I've just finished this 50's Keil Kraft Phantom Mite. 16" span, DC Merlin 049 diesel powered. Just a bit of fun, and helps use up some of the scrap balsa stockpile................John

Nice!!!

Looks like a lot of fun.

Phil

Looks great John. Will be waiting for flight report.
Lee TGD

Now that's CLASSY!!! Alot of guys don't understand why some one would build something like that but man, what fun!!

Randy

Thanks guys for your encouragement. I'm honoured. Some of the older designs need to be kept alive and flying. Thats a part of the hobby I really enjoy............John

I'm over 60 now and I remember when I was a kid, that buying a Phantom Mite kit was one of my greatest ambitions! - sadly this was never realised.
Now, after seeing this it's all come flooding back.
Where did you get the kit? or did you just build it from plans?
I would be quite interested in obtaining some (plans) if you or someone could just point me in the right direction. - thanks.

Willdo, there is a set of plans for the Phantom Mite on the Barton web site for sale.
Lee TGD

Well, Phantom racing seems to be very popular in England. Anyone for Phantom Mite racing?

Willdo, check your PM's...........John

Nice little airplanes! When first marketed I had a youngster approach me; wanted to build a C/L model, I advised a 'Mite' and an ED Bee. He purchased both, made quite a good job of the model and then asked if I'd help him fly it. Lines out, engine checked . .then he suggested I fly it first so that he'd know it was OK and that if then dorked it.. it was his fault and not the airplane.

Took off, flew the tank out, greased it in; perfect. He flew it a couple of times, some minor damage but it flew many times after repair.. and he went on to become a very proficient pilot. About 55 years later I broke down and admitted to him that the check flight I'd made was the first-ever C/L flight for this F/F'er .........

Nice little airplanes!

Thanks for the help guys, - wouldn't have believed that I'd be interested in control line again! but that simple little plane has some sort of appeal that has stirred up something from my past, - you know, like that nice girl you dumped years ago, and you think " what the h--l was I thinking" - ( maybe I'm losing it?).

I was doing some flying this A.M. and my pal took some snaps of the Phantom Mite, thought I'd share 'em with you........John

Wow! That brings back memories!

I had a few of those, powered by my DC Super Merlin (same as the Merlin, but with an anodised cylinder and a fuel tank bolted on the back). I well remember having to carve and sand the wing to shape from a piece of stock sheeting.

-David C.

Hi David, its a nostalagia trip for sure! I flew 3 planes this morning, all diesel powered. Someone should make an after shave called Diesel, beautiful aroma. Sanding wings these days is a breeze with power tools.........John

Ah diesels!

In the 60's I had a Rivers Silver Arrow (3.5 cc) 4 Oliver Tigers (used in combat control line) AM 2.5 (with a black cylinder) Super Merlin, and flew planes like the Keil Kraft Marquis stunt model, Firebird, and dozens (literally in the end!) of combat models designed by club members.

Neil Tidey (who now is the owner of Laser engines) was the best in our club at combat, and, among other club members, designed some of the most successful planes in combat. Razor Blade, Flingel Bunt come to mind, all using highly tuned Oliver Tigers.

-David C.

I am familiar with all those planes, I built a Marquis ( lovely looking design ) about a year back, it died a heroe's death. What C/L'ers are you flying these days?......John

Hey, i has plan of Keil Kraft Phantom and the engine at the plane are 1-1.5 cc diesel. I copied the plan from the book "Control Line Manual" by R.G. Moulton who i won in EB..Y in last week.

I begin to build the Phantom, and i has unused and NIB ED Bee MK.1 serie 2 showed as in the plan.

The plane can make wing over and loop..

Here are the pic with plan. Hope it is possible to resize plan with Isiplot.. Wing span shall be 21" with Isiplot, resize with "Caliber Raster" from wingtip to center of wing,then hit 10.5". All are ready to print in right size.

I think I prefer the original Phantom - different nose length, stubbier wings, open cockpit and mainly planked fuselage construction.

There are a few different sized versions of the Phantom kitted by Keil Kraft. I've built the Mite DC Merlin, the full size phantom using PAW 1.5, and I have a plan for a biplane version called the Scout. Good luck with the project Motor boy.............John

Vauxhall, i can see your plane has cowling over the nose and fastened with screws, are the material made of thinn aluminiumsheet or thinn steelsheet?

I think it is better with sheet over the nose instead build up balsablock over the nose and make difficult to take out the engine for cleaning..

Jens Eirik

The top cowl is made from thin aluminium from a drink can. Lighter than the wood version, doesn't cost anything after I had the pleasure of emptying the (beer) can. As you said it's attached by 4 small screws and goes back past the fuel tank. I did the same thing on my 22" span Phantom. Here's the Phantom Mite with the cowling removed showing the semi circular fuel tank and the DC Merlin...........John

Smart solvent!

Jens Eirik

Hi Jens, maybe you mean "Smart solution"?. I'm looking forward to seeing some pictures of your Phantom being built.......John

OOPSS, thanks, you corrected my bad english word.. i has maked wing, stabilisator, aileron, fuselage, landing gear. Not long time nil the plane are ready..

Jens Eirik

Your English is fine Jens. You're smarter than me, I don't know any Norweigan words!...........John