Official Freewing Twin 80mm F-14D Tomcat Thread

[xviper]

Remember that the F-14 with wings out is a floater and very trainer like. It can really slow down though mine had a nasty tendency to drop a wing at touch down (notice I didn't say tip stall).

Mine, too. With mine, I think it drops a wing as a result of rudder input when trying to get it more lined up with the runway centerline. Rudder input seems to induce roll so I tend to line it up as best I can and when close to the ground, I don't touch the rudder anymore and just let it take the line it's on.

[xviper]

Thanks. I fly from a hard runway but unfortunately it is quite short and, except for deltas that can be slowed right down at high alpha, most EDFs overrun into the grass - even those flown by far better pilots than me. So I'll probably take a hard look at the landing gear. (I saw that someone in the thread mentioned using my SU35 nosegear brace on his F-14).

What ever brace you use, the end that slides needs to be blocked at the further travel or it'll just ram itself past that point and derail. Any block you make has to be very sturdy and well secured. Even on the SU-35, that brace isn't much of a brace. And when you make a sturdy "backstop" for the brace and you nail the ground hard enough, the nose retract body simply cracks because there's no "give" in the strut due to the solid brace (if the brace itself doesn't break). Which is worse ................ a bent strut pin or a cracked retract body? I've been getting better with my landings but it just takes one hard thump onto grass and the nose gear will be damaged again. I'm thinking of getting something like these:
https://www.rc-castle.com/index.php?...roduct_id=7360
And all metal nose retract.

https://www.rc-castle.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=7363&search=alloy+retract

[kallend]

What ever brace you use, the end that slides needs to be blocked at the further travel or it'll just ram itself past that point and derail. Any block you make has to be very sturdy and well secured. Even on the SU-35, that brace isn't much of a brace. And when you make a sturdy "backstop" for the brace and you nail the ground hard enough, the nose retract body simply cracks because there's no "give" in the strut due to the solid brace (if the brace itself doesn't break). Which is worse ................ a bent strut pin or a cracked retract body? I've been getting better with my landings but it just takes one hard thump onto grass and the nose gear will be damaged again. I'm thinking of getting something like these:
https://www.rc-castle.com/index.php?...roduct_id=7360
And all metal nose retract.
https://www.rc-castle.com/index.php?...=alloy+retract

I have a "cosmetic" brace (the slider) and a real one that fits in the wheel well behind the leg, very similar to the popular Avanti brace. I didn't pay much attention to which one he was using.

[radfordc]

mine had a nasty tendency to drop a wing at touch down (notice I didn't say tip stall).

What causes a wing to drop when the plane is slow?

[radfordc]

Mine, too. With mine, I think it drops a wing as a result of rudder input when trying to get it more lined up with the runway centerline. Rudder input seems to induce roll.

That makes sense. I think the real F-14 would roll when yawed. Some videos of the F-14 make it clear that you couldn't use just ailerons to roll the plane when close to a stall.

[Evan D]

I really don't think I can say every time it happened that I was working the rudder but I fly by instinct and may have. Loosing lift at the tip would be my assumption caused by getting too high alpha. The tip looses lift on this before the rest of the wing since it's cord is much narrower. Assume the people that know more of the physics can add to the why in a much more educated way.

[radfordc]

I really don't think I can say every time it happened that I was working the rudder but I fly by instinct and may have. Loosing lift at the tip would be my assumption caused by getting too high alpha. The tip looses lift on this before the rest of the wing since it's cord is much narrower. Assume the people that know more of the physics can add to the why in a much more educated way.

OK. You just described a tip stall.

[Evan D]

So many people say there’s no such thing!

[kallend]

So many people say there’s no such thing!

50% of the population has below average IQ.

[kallend]

Slowly putting the F-14 together and ran into a problem when installing the wings. The starboard side sweep servo output shaft has quite a lot of "slop" resulting in the wingtip being able to move back and forth by some 1/2 inch, and the travel range is a bit smaller than the port wing (which is rock solid) so the wings would either be asymmetrical when forward or when swept.

