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Hobbyzone Firebird Phantom
Fuselage Replacement Instructions!

This step by step guide will simplify the Phantom Fuselage Replacement for the broken tailboom and get you flying again with the Park Flying Fun "Built to Last" Firebird Phantom Fuselage Replacement!

Broken tailboom! - Has this happened to you?

Why use the "Built to Last" Firebird Phantom fuselage replacement from Park Flying Fun?

Our redesigned fuselage is more than just a new stronger tail-boom. We've re-calculated the aerodynamics involved and made changes that will improve your Firebird Phantoms performance, making it the perfect beginners rc airplane!

Original Firebird Phantom fuselage	Park Flying Fun - "Built to Last" Firebird Phantom Replacement Fuselage
Terribly weak tail-boom	Our fuselage provides better crash resistance (see photos below). Is it unbreakable? Well no! But it will withstand a great deal more abuse.
Nose heavy - poor glide when powered off, slow & sluggish control response.	You can adjust the length of your new tail-boom - so as you progress you can improve the planes aerobatic performance, while still enjoying a better glide with gentle and stable flight characteristics You'll love the way this plane flys!
The tailboom is too long with relation to the planes aerodynamics, causing the controls to be sluggish this may have been an attempt to offset the nose-heavy tendency.	You can change the center of gravity & combined with the changed "Arm/Moment" of the our tail-boom you'll have more control authority when you want it.
The wing-hold down pins frequently break!	Replaced with carbon rods. Included!
Unlike a beginners rc airplane, now when you are ready - just make a few adjustments and this plane will do loops and basic aerobatics!

Click here for more information - Firebird Phantom Fuselage Replacement

This is the "Built to Last" Firebird Phantom Fuselage Replacement with new carbon replacement wing hold down tubes! The tailboom is positioned at the original location and can be slid forward and then re-secured when you are ready for quicker control response.

Our re-designed tail-boom uses a larger diameter - much thicker walled bi-directional weave carbon tube with additional carbon re-enforcement vacuum cured around the pushrod exits.

What you'll need for the Phantom Fuselage Replacement to fix your Firebird Phantoms broken tailboom!

Work area: soft brightly lit surface, preferably cloth or fabric that will lessen the chance of small parts bouncing and rolling away, never to be seen again.

Park Flying Fun "Built to Last" Firebird Phantom Fuselage Replacement

Small phillips screw driver - jewelers size or similar

Exacto knife and/or small needle nose pliers

Plastic zip-lock bag or similar secure container for small parts

Thin wire or stiff string to help guide antennae

Tape

Pencil or wood stick to help guide parts

Hot glue gun if you are reinstalling "ACT"

Replacement canopy hold down rubber band. Not required but a good thing to replace now.

Got everything? Then let's get started on the Phantom Fuselage Replacement.

Start by loosening the pushrod clips and sliding the pushrods clear. Many have just loosened and removed the pushrods, then re-tightened the connectors in place. While this may work, there is also a chance of them coming loose and losing these small needed parts. So, in the bag they go! Loosen the knot in the antennae.

Remove tail assembly and store screws. Inspect antennae for damage, often it may have been damaged by the screws during manufacture, re solder if necessary, it is important that you maintain as much of its original length.

Remove the landing gear, prop, motor retainer & screws, both wing hold down pins along with the 4 receiver cradle screws - storing them all in the bag.

Now gently slide receiver & cradle aft!

Slide the foam battery support aft then lift clear of the fuselage.

Partially slide the receiver out!

Using an exacto knife or needle nose pliers to carefully release the glue holding the 2 "ACT" plugs.

Now use a pencil or wood stick to push the motor forward into the fuselage until it will slide out easily!

Remove complete receiver/motor assembly and disconnect pushrods from servos. Inspect both pushrods and straighten any sharp bends and/or replace as needed.

Re-assembly with a Firebird Phantom Fuselage Replacement

IMPORTANT: Often after a few "unscheduled arrivals" the receiver may become loose from the cradle at the screw attachments, Inspect and be sure your receiver is seated and held firmly in its cradle.

Guide pushrods into the slot one at a time - Z-bend first - try not to let them wrap around one another.

