Official Freewing 90mm F-4 Phantom II Thread

[locharrow]

My maiden was unintentional....high speed taxi trial in the park and up it went ! Advice? 75% of throws advised and stick in 20% or so expo with slightly forward CG and you can't go wrong. Don't haul it off early, squeeze it up. Good luck...don't get to enthralled watching it and forget to control it.........easily done......

[locharrow]

Kat ass trophy today. I had charged the battery a couple of days back, put it in the plane and plugged in the "afterburner" lead, Loaded the beast into the car intending to fly but when I got to the park there were dog walkers. Came back home, left the plane in the car with the burner lead still attached. Went out today great conditions, took off OK but a few seconds into the flight the power just died. Managed to bank it round and "land" but came down heavy on the nose gear. That popped the gear mount out of place. . Checked the battery and the cells connecting the burner were way down to 3.8.Last time I'll be doing that!. Not too bad a repair but spoiled a good run of accident free flights...

[Elbee]

LA, good debrief, it seems most accidents are avoidable. Chock it up to experience and give yourself a "Gibb's Slap" for good measure. Best, LB

[Evan D]

Charge as close to before you fly as you can, no more than the day before. Do not plug anything in until you are ready to fly, minutes before at most. Check the battery voltage before you plug in, every time. Unplug after flight, immediately. If you do not use the battery discharge it to 3.8V per cell as soon as possible. Do kit vary from this, get in a routine.

[f4u ausie]

La happy u didnt do major damage,,, i too charge the night b4,, and check it b4 every flight (too easy to mess it up) no maiden yet waiting for new electonics(spektrum nx7e) will need 6 new receivers now.. one on the way... $160 au for one as3x rx.. oh boy... looking 4rwd too no trim req every flight...... anyway.. ive been busy with her make up again... the camo liveries respond well to simple dirtying. Inc yellow missile tips(not sure scale) but i like it

[f4u ausie]

Maiden next weekend weather dependant... have checked elev linkage,, and everything.. but nervous about that knurled elev shaft.. anybody had the elev slip on that shaft??? Easy to put couple flatspots on that shaft ,, line up so they r even would b fun but doable.. at full elev gota b lota force on that joint just thinkin outaloud again.. likely should read thru this thread ( o boy its long like the corsair thread)

[GliderGuy]

Maiden next weekend weather dependant... have checked elev linkage,, and everything.. but nervous about that knurled elev shaft.. anybody had the elev slip on that shaft??? Easy to put couple flatspots on that shaft ,, line up so they r even would b fun but doable.. at full elev gota b lota force on that joint just thinkin outaloud again.. likely should read thru this thread ( o boy its long like the corsair thread)

Most common to upgrade the stock elevator hardware. Suggest a 4-40 threaded rod and DU BRO heavy duty connecting hardware for 4-40 rod.

I lost an F-4 using stock hardware…snapped at the ball connecting end.

Good luck on your maiden.

-GG

[locharrow]

"Maiden next weekend weather dependant.." I'm thinking about changing my hobby to boats..... this is what we had to contend with over the past two weeks....

[nuts-n-volts]

Besides a solid pushrod/ball-joint connection, I would also check the oem elevator servo to foam glue joint. Notorious for getting wonky after a few flights.

[rlcamden]

Not only did I change out the servo and pushrod, i added a servo support plate for a little added insurance (https://cults3d.com/:1034029). If you have access to a 3D printer, or someone that can print it for you, I would recommend the same. It was printed in ASA, light and strong.

[f4u ausie]

Thanx guys. Will get maiden done.. very carefully and change,, fix,,, all of that... I've seen a part no. For the servo. Somewhere.

[GliderGuy]

I went with the MKS HV69 servo. Note: It is smaller in physical size, so you will need to cut out a piece of thin plywood or carbon sheet and make an adapter plate.

This servo has performed reliably in my P-38, F-4, and MiG-29 <crashed from alpha lock> planes over thousands of total flights. It has plenty of output torque for the F-4.

-GG

[locharrow]

Stuck in a standard size Spektrum analogue servo with gorilla glue....never a problem...survived everything I've thrown at it, trees ,bushes, ridiculously stupid landings (never pilot error) and even crashes but the servo is still working fine and looks as if it will out last me!!
.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Anyone got a good Home Depot match for the top and bottom of the Grey Ghost version? Looked through hundreds of post and couldn't find them, but fairly certain someone posted them. I just got a 3rd F4, an 8S Ghost Grey and darn if they didn't put the decals on already. Obviously removing the decals is going to scar the base paint and I'm going with a different livery so hoping to paint over the Marines decals at least. I'll give the HD a try anyway, but sometimes ours is hit or miss and I'd like to at least have a starting point. Really wish they wouldn't do that!

[f4u ausie]

Anyone got a good Home Depot match for the top and bottom of the Grey Ghost version? Looked through hundreds of post and couldn't find them, but fairly certain someone posted them. I just got a 3rd F4, an 8S Ghost Grey and darn if they didn't put the decals on already. Obviously removing the decals is going to scar the base paint and I'm going with a different livery so hoping to paint over the Marines decals at least. I'll give the HD a try anyway, but sometimes ours is hit or miss and I'd like to at least have a starting point. Really wish they wouldn't do that!

Hugh im sure u will check,, but my apparent 8s verion had the 8s fan but only 6s 120 amp esc... and its a reversing esc , i too wish they woul leave the decals off.. no home depo here,,, im sure it will look awsome.. hav fun

[Evan D]

Double check that ESC, 8s 120A reversing is the new one being put in all the 8S planes and the 90m 6S ones.

[Hugh Wiedman]

f4u ausie and Evan D . Haven't pulled the ESC out to confirm yet with the holidays, but will next week. On the box and Improvement Notice inside, it "Claims" the ESC in the 8S version is 150 A reversing with 5A UBEC with the 12 blade 4075 1390 Kv inrunner. Also on the box it lists for the 6S version the 130A with 8A UBEC and the 9 blade 3672-1900 Kv inrunner. So we'll see.

[f4u ausie]

Double check that ESC, 8s 120A reversing is the new one being put in all the 8S planes and the 90m 6S ones.

But its meant to have 150 amp .. ??? Im sure... maybe the whole fwing .. factory needs one of elbees gibbs slaps

[Evan D]

The 8S planes used to have the big BLACK 8S 150A ESC with a separate BEC and antispark. They have now started coming with a smaller blue 8S 120A ESC with built in BEC, reversing, and no antispark.

F-4D Phantom II "Ghost Grey" Ultra Performance 8S 90mm EDF Jet from Freewing - PNP - FJ31232P


Version Info: This is the 8S version which, as of 9/20/2023, comes with a 90mm 12 Blade EDF 8S Power System with a newly designed 4075-1350Kv inrunner motor and a thrust reversing 120A ESC.

[f4u ausie]

The 8S planes used to have the big BLACK 8S 150A ESC with a separate BEC and antispark. They have now started coming with a smaller blue 8S 120A ESC with built in BEC, reversing, and no antispark.

F-4D Phantom II "Ghost Grey" Ultra Performance 8S 90mm EDF Jet from Freewing - PNP - FJ31232P


Version Info: This is the 8S version which, as of 9/20/2023, comes with a 90mm 12 Blade EDF 8S Power System with a newly designed 4075-1350Kv inrunner motor and a thrust reversing 120A ESC.

Sorry to b painful ,, does that mean when i put the 8s fan back in i can use the blue 120,, or will it need the 150. Thanx evan