Gregor32

My Feedback: (1)

dlan, the cowl is a decent size it would take 4st with ease, i would go for a 70, you may need to add a little weight as it ballances perfect with a 46 2st, a 4st would mean less cutting of the cowl not more. cheers Greg

dlan

Thanks for the reponse Greg. So in your opinion a FS 70 would be sufficient? How bout a 91 (nuj nuj)! Ok maybe a bit over kill.

Gregor32

My Feedback: (1)

every ones opinion of what is good/ great is diferent! i have a fs70 and think that it would be a good match with the tucano but the next guy might not. i think weight would be an issue going bigger. i have a fx46 in mine with a pipe and it goes great. -greg

dlan

Ok, I just looked back at your plane, that is a serious pipe! Does it provide more top end or does it come on quicker on the bottom?

Thanks again!!

Gregor32

My Feedback: (1)

it is stronger from mid through to top, bottom end still ok, but i fly mainly 1/2 to full most of the time. unlimited vertical, and a beautiful sound when on song!!

mR JoLLy

Oh is still running

I looked at the possibility of installing a Laser 70 but there was insufficient space between the thrust washer and the firewall. The manual specifies 100mm and the Laser is 135mm deep. I doubt many other 4 strokes would be as deep as this so it is not the show stopper.

I think that the only modification you will need to consider is lowering the tank, and maybe swapping it for a shorter design. The tank is high for a 2 stroke as spec, so it would make sense to do so. I know someone who has an "SC" 4 stroke in his and it looks fine. The cowl has plenty of width and depth for it to take most motors (except the Laser 70!)

I have mine stripped down to fit retracts in and to colour it in RAF colours (black), Lowering the tank is restricted for me so I am sticking with an Irvine 53 with a Pitts exhaust. Hoping it has sufficient punch for the extra weight I am adding [&:]

JoLLy

georgee

Hi Folks,

The day before yesterday I flew for the 1st time the Ph Tucano 1.7m span.Quite honestly this was one of the easiest uneventful maiden flight I "ve ever had.Required only 2 clicks of down elevator nothing else.In fact this birdy a large trainer,easy to fly,has broad speed range from really slow to fast.The landing with flaps is easy too just mix in some down elevator to flaps.Config:Magnum 61 engine,12x8 prop,7x S3003 servo,Fut Dp149 Rx,T9Cap Tx.I recommend this plane for everyone with some low wing experience.

Georgee

dlan

Hey georgee, you mention flaps. the kit I have access to here in the States from Tower Hobbies makes no mention of flaps, just alierons (2 servo) rudder and elevator.
The wingspan is 61.5" (1560mm). I wonder did you add flaps or were they standard on your ARF?


BTW - Very nice plane!!

georgee

Hey Dlan,

Yes,you"ve got the smaller kit from Ph.

http://shop.lindinger.at/product_inf...ducts_id=63552
I"m flying the larger one,with factory made flaps.

http://shop.lindinger.at/product_inf...ducts_id=65829

Both of them are nice planes[sm=thumbs_up.gif]

Georgee

dlan

Very nice - Thanks for the prompt clarification!!

Delta3

The Tucano and PC 9 are very similar, needto be overpowered, I run mine with a Saito 72 FS in it, previously had a Magnum 52FS and a TT54FS. Much better with the Saito. Now flies with authority. Have left the engine inverted but fitted a remote glow driver on it because inverted motors are difficult to get at with glow drivers and this keeps fingers well out of harms way.

Great plane to own and fly looks good, sound great with a FS motor as for retracts well each to his own but it flys beautifully just theway it is

crycroft

selling it on ebay ? did you fit the retracts your self where is it

dlan

Ok, Got my ARF (PHX 40) and it's great. The construction is real nice, especially for the price.
I need advice on engines. I want to use a four-stroke. I may have a good deal on a new Saito 56.
Will this provide sufficient power? If not I may end up going with a new Mag FS70.
The plane is bigger (wingspan and wing area) than my Venus 40 which has a Mag 46 TS.


