Am tempted to go for a Phase 6

[Alan Cantwell]

go for the glue job, and a box of wood and foam wing, and do it this way,

4 servo wing,

glass the fuzz, flim the wing, but FIRST, stain the fuzz with light wood stain, trust me, it looks superb, the P6 has an achilles heel that most are aware of, where the fuzz joins, around the wing mount area, it breaks, line this section with ply, tapered off to distribute the loads, the proffesional wing is the poorest of the 2, i also mounted a 6mm ply plate innthe fuzz, with 2 6mm captive T nuts in the underside, this was to faciliate ballast--in the form of sheets of mild steel plate!! i have flown mine in a gale at over 9lbs, loved it, right up to the last arrival

 

but there is a better one, the Phase 5 used to be available as a plan from Mr Foss (all bow at the hallowed name) mine has a blue foam wing, and is bullet proof

[Gary Binnie]

The Phase 5 plan is currently available from Chris: Phase 5

 

It's in my queue to build but slowly slipping down!

 

[Fly_Boy_Rez]

Ahhh the Phase 6... Still got mine (sorry for the quality of the photos, light was v poor that day!

 

Mine is the non-symmetrical wing version... I guess that makes it the Sport?

 

Flies lovely and is a great backup aircraft to have to hand for when the conditions aren't right for PSS.

 

Rez

[Peewhit]

Hey Dan, go for it.

 

My last three projects have been mouldie fit outs.

 

The mouldies fly very well indeed. I now want something to build.

 

Leeds Model Shop have four at 80 notes each, and I only need one.

 

Could do a joint build blog.

 

Glassing and fus reinforcement are definitely on the agenda, as is four servo wing.

 

Now, what servos to use in the wing?

 

Thinking about HS 5125s.

[Peewhit]

You'll never guess where I've been today

 

 

Lots of bits and they smell beautiful

 

Interestingly, the wings now come with square cut outs for wing mounted aileron servos and you get aileron horns and wire pushrods. No servo covers though.

 

Shame, as I was really looking forward to bending that thick bit of wire which previously drove the ailerons

Retro sloping here we come

 

[ken anderson.]

well done pete...keep us posted....with the build...there must still be some dosh knocking around somewhere.........

 

ken anderson ne....1.

[Peewhit]

Have read the instructions a couple of times and think I know how it all goes together - not too dissimilar from the good old Middle Phase.

Even understand what a datum line is.

 

Before I start I have two questions for you Phase 6 experts.

 

Do I locate the fin post right to the bottom of the fus, or do I "extend" the bottom formers and butt the fin post onto them?

 

There is a hole in each side of the rear fus just below the tailplane location.

What are these holes for?

[r6dan]

Rudder and elevator snakes?

[Phil Cooke]

The elevator uses a neat internal actuator horn, mounted in the fus on the centreline - the holes in the fus walls allow you access to the metal clevis to attach it to the push rod - it all gets a bit streamlined back there and this is a neat solution. Holes are covered over when all fitted out.

[Gary Binnie]

Here's a photo showing the back end. It looks like the lower stock goes all the way to the end but the upper stock stops short for the fin post.

 

I covered the holes with tissue and dope. I read that someone had the solder fail on the elevator link, mine was sound, might be worth a 'wiggle' to make sure (and don't forget to feed it through the slot before the tailplane!).

 

For the elevator pushrod I used a 4 mm carbon rod with a 2 mm inside diameter, epoxied short lengths of the supplied threaded rod into the ends.

 

Chris suggests to cut holes for the rudder pull-pull after the fuselage is built, I added them while the sides were still separate and added short lengths of plastic tube for lead outs.

 

Has Chris updated the instructions for separate aileron servos? Good move that.

 

[Peewhit]

Thank you gentlemen - all clarified nicely.

 

Not a snake in site for this beast.

I plan to use the pull, pull closed loop for the rudder, and have already bought a piece of carbon tube for the elevator pushrod.

 

The "updated" instructions are an additional A5 size sheet which gives details for the wing mounted aileron servos and is dated September 2010.

[Gary Binnie]

Should be done by the weekend then?!!!

 

I had a couple of minor problems during the build, the left and right wing roots were slightly different profiles which caused a 'bump' on joining and I struggled to get a nice fit on the upper wing fairing and the wing seat. There is a note about using car body filler for that if I remember correctly!!

 

I sanded the trailing edge balsa strip to profile before the torque rod blocks were fitted and ended up with a nasty step, same at the aileron hinge line (should have sanded them taped together). I was following the instructions in my defence!

 

Is there a hole bored in the foam for the aileron servo cables now? Was thinking of getting another one and building it lighter (no glass) , mine weighs 52 oz where Chris said the original was 42 oz.

 

GB

[Peewhit]

Thanks for that Gary.

 

I have read your excellent thread and made some notes.

 

Hope you don't mind if I "borrow" a few of your ideas.

 

There are no holes in the foam for wiring.

CF suggests either running the wires to the leading edge and then along the leading edge in the foam before adding the front edging, or carving through the veneer and filling in with balsa.

I haven't investigated the wing too much yet and am considering making a small hole straight through the foam from the wing mid point to the servos.

Need to do this before I join the wing halves.

