to have fun flying with, so have at least one more machine to go out and fly
NOW, before you go out to fly this new beast, take a moment and consider safety. -
DON'T STAND ON TOP OF THE HELI WHEN YOU WIND ER UP!
1) Make sure your fasteners are high quality on the rotor head and the bolt below the main gear
2) Have someone tach the head - If you are turning more than 2100 RPM, find some way to get it slowed down, gearing/governor. I use a GV-1 on my .60 size Raptor 30 drag machine set at 2050 rpm.
3) Only practice going away from the flight line. Parrallel to the flight line is a big NO NO.
4) Change your head bolts (4mm high strength) every couple of flying days. - I am using the Miniature Aircraft shouldered bolts.
Now for the hard difficult part!
DO SOME TESTING!!!!
To be competitive in a drag race, your 30 size machine needs to be able to cover 100 meters, (109 yards) in about 4.3 seconds from a standing start with NO WIND. It takes lots of practice to get there. You will need to enlist the help of at least two GOOD stopwatch guys. I use a stopwatch with a remote trigger so there can be one person at each end of the course.
In the .60 class you have to be under 4 seconds period! Anything greater than 4 seconds, you will be racing for 2nd or 3rd.
Since drags for this year are over, my drag machines are on a shelf with the engines out.
It only takes time, hard work, some good friends, and money!!!
Good luck!!!!
Ken
Team JR |
