Official Freewing 90mm F-4 Phantom II Thread

[RCRandy]

Yes, I do remember reading about the problem with the push rod but forgot about the problem with the servo coming loose. Freewing should have mounted it in a hard plastic casing and screwed the servo in place, just my 3rd grade engineering thought.

Glad you caught it! I changed my servo and push rod before I flew mine but I was checking the fan for balance and found one of the mounts for the motor loose. I epoxied it back in place and also checked the mounts on my L39.

I have a handful of flights on mine (8S) and am impressed by how well it flies.

[Elbee]

I "flew" the RAF Sim for the F4 a few times when the Fighting Cocks were based at RAF Leuchars in Scotland.(Long time ago!) Landing was done on about 2/3 power and a fairly high AOA ,increasing power to flare rather than pulling the stick back. Essentially sink rate was controlled by power and speed with elevator. I was looking at mixing throttle and flaps and elevator to find a "nice" balance for a steady approach as I have a very short field, and I mean field!! ...Any of you flyers tried that ? Waiting for my Freewing F4 from China though I was weaned on the Maratuka Phantomin the 70's and have a 60 Rossi powered Omega Sqdn . in the "hangar"

LA, Welcome to Hobby Squawk. Best, LB

[locharrow]

I have had my phantom for over a year and just maidened her. First decent day to fly that I have been off. I say decent because there was a 7-10 mph 90 degree crosswind. Stock 6s set up. She took off well. handled the wind pretty good. I have to work on my landings though. :) I com in too high. I almost stalled 2x on landing. I had power on and pitched it way up... lol. I have to practice hold pitch and adjust throttle. I get low, I add power and it doesn't arrest the descent enough so I pull back on the stick. This thing was at 45 degree nose up and just hovering because of the wind. I took a little power off and landed in the grass of the end of the runway. I snapped the nose gear pin and ripped the foam bit off of the nose cone. I thought it was going to be much worse.... Tough bird! she flew well though. I am happy with it. My wife loves taking pics. Lighting wasn't great but she still got some good ones.

[locharrow]

..That is exactly what I was saying in my first post. The instructor told be to come in about a mile out @ 800-1000 ft up on 2/3 power with, I think, either 8 or 10% AoA not sure about the angle .. and come in at a specific descent rate...can't remember that either!! I watched six F4 Omega Navy pilots land twenty yards in front of me at a display (way before safety regulations stopped that kind of stuff) and each one came in and increased power when the were not that far off the runway end and each one hit the deck within a few feet of runway stripes. Awesome to watch and to hear! My F4 is held up in china due to the Corona virus , that and the Freewing 12 6s fan. Looking forward to the big box arriving!!

[TedBull]

What do you guys who have done the elevator servo mod recommend to glue down the wood plate? Epoxy? Foam tack?

I got everything mocked up, just need to glue down the wood mounting plate. I shaved 1/8" of foam all around the servo pocket to allow for cooling. And I cut some vents into the tail cover.

[Evan D]

Nice work. Gorilla Glue or secondly Foam Tac

[TedBull]

Nice work. Gorilla Glue or secondly Foam Tac

Thanks, I do have some gorilla glue. After the elevator mod is done then I just need to airbrush my RC geek 3d printed exhaust nozzles and she is ready for the maiden.

[Wolfgang Wagner]

Hey guys, just another topic. Is it better to plug the UBEC into a free RX-channel or y-harness with the throttle. Or there is no difference at all?

[Evan D]

Better into an unused slot in the middle of the slots on your receiver so it's in the middle of the buss. If you Y it use a short Y with full size wires, gold contacts and Y it to something that draws the most power. All that said it probably makes minimal difference.

[Wolfgang Wagner]

Better into an unused slot in the middle of the slots on your receiver so it's in the middle of the buss. If you Y it use a short Y with full size wires, gold contacts and Y it to something that draws the most power. All that said it probably makes minimal difference.

Thx for your answer, Evan

[yohay@aol.com]

I lost an f4 on its iadin flight due to a fail in the plane. Not radio issue.
no real supper.support. Bummer.
will assamble another one.

[Evan D]

Welcome to the forum. Any idea what failed?

[Elbee]

Aros TE=yohay@aol.com;n239851 ]I lost an F-4 on its maiden flight due to a fail in the plane. Not a radio issue. No real super.support. Bummer. I will assemble another one.[/QUOTE]

YH, Couple things. First, Welcome to Hobby Squawk. That said, could you be more specific about what you believe failed? Have you debriefed the check flight with someone at the field who might have seen what happened? We all want to know what might have gone wrong. I like that you willing to build another. The Phantom is a great flyer and beautiful airframe. Best, LB

ps: For your own security, you might consider changing your "User Name" to something other than your personal email address. You never know how that might be used. Just a thought, Sir. You can send Aros a Personal Message via this forum if want to change something.

[locharrow]

My big box arrived today and it is HUGE...First thing.. secured stab servo by heating an old push rod and melting foam below servo screw holes ..filled the four holes with epoxy overfull to act as rivets, glued triangle strip each side. Beefed up the pushrod with a carbon tube.... need a come-along to pull it out now!!

[Elbee]

My big box arrived today and it is HUGE...!

LA, If I have not yet said welcome, Well, Welcome to Hobby Squawk. Really good mod for sure. Post pics of your build if you are so inclined. Best, LB

[Wolfgang Wagner]

I checked my elevator servo and is glued in good. Did the upgrade on the pushrod to 4-40 DuBro rod + links. Am now wondering if a further reinforcement of the servo is still recommended - like locharrow mentioned - or not. Any advice appreciated.

[locharrow]

Big box is now empty !! Just need the FMS 12 blade 6s fan from China and it's good to go!

[killickb]

Wolfgang, my elevator servo is still tight in the foam, as it came from factory, after many flights but I do check it now and again. Wouldn't hurt to support if you are the nervous type but seemingly not a mod absolutely required. I did change my elevator pushrod to carbon plus ball links before the maiden -- that thin wire looked very fragile for when those big slabs are loaded up,

[Wolfgang Wagner]

Wolfgang, my elevator servo is still tight in the foam, as it came from factory, after many flights but I do check it now and again. Wouldn't hurt to support if you are the nervous type but seemingly not a mod absolutely required. I did change my elevator pushrod to carbon plus ball links before the maiden -- that thin wire looked very fragile for when those big slabs are loaded up,

Thx for Info. Sounds reasonable. As I said I changed the rod too. That 1.5mm rod is not strong enough at all. But my servo is right and so I will handle it the same way. Appreciate your feedback.

[mick8488]

I'm about to order the Ghost Gray version and paint it in my old VF-161 colors. I flew F-4N's, J's and S's in the Navy and can tell all what a huge difference the slats made in the S in terms of controllability at high AOA's and slower speeds.

First, with the Freewing 90mm, has anyone had issues with wing rock at high AOA's? Wing fall off in hard turns? How about stalling in the flare?

Second, has anyone considered or actually tried permanently mounted slats?

I understand that the wing loading on these is far lower than real life. I'm relatively new to the hobby and at the moment my only EDF is a 70mm T-45, though it's huge fun and am enjoying the heck out of it.

Last point and question... we HATED wing tanks. As god is my witness I'll never mount the ones on the model. ;) Does anyone sell the 3DP centerline tank?

Thanks in advance! Great thread!!!

Curly, YGPM