Phencepost
 

hi guys!!!

I'm currently building a phencepost, or, as my wife calls it "the ugliest thing in the sky". I want to read of any tricks, tips, and warnings about this thing. What have you guys covered it with? how does it fly?? I have an OS 25 FP, is that enough power? Any help would be appreciated.

Tom

RE: Phencepost
 

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...t/MVC-034F.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...t/MVC-035F.jpg

Here are a couple shots of the fencepost avenger. I made the tail group as one piece, split the post on a table saw and inserted the tail. Flying stab holds the tail in along with a notch in the front and a zip tie. The wing holders are full wrap and custom made by mike fredricks along with the engine mounts. everything else is pretty self explanitory. I use the same fuse for ssc and B.

www.hattrickrc.com is mikes website i believe.

RE: Phencepost
 

My club was recently infused with 5 of these planes from hattrickrc. We rig them with 25 sized engines. Mine is the only only flown so far. It is wonderful lighter than any other combat at the field. Everyone was most impressed with the deadstick glide and the turn radius. I was flying with battled hardened veterans so I had a great advantage: those repairs always add weight.

The 25 builds differentt then that SSC by the pictures. There is not a landing skid, the fuselage is flipped, wide across narrow top to bottom. The engine sits upright and servos battery etc., need to be rearward to obtain balance without adding weight. The fin bolts to one side of fuse and the stab to the bottom. Small Berg receiver fits inside as does a 2/3AAA NiMH. Good protection for these expensive parts. My wing is fiberglassed. Using HS81 in throttle and elevator and 3003 in the aileron. I noted a couple mistakes in instructions from previous models i.e. there is not balsa trailing edge.

We have a funfly these weekend so many of these should be in the air. I'll post back with a "battle review"

These are super flying planes and the least expensive combat kit on the market. We brought five kits and with shipping it was $210, only $42 a kit. A great flyer and a great price that is very difficult to beat. If the man had a decent looking website he'd get alot more sales. I give the phencepost my unqualified recommendation.

Scott

RE: Phencepost
 

We had a nice funfly with five rounds of B class combat with up to 6 planes.

Three phenceposts were in the air against Lanier Rippers and Slashers. THe phencepost did well, easily outclassing them. One mid air with both planes surviving. This is a great combat plane. We managed to end the day with mine as the only injury. Got disorientated and went straight in at full throttle. Managed to straddle two sweet potatoe rows. Only a busted prop and a couple small cracks in the fiberglass wing. Easily repaired.
You won't be disappointed with this kit.

Scott

RE: Phencepost
 

badger,

did you glass the entire wing?? I'm planning on doing the middle with 2" glass and thinned epoxy? If you did the whole wing, did you use resin or epoxy? I picked up a 370mA RX battery, hoping it'll give me a few good flights per charge. 2 mini servos (hitec BB), and a full size for the ailerons.
I'm actually starting to look forward to flying this thing. I think I'll name it "Looks aren't Everything". LOL

Thanks for the info, glad you enjoy flying yours.

RE: Phencepost
 

Try this link. It is a variation on the phencepost used in Georgia. It is the Georgia Gorilla... http://www.georgiacombat.com/Georgia...longIndex.html

RE: Phencepost
 

Avenger Phencepost ???? thats interesting.

RE: Phencepost
 

Fiberglassed the whole thing in 1.5 oz fiberglass with the center 18" getting two layers. I used EZ-Lam from aerospace composite products (on the web). Must use epoxy resin polyester resins will melt the foam. If your resin has a powerful stink it is going to melt your wing. Get some laminating resin or sometimes called epoxy finish resin. It is thinner and easier to apply and scrape off. The fiberglass gives a smoother finish for better aerodynamics, a stiffer stronger wing and I think a lighter wing compared to bi directional tape. However its impact resistance is less, the glass and epoxy does not give much. The bi di tape wing oftens survives dirt naps and mid airs by giving a little. Just a matter of preference, most people tape their wings. I run two flights on my little 370 mah pack. I think I'll slap it into cycler at see what is left after two flights. Let you know tommorrow if a third flight was left in the pack.

RE: Phencepost
 

I would be interested on the finished flying weight ???
For either bird for SSC or Open B.


Frank
http://airscharnell.com/

RE: Phencepost
 

My sscs have been coming in at 2-8 to 2-11 depending on the gear and using the heavy 40# cores. very little bi-di. Opens with os .25s i can get down to 2-14 I think was the light ones, on my limited I went to full size gear and batteries and still had to add 2 oz to make the 2-4 weight.

I sent pics and info to AJ when I was working them out, they were set up so I could swap engine mounts to use in ssc and b, like the b-2 setup is now.

Sean

RE: Phencepost
 

My cycler showed 168 mah left of 370. So I'm using 101 mah per flight. Three flights are possible with the little pack. That great for me as generally that is all we can get do on a typical weekend. I had been quick charging for the third flight.

I have know idea of the weight. I do not have a scale.

RE: Phencepost
 

I weighed just the fuse as pictured with the .15, servos, tank... 1 pound 2 oz.. there is an argument for using the 24# cores and more tape and larger servos but i think the 40# foam is worth its weight in durability and time savings.

RE: Phencepost
 

Capn,
Ive got 2 original B2, SSC wings which after 2 years of flying have done well.
But you are correct on the 40# wings.
I had too switch them over too OPEN B birds for this week-end. Just a little flex in the wings at high speeds.
Thanks for the info, will be doing some R&D on some wings this winter when the season is finished.

Frank S.

RE: Phencepost
 

I'd be happy to send you one of the post fuses to play with after the event this weekend is over. Not very hi-tech but they are cheap and durable.

Sean

RE: Phencepost
 

Sean,
Sounds good, iv'e got alot of testing too do.
Im testing some wings this week-end in Fort Worth.
If they fly good at 5800 ft elev, Im really hoping they do better down there.

Something NEW for next year.......
You can Email me at the shop........
[email protected]

Frank

RE: Phencepost
 

In your research Frank you might look at recommending a tether system for engines. At the last Hell over Hillside meet there were two engines lost in the weeds. I don't recall if any were true Avengers or Phenceposts designs. I forgot about engine tethers when I went to the twin "U" channel "Battle Axe" fuselage for a motor mount. I'm building three of Mike's Zeros now and will put tethers on those engines.

RE: Phencepost
 

Turns out both of the planes that lost engines were victims of midairs with my post Bob, one of Dons foam scale planes and one of Scotts old pihranna style planes.

RE: Phencepost
 

I've used a tether system for years and it works great- unless you midair with Captain America!!! The system I use ties the engine (using braided steel cable) to the wing with an elastic shock cord in between. Most times, if the engine mount breaks, the steel cable retains it so you don't have to find it in the weeds. And if the wing is sheared off, it "deploys" like a parachute, with the fuse hanging by the shock cord, and the whole thing dangles to earth, avoiding the dreaded "lawn dart." It's worked great several times. Unfortunately the last HoH was not one of them, as the impact was so violent that the part where the engine retaining cable was attached was broken clean off, and the engine was ejected into the weeds, where it presumably still resides. For all the times that tether system has AVOIDED such an outcome, though, it's still been worth it as it has saved me an engine search several times.

RE: Phencepost
 

I'm going out to the field again tonight Scott, I will keep looking for the missing engines.

RE: Phencepost
 

Looks like there's a market for flourescant-orange-annozdized .15's :D

RE: Phencepost
 

We only flew 25's at the event Alex.;)