JoeMamma

Is this the TBM 69" version ? Can you please post a link to your thread ?

Joe M.

Bcolici

pm sent

drdoom

My Feedback: (9)

Anyone else have the Hatch blow off in Midair? Mine came off in Sept , and I finally ordered the entire kit to get a replacement... When mine came off, it also took an elevator off, which held on by the linkage. I made a great landing. I looked but I couldn't find the hatch.
This model has the best covering I have ever seen on a ARF.. To this day the cover is flawless...
My hatch pin didn't protrude far enough into the canopy and I think Flexing under flight loads allowed it to be released. It actuelly happened several times but I was able to find it...

tande

My Feedback: (48)

So, to revive an old thread......those of you flying this airframe with a DLE20,...mind sharing your final C/G location? & how you achieved it? .....
Thank You
Ed

Jagged

tande.....(Ed).

mine is set as per manual...110mm from the leading edge....at the fuse.

Flies really well.....just a little heavy.( prop is a xoar 17X6). I machined a massive piece of brass as a prop nut behind the spinner to get it to balance there....and still had to move everything possible right up front. Mine is one of the early kits that had allen cap screws to secure the canopy to the fuse
and rudder and elevator servos situated in the rear of the fuse.....

You will like the way it flies......by the way it has the old dle20 not the one with the rear exhaust.

Regards,
Trevor.

tande

My Feedback: (48)

Thanks so much, Trevor......info. that I was looking for.....

Jagged

You're welcome...tande.

A great plane to fly on very windy days..............

melttin

This is just a rant...nothing more....sorry to my friends and users on RCU...which is great, and has a lot of sharp contributors...........
I didn't spend much....and I didn't expect to get much either.

Some pics of my Phoenix models Sbach 120...
Notice the triangle stock in the corner...well not in the corner.
Also the dimpled canopy bubble.
The covering on both wings is terribly burnt by the covering iron.
Also discovered that the control surfaces are not double bevel. So achieving max throws, especially with three layers of covering , is impossible without doing a lot of work. (naturally). The hardware is junk too. Every control rod was a different length and NONE of them fit where they were supposed to...ended up making my own. I was lucky to have a lot of "stuff" lying around, like clevises and rods etc.


Mind you, I am grateful that I no longer have to build an airplane from sticks any more, and that these things are available on the market and as inexpensive as they are...but I at least expect to get what is promised. It is amazing how much time I have spent just "fixing" problems that shouldn't be.
I will not be attempting 3D with this model, but I will fly it back and forth like a trainer.

I was paralyzed recently, and this has prompted me to get back into the hobby, as there is not much one can do in a wheel chair that is this much fun, and gets the Adrenalin going. But I have found it extremely frustrating to have to do this much work on an ARF, especially while in a wheelchair. I prefer to spend what little quality time I have flying at the field, rather than fixing poor workmanship in the garage all day.

Happy flying!

Jagged

Hi Melttin.....

I too would have been seriously pissed if I had received such a bad kit....it is not acceptable.....period.

Mine, however is one from one of the very first production runs....and I have to say...is very well built and covered. The hardware that came with the
kit was first class too.

Fix the problems you have identified, and you will have a great flying plane. It is a super stable flyer....and with that four stroker, you will probably
not have to add so much nose weight to balance it.

Regards.........

mitchesx

Ok, so I'm a little late to the party, always am. I just put mine together this summer, with a DLE 20, Jtech Pitts Muffler, 11+ oz of nose weight, etc. I, too put 3/16 bass strips around the top of the inside of the fuse, and also coated the inside of the fuse with a thin coat West Systems, just to add some strength. I started with a 16X8, and man this sucker is fast! Have to find away to slow it down for landings. I switched to a 17X6 for the next go around. It will be next season before I get it back out again. I love the plane, very responsive, it won't be a 3D monster, at least not with a 20cc, and this wing loading, but it flies really really nice.

RKH_Pilot

If I don't want to add weight (or as little as possible), what would be the best suited engine? My kit arrives tomorrow and I am bummed regarding this engine dilemma. Also not thrilled about the pull-pull rudder system which I totally overlooked, but I'm told it works well.

silver.kiwi

It seems that every one requires adding some weight and the pull/pull rudder system helps because it moves the rudder servo forward. I even moved the throttle servo forward alongside the fuel tank on the right side and the battery on the left side of the tank. Even doing that I. still needed to add 14 oz. of lead under the OS 120 Surpass for proper CG location. After all that I still love the way the plane flys. It is one of the most stable, predictable aircraft I have flown and has plenty of excess performance to do any aerobics I am capable of asking it to do. Fear not, you're going to like it unless you are into extreme 3D. I am not.

