Official Freewing 90mm F-4 Phantom II Thread

[Phantom]

The stock F4 flies outstanding on grass. I recommend it highly, for grass or asphalt. With take-off flaps, the distance to get off the deck is almost the same as on asphalt, as I've flown both my Phantom and F4 Blue Angel on grass and asphalt. Of course the landing on grass, for me, is much smoother and puts less stress on the nose gear pin. Have yet to break or bend one on grass (did earlier on asphalt though), but then I've gotten a lot better on achieving a nose up landing. I do like the F-18, in fact am building out one in the Canadian Demo livery, but for some reason, I really, really like my F4 in the Blue Angel scheme much better than the F-18 Blue Angel. Maybe because doing that livery with the F4 was a "labor of love" and the F-18 can be purchased that way ready made. There are so many outstanding liveries for the F4 available through Callie and the 3D cockpit parts are also available from Motion so you can spend weeks creating an incredible icon. And in the air, the F4 is unmistakable.

An incredible little piece of history with the F4: During the Vietnam war in 1967, Captain John Pardo in an F4 "pushed" another crippled F4 by nudging up to the damaged F4's tail hook and pushed it 80 miles past Laotian Communist militia locations to safety. If that isn't enough to get "pushed" into buying and flying an F4, I don't know what is.

Hugh,

I came across a similar story of an F-86 pushing another F-86 that had a failed engine out to see to be able to eject and recover by friendly forces. I want to say, during the Korean war, and if I'm not mistaken it was on discovery wings.

[Phantom]

I found it, unfortunately his wingman drowned entangled in the lines of his chute, but a cool story nonetheless.

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/this...f-enemy-hands/

[Hugh Wiedman]

WOW, thanks for the additional post: another incredible story of these unbelievable human beings known as fighter pilots. Imagine the stories that we don't hear about, virtually every flight taking their lives in their hands and depending on a machine that hundreds of other people have touched to keep it going. None of them get enough credit, just climbing into a cockpit of anything that defies gravity is reason enough to hold them in the highest regard. And that goes for commercial and private pilots as well. My hats off to the real pilots, not like the wanna bees like me, who can screw up with very little consequences and only have to take the bird home and get out the epoxy.

[Waconut]

Hi guys,
I am almost ready to pull the trigger and order an F-4, I will Ofer the 3D printed cockpit and I will do the elevator push rod mod. Is there anything else you would recommend getting while I am placing the order?
Thanks!!
Anthony

[Elbee]

Hi guys,
I am almost ready to pull the trigger and order an F-4, I will Ofer the 3D printed cockpit and I will do the elevator push rod mod. Is there anything else you would recommend getting while I am placing the order?
Thanks!!
Anthony

WN, A gyro is always nice, I installed the Eagle A3 Pro and I like it lots. Though not from MRC, 'The RC Geek' has great Nozzle Sets for either the Air Force or Navy Versions. I bought the set for the Navy F-4B from him and those are outstanding. Best, LB

[Waconut]

Thanks LB,
I have the gyro sitting on the shelf. I will have to look up the RC Geek. I am going to order the Navy version and I believe I will be using Callie to set me up with some Marine graphics.

[Elbee]

Waconut, Looking forward to pictures and updates of your build. Also, there are STL FIles in this thread for bits-n-pieces you might find interesting. Check those out. Best, LB

[Waconut]

I was just looking at the MRC site and under upgrades they have 3D printed exhaust nozzles. Are the RCGeek ones that much better?
I will get on my PC tomorrow and go through this thread with a bit more detail. I am at a hold on the F-86 waiting on paint to cure.
Later!!
Anthony

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hi guys,
I am almost ready to pull the trigger and order an F-4, I will Ofer the 3D printed cockpit and I will do the elevator push rod mod. Is there anything else you would recommend getting while I am placing the order?
Thanks!!
Anthony

While your at it, I would also recommend putting an afterburner in it, love mine and put them in both. If you contact Chris at RC Geek about the nozzles, you might as well get the afterburner as well. Gooniac also makes an outstanding afterburner, so you can't go wrong with either. Chris did mention some time ago that he is making a newer version of his afterburner for the F-4, so ask him (if he's stuck inside he may be coming up with all kinds of new goodies), but I have his "old" (or should I say his original one) in mine and I wouldn't go up without them. Easy to install, although putting the A/C aluminum tape inside the nozzle is a must and is slightly delicate and time consuming, but a must. I put the Motion RC upgraded nozzles on as well (see the photo) which are nice, but Chris's nozzles are even better, up to you which you go with.

[Waconut]

On the RC Geek web site he states a 90mm Inrunner universal first the F4 but when you go to the drop down menu to select it to put in the cart it is not in the list. Maybe I am missing something?

