Scale Soaring UK

I have heard that the Chris Foss Phase 5 is a good all round sloper.

I purchased the plan and AMT fittings from Chris Foss Designs and here's progress to date.

Thanks to Barry for adding the photo.

Ah does that take me back - had some years of fun with one of those. Liked it much better that the later 6.

Make sure to make provision for ballast if you're building it as plan - mine flew much better loaded up, I had it permanently loaded.

regroups has several threads that may be of help.
here is one
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthr ... Chris-Foss


good luck in your build.

Hi Robbie
I think that Chris Foss also fixed an additional 8 oz of ballast in his competition version.

Hi Andy
Thanks for the link. The foam wing looks like a time saver, but I have started cutting the wing ribs (sandwich method) so I'll keep to original plan.

I will probably use 4 servos in the wing rather than the coupled ailerons.

Will post more as progress continues.

Mike

I have now assembled the fuselage and planed and sanded it to shape.

I have also cut two sets of wing ribs (sandwich method) as well as shaping and sanding the full length ailerons.

The trailing edge spars are part laminated and hinges inserted.

The wing assembly can now start.

Mike

Very neat workmanship Mike.
Brian.

Thanks Brian!

I have now set up the jig on the wing building board and dry fitted the wing ribs on the leading and trailing edge spars.

The sandwich cut ribs needed a little fettling the provide a reasonably snug fit on the spars. A few more minor adjustments and I will fix the ribs in place and add the lower main spar. The wings are built inverted.
Mike

Hi
Both wing halves have now been removed from the building jig (really just support blocks along the leading and trailing edge lines and located in cradles to allow the top D box sheeting to be done.

Also, the wing joiner box in each wing half has been constructed with a little wiggle room for final adjustment and alignment.

Below the photo shows the two wing halves, one with completed upper and lower D box sheeting and the other sitting in its cradle to ensure good alignment.

Final centre sheeting, rib cap strips will be completed when servos and cabling has been installed. Also wing pegs and wing bolt supports are need to be installed.

Hi

Wing servos installed and cabled up. wing tips profiled to match ailerons and flaps.
Fin assembly married to fuselage and elevator push rod installed. +/- 10mm AMT travel is achieved.

Hi, Here is and overall view of the Phase 5 showing progress to date.

Wing halves yet to be joined and finished. Also, gear to be installed and other minor finishing work to be completed.

If I were building this model again, I would keep use a wing joiner system as this would make for easier transport and workshop handling.

Got to the point in construction where all the small jobs have to be completed.

Spent some time adding the wing/fuselage pegs and fitting the fairing to cover pegs and blend in with the canopy line, as shown in the photos.

Progress continues as the dark nights arrive.

Having joined the wing halves, I continued to work on the fitting of the inner and outer ailerons. Since I wanted to incorporate a flap function I increased the chamfer on the inner flap leading edge and also added a little more chamfer to the wing trailing edge spar. I made up a small sanding jig to try and improve the consistency of the chamfers.

A dry fit seems to show a reasonable amount of downward movement will be available. No having flown a Phase 5 I don't know how useful this additional feature will be. What do you think Robbie?

The rudder and AMT servos have also been added. I placed them as far forward as I could whilst also ensuring that I could also get the receiver power pack right up front.

I am at a point now where all the building is pretty much complete, except for the aileron control horns. I am thinking that the outer aileron push rods can be completely enclosed. Not sure yet if I can do the same for the inner ailerons.

I have made the servo hatches using small magnets to hold them in place.

Next big decision, what colour scheme to use?

After a far too long a pause, I have started to cover to underside wing using Oratex.

At long last the Phase 5 is finished and flight ready. The model weighs in at 1400g with 150g of lead in the nose.

The Phase 5 decals were provided by our Barry Cole and went on very nicely, thanks Barry!

The model is covered with Oracover and the fluorescent orange is very bright. Now looking forward to getting it in the air.

Well done Mike! I hope you have strong sun glasses for flying that one!!!
Brian.

Hi

Thanks Brian! On less than perfect visibility flying days, I am better able to see orange aircraft. I built this one especially for that type of day. Perhaps I have gone overboard with the orange colour.

On the plus side, my wife likes it!

Hi

Yesterday, I maidened the Phase 5.

With a N Westerly blowing at 12 - 14 mph I went to Cleeve Hill for the first flights. Launched the Phase 5 and she took a steady glide path pretty much trimmed out, which was reassuring. After a few beats up along the slope she was flying pretty much hands off. I was expecting the model to fly a little quicker than she did, given that the conditions were as light as they were. Current flying weight is 3 1/4lb. I wonder if more ballast is needed?

Landings were equally uneventful, flying down wind with a bit more speed when turning to land the glide path steepened without the need to use the flaps at all.

Very happy with the fluorescent orange scheme, she stands out very well in the air.

Cheers
Mike

Mike,
I found exactly the same with my Phase 5 many years ago now. I ended up with half a pound of lead epoxied under the wing on the CG with provision for more in a good blow. Absolutely transformed it.

Hi Robbie

Thanks for your comments on ballast. I've got some 100g lead blocks to experiment with next time. The ballast box is located on the C of G.

Regards
Mike

Hi
More than half a year after completing the Chris Foss Phase 5, I have some flying shoots of it, thanks to photographer and fellow Cleeve Hill slope flyer, John Habgood.

Photos were taken on Wednesday, 6 October in a 12 mph westerly.

Regards
Mike

Lovely photos Mike - very reminiscent of the simple joys of sloping. It's about time I dusted off my 35 year old Phase 6. For years it was pretty much all I flew, then scale gliders came along.

Yes, Chris Foss seems to have designed a model range that has stood the test of time, are inexpensive to build and fly well.

Your Phase 6 colour scheme looks great.

Mike

Mike F wrote: ↑09 Oct 2021, 09:48 Yes, Chris Foss seems to have designed a model range that has stood the test of time, are inexpensive to build and fly well.

Your Phase 6 colour scheme looks great.

Mike

Yes it's an enduring design. I have both the Sport wing (Eppler 205) and the Professional wing (fully symmetrical). I've never had much joy with the pro-version - it seemed to need a lot of lift to stay up. Mind you I was 15 and made a right mess of glassing the wing, so that could be it.

The E205 version has flown in anything from flat calm to 30mph. It weighs less than 40 oz, but can take ballast up to 60 oz. It's on its second fuselage and has a plug-in tailplane to ease transport.

The colourscheme was copied from the kit box.

I think I'll be heading into the loft this afternoon...

Yes, do it Roger.

If I were to build a Phase 5 or Phase 6 again, I would build separate wing halves, again for ease of transport. additional weight not really an issue.

Mike