Hyper 50, which gives it the best power-to-weight ratio.
The engine has a ringed piston that
makes starting easy and results in long
engine life. The engine also features a special composite coating with nano
technology called XC2, which was developed in Japan and according to Thunder
Tiger, enhances performance. The RL- 53
has the same mounting dimensions as the
seemed to have a lean spot in the mid-range
throttle setting, but this disappeared as the
engine broke in. Since the engine is ringed,
running it rich will not do any harm.
Some high-power engines can be finicky
and hard to tune, but not the RedLine 53. It
started easily the first and every time
throughout the testing. The needle valve
has fine treads, making it easy to get the
mixture setting just right. On some
The Redline 53 High Flow 3D pipe compliments the engine
very well and helps achieve great 3D performance.
O.S. Hyper and other standard size 50s, as
well as other key dimensions and crankcase
thread size. This makes it a drop-in replacement for other 50 engines and there should
be no issues with installing it in any 50-size
heli on the market.
THE ENGINE HAS
A RINGED PISTON
THAT MAKES
STARTING EASY
AND RESULTS IN
LONG ENGINE LIFE
PERFORMANCE
As the RedLine operates at a high rpm and
produces a lot of horsepower, I wanted a
heli with a modern design that could handle the added power of the engine. The
T-Rex 600 Nitro Super Pro fits the bill and
runs smooth at high rpms. The engine
installed easily with no modifications. I
carefully balanced the clutch and fan
assembly to minimize any vibrations. I
spent the first several tanks of Morgan Cool
Power 30% fuel hovering and gentle flying
with a rich mixture setting. The engine
engines, a click or two makes a big difference in the mixture, but not on this engine.
I tested the engine during the late fall with
a temperature of 45 degrees. After several
tanks, I slowly leaned the needle valve setting, but always kept it on the rich side. A
careful break-in will ensure long engine life
and maximum performance and is well-worth the extra time.
Finally, after I felt the engine had been
sufficiently broken-in, it was time to see
what it could do. Although, choosing a
muffler is another whole topic, I was able to
test four different ones to see which one
would work best with the RL- 53. First, I
tried the new Thunder Tiger mufflers. The
RedLine 53 High Flow 3D pipe has a cool
black finish and the engine ran very well
and consistently. The RedLine 53 Smoothy
muffler is designed for smooth FAI-style flying. As its name implies, it gives very
smooth engine performance. Although it
isn’t designed for 3D, it performed well in
all aerobatics, including 3D. Next, I
installed the Align 50 H muffler. I have used
this muffler on the O.S. Hyper 50 with good
results. When fitted to the RedLine, it gave
good performance, but it is best used with
the Hyper. Lastly, I tried the Hatori SAB- 50.
Not surprisingly, this muffler gave the best
engine performance, but at a higher price
tag than the other mufflers. The two Thunder Tiger mufflers are an outstanding value
and performed nearly as well as the Hatori.
After checking out the various mufflers, I
used the Thunder Tiger High Flow for the
remainder of the testing. The engine gave
the T-Rex 600NSP insane performance.
With such a light heli and powerful engine,
it had incredible pull and climbing power.
Throttle response was excellent with no lag.
The higher rotor rpm also resulted in very
crisp handling and there was never any sign
of bogging down. Expert pilots can use the
extra power to increase the collective pitch
range above the normal 10-12 degrees.
The Thunder Tiger RedLine 53H engine
did not disappoint me and it is sure to be
popular among heli pilots. It clearly had
power equal to and even slightly greater
than the rival O.S. 50H engine and at a very
attractive street price. Power-hungry expert
3D pilots will no doubt appreciate this
engine, as will intermediate pilots who can
use the power to get out of less than ideal
situations. Beginners will like its user-friendly characteristics, such as easy
starting and tuning. Combined with one of
the new Thunder Tiger mufflers, the RL- 53
should be your top choice for your next 50-
size heli or as a replacement engine for a
heli that needs a little more punch.