[Waconut]

Hi Guys,
I pulled the trigger and ordered the Ghost Grey F-4 and the 3D printed cockpit and nozzles. I also went ahead and ordered 2 more Admiral 5000 batteries. I have ordered 3 jets in under 2 months, I think the wife may get a little bent out of shape if I order another one anytime soon .
Anyhow I got ahold of Chris at RC Geek and he pointed me in the right direction for the afterburner for this plane. I will be placing an order with him and Callie for the graphics. By the time the F-4 shows up I should be about done with my F-86.
Later!!
Anthony

[Elbee]

Waconut, Very good, Sir. You've got me thinking about building a second Phantom. I love the Freewing F-4 and it was a blast to build-up to the F-4B. I'll be watching intently. Best, LB

[Waconut]

Waconut, Very good, Sir. You've got me thinking about building a second Phantom. I love the Freewing F-4 and it was a blast to build-up to the F-4B. I'll be watching intently. Best, LB

This one is going to be fun. I let the wife help pick out the graphics from Callie’s, I am going with the Jolly Rogers. I went ahead and ordered the double afterburners from RC Geek as well. I think when the wife sees all the invoices she may start practicing social distancing in the bedroom.
Later!!
Anthony

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hi Guys,
I pulled the trigger and ordered the Ghost Grey F-4 and the 3D printed cockpit and nozzles. I also went ahead and ordered 2 more Admiral 5000 batteries. I have ordered 3 jets in under 2 months, I think the wife may get a little bent out of shape if I order another one anytime soon .
Anyhow I got ahold of Chris at RC Geek and he pointed me in the right direction for the afterburner for this plane. I will be placing an order with him and Callie for the graphics. By the time the F-4 shows up I should be about done with my F-86.
Later!!
Anthony

Looks like you got his latest twin afterburner for the F4, bravo. I may have to upgrade both mine as well, including getting the same for the F18 I'm working on (although I already have the single, I think dual would be soooo sweet). Earlier you mentioned something about an afterburner for the 90mm inrunner that you were ordering for the F4. If I'm not mistaken, the F4's come stock with an outrunner (mine did), did you mean that you upgraded the fan to an inrunner, or that on his website it only had something for a twin 90mm inrunner. I do have a single RC Geek afterburner in my F16 with the upgraded 90mm inrunner, so he does make them.

[Waconut]

Looks like you got his latest twin afterburner for the F4, bravo. I may have to upgrade both mine as well, including getting the same for the F18 I'm working on (although I already have the single, I think dual would be soooo sweet). Earlier you mentioned something about an afterburner for the 90mm inrunner that you were ordering for the F4. If I'm not mistaken, the F4's come stock with an outrunner (mine did), did you mean that you upgraded the fan to an inrunner, or that on his website it only had something for a twin 90mm inrunner. I do have a single RC Geek afterburner in my F16 with the upgraded 90mm inrunner, so he does make them.

I was looking at the wrong burner on his site and he pointed me in the right direction. I ordered the Grey Ghost stock 6S version of the F-4. I am looking forward to starting this build as soon as I finish my F-86.
Later!!
Anthony

[Waconut]

I put my order in with Callie for the graphics, she has a notice on her site that she is being swamped with orders due to the Coronavirus and she is trying to get caught up. I myself have placed 2 orders in the past week.

Anyhow decided on a Navy livery the Jolly Rogers.
Later!!
Anthony

[Ludovic]

Good morning all ,
Here I go order from Chris RC GEEK the kit to evolve my (CENTERBURNER SIMULATED AFTERBURNER LIGHT SYSTEM 80MM-120MM EDFS) towards the new double version for my future F4 8s (MULTIBURNER SIMULATED AFTERBURNER DUAL LIGHT SYSTEM (90MM + EDFS) and the nozzles for the F-4N.😉

[Waconut]

Hi Guys
I am getting started on my F-4, I have a few questions for those of you who have installed the MRC 3D Cockpits and Nozzles. What all is involved in installing the cockpits. I did a search and found nothing in this thread. Also when you replace the exhaust nozzles are you cutting the old ones off flush or are you just peeling the plastic covering off and leaving the foam inside the nozzle intact ?
I am giving the entire plane a light sanding with 220 grit to get it ready for paint.

Later!!
Anthony

[Elbee]

Hi Guys
I am getting started on my F-4, I have a few questions for those of you who have installed the MRC 3D Cockpits and Nozzles. What all is involved in installing the cockpits. I did a search and found nothing in this thread. Also when you replace the exhaust nozzles are you cutting the old ones off flush or are you just peeling the plastic covering off and leaving the foam inside the nozzle intact ?
I am giving the entire plane a light sanding with 220 grit to get it ready for paint.

Later!!
Anthony

WN, Obviously, pulling off the Canopy is the first thing and you've done that before, I think. Ditching all the interior parts is next which includes the shroud, pilots, seat backs and so on. These pretty much just pull out with a bit-o-persuasion but check that the pilot are glued or screwed in place

The nozzles should be cut from fore to aft and then peeled away as you surmised, you'll want to leave the foam untouched. The glue clean up is simple with either naphtha or mineral spirits. Again, prime all or your 3DP cockpit parts. Those are 3DP SLA printed resin, not filament ABS or PLA printed. Best, LB

[Waconut]

Ok I was wondering if I needed to carve away a good bit of foam in the cockpit area like the A-10.
Thanks for the reply.
Anthony