Official Freewing 90mm F-4 Phantom II Thread

[Elbee]

Thank you very much LB
Do you brush it on or use the spray cans?
If brushed on do you use a "foam" brush?

MM, I brush it on and have used foam brushes and fine hair artists brushes, either are fine, but you'll do a bit more surface sanding with a foam brush as the product foams a bit if over-stroke it too much.

If you are going to use a primer before you use a spray can, then no problems as you'll be sanding the surface between those primer coats.

I have used latex and brushed that on as my color coats.
That works well, but sanding the finish is not necessarily a good thing, but as we all know, latex will cover myriad sin.

Foam brush is fine for the MinWax with a little more sanding required.

I've used 3 inch wide as that goes quickly for the first couple coats and use 2 or 1 inch for the smaller areas.

You really cannot mess this part up and it just makes a world of difference with the model finish.

Sanding, as always. is your friend once it has dried overnight.

Best, LB

[Matt Mathias]

Thank you very much LB
Do you brush it on or use the spray cans?
If brushed on do you use a "foam" brush?

[Elbee]

Hello everyone, I recently received my 8S Marine phantom.... guys put water based poly on the whole jet before painting. Is that a good idea?.

MM,

Most here use some variant of a water-based clear acrylic like MinWax Polycrylic.

I use the MinWax semi-gloss water-based clear acrylic and apply 3-4 coats on all outer surfaces including the battery cover inner surface where it meets the fuselage and hinge lines where accessible.

You can sand between coats and you;ll start to see what difference this step makes to the foam surfaces removing the dings, gatoring and small scratches.

The RC Geek has several great videos on his techniques for finishing foam using similar products.

By doing this simple thing, the 'toughness' factor of the OEM foam finish is increased significantly, IMHO, and it provides a great base for primer or latex paints.

One note, you should scuff it with 320 or higher wet or dry then wipe it clean with a tack rag or microfiber cloth before painting.

This is how I approach the surface before color painting, everyone has their own methods, this works well for me.

Best, LB

[Matt Mathias]

Hello everyone, I recently received my 8S Marine phantom, and will be painting it like my former unit when we flew F4J's. Our jets were white not this off gray/white. No biggie just an observation. I bought the 3d printed cockpit kit and I bought RCgeek's printed pilots busts. Since I'm a grade school painter at best I was wondering if anyone on here paints pilots or if anyone knows who does? I would like to pay someone who could do a good job. I read on this thread that some guys put water based poly on the whole jet before painting. Is that a good idea? Will that make the new paint adhere better? Thank you in advance for any comments or suggestions.

[Maverickpro]

Thank you LB, I was surprised how well it worked. Now need to test fly and see how it works in the air.
thanks again...

[Elbee]

Got the nose gear door figured out for the E conversion......

MP, Nailed it. Great modification work-around, Sir. Nicely done. Best, LB

[Maverickpro]

Got the nose gear door figured out for the E conversion. Used brass tube and wire. Works great, now just need to paint the strut and install light.

[Hugh Wiedman]

I no its not a spectrum thread🤣but heres my progress... and since lb is maaayybee upgrading electronics..,, it may help.. hugh has been positive, and outgoing, (as always) about the plus upgrade..... i had to register my nx7e.. with spektrum,, painful but doable. And then upgrade the firmware with a micro chip thingy.. took a little,, we r not as clevor as hughs neighbour, but close in the end.. so its upgraded to v4..(boy its only 12 months old) so with some forward programming and as3x setup its done... its now thrust reverse annd gyro on nose wheel.. woohoo.. AND 90 fms avanti here tmora..... big w end coming up... any way hopeing next post (what did u fly tday) hopefully not crash,,, by 4 now have fun b safe

Bravo ZULU f4u ausie Welcome to the Future! Wait till you update the Spektrum RX in your F4 to Plus!!! Landing will never be easier. No it's not a Spektrum thread, but anything that helps make the F4 fly better is fair game IMO.

You'll also love the 90mm Avanti. Suggest you get the TV nozzle upgrade (if you haven't ordered it with the aircraft), as it transforms it from a great flying sport jet into an insane M..F..ing maniac! 3D moves you never thought possible made easy. Insane Cobra's, ending up spinning end over end till you stop it, flat spins by just thinking about them, hovers/harriers, and a whole lot more that I have no idea what it's called. If you install the TV nozzles, use an AR10360T and program the surface gains and the TV gains exactly like Jon with Two Bothers on you-tube outlines. He'll even allow you to download his TX and RX settings. Off into the Wild Blue you GO!

