Official Freewing 90mm F-4 Phantom II Thread

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hey Y'all, I applied some of the 'big' graphics from Callie and the PH-4 is starting to look like the CAG's. I really like this part of the build when the airframe starts to take on some personality. Best, LB

Outstanding, love the "burnt nozzle" work you did.

[Elbee]

Outstanding, love the "burnt nozzle" work you did.

Thanks, Hugh, I will tone it down with a bit-o-soot and some panel highlights but I like the idea of subtle heat staining. Btw, how's your F4U coming along? Best, LB

[Aros]

...I will tone it down with a bit-o-soot and some panel highlights but I like the idea of subtle heat staining.

I am absolutely going to start doing that with my jets, especially the 3DPup nozzles...What's your technique? Looks fantastic!

[Elbee]

Hey Aros, There are a couple of vids in the yewtoob universe, though the easiest is get silver, bronze or gold tones, purple, blue and soot-like paint colors. I used a small turntable and airbrushed the exterior base black, then silver, then bronze to purple to blue to blackish tones spinning the turntable. Light coats go a long way as you can always add more. The next phase I will gloss clear then add some burnt iron/soot colors, highlight the inner panels with brightish silver to simulate the abrasion of the inner panels against the outer panels (very rarely added) and finish with matte. The interior is painted to simulate mostly soot. Hope this helps. Best, LB

[Woodcock]

Hey Y'all, I applied some of the 'big' graphics from Callie and the PH-4 is starting to look like the CAG's. I really like this part of the build when the airframe starts to take on some personality. Best, LB

That looks real nice Elbee!

Woody

[Aros]

Hey Aros, There are a couple of vids in the yewtoob universe, though the easiest is get silver, bronze or gold tones, purple, blue and soot-like paint colors. I used a small turntable and airbrushed the exterior base black, then silver, then bronze to purple to blue to blackish tones spinning the turntable. Light coats go a long way as you can always add more. The next phase I will gloss clear then add some burnt iron/soot colors, highlight the inner panels with brightish silver to simulate the abrasion of the inner panels against the outer panels (very rarely added) and finish with matte. The interior is painted to simulate mostly soot. Hope this helps. Best, LB

Thanks! You are an artist among men. ;)

[Elbee]

Thanks! You are an artist among men. ;)

Yeah well thank you, but don't say that too loudly, Aros, as "she whose authority exceeds my rank" will beg to differ. Around here she is the one who can actually draw and paint stuff. Me, I just build what I see in my head. LOLLOLLOL Best, LB

[Aros]

I have the opposite problem. My wife sees me fixing my planes (I have had tons of practice) and says "why can't you be that handy around the house?" DOH! :Silly::Scared::Sweating:

[Helmsman52]

Hey Y'all, I applied some of the 'big' graphics from Callie and the PH-4 is starting to look like the CAG's. I really like this part of the build when the airframe starts to take on some personality. Best, LB

Outstanding LB!! Go Navy!

[Elbee]

Outstanding LB!! Go Navy!

Thanks H52,:) I do like the VF-111 Sundowners livery, though might be a bit cliche' for some. It's all about the presentation, I think. Best, LB

[Hugh Wiedman]

Thanks, Hugh, I will tone it down with a bit-o-soot and some panel highlights but I like the idea of subtle heat staining. Btw, how's your F4U coming along? Best, LB

Almost finished with the F4U. Just finished my 4th coat of gloss Spar Urethane-looks outstanding, can't tell it's foam unless up close. Last thing to do is strap in the "Clint Walker" warbirds pilot and glue the canopy as soon as I give the urethane the weekend to dry, then hopefully out to the field. Coated my FL Spitfire and both my F4's with the urethane also-can't believe it took me so long to even find out about it-should have looked it up in this forum years ago. Man, there sure are some smart and experienced dudes on this forum to help out idiots like me. :Silly:

[prestonowtm]

Hey guys ...I have a retract I need to get a 3.5mm rod for. Where is it that you guys go for stuff like this? I remember someone talking about "small parts" . com or some such but I cannot find it anywhere

[fhhuber]

Hey guys ...I have a retract I need to get a 3.5mm rod for. Where is it that you guys go for stuff like this? I remember someone talking about "small parts" . com or some such but I cannot find it anywhere

K&S Tubing and metal stock.
Carried by most hobby retailers. They make aluminum, brass, copper tubes and sheets and hardened steel "music wire"

The problem is the 3.5 mm not coming out to a convenient fractional inch value. Its close to 9/64, which to me generally means drilling it out to 5/32 which is barely under 4.0 mm (5/32 music wire has very little play in a 4.0mm hole)

You could chuck the oversize wire n a drill press and turn it down using emery cloth, but this is easy to do wrong.

