whatwind

My Feedback: (1)

sorry about the delay on reaponding. How far along are you? If you are at the point where you canI would sugest using a 3/8 to 1/4 inch plywood in the wings so you can use a larger bind nut and screw and be sure to seat them down good with epoxy this was the weakest point on mine

bgfireman

My Feedback: (13)

I have not gotten far enoug to cover it yet. So I quess that I could go bakd and make any chnges that should be to make it better. Let me know what ones you would make if you were building one now. Since you alraey have. I plan on putting a crcc 26I on it for power.
Thanks
Alan

whatwind

My Feedback: (1)

I don't know if you are puting in top ails or not but that realy helps the roll rate If you have already installed the bind nuts you can epoxy a second plywood part as a backer to hold the nut in. you will have to tap through the wood for the 4/40 bolt. Also lube the bolt up with petroleum jelly and start it half way into the nut but try not to get any on the wing sheeting. paint the sheeting around the bolt and the n-rod hole with a good hard epoxy remove bolt and sand smooth this will help to keep the bolt and n-rod from crushing the sheeting. To give the top wing some negitave incidence I guled a 1/4 inch hard wood block to all the back bolt holes this helped her track a lot better. I going back into he rthis winter and put in steel push rods instead of wood dowls to the ele and rudderI think the dowls are bending.

bgfireman

My Feedback: (13)

I am mounting my servos in the tail. I am planning on making it a gasser and will probably need the weight in the back. I have thought about the top ailerons, but have not come up with a decesion as of yet. I have a old set of hangar 9 ailerons from a ultra stick. They are about the right size. Also I put larger ailerons on the bottom. (about 1/4 inch) Money is running low so progress is very slow. Should I get bigger blind nuts of the wings or stick with 4 40 bolts?
Thanks Alan

whatwind

My Feedback: (1)

the 4/40s with the bindnuts sandwitched in and the sheeting hardened around the n struts should be fine. I think it was the sheeting compressing that caused mine to pop out.

Tango Juliet

I've been mulling around the idea of building not one, but two, identical large biplanes. I had thought of Scale initially, but quickly decided that's just too much. My idea is to build them for my girlfriend and myself and develop an airshow routine, not a 3D routine. Any thoughts on how well a pair of these aircraft will present themselves doing realistic aerobatic "Airshow" manuevers? Another choice was the Lazy Ace of similar dimensions.

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

I would say it depends on your routine. Since an alternative for you was a Lazy Ace, I would say the P90 is a great choice. With 4 ailerons it can do excellent slow aerobatics. Fast rolls, pretty tight loops, good inverted flight. Its very menuverable in a tight box. Keep in mind a lot of the mods mentioned and you should have a well trimed plane. (+1deg stab, -1 to 1 1/2deg top wing, some down and right thrust on engine) Not much room for smoke but I imagine you could put in a small tank. Maybe behind the fuel tank, gotta use a pump anyway.

I used 4-40 bolts on my wing struts with no problem.
Edwin

Tango Juliet

Hmm... What's an aerobatic airshow without smoke? I may have to go the Lazy Ace route.

prr6100

I am building a Phaeton 90 this winter, there has been a change in the plans from Balsa USA, the aileron servos, do not come with linkages, and are supposed to be located in the lower wings now. I was wondering if anyone else who built this plane has put them there or left them in the fuselage. I am also planning to have alerons on the upper wing also, thanks.

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

I put mine in the wings. Much better. Whatwind originally used a single servo and had problems. He now has two in the wings.
Edwin

prr6100

If I may ask, do you have ailerons in the upper wing as well as the lower? I am planning on a small gas engine, did you put one in your? thanks, think spring!!

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Yep! Much better roll rate. You might also consider adding about a degree or so of positive incedence in the stab. Most of the P90's Ive seen carry about 1/4"
down trim on the elevator.
Edwin

AA5BY

A small gas engine similar to the Zenoah G-20 is an excellent choice. Don't be tempted to shorten the firewall for the gasser... it will likely balance without problems. I had shortened mine for a converted weed eater engine and that worked fine but when I converted to the G-20, a good bit of weight was needed added to the nose.