RKH_Pilot

Thanks so much!! That does make me feel better :-) I am not into hardcore 3D. What servos did you end up going with? Seems that my Graupner MZ-24 Pro (maybe all radios) will not allow me to use 5 digital and 1 analog without having to switch them all to analog or running risk of damaging the analog servo if run as digital. What's best? If weight is that much of an issue could I not go with the DLE-30?

silver.kiwi

I used Hextronics HX12K highspeed digital servos everywhere but the throttle and for that one I used a Futaba S3010 analog. As to the DLE-30, you certainly would have excess power and add weight forward but I chose the OS 120 Surpass so that I would not have to cut up the cowl to squeeze in the engine. Same reason I didn't use a DLE-20. This is just too nice a looking airplane to my way of thinking to butcher the cowling.

RKH_Pilot

What mods you think it would require and does it actually fit?

RKH_Pilot

The Sbach arrived! Beautiful finish, beautiful craftsmanship. Cannot complain whatsoever - maybe saw 3 small wrinkles in covering...this is one dashing plane!

drdoom

My Feedback: (9)

Im pretty sure it wont fit without mod to the cowl.

silver.kiwi

That was one reason why I chose to use the OS 120 Surpass. For me it has plenty of power (Will Hover) do all the 3D that I am capable of. It is a very stable, predictable and all around great flying plane. I have posted photos to show my placement of the battery and throttle servo to help with the C.G. Also I beefed up the landing gear (a serious issue) by placing an aluminum plate under it. All Phoenix use the same two piece gear and it will rotate and break out of the plywood flooring during a less than perfect landing. I bent the aluminum 90 degrees so that it would attach to both the flooring and the F2 frame. The aluminum was cut from an old cookie sheet. It is very durable.

jstanton

My Feedback: (14)

I just got my Phoenix SBach and I am going to power it with an NGH 25GT gas engine. It mounts just like an OS 120 and runs really well with the OS G5 glow plug. No need for an ignition. Here is a pic of the engine and muffler I plan on using. It spins a XOAR 17x7 prop at 8500 RPM.

silver.kiwi

That looks like a good choice especially if it weighs more than the OS. That will require less forward ballast. The Pitts style muffler should require less cutting of the cowl which was a major concern of mine. Be sure to beef up the landing gear as well. Good luck with the build, you're going to like the way it flys.

jstanton

My Feedback: (14)

This NGH 25GT engine weighs about 5oz more then a DLE-20 with just a little more power. I hope that means I won't have to add much weight up front. It also has the Walbro carb up front like a glow engine and that makes it very easy to adjust. The stock muffler is useless so I have an after market muffler I got from Agape Racing and Hobby. I have 3 of these engines and they all run very well. I will add some reinforcement to the landing gear tonight. Thanks for the help!

jstanton

My Feedback: (14)

Here is a pic of the NGH 25GT installed to the firewall and a pic on how I have laid out the electronics is the fuselage. I am thinking about moving the elevator servos into the fuselage where I have my throttle servo. What do you think about that?

truevine77

What's the verdict about this plane? Is it worth it? I'm considering it on electric - 6s. Is the rimfire enough for 3d or is there a better and affordable motor option? Is the landing gear sturdy?

mitchesx

I converted mine to Epower in July. I just re-maidened it over the weekend, I'm running a Rimfire 1.20, with a 100 amp esc (not HV), and 6S 4000 packs. It flies awesome! Still a killer plane. I get 5 minutes from a battery, with mixed throttle. Haven't tried anything post stall with it, but all the normal aerobatics (Cubans, Reverse Cubans, aileron rolls, 4 points, slow rolls, snaps, hammerheads, inverted, etc.) it will handle with ease. This is one of the best handling planes I have, very predictable, easy to fly, and so much fun you want more.

pilotpete2

How did your CG come out with the Rimmfire 120?
What prop are you running, and do you know how many amps the setup is pulling at WOT?
I was thinking on the lines of a 6S 5000mAh pack, especially if the model tends to come out a little tail heavy, minds well have a larger "gas tank" then add dead weight.
My first Sbach was the discontinued 49" one from Sig, apparently made by Seagull. Unfortunately I dumb thumbed it into the ground. Needed a new fuselage, but no spare parts available
This Sbach 342 looks real nice, and the color scheme is exactly what I like.
The plane is currently back ordered at Tower, so it will probably be a winter project.
Thanks in advance for any input
Pete