I have not found a good source for STRONG springy wire in metric. K&S music wire is ideal for landing gear and other places you need some flex with high strength

[prestonowtm]

That's a freakin great idea man. I was to the point of looking at drill bits and cutting the bottom half down but they are so hardened I don't think they would have any give at all.

[samiam1204]

I’m having an issue during final approach where the nose drops straight down. It’s happened both during the turn to final, and while coming in straight. In either case the gear and flaps are deployed. Thankfully, I was able to pull out of the dive and save the plane. Just wondering if anyone has seen this as a tendency of the FW F-4, and what suggestions you may have to prevent it.

[Bobaroo]

I’m having an issue during final approach where the nose drops straight down. It’s happened both during the turn to final, and while coming in straight. In either case the gear and flaps are deployed. Thankfully, I was able to pull out of the dive and save the plane. Just wondering if anyone has seen this as a tendency of the FW F-4, and what suggestions you may have to prevent it.

Yes !! I suspect it happens anytime you 'Chop' the Throttle from a High Throttle setting !! The Nose Drops or, ... your Jet will PitchDown .. Yes ?
The Nozzles on this one are out of index with a Neutral Thrust Line. It has been discussed.

[samiam1204]

Yes !! I suspect it happens anytime you 'Chop' the Throttle from a High Throttle setting !! The Nose Drops or, ... your Jet will PitchDown .. Yes ?
The Nozzles on this one are out of index with a Neutral Thrust Line. It has been discussed.

That may have been the case. It was last year. I thought that I had pulled the throttle back gradually, but I can’t say for certain. My first thought was that it was the Admiral Rx I’m using, but I ruled that out when it happened on more than one flight. A club member said it could be the result of the flaps disrupting the airflow over the elevator, but that doesn’t make sense since the tail sits well above the flaps. It’s obviously a tendency I’m going to have to be aware of and learn to prevent.

[Bobaroo]

It will PitchDown noticeably with a slow Throttle Reduction also.

The phenomenon is very easy to 'Validate' .... if you're interested. Simply get a High Speed Flight Going in any Configuration you like (Preferably Gear Up) @ a comfortable altitude some distance away directly off the wing with Full Throttle and Chop your Throttle to Idle !!!! Or, even more dramatically, use the same parameters only this time try it Head-On !!! Watch what happens immediately when the Throttle is Cut !!

I cut my nozzles off and reset them Downwards by cutting about 1/4" off of that lower edge of the Nozzles. I'm going to cut a little more off of them on the next one because there's still a very slight PitchDown when I Chop the Throttle !! Telling me I need another Shave on those Nozzles. Barely perceptible at altitude but on the 10' High-Speed Head-On pass, I can still see it happening. Since the reverse is happening with rapid FullThrottle application (PitchUp occurring) I needed to correct this unwanted tendency on mine. If you've ever watched me fly, you would understand the necessity for this NozzleMod. Hahahaha

Some Guyz use a Throttle/Elevator programmed Mix to achieve a solution to this situation. There's debate on the effectiveness of that methodology also in discussion both here on this Forum and over on the RCGroups. GL

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=40794273&postcount=5383

[Ks.jetflyer]

I'm still a rookie, I only have 2 flights on mine so far. I haven't noticed a pitch down on throttle reduction, however I haven't chopped the throttle. I do a gradual reduction in power.

[Bobaroo]

I'm still a rookie, I only have 2 flights on mine so far. I haven't noticed a pitch down on throttle reduction, however I haven't chopped the throttle. I do a gradual reduction in power.

Awesome !! Someday you may... and hopefully there will be no costly surprises for you when it does. Cheers !!