Official Freewing Twin 80mm F-14D Tomcat Thread

[Dougcarr73]

Thank you Dougcarr73! I just want to make sure I have this straight before I plug anything in. Do I "Y" cable the two throttle leads and still have the reverse functionality? Or, do I disable the middle lead to the throttle on one of the ESCs? where did you find the programming instructions?
Thank you!!

It doesn't show it in the picture, but there are 2 leads coming off of one ESC (1 lead for the throttle and the other lead is for reverse). I have 3 Y-Harnesses (1 for reverse leads, 1 for throttle leads, and 1 harness for the afterburner/throttle connection). Reverse needs its own channel on the receiver. I have it plugged in AUX 5 (Ch 10) and programmed on Switch F, so my right hand hits the switch and my left hand can be focused on steering and reverse thrust application while on the ground.

You need to get an AR10361 receiver (10 Ch) to get the most out of this aircraft, such as full span flaps and reverse. Here's how I have mine setup:

Aircraft wing type: Elevon A
CH 0: BEC
CH 1: Throttle, Y-Harness to afterburner and Y-harnessed ESCs
CH 2: Left Elevator (bypass board; direct connection)
CH 3: Right Elevator (bypass board; direct connection)
CH 4: Rudder (you'll need three 24" servo extensions to connect the nose gear gyro in the nose to the rudder and receiver: youtube.com/watch?v=HG-U1CENdsQ)
CH 5: Landing Gear (connected to the nose gear gyro with one of the servo extensions mentioned in CH 4)
CH 6 (AUX 1): Flaps
CH 7 (AUX 2): Left Aileron (this setup facilitates full span flaps)
CH 8 (AUX 3): Right Aileron (this setup facilitates full span flaps)
CH 9 (AUX 4): Variable Wing Sweep (Switch C, put this switch on your left hand, so that you maintain constant control of pitch & roll on the right. Also connect this to your flight modes using the RC Geek setup: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jyhcCBc0mk )
CH 10 (AUX 5): Thrust Reverse (As mentioned use Switch F to keep this on the right hand, so that your left hand maintains constant control on the ground)
CH 11 (AUX 6): Gain Channel Adjustment on Left Slider (This is a ghost channel that doesn't require a receiver port. I set my gains to 80ail/90ele/100rud and they must be adjustable on the slider. When in slow flight the slider is far right at high gains for stability, but once gear and flaps are going up for fast flight I turn it down to about 40% of the slider when in fast flight.

If you need the mixes, let me know, or you can see the initial setup in RC Geek's video.

As for programming instructions for reverse, just plug the Y-harnessed lead into AUX 5 and ensure your switch goes from 100 to -100. That will turn reverse on and off.

[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

[Having Fun]

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

[Evan D]

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

[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]

“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.

[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

[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!!

[Evan D]

Agreed

[Having Fun]

Evan D,

Thanks for getting me on the "Right" page.

[Evan D]

Anytime.

[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]

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.

[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.

[Elbee]

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

[Having Fun]

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

Thanks!

[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]

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

[Evan D]

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

[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?