I notified MRC customer service and hope for a replacement servo under the 30 day warranty.

[xviper]

Slowly putting the F-14 together and ran into a problem when installing the wings. The starboard side sweep servo output shaft has quite a lot of "slop" resulting in the wingtip being able to move back and forth by some 1/2 inch, and the travel range is a bit smaller than the port wing (which is rock solid) so the wings would either be asymmetrical when forward or when swept.

I notified MRC customer service and hope for a replacement servo under the 30 day warranty.

Did you try changing the length of that side's wing sweep rod so that it makes the wing butt up against the stop? I had that and playing with the rod length resolved the "schlopp" and both wings are fairly even swept out and in. What I had a problem with was that when measuring the wing tip elevation, one side was slightly lower than the other (warpage, maybe?). However, the plane seems to fly fine once trimmed.

[kallend]

Did you try changing the length of that side's wing sweep rod so that it makes the wing butt up against the stop? I had that and playing with the rod length resolved the "schlopp" and both wings are fairly even swept out and in. What I had a problem with was that when measuring the wing tip elevation, one side was slightly lower than the other (warpage, maybe?). However, the plane seems to fly fine once trimmed.

I have a warpage issue too, but having built a FlyFly foamie, the F-14 doesn't seem too bad - nothing I'm concerned about.

I did change the rods but the left wing has more travel than the right regardless. I hope MRC will send a replacement sweep servo but in the interim I have 3D printed a collar to go around the output shaft to prevent it from wobbling so much.

[krakenreleaser]

Just wrapped up our latest project on the Freewing twin 80mm edf F-14 Tomcat. This one was painted after the VF-1 "Wolfpack" F-14 A Tomcat featuring this unique Ferris paint scheme. We haven't seen any model, remote control or static display, in this awesome livery. BuNo 161290, NE 104, circa March 1983. Big thanks to Keith Svensden for snapping the original photos so we could recreate this beauty. There are only a handful of pics of plane out there, so we are super excited to bring this one back to life. 3d printed nozzles, wheel hubs, and pilots were added to customize the look and keep it true with the F-14 A model. Big shout out to T-cat (wheel hubs), the RC Geek (missle plyons) and chrisk83 (nozzles) for the 3d stl files. We also upgraded the power system with the mig 29 fans and escs, so it should rip. Painted two cockpits: one for flying and one with the canopy up for static display. Led twin afterburner kit by Gooniac.

Maiden this weekend.

Paint tutorial video below:

https://youtu.be/K5BR8L6xtcs

[krakenreleaser]

Some still shots along with some of the full scale reference photos

[Aros]

Well done! Before I clicked on the thumbs, I assumed they were all 1:1!

[kallend]

MRC is replacing my wing sweep servo.

Good customer service brings back repeat customers.

[Elbee]

Just wrapped up our latest project on the Freewing twin 80mm edf F-14 Tomcat. This one was painted after the VF-1 "Wolfpack" F-14 A Tomcat featuring this unique Ferris paint scheme....

KR, Absolutely Outstanding. She's a beauty, Sir. Best, LB

[radfordc]

Just wrapped up our latest project on the Freewing twin 80mm edf F-14 Tomcat.

Love the plane! But, cringed a bit at your username....you're not Sydney are you?

[kallend]

In case anyone is interested, I have posted STL files for a weapons pylon on Thingiverse.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5138357

To make it easier to print, it is in two pieces which are pegged and glued together.

[Elbee]

In case anyone is interested, I have posted STL files for a weapons pylon on Thingiverse.To make it easier to print, it is in two pieces which are pegged and glued together.

KL, great looking pylon design. I followed your URL, got to Thingiverse, but Thingiverse seems to be reconstructing, (404 Errors). Could you post your design and STL files here, as well? Best, LB