OK...I got the Pheonix Giles on sale at Tower for $85.
I finally got it together and flew it...I thought I'd share what I learned and a few pics.

BUILDING:
Hits: GREAT looking model...covering a first class job...cowl color matched perfectly
Installed pilot and canopy is excellent
Wing halves went together perfectly, fit in wing saddle perfectly.
Very easy and quick to build....engine mount already installed
Very sturdy fiberglass cowl and fiberglass wheel pants.
CG balanced easily with battery in accessable place

Misses: Awkward tail wheel assembly...replaced it with sullivan
(I used the little triangle for the tail wheel to fill the hole behind the stabilizer instead)
It used four HEAVY bolts to hold the two piece landing gear (bulky, heavy)
Used heavy screws for the cowl, etc
The aluminum engine mount seemed heavy...I may replace with a fiberglass one
Ditched the fuel tank for a sullivan
Pushrod assembly a little awkward, but works fine

FLYING:
Hits: Snaps rolls, stunts, all the moves very well
Builds up to very fast speed
Comes in pretty quick for landing, bleeds off altitude well
Looks absolutely fabulous on the tarmac and in the air!
No snaps or stall tendancies! Have to slow almost to a stop with full up elevator
to coax a stall...falls gently to the right

Misses: Seems a bit heavy (used a 11x6 instead of a 12x6 prop, the smaller prop "woke up"
the airplane and made it sing!)
Hard to hold a knife edge...requires a bit of rudder input for loops, requires a fair
amount of down elvator for inverted flight
Needs a significant amount of right and down thrust adjustment to the engine mount...
Once this is done, should resolve some of the issues above

I'm using an Irvine .53 with a header exention...the extension was to help the larger muffler clear the bottom of the fuselage...made the muffler appear to hang slightly lower, but still looks very nice. You can see in one of the pictures that I cut a significant amount of cowl away to let airflow escape...NO PROBLEMS with overheating.

The Irvine .53 was more than enough for the GP Venus I had...I used a 12x6 prop for large graceful, pattern like moves. The heavier Phoenix seemed to load this combo, so I switched to a 11x6 prop and was VERY happy with the zing this model flies with...not unlimited, but VERY authoritative.

I'm getting used to the Giles...I liked my Venus much better because it was lighter and stayed in the pattern with little effort. However, my Giles improved a little after I adjusted the right and down thrust. I'll adjust it a little more and report. A friend tells me the Giles is designed for different flying than the Venus and for me to be patient and learn to fly the Giles the way it's desinged to fly.

OVERALL: Perfect model to bang around the sky. Very well worth the $85! Outstanding ease in building, quality, and looks. This plane would easily be worth the $129 regular price.

If someone wants to practice pattern-like moves, then spend the extra $$ and get the Venus.

I hear Phoenix has a pattern plane called the Atlantis...anyone know where to find pictures of it?

Some pics...

Does look really good on the ground there. Can't wait to get mine together... got in on the same sale. I've been enjoying the Sukhoi that I got at the same time first... another great plane.

-Steve

I added a little more right thrust and this model has really come alive!
It's really pretty amazing the quality considering the price.

However, I bought it on impulse when they were on sale. I was just learning pattern
moves vs. aerobatic stunts. I usually only keep one .40 sized model. So, I plan to put this one up for sale here on RCUniverse to make room for a tai ji or something similar.