Model TJ5 variable-pressure smoke system

Model Airplane News, Nov 2004 by Malchione, Dave

Tamjets

Contrails for your turbine-powered jet

The perfect recipe for making a lot of dense, white, skip-free smoke is plenty of smoke oil and extremely high exhaust temperatures, but getting the oil into a jet's tailpipe takes a fair amount of hardware. Designed for turbine-powered jets, the Tamj'ets smoke system is a complete package that has everything you'll need to start making fluffy jet contrails!

The Tamjets Model TJ5 variable-pressure smoke system includes a high-quality motor and geared pump, a pump mount, a 7.2V battery pack, fill valve, shutoff valve, two T-connectors, 36 inches of plastic tubing and, most important, two steel smoke nozzles that can be adjusted for the best results. The system is very easy to install, and you can place it anywhere in the fuselage.

I installed this smoke system in my BVM Kingcat. During the system test, I used MDW Aviation Associates' (mdw-aviation.com) Super Dri aviation smoke oil; it's the same stuff as that used in full-size aircraft. The only thing you'll have to buy is a tank to hold the smoke oil! Everything else you'll need is included in the package.

To operate the system, I plugged it into an auxiliary channel on my transmitter; to turn the smoke on and off, all I have to do is flip a switch. The pump's flow rate can be set from O to 150 percent on your transmitter, so you can determine the rate that produces the best smoke volume with the least amount of oil. Less oil used per minute means longer smoke-on time. Depending on the engine you use and the exhaust setup (internal or external), you will have to do some experimenting to dial in the system. In my setup, the Tamjets system produces such beautiful, dense smoke that I just wanted to continue increasing the flow rate. The downside of this is, of course, the amount of smoke oil you must carry on board. As a guide, the estimated flow rate at the 150-percent setting is approximately 20 ounces per minute.

As you can see, the smoke trail is very noticeable, and it has a nice hang time. The big difference between smoke from a turbine and smoke from a gasoline engine is that the turbine can make smoke all the time! From idle to full power, the exhaust temperature of a turbine is high enough to give you gobs of smoke! Gasoline engines do their best only when at full power. With this in mind, you'll have to plan your smoke-on time for maximum results. For example, I use the system only during large vertical maneuvers, and I turn it off as I exit the maneuver. If you keep the switch on all the time, you'll be out of oil in no time.

Priced at $195, the Tamjets TJ5 Smoke System is easy to install, and it works every time. Smoke is a great way to add excitement and realism to your turbine- and gas-powered models. Smoke on! -Dave Malchione

Tamjets (408) 224-7600; tamjets.com.