The Hangar 9 10cc Ultra Stick has her balanced prop on and is ready to go!
Got the cowl on the Phoenix Spitfire, and checked her CG: SPOT ON no changes necessary!
Looking good. I am ready to give this, my third Phoenix Spitfire a run for my money. I have had two previous ones perish on maidens. The first when I clipped a tree coming out of an intended stall, the second when she stalled on takeoff and torqued into the firmament. I have no doubt this one is the one.
The Phoenix Waco is one of my absolutely favorite planes to fly. For that reason I didn't rush to program her into the Spektrum iX12, which is a good thing considering how it misbehaved recently. It hangs in a special prominent ceiling corner of my basement shop where I can gaze upon it in love and admiration. Since the iX12 is in the shop, and I haven't removed any of the aircraft from my DX8, I decided to go ahead and set up the Waco for the season. Its very late this year... but conditions have not been favorable for flying this summer with remarkably windy days, even for a big girl like the Waco. Today is clam but with frequent gusts to 20-25 mph... typical this year.
Last year
She had an Orange stabilization system that functioned quite well, but since I am moving away from Orange electronics, and have a Hobby Eagle A3-L V2 stabilization system on hand, I decided to replace it and give the A3 a try. Here it is, installed on a platform for it, that also keeps the battery pack and the gas tank in place. The foam covers up a rat's nest of wiring, but the wiring for the A3 is quite simple and basically what it is on all of these. None that I have had do dual ailerons, though the failed Spektrum Alpha6 was supposed to it never did. Now I had planned on using this on the 10cc Spitfire, but the instructions clearly state its not for gas engines. I don't think any of the stabilization are, technically, but they work quite well. She seemed to have no problems during engine run up tests.
The system allows on board button/LED adjustments to all of its settings, and is easy to use. I set up the Flight Mode 3 way switch through AUX1 to allow me to dynamically and remotely switch modes from ON to OFF to 3D (this mode holds the planes last attitude when activated, like a knife edge). I will let you know how it works out, but I have high expectations and plan to put one on the Spitty too.
I pulled the tank to change the clunk line from Tygothane (which was quite supple still) to Vygon, as I am doing with all of my gassers, expecting that to last a few years. The original lines are the yellow Tygon, which if not stiff on the external fuel lines I leave alone. I check them otherwise once a year. The NiMH battery packs for ignition and receiver I replaced with a 2S 2200 mAh LiPO with a dual Futaba plug line off an EC3 on the battery. Nice. I do charge these in the plane, being low voltage and amperage, at 1C, so its kinda buried, alongside the tank, port side under that middle platform. The wheel pants needed a touch up, and I had broken the attachment to the right one when I hung the plane up and almost dropped it last fall. Fixed it, repainted both of the pants, and reinstalled. I peeled all the cote and tape off around the junction of the gear gaiters, redid it much lighter, and painted the exhaust stain area under the fuse.
The dulcet tones of the RCGF-USA 26cc gas engine. This plane is planned for a 15cc, but the 26cc fits nicely and gives her a lot of power. There is a lot of room under that cowl, a 30cc would fit, but would be a lot for this plane.
To fit her in my car, let alone get her out of the basement, I detach the left wing. The plane does not come with supports for the wings, an idea I got from my Eflite Stearman (original). I never take the wings of the Stearman. The supports for it are too small for the Waco. I just made one out of a Amazon box.
Cleaned up, ran up, and coated with an "Armor All" knock-off, ready to go!
The box, she be opened. No ghosts or wights came out, whew....
Fuel proofing on the front inside of the fuse drying. I kinda sm stalling...
Wing one. Let the games begin.
Painting the wheel hubs white, the flap well is primed, will be painting it red.
Tip: I learned before to put the flap control horns on first, then install the flaps. To do this the servos had to go in first so I could know where the horns would go. I amusing Tactic 47s from previous models.
Wings are done! Took about 3 days, mostly due to issues getting the landing gear to work right (see below).
Red came out great! Not sure how I am going to set up the flaps... They are on a Y, so I am not sure how I will get the end points to match. I don't remember how I did them before. I am using an 8 channel receiver.
I wonder if I should leave the landing gear cover off to keep the underside of the wing flat and unobstructed? The gear is well into the wing with the changes.
Once again putting the non-stock servoless retracts on took a lot af work, trial and improvements on first takes. I haven't done them quite the same on any of the three models but this approach worked the best. The issue is they are full 90 degree retracts, and if it binds at less than 90 retracting up, it gets stuck, won't budge, and is locked.had to remove them to let them unbind. That's how I figured out what the problem was. I had to raise the hardpoint the thickness of a popsicle stick, which I tailored two for each gear. Further I had to make a round hole in the center of the wheel well creating another 1 cm of space by allowing the head of the bolt holding the tire on to pass through and a bit under the well. Lastly I had to trim one of the gear cover support brackets so it wouldn't bind on the gear retract body. Now they work perfectly! Took some tiresome trouble shooting to figure this out, and the differnt sites causing binding.
