I had a Phantom more years ago than I want to admit to and when I saw the other thread about this sweet little aeroplane I couldn't help myself from doing one. A while back one of our brethren kindly sent me a plan of a Phantom Mite... and another sent me a copy of the original Phantom with templates. Well I have mixed the two, and added a few of my ideas so as it's not made out of so many "Planks" ... A hybrid if you will.
This one's fuselage is mostly made from 3/32 balsa and some ply for the U/C sandwich. In fact I am able to get every thing needed from one sheet of 4" x 36" and have plenty to spare.
The wing is 1/4 sheet with a piece of spruce as a 'spar' between the front 1 1/2' and the back 3" giving a cord of 4 & 9/16. The span is 500mm, hence the name Phantom 500
This one , the proto-type, I am building for a Sure Start but I'm designing for the possibility of using many different power plants ranging from the basic Cox (Sure Start, Killer Bee or the Cox 049 Reedie that you can put together out of parts in the forgotten draw) or the TD 049 and 09 along with a "Mighty " Merlin or what ever you have laying around in this general category.
As I go along I am going to have questions as this is the first C/L model I've built for quite a while. 15 years or so.

The first one is about bellcrank size. I have a Perfect #222. Is it too big at 2"? I like this one as it has a bushing but should I use a smaller unit?
#2... Lead out guide material and position?
#3...How much tip wieght?
#4....U/C wire size... .074 or .093. recomendation on which wheels to use.
#5....Tank size. I have old Perfect #20's, 3/4 oz wedge tanks and a new Brodak #520, which I am leaning towards. Comments, Please.

Thats coming together nicely Steve, not much left to do ! The 2" bellcrank will be OK if the fuse. is wide enough for full travel, if not make one that fits. The leadouts should be as light as you think wise ( small model, small engine not too much line pull ), ditto the U/C, I used 1 1/2" foam tyred wheels to save some weight. My Merlin P.M. has a heavy gauge 8 mm washer epoxied under the stb. wing tip, while the full size Phantom uses a 20c. coin. I found that a narrow bladed 7x6 MA cut down to 6" the best prop for the Merlin on 35" lines. Tried 6x3's etc., but they didn't give enough forward speed for good line tension with the little diesel. Mount the tank centre line same height as the NVA. Just my findings with my Phantoms, hope this is of some help......John

A litlle progress on the Phantom...I have stitched the elevator, put on the nose ring, front bottom and top rear block. The Sure Start can be taken in and out too.
Have to decide on engine / top / tank access. Thinking carved block balsa and magnets.. I would have used a beer can if I had seen the Aeromodeller article that Vauxhall kindly sent me.

Pics added.

Did a little bit more today....Put in some magnet pieces and rough shaped the top of the nose.
I modified a Sure Start B/plate with a TD venturi over the W/end. I may put this on a Black Widow with SPI for the Phantom.

More Progress... Modified the Brodak 520, 3/4 oz tank to have the f/feed come out the side instead of top and elongated the filler tubes.
shaped the top fron block around the Sure Start

Nice job Steve, the carved cowling looks great. I can't wait to see how it turns out!.....John

Back from vacation and had a chance to work on the model yesterday.
It's now ready for painting... But before that I want to reinforce the L/E...any suggestions and what paint?

Hi Skaliwag, been away on hols. again myself. I like like bright colours on small ( all ) models, my Phantom Mite is bright orange, the Phantom red / yellow. Also like yellow with black trim Cub style.
As for the L/E, I've never had a problem built as per plan. Some of the racing Phantoms have thin ply inlaid on the L/E........John

Looking good. What about yellow and blue ? Orange and blue also looks nice.


Luke.

How about Hot Pink and Black trim or Cream with Maroon trim.

I have started to use Nelson Hobbies paints, use water as thinner and with their cross linker is nitro proof to 20% or so.

Another I like is Klasskot epoxy paints, absolutely nitro proof, a bit more $$ and relatively odour free.

Failing that you could always fall back on old stinky dope, Sig or Brodak.

I like the design of that plane. I may have to consider something in a .15 size. I have been messing about with a couple of 1/2a size control line planes this summer (a return to cl from nearly 20 years ago). The 1/2a's are OK but the .15 size have a bit more presence; I have a Brodak Flying Clown on the building board now.

Can't wait to see finished pic's.

cheers, Graham in Embrun near Ottawa Canada.

Hi S.A.,

That's a nice looking little 1/2A CL plane. I reitroduced myself to CL this summer with a Deweybird and Skyray and had an absolute blast. Be carefull with that 3/4 oz tank, I've been using a 1/4 oz perfect tanks with Surestarts and it seems like they run forever. Keep the pics comming.

Rrragman

I have a wide range of engines sizes to play with, but the most bang for the bucks comes from my 049s.
That's all I seem to play with these days. Not that I mind

Luke.

Phantom gets it's first coat. Perfect Paint Orange... Very Original!!!!! Might give it the Culver Drone Look.
http://www.shanaberger.com/PQ-14.htm