I would solder join the extensions to the servo wires so the holes only have to be big enough for the wire as servo plugs will not be needed.

A piece of metal tube with the end filed sharp should cut out a small core of foam nicely.

 

Think I will use standard servo wire, as opposed to extension leads, and green multiplex connectors which will cope with two servos per wing.

 

Getting excited as I have unburied the building board and deprived it of paint splashes and splodges of various types of glue.........................................

Edited By Peewhit on 17/02/2011 17:24:18

[Gary Binnie]

Borrow away! I don't think I did anything radical.

 

Crack on!!

[Peewhit]

Well a wet day with no outside jobs possible and the ideal excuse (I mean opportunity) to start the Phase 6.

 

I've gone and done it now because it won't fit back in the box.

 

Fus sides glued, longerons, uprights for formers and ply doublers for wing mount on.

I even managed to make one left side and one right one.

 

This is the front bit where the bottom longerons are 3/8" hardwood and need to be curved.

I did slot them as per the instructions then used thin CA and glued on about 2" at a time, starting at the front. I used the same method for the other longerons which are 1/4" balsa and bend more easily. It worked well with no more slotting needed.

The slots in the hardwood longerons were filled with Aliphatic Resin which Mr Foss says not to use.

 

The area at the rear of the wing is a weak spot and needs some reinforcement.

 

A nice long chunk of 1/8" plywood epoxied onto the inside.

The offcut from the ply wing mount double sheet is just the right size.

 

It is easier at this stage to drill the exit holes for the closed loop rudder cables and line them with some plastic tubing. Thanks to Gary for that tip.

 

A bit of electrical cable sheathing does the job nicely, and you get a choice of red or black.

[r6dan]

Nice one, keep those photos coming

[Peewhit]

Have you bought one yet then Dan

[r6dan]

No...I have to get a webbit....

Maybe next month though

[Gary Binnie]

Looking good, don't forget to fill the space above the 'pro' wing seat with balsa, you can use the sheet that the bits came out of to draw the shape (if you haven't already).

 

One mod I did was to put a brace between the sides at the wing seat as it was squeezable just where you hold it for launching, with no servo there you could use something a bit bigger than I did if you wanted to.

 

Keep going!

 

GB

[Peewhit]

Have managed to do a bit more

 

The first side glued to the top with former and ..............wing spreader plate instead of fus ply plate in position.

Was looking for a piece which is 1/8" ply and glued in the wrong bit, and being epoxied in it took a bit of digging out.

 

The fus ply plate is actually two pieces of 1/16" ply which presumably need to be glued together, only the instructions do not tell you that.

 

Have also filled in the professional wing spaces and will shape to the sport wing profile when the wing is done.

 

The second side clamped on and pinned from the top.

 

The formers are epoxied and the top is stuck on with aliphatic resin.

 

And a piece of 1/4" balsa loosely clamped at the tail in order to space it correctly to take the fin post.

 

The former with centre line marked on.

 

And the correct ply plate of 2 x 1/16" pieces which has the front edge wider than the back one.

 

Now waiting for glass cloth, resin and servo wire to arrive

Edited By Peewhit on 22/02/2011 12:34:51

[Tony Smith 7]

Keep them coming, please. I'll have one some day .... might be a bit of a handful for me, though.

[Peewhit]

It has been a while.

Day job, family wedding, arrival of new baby granddaughter and the dreaded gardening do not help the building process.

 

I have managed to get out on the slope though

 

In the meantime, all the bits needed for completion have arrived.

I decided to compromise a bit on the wing servos and am using Hitec HS-85MG together with a trusty Spektrum AR6200 receiver.

 

So, to make a start on the wings, and the first job is to connect up the electronics and make sure that the servo horns are level.

 

These are the flap servos and the horns are raked slightly to give more down movement for crow braking than up.

On the aileron servos, both horns are vertical.

 

The "built in" aileron servo pocket needed adapting slightly

 

And the flap servo pocket needs to be created from scratch.

I would like the control horns to be in the centre of the flaps which gives a horn position of 7" from the wing mid point.

 

This is the position for the flap servo marked out on the wing and a depth stop taken from the preformed aileron servo pocket.

 

Take off the veneer and mark the required depth on the scalpel blade.

I cut into the foam around the edge first and made a square matrix of cuts across the middle.

 

Then I scraped out the foam, furkled the little bits and both servos fit in the wing.

 

 

[Peewhit]

Next, the servo wiring in the wing

 

The wiring will run straight from the centre of the wing to the trailing edge side of the pockets where the wires from the servos emerge.

 

The tool used is a straight piece of wire ground to a point on one end.

I heated it slightly on the gas hob and just pushed it through the middle of the wing.

It melts the foam beautifully

 

The wire coming out at the aileron servo pocket

 

And at the root of the wing.

One further wire will be needed for the flap servos

 

Thought I would stick on the leading and trailing edge pieces whilst I was at it

 

I used aliphatic resin for this - sorry Mr. Foss - you do say not to use it, but it does sand down nicely.

 

[andy harrold]

Flew mine today at Burrough Hill.

Had a great day.

 

Is yours still collecting dust Mr. Binnie!!!!

or are you coming out flying sometime before Autumn.?

 

andy

[Gary Binnie]

Charging the P6 at this very moment!!