Mini-Phoenix Complete

At last ... my workbench is finally clear of this project and it’s time for a quick blog update before the test flight - and I think for the first time for the blog, some moving pictures! The model is hardly recognisable from the original (Mini Phoenix Rebuild Link) but should be a considerable improvement over the original design.

All-up weight is now 780g – not too sure if that’s good or bad for a little full function speed 400 size electric model – but it feels right in the workshop and I’m sure it will feel even better outside with a bit of air moving over the wings. Got some Duco mixed for the fuselage to match the yellow on the wings and sprayed using a compressor and spray gun for the first time (easy after being shown how to do it by Evan on the building group).

I've stuck with the Walkera heli motor just because it’s a neat little inrunner and fits into the speed 400 mounting holes perfectly. Also kept the CAM 8x6 prop and FlightPower EVO25 battery but upgraded to an overkill 40A Hobbywing controller. I also invested the extra R100.00 odd for the programming card – great little toy with lots of blinking lights and makes setting up the controller really easy. But I’m still not 100% happy with the electrics. Bench testing blows lots more things around in the workshop but the battery gets a little too warm for comfort. I will consult the gurus again before I push it too hard on the flying but I’ll probably be tempted to test fly first.

I gave up on that concealed elevator linkage in the rudder post and ended up running some thin wire into the pushrod outer in the fuselage and installed a little Dymond D47 servo a la Discus.


The flaps and aileron setup works really well and programming was just so easy with that little Multiplex Cockpit. Most radios are capable of this flap and crow mixing with elevator compensation and could probably even do the motor with elevator compensation as well, but I reckon I only spent about an hour in total on the programming! All control surface centring and endpoint settings are perfect and everything is exactly where I want it on the transmitter. Doing that sort of programming on my 3030 would have taken at least three evenings!

Now waiting for the weather to clear - dying to see how it flies – will let you know ...