Official Freewing Twin 80mm F-14D Tomcat Thread

[Evan D]

Oh. well, you are the first doing this... On some ESCs with internal BECs you need to disconnect one by disconnecting the red lead on one ESC. Many newer ESCs are not effected by this and you can leave both BECs active. If so I would think just plugging in quickly will work, it has on some other planes where I have two active BECs. you have a good second, maybe two before the first goes into programming mode.

[Having Fun]

I am talking about the new 100 amp ESC and New 2150kV- EDF motors from Freewing you have been talking about. Each ESC comes with its own BEC correct? So how to I synchronize the ESCs since there are two batteries with two different connections? Typically I turn on the radio, go to full throttle and then plug the battery in. Will they synch even when I don't plug both batteries in at the same time?

[Evan D]

Stock there is only one BEC to one of the EC5 connectors

[Having Fun]

Don't both of the ESC's have a BEC connected to it?

[Evan D]

Normal, full throttle plug in both leads quickly. I don't remember if I did the one with the BEC first or not...

[Having Fun]

Evan D, How did you synch the two ESCs since there are two different battery leads?

Thanks!

[Elbee]

Evan D kallend, Thanks, Gentlemen. I will ponder your advice. Best as always, LB

[kallend]

I made a 3DP "tunnel tidy" between the sweep area and nose to try to keep the wires from being too chaotic. I couldn't see any elegant way to clean up the wiring between the main RX and the control box so I just bound them all together with cable ties.

[Evan D]

My opinion... opinion is to leave the wing box and sweep as it is. It works. The wiring is a rats nest both "under the hood" and in the nose area. I bored tunnels going from the sweep are to the nose and it cleaned up that area really well. I put a lot of the extra wires in the area underneath between the intakes. Everything else I tried to neaten up. If I had crimpers to shorten lead that would have been nice. On my second TC I have the Mig29 fans and 100A ESCs plus after burners. I added a full length ply battery area floor but other wise it's stock. I tried to make it tidy.

[Elbee]

themudduck Evan D, I thank you. I am just starting to gather parts.

My thoughts were to replace all the metal parts reinforcement with CF plate and angle.

Also, use different wire connectors to eliminate all the extra inches of wiring.

Uncertain whether all the additional efforts would save enough weight to make much difference.

I wanted to add as much new cockpit area as space allows, maybe speed brakes and the lower MG doors.

Best to all, Steve

[Evan D]

Anytime.

[Having Fun]

Evan D,

Thanks for getting me on the "Right" page.

[Evan D]

Agreed

[themudduck]

Hey All, excluding the batteries, EDFs, and Swing wing servos, where would you all say is the majority of the weight located in the Freewing Tomcat? Swing wing mechanism and subsequent brackets? I have the airframe, EDFs et cetera, just didn't want to pull everything out of the boxes. Thanks, LB

Hey LB, someone will probably argue the point but if you exclude the batteries and EDFs and all the other stuff then mostly all you have left is the entire foam airframe and some servos. There is some reinforcement in the center (to support the wing mechanism) including an aluminum cross bar and wing supports - and some CF in the wings, but the airframe weighs a lot more than those reinforcements. Once you take out all that gear, there's not much weight left.

I think just all this wiring must weigh a pound!!

[Elbee]

Hey All, excluding the batteries, EDFs, and Swing wing servos, where would you all say is the majority of the weight located in the Freewing Tomcat? Swing wing mechanism and subsequent brackets? I have the airframe, EDFs et cetera, just didn't want to pull everything out of the boxes. Thanks, LB

[Evan D]

“I have 3 Y-Harnesses (1 for reverse leads, 1 for throttle leads, and 1 harness for the afterburner/throttle connection).”

3 Y harnesses not a 3 way.

[Having Fun]

OK, maybe I am missing something because I have never worked with these ESCs. Wouldn't I have to put the reverse leads on another channel so I could flip a switch and then get the motors to reverse? If I put the reverse leads on the throttle 3 way lead, how do I reverse the motors?

[Evan D]

"3 Y-Harnesses (1 for reverse leads, 1 for throttle leads, and 1 harness for the afterburner/throttle connection)"

[Having Fun]

Dougcarr73
You must have put a Y cable on channel 10 to plug in both reverse connections as well, right!

[Evan D]

I always find it interesting how others use switches. My standardized way is:

A- Retracts
B- Modes, things like going from norm to full span flaps or a elevator to flap mix on 3D planes or idle ups on helos or modes on racing quads
C- Ele D/R
D- Rud D/R this is a hold over from years of using Futaba
E- For airbrakes or wheel brakes, 0 is "safe", 1 turns on airbrakes which is controlled by my right slider, 2 turns on wheel rakes or reverse thrust. I am also a believer of the reverse thrust switch on your right hand.
F- Ail D/R
G- normally not used, wing sweep on the F-14
H- Throttle cut/ kill.
Left slider is flaps
Right slider is air brakes
Button range test
Knob normally not used