Flair Magnatilla build "Blog"

[Gaz Reed]

As you have may of guessed by my previous posts i am new to the forum,RC flying and building.Had my trainer for apx 8 months and the Magnatilla apx 8 days : )

I have confused things by already asking Q`s under the heading "magnatilla build" in my last post it was suggested i start a build thread to ask any Q`s there.Which i now think might be a good idea,i will even try to post some pics of progress BUT this is my first build so do not expect much.

Can i just warn people that when seeing the "Magnatilla build blog" post to expect possible silly/basic questions,It is the "theory" that i lack greatly and the flyers how are helping me greatly to fly are no builders and have no interest in building.

Any way here is my problem for today,Engine mounting,again!

I know i have to move the SC52fs back to avoid loads poking out the front.This will involve cutting the firewall and boxing that in,know that much now.But doing some mock up i have couple options and i do not know which is best,one might even be completly wrong.

I will stick with suppied bearers and cut to suit crankcase width but it seems i can mount the engine on top OR under the bearers,i will attach pictures.If i mount under the bearers it gets the head away from the cowl.If i mount on top the head is very close to the inside of cowl.Not sure if you get the real gap in the picture.

[David Davis]

1. In order to work out how far to the rear you need to place your engine, simply put the engine in the desired postion on the plan and measure how far back you'll need to place your engine.

2. The Magnatilla is loosely based on the Fokker Eindekker with a Fokker DVIII tail! Both of these aircraft had horseshoe shaped cowlings. You could mount the engine inverted and cut out a section of the cowl to match. It won't matter if the engine sticks out in the breeze a bit.

3. Whether you mount the engine on top or under the bearers depends upon the thrust-line shown on the plan, i.e, which way round is the engine shown on the plan?

4. My build-log "EBay Maggy" might help you but I was starting with a model which had already been built.

[Gaz Reed]

Dave thanks for the reply.The thing is that the magnatilla as no full size view of the fuz forward section.Full size rear lattice work and wings only.It only says to mount the engine with apx 15mm front cowl to prop driver.

You are correct in the cowl bottom being cut away and to be honest i forgot about that! that will make the exhaust easier.

when you mention mounting the engine on or under the bearers again i forgot about thrust directions,this is where i will make mistakes.i did not take into account flipping will alter the thrust,glad i asked.

The bearers as standard point down and to the right and the small sketch on the plan shows the engine head on the left,looking from the front.so if i flip the engine over will this alter the thust?

[David Davis]

It sounds like you have a standard "sidewinder" arrangement for the engine, i.e, engine to the right when viewed from the tail. This harks back to the old control line arrangement when models flew in anti-clockwise circuits and the weight of the cylinder was helpful to retain line tension.

I can't see why you would want to mount the engine the other way round, cylinder head to the left when viewed from the rear, as the exhaust would then be pointing upwards, but providing the lugs were on the same side of the bearers as the original arrangement you'd have no problem with the thrustline.

To mount the engine either upright or inverted would require you to move things around a bit.

[Gaz Reed]

David, i thought mounting with head to left might give me more room.I did not take into account of the exhaust.learning stuff all the time now.I also thought that because the down and side thrust is built in i could mount the engine anyway with no probs.I also did not take into account that he prop must end up central!