Reaction 54 Detail Photo #6 - Turbine Thrust Angle
Ahh, the heart of the machine! The R54 is designed for the 12-lb. class of turbines. Most of the engines in this class are
derivatives of the pioneering Wren 54, which is based on a 54 mm dia. compressor. The space between the fuselage and wing was
carefully designed to fit this class of engine. Larger turbines simply won't fit. Notice how the front of the turbine is
shielded from FOD by the trailing edge of the wing.The turbine shown here is a RAM 500 which produces 11+ pounds of thrust. What appears to be a severe thrust angle was arrived at through extensive flight testing. A hardwood wedge is provided in the kit to set the turbine and its mount at the proper angle. The kit includes an aluminum mounting bracket (you can choose from several styles), a thin stainless steel heat shield to protect the bottom of the fuselage, and metal tape to finish off the edges of the heat shield. Having the turbine exposed like this makes it easy to work on and avoids the need for a heavy, expensive tail pipe. Besides, it looks cool!