Phoenix Model Sbach 342 1.20 GP/EP ARF 65.5"
09-17-2014, 10:31 AM
#78
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Hey...DrDoom,
You have just motivated me to restart work on mine....I also have a dle20 mounted upfront, although mine is not the rear exhaust. Mine has been standing for two years now.
My kit number is 0052...that should give you some idea of how long ago I got my kit.
I just thought it was too heavy, ...so lost interest in the build......although the instructions did say the flying weight is 4700-5200 grams.
When I weighed it last, it was 4760 grams and I would still have to add nose weight to balance at 115mm. I was thinking of making a thick brass prop washer to try and
get away with adding as little extra weight as possible.
I am going to use 2X 2200ma lipo's and two UBEC's ....one each for the plane and ignition. I am placing them under the tank to help with the CG.
Now that you have your model flying so well.....I am going through mine again and have started working on mine again.
Hope you have many good flights with yours.
Regards,
Trevor.
You have just motivated me to restart work on mine....I also have a dle20 mounted upfront, although mine is not the rear exhaust. Mine has been standing for two years now.
My kit number is 0052...that should give you some idea of how long ago I got my kit.
I just thought it was too heavy, ...so lost interest in the build......although the instructions did say the flying weight is 4700-5200 grams.
When I weighed it last, it was 4760 grams and I would still have to add nose weight to balance at 115mm. I was thinking of making a thick brass prop washer to try and
get away with adding as little extra weight as possible.
I am going to use 2X 2200ma lipo's and two UBEC's ....one each for the plane and ignition. I am placing them under the tank to help with the CG.
Now that you have your model flying so well.....I am going through mine again and have started working on mine again.
Hope you have many good flights with yours.
Regards,
Trevor.
09-18-2014, 01:51 PM
#80
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I just built a Phoenix Decathlon and it is a very, very nice kit. The covering is flawless and it is the first arf I have ever had that I did not need to break out the heat gun or iron to go over! The build quality looks to be terrific, Phoenix is certainly on my map now. Interestingly enough the Decathlon has issues with being nose heavy unless you plan out your equipment pretty far back in the fuse.
I would not hesitate to buy another Phoenix airplane though.
I would not hesitate to buy another Phoenix airplane though.
09-27-2014, 05:20 PM
#81
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Well, Balance day is here and it is tail heavy. Even with the 2 elevator servos removed from the back of the fuse. If I had to do it all over again, Id use the DLE-30. It could use the extra weight. I am using the DEVO 12S with Telemetry . I have up to 3 voltages, 4 temp, RPM, and GPS. all downloaded real time. Pretty cool. But I've never been able to look at it while flying. I took it out of my TF Cessna 182. it worked flawless in it.
09-27-2014, 05:32 PM
#82
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Finally got to maiden my Sbach today... converted to electric... had to add approximately 10oz of lead weight to the front of the motor box to get to balance at 115mm (I also busted a big square hole through the firewall to push the battery a little more forward... what a pan!). The CG @ 115 is definitely more for 3D flight... slightly drags its tail in slow flight but flies on rails when under power... landed smoothly with no issues... nice flyer. I was concerned the Rimfire 1.20 brushless and 5000mah 6s Lipo wasn't going to be enough but it appears to be plenty. Hope to fly again tomorrow and possibly get some video to post. Go tons of comments on the plane... a looker for sure! (plus some of the better hardware I've seen in an ARF kit )
Last edited by TOMAPOWA; 09-27-2014 at 05:36 PM.
09-28-2014, 11:34 AM
#83
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DrDoom, what is the weight of your plane? In your post #59 you say it is 12 lbs. even and the above says 11lbs fueled. Also, how much weight did you have to add to the nose to get it to balance at the recommended C.G.? Thanks for your posts.