[f4u ausie]

I no its not a spectrum thread🤣but heres my progress... and since lb is maaayybee upgrading electronics..,, it may help.. hugh has been positive, and outgoing, (as always) about the plus upgrade..... i had to register my nx7e.. with spektrum,, painful but doable. And then upgrade the firmware with a micro chip thingy.. took a little,, we r not as clevor as hughs neighbour, but close in the end.. so its upgraded to v4..(boy its only 12 months old) so with some forward programming and as3x setup its done... its now thrust reverse annd gyro on nose wheel.. woohoo.. AND 90 fms avanti here tmora..... big w end coming up... any way hopeing next post (what did u fly tday) hopefully not crash,,, by 4 now have fun b safe

[Elbee]

Hugh Wiedman.

Sun Tan University, you Lucky B*st*rd.

Ahhh, those WERE the days.

Can't gripe much, got it pretty good now and I am always taller, better lookin', faster, stronger and smarter each time I tell a story about the gud ol' Kollig Daze!

Best, Steve

[davegee]

f4u ausie Firmware update is easy and quick. I'm lucky that my flying buddy RudyD54 is a computer guru as in my case "I Know Nothinggg" and he programs all my TX and RX programming goodies, but I'm learning (can now actually turn the TX on by myself) Elbee and davegee I too was a 1st semester COBAL inductee when I came down from the frozen north of Michigan to attend "Sun Tan U", where all the coeds were in bikinis whose bodies had been "Kissed By The Sun". Followed one in to the computer building (since torn down and converted to a football stadium ) but only got "lucky" with punch cards. First job, my boss gave me this new fangled Mac PC he'd gotten and had spent weeks creating complicated spread sheets. Told me to get "acquainted" with it and said start with the manual. Step 1: Format the Hard Drive! Step 2: Peal my boss off the ceiling when he found out I erased all his work! Nice to know I have brothers like you who are old enough to know God when he was a boy and were around at the invention of computer programming.

The Real Reason I moved South:
My Kids with a few of their "Pets":

And no "Punch Cards" or RC Transmitters in the group:

Great times, indeed! My stepbrother was based out of Key West for a few years during his navy career, flying helicopters. My wife and I flew down to I think Fort Lauderdale once, then drove the Keys to Key West and stayed with him for a few days. Lots of fun, great bars, like Sloppy Joes, I think the name was, where Ernest Hemmingway used to hang out. Did some diving which was great. Glad you and your kids were able to take advantage of all the great things in South Florida. Thanks for sending the pics, too!

Cheers

davegee

[Hugh Wiedman]

f4u ausie Firmware update is easy and quick. I'm lucky that my flying buddy RudyD54 is a computer guru as in my case "I Know Nothinggg" and he programs all my TX and RX programming goodies, but I'm learning (can now actually turn the TX on by myself) Elbee and davegee I too was a 1st semester COBAL inductee when I came down from the frozen north of Michigan to attend "Sun Tan U", where all the coeds were in bikinis whose bodies had been "Kissed By The Sun". Followed one in to the computer building (since torn down and converted to a football stadium ) but only got "lucky" with punch cards. First job, my boss gave me this new fangled Mac PC he'd gotten and had spent weeks creating complicated spread sheets. Told me to get "acquainted" with it and said start with the manual. Step 1: Format the Hard Drive! Step 2: Peal my boss off the ceiling when he found out I erased all his work! Nice to know I have brothers like you who are old enough to know God when he was a boy and were around at the invention of computer programming.

The Real Reason I moved South:
My Kids with a few of their "Pets":

And no "Punch Cards" or RC Transmitters in the group:

[Matt Mathias]

Hi Hugh, Thank you so much for that awesome write up, I was just getting ready to order the 6S but your info you shared along with the others who commented have convinced me to go for the 8S. Also I want to comment and clear up any misunderstanding. In the Navy and Marine Corps a plane captain is the ground guy who inspects and prepares the (in my case the F4) aircraft for flight. The plane captain also assists the pilot and the back seater (RIO) strap into the seat, answer any questions they may have about the particular aircraft. you also pull the safety pin from the ejection seats, start up the engines and go through system checks using hand signals with the pilot then salute them and send them on their way. You also recover the plane when it comes back from its mission and secure the drag chute and check over all systems upon return. I wish I was an actual F4 pilot but I was an enlisted NCO. VMFAT-101 was a F4 training squadron based at MCAS Yuma AZ. The "V" stood for fixed wing, The "M", for Marine, The "F" for Fighter, The "A" for Attack, and the T was for Training and unit number was 101. Oh, and the base was MCAS which stood for Marine Corps Air Station. Great times and I really enjoyed my time there. We did a deployment on the USS Enterprise for a month getting our student pilots carrier qualified. That was an amazing experience which I thoroughly enjoyed. Anyway I hope that clears up any misunderstanding I caused. The F4 was a great plane but I have to admit was completely out classed buy the F18 that replaced it. But the night time CAT launches on the Enterprise were a sight to see, and hear. I love the Picture you included looks super scale. Also I recently bought a FW F18C and made it up in my oldest sons father inlaw's Squadron. He is a retired Navy captain and he flew F18s. Ill include a picture of how I made it look. I flew the FW F18 for him because he is not a rc pilot. I flew it without a gyro and I really enjoyed flying it. So much so I am ordering the FW Blue Angle F18 on the same order as the F4. I fly with a Radiomaster TX16S with Edge TX.