I would appreciate your guidance.

Thanks!!

dlan

Ok, well the power plant will be an OS 70 Surpass! Ebay is a great place

mR JoLLy

The OS70 FS was my first choice but the Phoenix Tucano 40 only has 100mm from firewall to prop spinner. Therefore the OS70 will be too proud at the front unless you extend the sheeting for the fuse. I have gone for an Irvine53 at the end of the day and put the FS70 to one side for another project.

It's almost finished now. Retracts are in and the covering replaced. Just a few more bits to finish.

JoLLy

dlan

Well Jolly I hope your wrong (no ofense intended). I have not recieved the engine yet, just won it today.
I did some rough measurements and I think (hope) I can make it work! If not it may be a good engine
for a TF Contender I plan on building someday.

From what I gather here from the thread, the 46 is somewhat adequate but most feel it's under powered. I guess it really
depends on what you want out of the ship. Myself, I like power so I'm gonna do all I can to make it work!


Any comments gladly accepted!!!

mR JoLLy

Well I (like you) found a nice OS70 FS on eBay. I always look for the "New in box" engines and have never been disanointed with that policy

The FS 70 is 113mm from the back of the engine (carb manifold) to the prop spinner and that included the removal of the choke. Fitting retracts prevented me from cutting away some of the firewall to accommodate the carb so the only other option for me would have been to increase the sheeting on the fuse past the firewall and to make some new cowl mounts in the extension. It would work but I fell short of wanting to do that.

I am sure it can be shoe-horned in there, but it won't go in without a fight! I will be flying mine in the next week so I will let you know how it gets on. I have in my collection a Seagull PC9 (Tucano) which was initially powered by an OS46, which flew fine. I later installed an Irvine53 and that tows the model around the sky with real authority.

With all the mods I have done here the to Phoenix Tucano I will be happy with performance somewhere in-between.

We shall see!

MJ.

rcjets_63

My Feedback: (5)

Jolly,

That's a great job you did on your Tucano. It looks amazing.

Can you post some photos of your retract installation, particularly the nose gear. I'll be putting retracts in mine but will first give it a try with fixed gear. What retracts did you use and did you lower the tank by 10mm as suggested by several people earlier in this thread?

Regards,

Jim

mR JoLLy

Hi Jim. I have some pictures done but there are a few more to compile. I will put them all up together. The retracts are an old set of mechanicals the brand escapes me at the moment!

I'll see if I can get them on today or tomorrow for you.

JoLLy

dlan

Yes, please post as much detail as possible related to the retract install. I'm really considering 'bashing' a set into my model. The cleaner lines are really appealing not
to mention the aero dynamic gains!!

BTW - great job on the covering Jolly!!

rcjets_63

My Feedback: (5)

I took my Tucano out today and had a riot with it. It's got a OS46SF and it pulled the plane around the sky without any problems. I don't understand why people think that it is a pig with a 46. If you want to go supersonic, buy a turbine.

I had to replace the stock motor mount as it didn't fit the 46SF. I decided to side mount the engine because earlier in the thread it suggested that inverting the engine would require dropping the tank 10mm and I wanted to leave all the room I had for retrofitting retracts. I used a Bisson Custom Mufflers Pitts-stlye muffer and unfortunately had to cut away a bit more of the cowl than I wanted. I'll have to check if the Slimline Pitts muffler is smaller.

Back to flying.....the plane handled well and lifts off so very nicely. The wheels included with the model are a bit stiff and the plane will bounce off an ashalt runway and back into the air. They shouldn't be a problem on grass.

Now that it's had a few flights and appears to be worth the effort of upgrading, I'm definitely going to put in the retracts. I'm thinking the Robart 604HD (http://www.robart.com/retracts/5-10lbPneu.aspx) set will do the trick. I think I'll also spend a bit more time getting rid of the wrinkles in the covering and putting on some decals. (No sense going to all that work and then crashing it on a maiden flight.)

