Official Freewing 90mm F-4 Phantom II Thread

Collapse
X
Collapse
First Prev Next Last
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Guillermo
    Member
    • Jun 2023
    • 5
    • Send PM

    #5801
    Hi everyone. I want to ask you all a question. I have done 4 flights with my new F4, and I have noticed that when turning right or left, it is quite abrupt and tends to keep turning, giving a strange and unpleasant sensation. Maybe you see it as normal, but for me, it is not. I have been in this hobby for 30 years, and this is my third EDF, and I have never noticed this behavior before. I have tried with less aileron travel, but I can't improve that response. Is this how it behaves? Is it an initial tendency to stall? The flights have been relatively calm to check the battery life, and I don't want to give it much speed for now...

    Comment

    • GliderGuy
      Senior Member

      • Oct 2018
      • 1406
      • Send PM

      #5802
      Hi Guillermo….
      Assuming your electronics are OK, the behavior you describe may be due to what is commonly referred to as “tip stall”. The wing that is on the inside of the turn travels a shorter path. The outside wing travels a longer path.

      A good analogy is a line of skaters on a rope going in a circle. The skaters closest to the center are SLOW compared to the skater on the outside/end of the rope.

      The inside wing in a turn may stall (going slower) and rapidly drop. Until that wing unstalls, no amount of aileron will raise it.

      So, how to mitigate this…..

      1) Release any up elevator you are holding. This reduces the wing’s angle of attack, and the wing will start flying again. Then the aileron can lift it.
      2) Fly faster. Airspeed is life! The wing is “farther” away from the stall speed. Add power as you enter the bank.
      3) Make more shallow banks. Steep banks exacerbate the “skaters on a rope” effect.

      We STRESS sooo much to our full-scale glider students to keep airspeed in the pattern, keep the yaw string straight, and don’t make steep banks down low.

      -GG

      Aside: Sailplanes on winch or auto tows or RC sailplanes on high start tows may suddenly experience a tip stall during the beginning of the tow as the nose comes rapidly up. Accidents have occurred as a tip stalls and that wing suddenly drops. No amount of aileron or rudder will raise the wing. If the pilot panics and freezes, recovery is not possible. The only recovery is RELEASE the back pressure, move the nose effectively “down” reducing the angle of attack. Then and only then will the steep bank be reduced.

      Comment

      • Elbee
        Be humble...be approachable...and be credible.

        • Feb 2018
        • 4812
        • Wichita, Kansas
        • Send PM

        #5803
        Originally posted by Guillermo
        Hi everyone. I want to ask you all a question. I have done 4 flights with my new F4, and I have noticed that when turning right or left, it is quite abrupt and tends to keep turning, giving a strange and unpleasant sensation. Maybe you see it as normal, but for me, it is not. I have been in this hobby for 30 years, and this is my third EDF, and I have never noticed this behavior before. I have tried with less aileron travel, but I can't improve that response. Is this how it behaves? Is it an initial tendency to stall? The flights have been relatively calm to check the battery life, and I don't want to give it much speed for now...
        Hey G,

        Are using any rudder input while turning?

        Gotta keep your nose up and as GliderGuy nailed it, you must keep up your speed, as well.

        This is much like the 1:1.

        Best, LB
        "I am having an extraordinary ordinary life."
        ~Lucky B*st*rd~

        "Find satisfaction in the process rather than an outcome."
        ~Anonymous~

        AMA#116446

        Comment

        • f4u ausie
          Senior Member

          • Dec 2019
          • 1224
          • Melbourne
          • Send PM

          #5804
          Ime intermediate pilot. And have around 40 flights on this now.. a mix of 6 and 8s.. feel very comfortable now..
          I'm not as tech savvy as the above fellas.. first flight flew it fast.. as I got more. Comfortable,,and started slowing it down. I had a couple similar instances just like that..like an uncommanded roll.. in the turn.... Now I do not slow it so much in turns.
          And keep up the speed. In a larger pattern.
          Vwala has not happened again.


          In short the simpleton (that's me). Opinion is as above.
          Sppeeed.