09-28-2014, 11:38 AM
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Finally got to maiden my Sbach today... converted to electric... had to add approximately 10oz of lead weight to the front of the motor box to get to balance at 115mm (I also busted a big square hole through the firewall to push the battery a little more forward... what a pan!). The CG @ 115 is definitely more for 3D flight... slightly drags its tail in slow flight but flies on rails when under power... landed smoothly with no issues... nice flyer. I was concerned the Rimfire 1.20 brushless and 5000mah 6s Lipo wasn't going to be enough but it appears to be plenty. Hope to fly again tomorrow and possibly get some video to post. Go tons of comments on the plane... a looker for sure! (plus some of the better hardware I've seen in an ARF kit )
Last edited by silver.kiwi; 09-28-2014 at 12:04 PM.
09-28-2014, 02:31 PM
#86
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If you are building this Model, do something with the hatch , Mine blew off inflight today and landed where no Man has ever gone. It took off one of the elevators which reained fastened to the plane by the control horn. I landed without incident. Naturally they don't have one in stock.
09-28-2014, 04:20 PM
#87
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Re: the hatch as someone else mentioned... Yeh, I broke the hatch-pin mechanism that came with the ARF just normally operating it... I eventually went with my normal carbon-fiber rod pin as I do most my electrics (it's a CF rod that goes through the entire fuselage & canopy flanges (same flanges used when using side screws),and is pinned on both sides of the fuselage using small body clips for easy removal (I'll have to post some pics)
Last edited by TOMAPOWA; 09-28-2014 at 04:25 PM. Reason: errors
09-28-2014, 05:00 PM
#88
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Thanks to all for the good info and please keep them coming. I have one on backorder at Tower with a late Oct. ETA.
I can't decide whether to go with electric, glow or gas but it sounds like the heaviest power plant will be the way to go in order to get the balance point on target without adding a lot of ballast to the nose.
I can't decide whether to go with electric, glow or gas but it sounds like the heaviest power plant will be the way to go in order to get the balance point on target without adding a lot of ballast to the nose.
09-28-2014, 10:10 PM
#89
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Ok....drdoom,
Thanks for the warning!!
Do you know what part of the hatch failed?. Was it the locating pins in the front...... or the tabs with the retaining screws at the rear?.
Mine seems pretty well glued, but I will heed your warning and make the required improvement.
Thanks for the warning!!
Do you know what part of the hatch failed?. Was it the locating pins in the front...... or the tabs with the retaining screws at the rear?.
Mine seems pretty well glued, but I will heed your warning and make the required improvement.
09-30-2014, 01:53 PM
#90
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Ok....drdoom,
Thanks for the warning!!
Do you know what part of the hatch failed?. Was it the locating pins in the front...... or the tabs with the retaining screws at the rear?.
Mine seems pretty well glued, but I will heed your warning and make the required improvement.
Thanks for the warning!!
Do you know what part of the hatch failed?. Was it the locating pins in the front...... or the tabs with the retaining screws at the rear?.
Mine seems pretty well glued, but I will heed your warning and make the required improvement.
09-30-2014, 09:30 PM
#91
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Ok thanks, Tomapowa......
As mentioned earlier...... my kit # is 0052, so they have tried to improve on some things by the look of it........looks like this was a neat idea, but badly assembled.
It is a hassle to remove the two screws every time you want to peek inside the hatch, but I would rather land with a hatch.
As mentioned earlier...... my kit # is 0052, so they have tried to improve on some things by the look of it........looks like this was a neat idea, but badly assembled.
It is a hassle to remove the two screws every time you want to peek inside the hatch, but I would rather land with a hatch.
10-17-2014, 06:46 PM
#92
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Mine is on order from Tower........will be here at the end of October.
I have three different 65-72" planes powered by O.S. 1.20AX's. What a great engine ! Lottsa power, easy starting.They all seem to get looser and better each time I fly one.
O.S. now has a high-performance version called the 1.20 AX Special http://www.osengines.com/engines-air...652/index.html
Looks like this new Special will power mine.
Joe M.
I have three different 65-72" planes powered by O.S. 1.20AX's. What a great engine ! Lottsa power, easy starting.They all seem to get looser and better each time I fly one.