Jolly, further to your retract installation, we all await what I'm sure will be some great photos. If you don't mind, can you check out the Robart link in the paragraph above. The Robart site has dimensioned drawing for the nose and main gear. Are these about the size you used? Are there any surprises upon cutting open the wing or nose that we need to look out for when choosing retracts?

Happy Landings Everyone,

Jim

dlan

Looks great Jim!!

Glad to hear your report on the flight and using a 46 size engine! What size and type of prop are you using?

Not 100% sure on the FS70, but haven't given up on it either. Can't wait to see if Jolly post the retract info.
That would just add so much to the plane! Why air vs mechanical retracts??

Thanks!!

rcjets_63

My Feedback: (5)

dlan,

I was turning an APC 11x7 today but thought it was just a bit too much prop. Tomorrow I'll try an APC 10x7 and see if it peaks a bit better.

According to Jolly, the OS70 FS is 113mm from the back to the mounting face for the spinner. The plans calls to mount the engine 100mm from the back of the motor mount to the mounting face for the spinner. The 100mm is based upon the length of the cowl provided as it has to take up the distance between the back of the spinner and the firewall but still having sufficient length to overlap the fuselage enough to allow the cowl mounting screws. So, you have to deal will making up the 13mm (about 1/2 inch) difference and that shouldn't be too hard. Here's how you might be able to do it and it may be a case of using several of these:
- The firewall is thick and you should be able to grind it away locally to recess the carb into the firwall slightly. That might get you 3-5mm and more if you grind completely through the firewall. Mount the engine as far rearward as possible.
- Toss away the spinner that comes with the kit and use a Great Planes or Carl Goldberg spinner. Both of those brands are such that the spinner backplate extends slightly rearward by about 3mm.
- The cowl overlaps the front of the fuselage by about 19mm (3/4 inch). In my plane, the holes for the cowl bolts are 13mm (1/2 inch) from the back of the cowl. You could easily move them 6mm (1/4 inch) rearward.
- Make a donut shaped piece of plastic with the same outside diameter as the spinner base. Glue it to the front of the cowl. That should give you another 6mm or so (depending on the thickness of the plastic you use.
- If that still isn't enough, rather than extending the nose sheeting forward, you can glue a piece of hardwood to the face of the firewall at the sides to take the cowl screws and a balsa block to the firewall face at the top and sand it to match the curvature of the top fuselage. The wood only has to be about 10mm thick (3/8 inch).

It's a sweet plane and is definitely worth the effort. It has a wide speed range; you can bore holes in the sky or fly it like a trainer.

Have fun,

Jim

dlan

Jim,

Thanks for taking the time on the reponse. I find this is all great information and will investigate the
possibilites you have provided!!

~Dlan

rcjets_63

My Feedback: (5)

I took my Tucano out again today. The one problem I'm having is with bouncing the landings. Unless you grease it in, it tends to bounce back into the air. The winds are a bit gusty here in the spring and not every landing can be picture perfect. It appeared that the plane had some serious positive incidence while sitting on the ground. I checked it and, sure enough, it's 3.5 degrees. No wonder the liftoffs are so smooth; it flies itself off the ground. The problem is keeping it there on landing, at least on asphalt; it might not be such a problem on grass.

The wheels provided with the kit are 2.5". I cut off the nose gear axle and replaced it with a Great Planes adjustable axle and swapped out the nosewheel with a 2" wheel. (I had to enlarge the hole in the 2" wheel to 5/32" - I guess it was 1/8"). It has 1.5 degrees positive incidence now. If this works better, I'll play with it some more, likely shorten the strut a bit more and upsize the nosewheel to 2.25 and perhaps change the mains to 2.75".

If the winds die down this evening, I'll take it for a quick test flight and let you know the results.

Jim