As with the last two Spittys I had to cut the back off one of the gear cover supports so the gear could retract completely, not blocking full retract by running into the body of the retract.
My, that is a big bolt head right there... It ran into the wheel well cover before it fully retracted, causing binding. Partly relieved by raising the hardpoint, and by making a space for the bolt head in the bottom of the well,
Melted with soldering iron then Dremel sanded a hole in the center of the wheel well for the gear bolt. The underside of the wing is several mm deeper, more than enough room for the bolt. I located the spot by removing the wheel and reinstalling the volt by itself and seeing what it ran into. Made the hole there.
Taking a break. Next how to fit everything in. Using a single LiPO with a Tech-Aero UltraBEC, saving space and weight. I am going to use a Hobby Eagle 3-Axis stabilization system on it*. Not sure where that's going. The receiver is a big Spektrum AR8010T with a sat. Not sure where that's going either.
More adventure to come!
* Um, nope. Says specifically not for glow/gas aircraft. This solves another problem, lets me assign separate flap channels if I need them.
My luck with the Phoenix Spitfire has been dismal. First one nipped a tree on its maiden after luring me with its ease and beauty of flight. Took me a couple of years to get over that. The second one I killed shortly after takeoff most likely a stall, possibly related to a radio issue (yeah, I stalled it, blinking receiver light be damned). After the second one I considered myself cursed as far as Spitfires are concerned and swore to never buy/build another. Loosing one after another on maiden flights was too much for a man to bear.
Well, today I have done a thing, and I cannot undo it. I ordered another one, the same one, from Tower Hobbies, the Phoenix Models Spitfire. How can I not? I kindled two airplanes lately, so need a replacement, and this is such a beautiful machine and model! Credit is a terrible thing for an addiction... I also picked up a new pair of the servoless retracts from Hobby King I have used twice before. I like these. I have to modify the wheel wells a bit, but this time I am going to let them stick out rather than chisel down the hardpoint. I looked at using the mechanical retracts and a retract servo, but have heard nothing but trouble from these: the servo from Hitec, my favorite servo company, is a full 180 degree non-limitable servo, so not sure that would even work and it has a poor reputation. The other is a Spektrum retract servo that is adjustable, but has barely a better reputation and is NIS until next month. Screw it, went with the electric servoless ones. The other electronics and servos will come from the dead brethren.
I have two engines for it. The one that has been a pain in my ass is the Evolution 10cc, that first "flew" in the second doomed Spitty. Not comfortable putting it in the new Spitty given the recent trials I have had with it, even though it was once again running great the day of the crash; it still has the stink of the second Spitfire crash on it. The other engine is the RCGF-USA 10cc that was on the Stik. It took quite the header last week in the destruction of the Stik, so I don't know if it will even work, if the shaft isn't somehow damaged. But I think that is the one I am going with, its a better and more reliable engine, has the power, and doesn't have that torpedo muffler coming out of it.
I think too I will build it with a 14x8 Master Airscrew Scimitar blade, rather than a 3 blade, just to get things right. On the ground statically the Spitfire looks wrong with a 2 blade, but its in the air performance I want, may go to a Master Airscrew 13x8x3 later.
So I am excited and look forward to the third attempt!
Well, I did it. There was no way, psychologically, that I was going to let an entire gas and electronic set just sit there... so today I ordered another Sbach. I love this plane, but have never managed to keep one flying...
I am done with warbirds, though I looked at the Phoenix Corsair. I wanted a Corvus, but the 60" ones are all electric... It's not like ts a compromise or anything, this is an amazing plane. There aren't a lot of 10cc or 0.6 sized planes out there.
So, do I trust the Spektum AR8010T receiver? I have an inquiry in to Spektrum about that. I may use a HK Orange Reciever with stabilization. Lord knows the plane needs stablization at low speeds. Hell I may even try reprogramming one of the Alpha 6 systems if I can find it!
I am kind excited! Need to pull the parts from the rubble of the Spitfire sooner rather than later!
A storm is coming overnight tonight, the front is moving in this afternoon. The morning is warming up and the winds are calm. I figure I can get to the field, maiden the Phoenix Spitfire, and put some more time on the Pulse XT60 with her new APC 15 x 6 prop.
I arrive to find Nick Crigo and Louis Rios flying helis. Nick pretty much only flies helis, has been for 25 yrs, so he is flying the high end stuff you only see in magazine and airshows. These are his.
Nick Crigo. Nice guy, glad to have met him.
I learned that in my haste to get out, I forgot the wings for the Pulse. I don't like to start with a maiden flight of an aircraft... this isn't good.
And it wasn't good... I did maiden the Spitty, and it ended abruptly and poorly. I posted about it.
