LA Story

For those few left with doubts about LA motors here is a setup that yesterday performed beautifully. Mo'Best airframe, LA 46, 2 head shims, ST NVA, stock venturi, Thunderbolt idle-bar plug, Big Art muffler, muffler pressure uniflow tank, Powermaster GMA 10% 11syn/11castor fuel, APC 12.25/3.75 prop, and ground release R.P.M. of 9300. After roughly an hour's break-in I put up 3 flights and the engine was dead rock solid running in a very wet 2-stroke with just a hint of break and no tendency to runaway at all with very even speed right up to the last drop of fuel in the tank. It hauled a 45 oz. beater Mo'Best with authority at about 5.5 sec laps. Lovely, couldn't like it more.---Mark

Kool Mark...What is the venturi hole? you said stock but what is it?

Scott(Need info)Riese

>Kool Mark...What is the venturi hole?
>you said stock but what
>is it?

Don't know offhand--haven't measured it.

My recent issue OS .46LA Stunt venturi is .285" bore. Steve

That'a what'a I use'a...285 and ah-one,and-ah-two..bubbles

Scott(want'a a poka)Riese

The needle is maybe a little touchy on mine with stock RN venturi using a conventional OS needle valve assembly, no added head shims. I'll switch to a ST NVA soon for a practical reduction in venturi diameter and see what happens.

I now have three 46LA's and I am hooked. I decided to keep the remote needle valve and it works well for me. Mine have Thunder Tiger venturis opened up to .275 and home-made spraybars. Mine give me the same steady run flight after flight and that's worth something.
Now for a question for you LA users. I am currently using APC 12.25x3.75 props on these engines. Two of these will end up in Stilettos and the ground clearence is just not there. Is anybody using 3 bladed props on thiers? Any recommendations?

I tried all kinds of props on mine. None even came close to the prop you are running. I had one(APC 12.25X3.75) and I sanded the tips down so that it became 12" long instead of 12.25. This looked the same but with squared off tips. The motor trasitioned from 4-2 easier.

I tried some three blade carbon props. They just didnt work for me.

Get larger wheels or longer gear. Anything to keep that prop on there. It is almost like that motor was setup around that prop.

I too use a LA 46 in my MoBest. I'm running an APC 11.5-4 and
it works, but I think I'll try several more props. I may also go down in venturi size. I have more power than I need and could use a little less fuel.
[photo not recovered: mobest.jpg]

What is that green color on the Mo'Beast? Pretty snappy! Steve

That one has the 1/64" plywood aft fuselage side planking over experimental slightly convex diagonal formers, and Robert just told me it weighs 45 ounces. And the fuselage is extremely stiff in torsion with this setup. It's still a big old profile with a 58" span, and the aft fuselage is taller and has been lengthened an inch over the original 1996 design.

I'm starting on two new Mo'Bests myself to clean up and verify the kit plans, so we'll see how they come out. I build heavier than Robert, of course.. I'm planning LA .46 power for them, with the ability to swap in an LA .40 for P40 competition. But we may get around to trying a Saito in one or something.

Now you guys get the LA .460 setup all perfected for me, OK?

I'm going to try out a few ideas on these two models, include molded fiberglass wing tips and wheel pants with struts molded in. I don't know if they'll end up in a kit version or not, but I'll let you know how they worked out.

L.

With the wing mounted LG, a Mac's Muffler would be purrrrfect. Scott says to run an APC 11.5 x 4 on the LA .46, or a Tornado 10-4 three blade on the .40 FP/LA/Tower. So, who's putting out the kit? We won't tell, honest! I like the idea of the curved plywood fuselage sides...should be very stiff for the weight. Have no idea how you could build it straight, tho. And what is that delightful green? Steve

Steve,

It is definitely a gorgeous green. Of course, Robert has to pay up the royalties to me for the paint scheme design (well, at least 65% of it..). (Not the colors, just the trim..)

(I'm thinking that I need to do one in dark blue to match the LA .46!)

We'll see if a Mo'Best kit ever finally precipitates. When it actually happens, I'll tell you WHO.

I have a ton of work to do getting templates and details worked out. So I better get to work on my part!

Happy Days for the LA.46! I've been flying mine for over 4seasons now on a very old profile and really have enjoyed its repeatability. My prop of choice has been the BYO 11X6 with one exception that plane,an overweight Forerunner, which preferred a MAS 11X6 nylon. All engines have performed well on the stock RC muffler reamed out as far as possible with a cut off tapered reamer muffler pressure and uniflow tank. Fuel has been 7% nitro 22%castor, and 3% synthetic.

Robert,

I don't like the obvious bias error on the flap and elevator neutral positions, and your flap horn is WAY too long!

I'll bet this ship hunts!!

L.

The green on my MoBest is Brodak Grumman Green. This color didn't look that great until the trim. Then it really came alive.
This picture was pre clear and the pushrod was not yet connected.
(Larry loves giving me hell for that picture)