Official Freewing Twin 80mm F-14D Tomcat Thread

[rifleman_btx]

That is awesome

[andrew_flyguy]

Michael Hines happened to have a very nice camera with him at the local flying field when I was there with my Top Gun refinished Tomcat this past weekend. I've put this pic a few places on facebook, but I feel it's definitely got a home in this thread as well.

[Aros]

Gorgeous! If it weren't for the linkages I would think that was a full scale!

[Grossman56]

Yep, great shot Andrew!!

Grossman56

[MOFO1]

My Alicat. Tribute to the last operational F-14s. This scheme is also much easier to see in flight. .

[Aros]

Nice MOFO1!

Came across this the other day and felt compelled to share it here...

[e4dragongunner]

Fan Upgrades showed up... Will have a Stock F-14 Power System for sale soon! :-)

[Grossman56]

Cool picture Aros!

Grossman56

[TMoyer]

Fan Upgrades showed up... Will have a Stock F-14 Power System for sale soon! :-)

Which upgraded fans did you get?

[e4dragongunner]

The A-10 Fans .... and Motors! I gotta get new ESC's as well 100amp

[e4dragongunner]

Just flew my F-14 after upgrading to the 9 blade fans from the A-10, and what a difference! I can cruise at a lower power settting, and the aircraft definitely feels lighter. Also added a full minute to my flight timer, landing at about 4 min of mixed throttle flying on Admiral pro 4000s. Will definitely be taking the Tomcat out to fly more often now!

Based on this report! :-)

[Hardway]

Got mine the other day! :Cool:

[e4dragongunner]

NICE!!! Now I am Jazzed on these JP Hobby fans from RCJETWERX.com Especially the 90 mm 6S and 8S! Too bad no 80 ...

[davidjonesxl]

Anyone a F-14 model file for the iX12 Spektrum? I tried Chris' , the RC Geek, file but it diesndowork with the iX12. Wings work but the tailerons dontd work. I think mixing board is getting in the way. Anyway, if anyone has toe ideal file for the iX12 I would appreciate it if they email it to me.
ñdavidkonesxl@gmaio.com

[andrew_flyguy]

Anyone a F-14 model file for the iX12 Spektrum? I tried Chris' , the RC Geek, file but it diesndowork with the iX12. Wings work but the tailerons dontd work. I think mixing board is getting in the way. Anyway, if anyone has toe ideal file for the iX12 I would appreciate it if they email it to me.
ñdavidkonesxl@gmaio.com

There's a system-wide setting on the iX12 that disables some channels. "DX-18 compatibility" mode or something similar. Find that and disable it and see if that helps. Otherwise, I'll try to upload my iX12 file for you (about to be moving over the course of a few days, so I can't say for sure when I'll be able to post it).

[mtnbiker63]

Andrew, I would like your stl file as well please. I have everything working as it should with the wings out. But I wasn’t able to turn off the ailerons and flaps with the wings swept.

[fhhuber]

If trying to use channel 11 or 12, check that X-Plus is active. You can't use higher than channel 10 on the DX-18 unless X-Plus is active, but you can program it as if it would work. (can drive you nuts until you figure that out)

Disconnect the ball links for wing sweep so the sweep servos can move without moving the wings while testing the F-14 program. Push the wings forward. so the flaps can move without hitting the fuselage.
This lets y test control movements without stripping servos. You can see the flaps actuate and you can see the sweep system operate (With the center cover off) so you can diagnose issues without damaging anything.

I would look in the programming menus for "Taileron" aircraft type. and mix from there. This is how I got the mix plan I wanted using DX-18 and 9 channels. So the iX12 should be able to replicate it even if the programing won't transfer from the DX-18.
Once tailerons function correctly, then mix one aileron to it... then the other if not using a Y... Then do flaps, then sweep.

Remember that if the closest you can get on taileron movement is correct roll but reverse elevator, just swap which channels the 2 servos use. Its a common issue people run into flying wings and other mixes of elevator and ailerons.

Turning off the wings servos (locking control surfaces level to the wings) when the wing is swept means you must not have the servos in the wing be the primaries for aileron. Then mix those servos in and have the mix on the same switch as wing sweep. Flight modes is good for this. All the mixes on the flight modes and then in the mode that has wings swept all the wing servos go to the correct positions.
If using servo slow on flaps, you want slow going down and fast coming up so the flaps will come up fast enough to clear the fuselage before the sweep makes them hit.

You can mix tailerons to ailerons for aileron function without elevator influencing the ailerons and at the same time mix to reduce aileron deflection of the tailerons if desired.

You'll do yourself a favor by reading how someone got the mix plan working and following it step by step rather than just downloading their mix and lading it into your TX.
You'll understand what is going on and that will help you know what to do with other models.

I have an explanation of how I came up with my mix in a F-14 review on Motion's site.

*************

I tend to think like a computer on logic problems.
When Polks (now out of business) released the Tracker III radio, I promptly programmed it for CCPM heli full acrobatic mode. Someone asked Polks on their discussion site if it was possible and Polks said "no." I said "yes, here's how."
I was going to consult on programming for the Tracker IV but they cancelled the project. Someone had convinced them that spread Spectrum (2.4 ghz, 900 mhz, or any other frequency band)was a bad idea...
They did implement a few of my suggestions into firmware upgrades of the Tracker III. I still have 2 of those radios that work.

[davidjonesxl]

Article - http://thercgeek.com/2016/01/freewin...flight-review/
Actual Model File http://thercgeek.com/wp-content/uplo...x-spm-file.zip


I was able to get The RC Geek's F-14 Model file to work. It's actually flawless if you pay very close attention to his readme.txt (DX F-14 setup notes) file.

Here's the file for the F-14. My friend set this one up, so here are his notes. It's setup on elevon mode with the tail and wing servos plugged directly into the receiver.

Rx port assignments are:
Throttle-throttle
Aileron: Right Tail (elevon) - Note: Must be taken out of the mixing board and plugged into your receiver
Elevator: Left Tail (elevon) - Note: Must be taken out of the mixing board and plugged into your receiver
Rudder: Rudder
Gear: Gear
Aux1: Flap
Aux2: Aux2 (wing rt aileron)
Aux3: Aux3 (wing lt aileron)
Aux4: Aux4 (wing sweep)
Aux5: Aux5

[Evoman]

I recently saw this interesting video about the F-14 unique flight characteristics in the soon to be released module for the DCS World flight simulator. By the way this will be the most sophisticated and accurate simulation of the Tomcat ever created. It has been in development for like 4 years.
It left me thinking just how similar the FW models flight characteristics might have in common.

[Aros]

I need him to cover why mine would bounce like a pogo stick no matter how clean my approach, airspeed and flare was. LOL