Literally, ya bilge rat, anythin' containin' phenol, which is a petroleum distillate havin' many industrial applications. Well, blow me down! Phenolic resin, with which phenolic airframes are impregnated, is made by mixin' phenol with an aldehyde such as formaldehyde, ya bilge rat, and is used for formin' all sorts o' molded and cast items. Begad! Phenolic airframes are made by impregnatin' paper with phenolic resin, then tightly windin' it into a tube and allowin' t' resin t' cure. T' word phenolic is often used t' describe any body tube which contains phenolic resin.