[Elbee]

How I remember the punch cards! Freshman year we had a computer class where we had to write programs, and then send over all the punch cards to the main HQ so they could run our programs to see if they worked or not. Sometimes took hours to get our results, and of course we usually messed something up on one or two steps and the whole thing went down the drain!

Great pic!

Cheers

davegee

Dave,

I hear ya, Brother.

I was a second semester BASIC FOUR student when that picture was taken.

What a mess, even then, to program, but it was the wave of the future.

I have dropped my fair share of punch cards boxes in the halls of Ol' "Ta-State U.

We have it so good now; however, those that build the apps and programs are not necessarily without ulterior motives.

Anyway, still researching TX alternatives.

Best, Steve

[davegee]

f4u ausie Hugh Wiedman

I need Google Translate here.

So, if Fred Flintstone and I are the only two guys left flying 8J Futaba Txs what's a boy to do?

I could use more channels, but my "puny brain" still thinks my IBM 1130 is viable.

Yes, the kid in the picture is me at the WSU Computer Lab, circa 1975.

Boat shoes, hair-doo, khakis, and an Izod shirt, what a 'frat boy'.

I can still program in COBOL.........I just don't have enough space for all the punch cards.

Anyway, like the conversation about Txs, looking to upgrade.

Best, LB

How I remember the punch cards! Freshman year we had a computer class where we had to write programs, and then send over all the punch cards to the main HQ so they could run our programs to see if they worked or not. Sometimes took hours to get our results, and of course we usually messed something up on one or two steps and the whole thing went down the drain!

Great pic!

Cheers

davegee

[Elbee]

Yeppers, flared khakis, too. Those were the days, huh. (LOL).

[f4u ausie]

Flares and all steve,, mums got couple of me just like that a bit younger(only just).. freds life was much simpler,, no upgrades downgrades.. blue tooth red tooth orange tooth to much sometimes

[Elbee]

f4u ausie Hugh Wiedman

I need Google Translate here.

So, if Fred Flintstone and I are the only two guys left flying 8J Futaba Txs what's a boy to do?

I could use more channels, but my "puny brain" still thinks my IBM 1130 is viable.

Yes, the kid in the picture is me at the WSU Computer Lab, circa 1975.

Boat shoes, hair-doo, khakis, and an Izod shirt, what a 'frat boy'.

I can still program in COBOL.........I just don't have enough space for all the punch cards.

Anyway, like the conversation about Txs, looking to upgrade.

Best, LB

[f4u ausie]

You hugh r the golden 1,,,, thaanx so much... i got home from work thisarvo about 2 pm saturday 4 me.. 2 jobs to do( so i can fly it in the morn sunday) glue in and setup new rx.. excitment plus, after work.. reverse working ,,yep,, aileron,,. Yep ,, elev,, yep ,, flaps with mix,,, yeep.... ok now lets go forward programming and setup as3x,,,, naaa nx7 wants a firmware upgrade,, .. so in the morn will fly no as3x (very confident).. no wind expected and get some help to upgrade... after that,,, my son is 28, help ya dad,,, na thats too hard,, mmm.. will let the team no how it went and devious mmm new90 fms avanti ,, next week or so (hopefully) on the way have fun b safe

[Hugh Wiedman]

f4u ausie. Just looked up the Spektrum TX upgrades. Your GOLDEN!!! Your NX7e can be upgraded online to 14 channels! More than enough. Others to 20 but you saved a bundle by not getting a 14 channel TX, so now it's free! The only real difference with a 14 vs 7 channel is the 14/20 has more switches, trims, etc.

So you can get an AR10360T, use 10 plug in servos, etc. ports, use another 4 ghost channels for stuff, all with a 7 channel TX. So whose the smart one now, the guy who bought an IX20 for $2000 US, or you who saved mega bucks, ended with 14 channels, and can use the saved money for more aircraft? Very devious of you!

I have enough problems with 2 sticks and several switches, more would just blow my punny brain.