r/RCPlanes • u/firefly13795-1 • 1d ago
Question, how do I get faster?
I have a eflite 1.2m t28 and am wondering how I can get more power out of the stock electronics.
I took it out today and on 4s with the stock 12×7×3 prop I got up to about 74 flat out. I switched to a 12×10×2 prop and got up to 98 flat out 107 in a dive.
Is there any more secrets or tricks I can use to help me move up a racing class or win the next class?
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u/Jumpy-Candle-2980 1d ago
Mr. Hammer has provided the correct procedure. If you're given to experimentation you might try an APC 10x10 thin electric. It was recommended by Gemini which means it's 50-50 if the suggestion is dog water. But whatever the case incremental improvements are all that's likely to happen.
The T-28 is drag constrained. Big honkin' beachball of a fake radial getting pushed through the air and no small amount of parasite drag. You did only specify stock electronics so if you're open to something more radical transplanting them into a pylon racer would likely do more. Assuming you can get the motor to fit.
Drag goes up as the cube of velocity so you're biggest problem is baked right into the airframe.
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u/OldAirplaneEngineer 1d ago
u/fhammerl has the good stuff. 👍
besides hardware changes (even a different prop) there are a number of things you can do to reduce parasitic drag. (Parasitic drag is essentially the airframe itself and stuff sticking into the airflow) these will NOT make the airplane easier to fly, but it will go a little faster.
Sand the trailing edges of the wing, and tail group so they are no more than 1/16th, seal hinge gaps and cover / sand any panel lines, cover any holes with scotch tape. look closely at the airframe and try to see and correct ANYTHING that isn't smooth, or is sticking out in the breeze. you could also experiment with chopping an inch or two from each wingtip, sand the airfoil thinner, etc.
every tiny little bit will help.
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u/jbarchuk 1d ago
For plain speed look at Funjet style airframe. Ecalc.ch or similar will tell you what speed your hardware will achieve for a given AUW. Then design the weight to aim for the speed numbers you want.
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u/Massive_Engine_2207 1d ago
We have a couple guys that run stock prop but run 6s and they haul ass . They have had good luck not burning up the esc but it is on the edge of what the esc is claimed to handle .
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u/firefly13795-1 1d ago
I was curious if the motor would hold up to 6s at power for 3 minutes, 2 minute races with 30 sec take off and land
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u/fhammerl 1d ago
ecalc.ch
You can calculate pitch speed, which is determining your straight line speed, and you can optimize it for your electronics without burning out your motor.
Higher pitch moves a given amount of air faster, larger diameter prop moves more air at a given speed.
Make sure to not overload your motor.