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Paul's Phoenix mk4/Panther/super panther |
The first comercial engine i bought was the Phoenix MK4 which gives 26lbs, ever since a friend built a Phoenix 30.3 i have wanted a phoenix and i didn't mind which one, they are just a gorgeous looking engine, similar to the AMT engines but AMT's are a little too far out of my price range. info on the phoenix MK4: radial compressor and turbine, anular combustion chamber, it does come with an autostart motor on the front but because i was so impatient i had mine delivered a few days earlier without this motor which isn't a problem as i have a motor which i used for starting the kj66 (uses a 12v battery), the one thing i noticed about the Phoenix MK4 when i started it for the first time was how low it would self sustain and at what a low temperature, even when the engine is slowly brought upto idle speed there is no sign of the engine getting hot (i don't have an ECU by the way) now if this were my kj66 then the back end would be glowing red hot and there would probably be a ball of flame from the back end (my kj66 did anyway). starting the engine is similar to any other model jet engine only a lot easier! a typcial start up check everything. connect glow plug and spool engine up to what ever speed you like open preheat gas valve, gas immediatly ignites (i spooled the engine up to max speed of starter motor and it still ignites preheat gas first time) start fuel pump at lowest setting liquid fuel will ignite and engine will accelerate, disengaged starter motor after engine speed isn't increasing increase fuel flow slowly until engine has reached idle speed shes runnin! it is a VERY easy engine to operate. i use parafin or diesel with 5% two stroke oil, i got some synthetic oil but i don't think its too important.i am running it without an ECU, even without an ECU it is still an extremely easy engine to start and operate, once running and at idle the temperature sits at between 380 & 450degC, it can be ran to max throttle in about 5-6 seconds and sounds fantastic at full throttle.
Aswell as the Phoenix MK4 i now own a Phoenix Panther, the Panther is of a similar size to the Wren MW54 engine but produces 14LBs thrust instead of 12LBS thrust, the Panther weighs 2Lbs and is very similar in design to the phoenix MK4 using a radial compressor and turbine, this engine would be very good as a replacement for a 45 ducted fan as long as the aircraft was strenghtened. the original Panther has now been superceeded by the Super Panther which produces 18lbs thrust.
I've finally flown a jet!
Summer 2002 i flew a Mick Reeves Reaper that was kindly swapped for some Laptop Batteries with Roy Bowen, the Reaper had my Phoenix Panther as power plant, restricted to 116krpm the Panther gives 9.6lbs thrust, take off was less than 50yrds and climbout was fast, below are some pics of the Reaper
this is the F18 that the Panther engine is going in, its a Yellow aircraft F18 that has had a 90 ducted fan engine in
below is myMK4, to the right, the MK4 and Panther, then the Mk4 again, below these 3 are a couple of pics of the MK4
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a little bit of info on the Phoenix MK4: centrifugal compressor, radial turbine and annualar combustion chamber with 6 burner nozzles although i understand that on some models this has changed to 12, it does come normally with an autostartmotor on the front though i was impatient for mine and opted to leave mine off so i have a 600 buggy motor with coupling powered by 12v to start mine, this works very well indeed.startup is so easy, infact easier than my kj66, simply connect glow plug, spoolup using buggy motor, turn on preheat gas, this ignites imediatly, then turn on fuel pump to lowest setting and then begin spooling engine again, once the fuel has lit (roaring sound can be heard) the buggy motor can be taken off and the engine will then be self sustaining, i then move the throttle trim slowly until idle speed is reached. obivously there are other ways of doing this so that the engine is brought to idle instead of sustain, but if you are doing this alone you don't someone holding the tranmitter. spoolup times are 3 secs when used with an ecu or anywhere from 4-6 seconds depending how careful you are, temperatures that i have measured are idle 450DegC, @ max throttle it was somewhere aroung 500DegC. |
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below is the rotor from Clive Longstaffs homebuilt 30.3/mk4 highbred & next to that is the front cover & diffuser |
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Phoenix Panther: you've probably heard of the Wren MW54, well this engine is it's competitor, the engine weighs 2lbs and sits in the palm of your hand, its around the size of a 45 ducted fan unit and kicks out a whopping 14lbs thrust..AND I HAVE ONE!........although it now produces 18lbs thrust Below is the phoenix mk4 and the panther together |
