Alright, finally got around to making this update! Decided to do this as an update to the existing thread, rather than starting a new one, because honestly the difference between the
Phoenix V2and the
Phoenix 2400is only in the larger size! Looks, shapes, functions, etc., it is all the same AND I will be moving all of the electronics over from the V2 into the 2400... so you get the idea why this is here, rather than in its own thread! Consider it an update on the V2!
Naturally, the 2400 does arrive in a slightly larger box, which was dinged here and there, but nothing major! All parts were good, without any damage!
Put side by side with the Phoenix V2, you can see that the opening on the Phoenix 2400 is wider, but generally it still has the same shape and length!
The sticker I decided to mount on the tail boom also reflects the larger size of the 2400!
If I align the tails... this is how much longer the new plane is! I hope it is enough for that added wingspan!
Actually the biggest difference between the two, other than the wings, is the horizontal stabilizer. Just look at the size difference! I'd say that in terms of surface, the new one is A LEAST twice as big!
Naturally, the canopies also reflect the difference in size between the two!
I think this photo will answer the ever looming question of whether the wings from the 2400 would be compatible with the V2... short answer is NO, sadly!
The wing chord and the wing thickness is different! Good news is, if you have the Ranger 2400, the wings are the same as on the Phoenix 2400, so you can swap them easily! In fact... I am using only 1 set of wings for both planes! Just didn't see the point in outfitting another pair of the exact same wings, since I already have 1 pair ready for flight!
One funny thing I noticed... the first photo below is of the Phoenix V2 wing surface... and it is glossy and shiny... but not as shiny as the wings from the 2400! I guess they are either using a slightly different EPO material... or the injection mould release spray is different! Hoping it would be the first - smoother surface, better and more efficient glide!
As expected, the 2400 comes with the same 1050Kv motor, and the suggested battery is still 3S 2200mAh... which is absolutely ridiculous, because you would need two of those to balance this plane out!!!
Now, I am still going to use 4S, just like on the V2, but this time I also got the
850Kv versionof the motor that Volantex sell, so I can also go up on the prop size, and see how that would work out for efficiency!
Literally the first thing I did, was to replace the motor... I was so eager to get that 1050Kv one out of the plane!
Like already mentioned... the all of the other gear will come from the V2, and that includes the
ESCand
SBECfor the servos.
After everything was connected and confirmed to be working, I installed the motor in the plane!
Next step was to move over the autopilot, along with its peripherals, over to the 2400's wing plate.
And that was a pretty straight forward task, so was done in no time.
Then the
L9R receiveralso followed suit!
Next step was to drill the holes for the Vtx cables, and also the one for the tail camera wiring.
Luckily... despite the longer fuselage, the original cable I made for the V2 was long enough to reach here as well, so I didn't have to make a new one!
The servos were also a direct transplant - out with the stock, and in with the
metal geared Coronas!
At the front, things were starting to take shape... when I noticed something weird!
The part of the motor shaft that was sticking out of the fuselage was looking a bit too short... and a bit too much to the side!
I unscrewed the motor and it turns out it wasn't properly aligned on the inside, so I adjusted it and tightened the screws. All looked good after that.
And finally the wing lock plate along with the
Omnibus F4 Pro boardwent back in to the plane, which concluded my work on the fuselage, for the time being.
Next on my list were the wings! Yes, they are the same as on the Ranger 2400... but I had to outfit at least one of the sets, which involved printing out the servo holders and gluing them in!
The stock servos were quickly removed, some foam was cut, and the holders were glued in.
Once the glue had set, it was easy to install the Coronas and to setup the push rods.
Continues in next post...