Tank and prop for .51 Cardinal

[George Grossardt]

Greetings.  I am starting to build a .51 Cardinal and need some advice.  I have ST 51 that I am going to put in it and would like a tank and prop recommendation.  The engine has been tuned for stunt flying.  I am thinking about a 3 blade carbon prop but am not stuck on that. Also interested in a commercially available tank.  Thoughts?

[Dan McEntee]

  If this is a full fuselage model, use any 6 ounce tank you can easily fit into the tank compartment. I have successfully used both metal tanks and plastic tanks. I run my St.51's on muffler pressure to a uniflow tank. Take the time to set things up so that you can run it either way if you desire.
   As for props, I have been using APC 12.25-3.75 with take off rpm on a 65 ounce model in the 10,500 range. This is really a great prop, available everywhere and reasonably priced. On a Jetco Shark 45 that I have, I wanted to go to shorter landing gear and couldn't swing a 12" prop, so I started to experiment wit Master Airscrew 12-6 three blae props, and repitching them to 3.75 and 4 inch pitch. I finally settled on the standard stock pitch as it comes from the package (almost 5) and it seemed to load the engine very close to the way the APC does, and the flight performance was very good. I have no experience with the carbon fibre props, as they are outside my budget, but I'm sure others will post their experience. With Bolly more or less out of business, carbon props might be harder to find. If you are just getting into the swing of things, learn to fly and trim the model with easy to find props to keep things simple. Locate a pitch gauge also, even if you don't want to repitch props. It's a good tool to compare what props you do find that you like and really know what they are pitched at.
   Good luck with the new model and have fun!
    Dan McEntee

[Steve Helmick]

Which ST .51? There are at least three or four.  If you mean the G.51, who worked on it? It would matter!

My limited experience with 3 bladers tells me to avoid them if possible. For my G.51's, I'd plan to use a 12.5" diameter two-blade and make sure I've got plenty of ground clearance for that. A little extra ground clearance doesn't hurt, but not enough is bad news. Six ounces of 10% nitro is more than adequate fuel supply, 5 oz. might be enough, but again, the reworker is an important part of the answer.   Steve  

[Scott B. Riese]

The prop of choice for the ST-51 is the REV-UP 11x6ew, no pressure, 9800 rpm's, 5 oz tank. The sad part of all of this...the Rev-up prop is no longer. SO I put all of my 51 on the back burner...for now.

[George Grossardt]

It's an Aero Products G51, never run. 

Which ST .51? There are at least three or four.  If you mean the G.51, who worked on it? It would matter!

My limited experience with 3 bladers tells me to avoid them if possible. For my G.51's, I'd plan to use a 12.5" diameter two-blade and make sure I've got plenty of ground clearance for that. A little extra ground clearance doesn't hurt, but not enough is bad news. Six ounces of 10% nitro is more than adequate fuel supply, 5 oz. might be enough, but again, the reworker is an important part of the answer.   Steve  

[Steve Fitton]

The prop of choice for the ST-51 is the REV-UP 11x6ew, no pressure, 9800 rpm's, 5 oz tank. The sad part of all of this...the Rev-up prop is no longer. SO I put all of my 51 on the back burner...for now.

If you liked the Rev Up, the new style Brodak "BYO" 11x6 and 12x6s are in the same neighborhood as the Rev Up.  Much better than the previous Brodak offerings.  They pitch out to around 5.5 on the pitch, look more like the EW series revups than the butter knife BYO blades.

[RandySmith]

Greetings.  I am starting to build a .51 Cardinal and need some advice.  I have ST 51 that I am going to put in it and would like a tank and prop recommendation.  The engine has been tuned for stunt flying.  I am thinking about a 3 blade carbon prop but am not stuck on that. Also interested in a commercially available tank.  Thoughts?

Hi George

Many props work on that engine, as people like these props, and others mentioned
12 x 6 BYO
12 x 5 BYO
12.5 x 5 cyclone nylon
12 x 5 pro Z zinger   wood
12 x 6 3 blade plastic
12 x 6.5 n 3 blade CF hand made
12.5 x 5 Bolly

I would suggest a 6 ounce Mag uniflow if full body or a  6 ounce uniflow GRW or plastic uni setup, if profile

Randy

[MrSteve09]

Hi Guys,...

I am looking to build a full fuselage Cardinal for a (box stock) Super Tigre 51.  I noticed this thread talking about a .51 size Cardinal.  Which one are you referring to, the Cardinal Evolution, or the '92 Cardinal??

Thanks a bunch for the information.

Sincerely,
Steve Teerlinck
Monson, Massachusetts

[Alan Buck]

Hi, George  I fly profile buccaneer at a weight 65ozs with a stock st51 with a 12/7 master airscrew prop stock out of box

[George Grossardt]

It's the 92 Cardinal that Windy kitted.  Just getting ready to start the build.  BTW, Randy did the tuning work on the engine, so I am taking his recommendations seriously.

[Steve Helmick]

Eliminator Props (Steve Wilks, see Vendor's section) has a bunch of new CF Rev-Up clones. I'd check those out.
  Steve

PS: The 12-5 APC is a very good baseline prop for the G.51...I would start with one, at least. 

[john e. holliday]

Well to start off,  HAPPY NEW YEAR.  You have just gotten a lot of advice from several people.  All know what they are doing with their equipment.  This country is so big that what works in the south may not work in the north.  The same with east and west.  Don't ask about the middle part as I try every thing at least once or twice.  When you get your plane done, hopefully kept light, is when you get to try things and learn.  Don't forget pics on the build and keep us posted on the flying of it.

[Steve Helmick]

I've got a Cardinal in my shop with a 64" span. It's got a Big Jim ST .60 in it. It weighs 80 oz. I bought it at a Swap Meet, for the engine. I hope yours is smaller and lighter!   Steve


"It's the 92 Cardinal that Windy kitted.  Just getting ready to start the build.  BTW, Randy did the tuning work on the engine, so I am taking his recommendations seriously."

I'd thought that Windy's website had been closed down, but discovered it's still up and running. So, I refreshed my memory about the '92 Cardinal...and you'll be good to go with the G.51, since it's a smaller version for .40/.51's.