Freewing 90mm F-22 opening canopy mod build

[RCjetdude]

This thread is intended to provide the necessary information to be able to add an opening canopy to your 90mm F-22. It will have pictures and video to help support the installation. If you are interested in a canopy kit please PM me for the details. The kit contains all the 3D printed parts and items necessary to make the pushrod assembly. You would have to provide a 17 gram servo with an arm that is about 15mm from center to where the hole is for the ball link. If you want to line the cockpit tub where you cut the foam away to recess the canopy frame with Styrene or card stock that is up to you but you will need to provide that as well as any magnets to help secure the front of the canopy when closed. I used some small 2mm dia. magnets I got off of eBay. You will need a good sharp utility knife, an Xacto knife, some small drill bits, a 3/16" drill bit, Foam-Tac or equivalent glue and some small screws that are maybe extras from kits or parts from crashed planes. The most important thing is to dry fit everything as you go to make sure it all fits together before gluing. Best of luck.

Correction: A better length for the servo arm might be 19mm instead of 15 depending on the servo you use and your radios max travels.

Steve "RCJetDude" Hodges

[RCjetdude]

The first thing you will need to do is remove the canopy from the cockpit tub. It is relatively easy to pop loose with a spatula or other thin blade. Just be careful not to damage too badly the foam underneath it.



Once the canopy is free, peel off any adhesive from under the edge of the canopy. You want it clean and just set it asside. It will later be glued back onto the canopy frame.



Next you will want to cut straight down through the back of the cockpit tub where the liner comes to a point. You will want the the blade to just penetrate the edge of the roam rib underneath.




Then cut straight across like so...



This is now where the long blade utility knife is useful. Keeping the blade flat against the foam rib, cut through on either side of the rib from one cut to the other you made on the top side.

[RCjetdude]

Your goal here is something that looks like this.

[RCjetdude]

Here is a video as well. More details to come.

[downwindleg]

Hey Steve, when you hooked up the servo for operating the canopy, I assume you slowed it down somehow. I know you can slow down the flaps/elevator on a Spectrum radio but not sure about other channels. You're thoughts?

[RCjetdude]

Yes I did. On a DX9 you go into your servo settings and scroll through travel, sub-trim, reverse and then you will get to speed. I think I set mine around 2 or 3 seconds. Just what ever looks decent.

[downwindleg]

Yes I did. On a DX9 you go into your servo settings and scroll through travel, sub-trim, reverse and then you will get to speed. I think I set mine around 2 or 3 seconds. Just what ever looks decent.

Thanks Steve. I have the IX 12 and Todd clued me in as well. Did you wind up moving the connection point on the canopy frame farther back on the provided arm for more travel? I'm at the max on travel at the radio and it dosn't seem to be enough.IMHO

[RCjetdude]

I maxed my travel out at 150 both ways. I just checked the servo arm and I am actually looking at about 19mm or so from the center of the servo arm screw to the center of the ball. Gives me a good amount of throw. They don't open a huge amount in real life anyway.

[downwindleg]

I maxed my travel out at 150 both ways. I just checked the servo arm and I am actually looking at about 19mm or so from the center of the servo arm screw to the center of the ball. Gives me a good amount of throw. They don't open a huge amount in real life anyway.

Yes, that's where I'm at...150 both ways and same from servo arm screw to ball. Just wondering if you shortened the arm extending from the canopy frame for more throw. The shorter the canopy arm, the more throw as opposed to the longer the servo arm right?

[RCjetdude]

I cut the all thread rod and aluminum tube longer than needed as I wanted to make sure they could accommodate different installations. I secured the pushrod clevis as close to the front end of the canopy frame mounting arm as possible. Yes, moving it back would provide more throw but also load the servo more and require a longer slot in the tub behind the seat for the pushrod to travel through. I did not make it shorter on mine.

[RCjetdude]

Make sure to that the servo arm is positioned on the servo to give as much up movement as possible. It might require shortening the all-thread and aluminum tubing.

[RCjetdude]

The length of my aluminum tube is about 41-42mm and it butts up against the ends of the clevis and ball link.

[RCjetdude]

Here is my all the way up...



And all the way down. The servo arm is pointing straight down.

[RCjetdude]

I have also, as an extra precaution added a servo latching system using a micro servo and gear door sequencer. The servo arm catches on a U shaped latch strike mounted to the underside of the canopy frame that protrudes through the sill for the frame. Canopy comes down, latching servo arm moves to catch the strike. To open the servo arm moves away from the strike and then the canopy opens. The magnets seem to be working fine so is it necessary? Maybe not. Like I said, just a precaution.

[downwindleg]

O.K. Steve, very helpful. I now have the length of the rod between the servo arm and the canopy frame mounting arm dialed in and although I'd like the canopy to go a little higher I think I'm gonna leave it at that. Slowed the servo down to 4 seconds but might go to 3. You're geometry is great and I love the way it works. I always wind up fussing too much but that's just me. Now I can do the cockpit interior, paint the inside faces where I removed material, and add the canopy to the frame. Don't know about the latch or magnets yet. Again, my compliments to your ground work and parts.:Cool:

[StarFox]

Can anyone please send me the 3D printing files for the Canopy modification and the cockpit details inbox them to me please

[SLAYER]

Hello, I would like to purchase the canopy mod kit for the Freewing F22 please