Insert a thin piece of wire (a pushrod may work although a little short) or stiff string starting from the antennae opening in the tail - then attach to the antennae using a small piece of tape. Now go ahead and pull antennae through.

Place a small piece of tape on the left pushrod, then secure each pushrod under the respective right & left plastic cradle supports. Wrap the antennae gently around pushrods to keep them separate, careful - they can wrap around one another inside of the tube causing the pushrods to bind.

Holding the fuselage nose up, lower the motor into its approximate location, pushing it into place with a wooden pencil or stick. We'll secure it in a moment.

Connect the pushrods into the aft hole of each of the servos.
Attach the taped left pushrod to the bottom servo.

Phantom Fuselage Replacement note

Now lets talk about the "ACT" or Anti Crash Technology system

We had a number of issues with the "ACT" easily becoming confused then causing loss of control and often a crash. Common when flying at sunrise/sunset, below tree lines, even when the trees are at a distance or over terrain with slight color variations in areas as small as a ball field. This will very often cause the "ACT" to take-over even when flying level. (very aggravating)

We would recommend that you NOT re-install the ACT!
We delayed this guide as we tested several HobbyZone Firebird Phantoms "ACT" systems, both new and with our mods with a number of boys & girls ages 8-15. 3 out of 5 flights experienced some type of control loss and/or accidents caused from the "ACT".

Once we disabled the "ACT", while crashes still occurred, they were much less frequent.

The new out of the box Firebird Phantom suffered a broken tailboom during it's second crash. None of the "Built to Last" tail booms were damaged.

If you choose not to install the "ACT" as suggested, skip the next step.

This step is presented if you choose to re-install the "ACT"
ACT re-install

Feed "ACT" leads through respective openings, these are very simple photo ohm sensor cells that measure resistance changes caused from varying light levels. Since they only read resistance the wire colors (red & black) are unimportant. Just be sure to attach the lower sensor plug onto the top or forward set of pins of the board. Secure the plugs with a small amount of hot glue. Now drop the receiver into the fuselage.

Re-install the above parts stored earlier in bag, if the "ACT" has not been re-installed you can leave off the sensors saving some weight, use tape to cover the openings.

Be sure the receiver is vertical and visually check to be sure there is nothing interfering with the servos movements.

Now power everything up and test - listen for any binding of the servos and be sure that there is smooth movement of the pushrods. If you have reinstalled the "ACT" you will probably notice that the servos twitch or seem nervous. This is often caused by the "ACT", just press the right stick down on the transmitter until it clicks to turn off the ACT, often this may stop the twitching.

Now make sure that the earlier taped pushrod (left) moves when you move the aileron stick right on the transmitter. Refer to your manual page 9.

Use the new supplied replacement wing-hold carbon rods and partially insert the front wing-hold rod into one side of the fuselage. Slide the canopy latch rubber band (now would be a great time to install a new one) over the carbon rod then place the motor leads over the wing-hold rod, this will help keep the motor leads from interfering with the servos. Go ahead and insert through the other side of the fuselage & install end cap. Place the black canopy into position and partially secure with the screw leaving the point protruding, now stretch the canopy latch with the rubber band and place over the protruding screw, tighten as needed.

Unwrap the antennae, but be sure not to let the pushrods cross.

Attach the tail - careful when pushing the screws through, remember there is an antennae in there. We've noticed a number of returns because of little or very short control range and found that the antennae had been severed by the hold-down screws when they plane was originally manufactured. If yours has already been severed be sure to solder it back together. Do not shorten this antennae.
Visually check to make sure the screws are threaded into the plastic support not into the foam only, secure but do not over tighten.
Check the level or seating of the control flaps, see page 24 of your owner's manual to adjust the incidence.
Re-attach the pushrod clips into the center control horn hole, you can change this later if you choose. Careful here, these things are small and easy to lose.
Now tie a loose knot at the antenna's end.

Install the wing and the battery, then check the "Center of Gravity" by referring to the instructions included with your Hobbyzone Firebird Phantom.

Also refer to page 8 of your "owners manual" and perform the "Tail control test" If the wrong control flap moves - then you will need to switch pushrods.

All done?

Congrats, you've done a Phantom Fuselage Replacement - this beginners rc airplane is now ready to go fly.