As to roll rate. With the converted weedy, the roll rate was inadequate and I'd wished for dual ailerons. After changing to the much better performing G-20, the roll rate was adequate. If I built the plane again, I'd do the effort to add the dual ailerons, but if you choose not to with a good performing engine... don't sweat it.

Edwin has it right about the elevator trim... mine required a fair amount as well, which was reduced by shimming the upper wing for negative. Balsa USA calls for the negative to be in the lower wing but that is a little more difficult to do after the plane is finished as the wing dowel hole is fairly close to the belly. My choice if building again would be trim 1/8 off the aft wing saddle so as to go negative a couple of degrees on the lower wing. This can easily be shimmed back to neutral to dial in. If my plane were not covered with fabric and painted, I'd make this change.

prr6100

Thanks to both of you for your comments, the kit is going together well, but it is not for first time builders, I was looking at the RCS 26cc engine, but have not decided as of yet, either way it will be gas, not a big glow engine.

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Yep! Start at the beginning of this thread and you'll see a lot of advice on improvements. With all those changes, it should be a great flying bipe.
Edwin

whatwind

My Feedback: (1)

be sure and check out page 3 Charlie P found a article on wing alteration that I wish I had done Mine is still evolving. broke the fiberglass landing gear the last time.back to the landing gear that came in the kit with added suport and 5.5 dubro vintiage wheels Edwin kept joking about the foam ones looking flat At my clubs big bird I could only attend on friday and I burned nearly a gallon through that 120. the best day of flying all summer.
Two servos one in each wing halfis a must.

dutchy50

G`day everyone
Where in the Phaeton 90 do most builders intstall the aileron servo. Am using a single servo for Ailerons and am only installing Ailerons on bottom wing. Are there any photos showing the installation in the bottom wing?
Also how much ventilation is needed in the cowl, am using the OS 120111 pumped engine, not sure what size prop is neede for this setup either?
Regards
dutchy50

Therapy

Hi All. I thought about starting a new thread but this one had SO MUCH good info I would like to revive it with a new Phaeton 90 build. If Moderators would rather a new thread, please feels free to break it off as such.

I am building a P90 and bashing the heck out of it. Also doing many mods as suggested and going electric.

My plans are a fun scale Curtiss F6C hawk as its slab sides lends itself nicely.
Increasing rudder area. (again the F6C lends nicely)
Smoothed and rounded horizontal stab.
LIGHTENING tail area!
+1 incidence on the horizontal stab.
-1 to 1 1/2 on the upper wing incidence.
Possible thinning the upper wing.
Upper and lower ailerons.
Losing the slab sides and top aft of the cockpit.
(trying to figure out how to lower engine thrust line to accommodate centering the dummy radial engine)
E-Flite 110 or 160 on 8s.

I have started this build a month ago (slowly) and will trickle in pics for discussion.

Let the fun begin.

Therapy

First side in the sticks. I will lay the other on top after laying out wax paper on it. I have drilled some lightening holes in the light ply backing as it seems overkill. (I may chew out more) There is also a 1/8 sheeting that goes over the top after. I think you could stand on this thing when done without worry. I also built in a change of one degree positive incidence in the horizontal stab. After reading, many people suggested 1 degree positive although plans call for zero.

Therapy

For those of you familiar with building, I apologize as I document (seemingly) every cut of wood. Onward... Here I finished the sheeting of the the main part of fuselage inside and out.

Therapy

Here I cut lightening holes in sheeting aft as this plane tends to be tail heavy. Its not much, but I chop where I can. It adds up.

Therapy

Well, I guess the days of actually building something is over. No interest.

AA5BY

Tom... building interest has diminished but is not gone. You are proof. Enjoy.

paulrcpilot-RCU

My Feedback: (32)

Tom there may be more folks watching than you know. I have been following your thread the Phaeton 90 has lots of appeal. Please keep posting. Paul

Therapy

Ok then!

Next it was time to add firewall and a couple of formers.



And glue it all together.