O.S. now has a high-performance version called the 1.20 AX Special http://www.osengines.com/engines-air...652/index.html
Looks like this new Special will power mine.
Joe M.
10-21-2014, 12:11 PM
#94
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Yep.......been down that "availability" road a few times. I think I spotted this model back in July or August. Now not available until late November ?
This Troy Built Sbach version is now starting to look real good to me:
http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items...42-20-1AF.html
Joe M.
This Troy Built Sbach version is now starting to look real good to me:
http://www.troybuiltmodels.com/items...42-20-1AF.html
Joe M.
10-21-2014, 12:36 PM
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of course Troys model is nice but to me the price is important, the sbach from tower is $239 with the members discount will be around $200 + free shipping. Troy Models is $259 + $29 S&H, that makes $288... almost a $90 difference ... I pass on that.
Now Im looking on the Great Planes Revolver, I see a lot of people in the internet with that plane having a DLE20 up front.
Now Im looking on the Great Planes Revolver, I see a lot of people in the internet with that plane having a DLE20 up front.
10-21-2014, 01:50 PM
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I cancelled. It seems that these deliveries always end up taking much longer than anticipated. I don't fault Tower as they, like all the other importers, are at the mercy of the Asian manufacturers. They really don't know when the stuff will arrive until it shows up on their doorstep. As for me I have opted instead for the Seagull 120 MXS.
Larry, you will love the Revolver, for a sport flyer it's as good as it gets.
Larry, you will love the Revolver, for a sport flyer it's as good as it gets.
10-21-2014, 03:05 PM
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of course Troys model is nice but to me the price is important, the sbach from tower is $239 with the members discount will be around $200 + free shipping. Troy Models is $259 + $29 S&H, that makes $288... almost a $90 difference ... I pass on that.
Now Im looking on the Great Planes Revolver, I see a lot of people in the internet with that plane having a DLE20 up front.
Now Im looking on the Great Planes Revolver, I see a lot of people in the internet with that plane having a DLE20 up front.
Don’t know if you checked out the Troy Built video, but their version is available in two different color variations, has real rubber tires with aluminum mag wheels.
It also has a lot of carbon fiber including a carbon fiber spinner, carbon fiber main wing tube, carbon fiber tube for the horizontal stab, carbon fiber control horns, carbon fiber landing gear, hardware package with real ball-links and a carbon fiber tail wheel. I realize it’s more expensive, but you do get a lot of nice extras with it.
The REVOLVER...........yeah......it's one of my favorites. Mine is powered with an O.S. 1.20AX using a Bisson Pitts style muffler.
Joe M.
10-21-2014, 03:24 PM
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Don’t know if you checked out the Troy Built video, but their version is available in two different color variations, has real rubber tires with aluminum mag wheels.
It also has a lot of carbon fiber including a carbon fiber spinner, carbon fiber main wing tube, carbon fiber tube for the horizontal stab, carbon fiber control horns, carbon fiber landing gear, hardware package with real ball-links and a carbon fiber tail wheel. I realize it’s more expensive, but you do get a lot of nice extras with it
It also has a lot of carbon fiber including a carbon fiber spinner, carbon fiber main wing tube, carbon fiber tube for the horizontal stab, carbon fiber control horns, carbon fiber landing gear, hardware package with real ball-links and a carbon fiber tail wheel. I realize it’s more expensive, but you do get a lot of nice extras with it
10-29-2014, 04:56 PM
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Ive got he tbm on the work bench. To me its a nice plane but has some minor issues.
Check out my thread here on rcu.
It was a toss up between the phoenix and tbm sbach and i choose the tbm, which is made for the dle 20 and is lighter as well.
Dont mean to hijack, just looking to share some info.
Check out my thread here on rcu.
It was a toss up between the phoenix and tbm sbach and i choose the tbm, which is made for the dle 20 and is lighter as well.
Dont mean to hijack, just looking to share some info.