I headed back home quickly for the wings, some lunch, and decided to bring the Stik with her new 12x8x3 prop. I downsized the prop on the Sukhoi at the 13x8x3 is a lotta prop for the RCGF 10cc, but the Sukhoi didn't perform as well, so I went back to the 13x8x3 on her. I wanted to see how the Stik would do with the smaller prop. Flew about 4 tanks!
This is my favorite plane! She flies amazing, is powerful, stable, and a joy to fly! The Duck has done well. Flew several tanks and tuned the flaperon mix.
She really likes this APC prop, and yes we cut sone grass with the low clearance. She did tip stall the engine and did not break. I squeezed the soft gear together a bit, cracked the paint, but the added distance, balanced mixing on the flaperons, and a flared landing did the trick. I am planning a 3 blade 14x7x3 Master Airscrew if I can find an inexpensive aluminum spinner. That will make the clearance better. A little paint and she is better than ever.
I won't be buying another Spitfire, no matter who makes it. Second Maiden of a Phoenix Model Spitfire brought down by an odd occurrence. It is simply fate. For me, the Spitfire is cursed. I think I expected this as it did not surprise me that it crashed, and I am kinda unaffected by its demise.
I lost my first one a few years ago in an accident at the end of the maiden flight, it clipped a tree coming out of an intended stall. A year later I bought another one, same model. It sat for another year, new in box. This spring I decided to just do it, and built another beautiful airplane, this time with an Evolution 10 cc engine. This entire saga is blogged out here in earlier posts.
So today I took her out to the field in fine conditions to maiden. Here's how it went down, literally.
Gorgeous Phoenix Models Spitfire with 10cc Evolution Gas Engine.
I had a feeling since the day I bought the ARF kit that there was a bad omen about it.
Pre-Maiden Walk around, started and running sweet! Controls surfaces fine, run up fine.
As Nick took the camera from me to video this maiden, he commented that doing so was itself a bad omen. A bit of over rotation on takeoff, recovered started to turn and the engine RPM drops...then it recovers within time enough the inertia let her restart: she had gone into fail-safe mode. The Fail-safe position is ignition killed. Fail-safe is set up when you program the transmitter for a model, and set what it will do if the signal between the transmitter in my hands and the receiver in the aircraft is lost. Usually controls neutral and engine stopped, to prevent it flying off. In this case a momentary "Brown Out" of signal loss is quickly recovered by the software, but by then the aircraft was in a stall spin and it was over.
Nick is noting that at the crash site immediately when we arrived, the satellite receiver was fast flashing, an error code usually meaning "bind" is lost, the unique connection between the aircraft's receiver and my transmitter. Given what we saw, what I experienced (no control) and this blinking receiver, we are confident that she browned out during climb out, she stalled, spun, and control was impossible.
How we found her.
From the other side, before touching her.
Moved the wing to disconnect the flight pack battery.
Goodbye, Spitfire... May you rest in pieces.
So what do I do with an entire fuel/engine and electric system for a 10 cc airplane? I am confident I will NOT be getting another Spitfire. I am thinking Corsair or Zero... For now, I am just leaving it on the floor and enjoying flying my other planes.
Today I checked the tune up with the 3 blade prop (lost 2k RPM, now peaking around 8300) and installed the cowl. She looks amazing and I am very excited about her! This was a very straight forward build, my little landing gear diversion aside. No major screw ups. The CG was spot on! As soon as a day off and weather combine favorably the maiden flight will surely be flawless!
The tank is plumbed. I stopped by our LHS, ABCHobbies today, and picked up a gas proof plug, I installed the tank using it, and the plastic pipes that came with the original set. I would prefer metal, but plastic is what they are. I don't think the metal plate that is inside the tank that compacts the rubber stopper is working right, I think it stripped. I may solder a nut on the inside of it to be sure. You might notice that I had to move the battery, reciever, and the throttle servo to the otherside. Turns out the throttle linkage is on the other side of the engine.
Here's the underside in it's final settup. The throttle control rod is installed.
This is the Evolution 10cc engine installed, with the ignition. Right out of the box you realize that this engine is a thing of quality. Well constructed, solid, clean. The compression on the cylinder is powerfully tight. The aluminum case that holds the ignition is a solid brick of metal. Quality. I am impressed so far. That muffler is HUGE. It's going to come out OVER the wing, I think!
The view from the top. Again, that muffler! I am waiting for the Tech Aero UltraBEC to arrive, and then I will be able to start the engine.
The fuel dot. Don't think I like it. It sticks out about 5-6 mm, clunky. I like the flat ones. I will probably replace it.
A problem presents itself with placement of the fuel vent. The cowl is large and comes back kinda far on the front of the fuse. I ran the line to the back, just behind the wing screws. I created a flat plate to make it easier to install. Its not as raised as it looks...