          It's not a Cessna .. it's meant for speed and doesn't glider guy give the best tech information


          Comment

          • jetpltrich
            I fly with gyros!
            • Dec 2021
            • 155
            • Somewhere in east Texas
            • Send PM

            #5805
            Originally posted by Guillermo
            Hi everyone. I want to ask you all a question. I have done 4 flights with my new F4, and I have noticed that when turning right or left, it is quite abrupt and tends to keep turning, giving a strange and unpleasant sensation. Maybe you see it as normal, but for me, it is not. I have been in this hobby for 30 years, and this is my third EDF, and I have never noticed this behavior before. I have tried with less aileron travel, but I can't improve that response. Is this how it behaves? Is it an initial tendency to stall? The flights have been relatively calm to check the battery life, and I don't want to give it much speed for now...
            I have not experienced this behavior with my F-4 and I've been flying it for a couple of years. That said I do have a gyro in this plane and every plane I have. The plane is fast, and slow, no issues.

            Comment

            • jetpltrich
              I fly with gyros!
              • Dec 2021
              • 155
              • Somewhere in east Texas
              • Send PM

              #5806
              Takeoff and Landings with the F-4

              https://youtu.be/b7Fg6tSbCKw​​

              Comment

              • Elbee
                Be humble...be approachable...and be credible.

                • Feb 2018
                • 4812
                • Wichita, Kansas
                • Send PM

                #5807
                Grossman56

                Pics for your pilot painting library.

                Click image for larger version

Name:	USAF Col Robin Olds.jpg
Views:	438
Size:	140.9 KB
ID:	423557 Click image for larger version

Name:	ImageToStl.com_th-1566527610.jpg
Views:	450
Size:	32.5 KB
ID:	423558 Click image for larger version

Name:	ImageToStl.com_th-4179954448.jpg
Views:	433
Size:	62.2 KB
ID:	423559 Click image for larger version

Name:	ImageToStl.com_th-1792765890.jpg
Views:	407
Size:	31.2 KB
ID:	423560 Click image for larger version

Name:	ImageToStl.com_th-2082863330.jpg
Views:	406
Size:	44.9 KB
ID:	423561
                "I am having an extraordinary ordinary life."
                ~Lucky B*st*rd~

                "Find satisfaction in the process rather than an outcome."
                ~Anonymous~

                AMA#116446

                Comment

                • Evan D
                  I'll fly anything

                  • Jan 2016
                  • 5383
                  • Charlotte
                  • Send PM

                  #5808
                  Long ago and far away. He was the man.

                  Comment


                  • Elbee
                    Elbee commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Yes, Sir, he was "the Man". Another true American Hero.
                • Hugh Wiedman
                  Demolition Pilot

                  • Jan 2018
                  • 2690
                  • Miami
                  • Send PM

                  #5809
                  Originally posted by jetpltrich
                  Takeoff and Landings with the F-4

                  https://youtu.be/b7Fg6tSbCKw​​
                  SWEEEET!
                  Hugh "Wildman" Wiedman
                  Hangar: EDF's: Mig 29 TV "Cobra", A-10 Arctic, SU-27 90mm 8S:F22 Red Lion/EuroFighterBronzeTiger/F18 Canadian & Tiger Meet/F16/F4 Jolly Rodgers & Blue Angel, 80&90 TV Avanti, Viper, Stinger 90. Props: 1600 Corsair & Spitfire, B-24, 1700 P-51, 60" Beast & P2 Bipe, Extreme Flight-FW-190 Red Tulip, Slick 60, 62" Extra 300, 62" MXS Heavy Metal, 62" Edge

                  Comment

                  • Grossman56
                    Dangerous Dan *HobbySquawk Moderator*

                    • Jun 2014
                    • 7325
                    • Cody, Wyoming
                    • Send PM

                    #5810
                    Ew, that's scary especially the third and fourth pic...

                    Click image for larger version

Name:	20250330_123829.jpg
Views:	404
Size:	74.4 KB
ID:	423884

                    I think I got a good likeness, man, I didn't know he had a gold helmet, something just said, "paint it gold" so I did.

                    Grossman56
                    (Dangerous Dan)
                    Team Gross!

                    Comment

                    • jetfool
                      Senior Member
                      • Nov 2022
                      • 1274
                      • Crawfordsville, Indiana
                      • Send PM

                      #5811
                      Dangerous,

                      Looks like I will be needing your services for Toledo 26. I beat the tariff increase yesterday from Motion. You guys are killing me! LOL.
                      Hopefully Dave can get involved also. Later
                      Best Regards, Rex

                      Comment

                      • dawhale
                        Member
                        • Mar 2025
                        • 3
                        • Send PM

                        #5812
                        I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Using the serch function to try to locate info on the elevator rod repair/mod. Can someone provide some direction for this old guy?

