Van's Air Force
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Angle vs Parallel Performance
- Thread starter rpigeek
- Start date
andoman
Well Known Member
Are you looking at a Harmon or F1? Sport wing or Evo?
Rockets are nose heavy. At least my HRII is. If built with a couple of lead batteries aft and most of the LRU’s aft, then it wont feel too nose heavy…
For me, the extra weight of the angle valve would be a net minus even with the extra power. It really depends on your mission. If you will routinely do acro then lighter is better with as much weight off the nose as possible. If your mission is XC up high in an evo winged F1 then way more power is way more better!
Rockets are nose heavy. At least my HRII is. If built with a couple of lead batteries aft and most of the LRU’s aft, then it wont feel too nose heavy…
For me, the extra weight of the angle valve would be a net minus even with the extra power. It really depends on your mission. If you will routinely do acro then lighter is better with as much weight off the nose as possible. If your mission is XC up high in an evo winged F1 then way more power is way more better!
vfrazier
Well Known Member
Angle valve engines will not fit inside any of the standard F1 or HR2 cowlings without a LOT of surgery. Heck, it's hard enough to get the parallel valve engines stuffed inside them.
And, as you may have inferred, the angle valve engines are considerably heavier. So, it's really not a great option, certainly not for a 6 cylinder machine.
OTOH, there is one F4 Raider flying with a 4 cylinder angle valve. They did a lot of cowling work, but it did turn out very nice.
rpigeek
Member
Sport wing, preferred F1, but would consider a HRII (likely would plan to upgrade to newer engine mount). Pavement and some grass (1800 feet).
Good point on the CG being an even more of a challenge on the HRII, at least with stock gear. 80% flying solo. Some acro, about every month or so just for the fun of it.
I have access to an RV7, which I love, and it's got me wanting more.
Good point on the CG being an even more of a challenge on the HRII, at least with stock gear. 80% flying solo. Some acro, about every month or so just for the fun of it.
I have access to an RV7, which I love, and it's got me wanting more.
rpigeek
Member
That's what I was wondering, was if it even drops in easily enough with cowling headache and maybe cooling challenges.
Same tradeoff of O-360's then in an RV7/8.
andoman
Well Known Member
I’ll piggyback onto Vince’s post:
I looked at the Raider project that he mentioned when it was for sale a couple of years ago. Its IO360 angle valve had been mildly massaged and I believed dynoed at 215 or 220 hp. I think most of the cowl work was to add the cheeks to make it look like a -4.
I recall standing there coveting the engine/airframe combo. My HRII project that I had devoted 3 years of full time work to was 6 months from flying. I lamented at the time that I hadn’t found that Raider project before my Harmon project. I reluctantly passed.
Now that I have flown my Harmon for a year I lament that I didn't buy that Raider project and put my Rocket project on ice. Don’t get me wrong: I LOVE MY ROCKET!! Rockets are amazing and unique!
I believe that a Raider with about 215 hp is as Goldielocks as plane could be: Its close enough to a Rocket that it ought to be called one and sooo much cheaper to own.
When Larry V converted his HRII to a 4 banger to test the concept he landed on a winning idea.
I looked at the Raider project that he mentioned when it was for sale a couple of years ago. Its IO360 angle valve had been mildly massaged and I believed dynoed at 215 or 220 hp. I think most of the cowl work was to add the cheeks to make it look like a -4.
I recall standing there coveting the engine/airframe combo. My HRII project that I had devoted 3 years of full time work to was 6 months from flying. I lamented at the time that I hadn’t found that Raider project before my Harmon project. I reluctantly passed.
Now that I have flown my Harmon for a year I lament that I didn't buy that Raider project and put my Rocket project on ice. Don’t get me wrong: I LOVE MY ROCKET!! Rockets are amazing and unique!
I believe that a Raider with about 215 hp is as Goldielocks as plane could be: Its close enough to a Rocket that it ought to be called one and sooo much cheaper to own.
When Larry V converted his HRII to a 4 banger to test the concept he landed on a winning idea.