                        Thank you

                        Comment

                        • Evan D
                          I'll fly anything

                          • Jan 2016
                          • 5383
                          • Charlotte
                          • Send PM

                          #5813
                          More pictures and info on RCG... I used 4-40 rod and a stronger/ larger ball link.

                          Comment

                          • Elbee
                            Be humble...be approachable...and be credible.

                            • Feb 2018
                            • 4812
                            • Wichita, Kansas
                            • Send PM

                            #5814
                            Originally posted by dawhale
                            I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Using the serch function to try to locate info on the elevator rod repair/mod. Can someone provide some direction for this old guy?

                            Thank you
                            DW,

                            Welcome to Hobby Squawk.

                            Glad to have you onboard.

                            What Evan D wrote is good information.

                            Replacing the OEM Rod(s) with 4-40 all thread or linkage is the way to go.

                            Some, like myself, also added a carbon fiber tube over the 4-40 all thread and I glued it with CA after I liked the positioning.

                            The ball links are also the way to go even if need to drill out your servo arm or even replace it with something stiffer.
                            I added a Futaba (or equivalent) higher torque servo.

                            You get the general idea, it is a matter of stiffening the linkage rods and attachment hardware to remove the play in the OEM setup.

                            Best, LB
                            "I am having an extraordinary ordinary life."
                            ~Lucky B*st*rd~

                            "Find satisfaction in the process rather than an outcome."
                            ~Anonymous~

                            AMA#116446

                            Comment

                            • jetfool
                              Senior Member
                              • Nov 2022
                              • 1274
                              • Crawfordsville, Indiana
                              • Send PM

                              #5815
                              Can someone point me in the right direction to add opening canopies to the F-4. Researching for future project. Thanks in advance.

                              Best Regards, Rex

                              Comment

                              • dawhale
                                Member
                                • Mar 2025
                                • 3
                                • Send PM

                                #5816
                                I bought a used Freewing F4. One elevator was loose. I removed the bottom of the fuselage and found a bent servo push rod. I understand the need to upgrade the servo linkage. Is there a mod to stop the set screw from slipping on the elevator connecting rod?

                                Click image for larger version

Name:	edit20250412_085612.jpg
Views:	235
Size:	95.4 KB
ID:	423917

                                Click image for larger version

Name:	edit20250412_135620.jpg
Views:	205
Size:	89.9 KB
ID:	423918

                                Comment

                                • Evan D
                                  I'll fly anything

                                  • Jan 2016
                                  • 5383
                                  • Charlotte
                                  • Send PM

                                  #5817
                                  Take a dremel and grind a flat on the shaft.

                                  Comment

                                  • f4u ausie
                                    Senior Member

                                    • Dec 2019
                                    • 1224
                                    • Melbourne
                                    • Send PM

                                    #5818
                                    My pushrod fix was less glamorous than above.. I used the original rod.. cut 2 more rods and the smallest carbon rod that would go over the then 3 rods.. and filled internally the carbon rod with epoxy... I like simple tricks,, (cause I'm simple) lol.. here's one from RC informer... While moving the control surface,, a little super glue in the servo and horn holes ,with control rods in place, will take out that last slop...... Even with my new hi teck servo I could move by the elevator 1 or 2 mm (slop by hand).now none,, and U can do that as ref maintenance,, JUST B SURE TO. MOVE. Control surface until Supa glue is dry... For obvious reasons..
                                    As regards the set screw,, I filed a tiny flat on the rod.. it took a bit to get the elevator half's to match,, but well worth it.. have fun,, it flys great,,, especially on 8s.. keep up speed in turns ,, lastly epoxy or support some how the elevator servo.. mine was loose after 2 flights

                                    Comment

                                    • f4u ausie
                                      Senior Member

                                      • Dec 2019
                                      • 1224
                                      • Melbourne
                                      • Send PM

                                      #5819
                                      Sorry did not see that Evan suggested a flat on the rod

                                      Comment

                                      • jetfool
                                        Senior Member
                                        • Nov 2022
                                        • 1274
                                        • Crawfordsville, Indiana
                                        • Send PM

                                        #5820
                                        F4uausie,
                                        My next project arrived. A beautiful F4 Phantom. 6s Grey Ghost.
                                        Best Regards, Rex

                                        Comment

                                        Working...