Official Freewing F/A-18C Hornet 90mm EDF Thread

[Dirty Dee]

Got my redemption flights in today. Got her back together since my NEFI crash, all she needed was a new fuselage and nose gear. What a beauty in the sky! I went naked for the first 2 flights and then just the sidewinders for 2 more.

You just got me thinking about my A-10. 2 sidewinders, 6 Rockeyes, long ECM pod, and 2 mavericks with rails come out to 382g of plastic. I flew it clean at Jet Jam after a nasty bucking bronco and I was surprised at how nimble it was without a full loadout

[Tom]

Wasn't there a FW or MRC rep here who was answering questions about the airplane for a while? Been missing in action with all these reports of system failures. I haven't been flying that long, but I have exactly one horrific crash prior to this, and that one was all my fault. I've never lost control of an airplane prior to this one, and it sounds like I'm far from the only one with the experience with the Hornet.

What's Freewing/MRC thinking about it? THinking it was a bad run of blue boxes? Holding their breath? Planning free upgrades of the box for anyone who wants one? Any bones gonna be thrown to the many of us who lost airplanes due to no fault of our own?

Bueller? Bueller?

There is a TSB (Technical service bulletin). This can be found here: https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc...rs-please-read
Despite what you read about the blue box, we've not seen an issue with it in the F-18. I saw the video posted above and it appears to be a bad receiver/ range check problem. Also noticed the ESC in that video was not initialized so it seems that plane had some issues.
Every "bad" blue box that has been returned has tested good. What we've found is people are hooking things up to the wrong ports or hooking up wires reversed and thinking the blue boxes are bad.
Customers have asked for the sequencer delay to be taken out of the blue box. We'll address that.

[DCORSAIR]

There is a TSB (Technical service bulletin). This can be found here: https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc...rs-please-read
Despite what you read about the blue box, we've not seen an issue with it in the F-18. I saw the video posted above and it appears to be a bad receiver/ range check problem. Also noticed the ESC in that video was not initialized so it seems that plane had some issues.
Every "bad" blue box that has been returned has tested good. What we've found is people are hooking things up to the wrong ports or hooking up wires reversed and thinking the blue boxes are bad.
Customers have asked for the sequencer delay to be taken out of the blue box. We'll address that.

Its funny you would say this, on my blue blox and maybe you can explain it if I did have something hooked up wrong, but why would my rudders go left everytime I put the gear up and go back to center when I dropped the gear, I didn't bother sending it in or even creating a ticket because I don't use the BB anyway for all the surfaces, only gear and lights now, just wondering if anyone complained about an issue like this?? I pulled the rudder plug out and went straight to my rx and not a glitch, put the rudder plug back into the BB and same thing, both rudders went left when gear is retracted, almost lost her on the maiden flight because of it, with the rudders affective the way they are I kind of wonder if some others may have had this happen, some said on their take off the jet rolled left and went in, just curious.

[Quax]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I am going to get the wing connectors out and replace by regular servo wires then.

Realized today that my nose gear won't extend and both main gears do not extend when the aircraft is inverted... However, this is still on stock setup using the blue box... I have to check that.

[Lcacing]

There is a TSB (Technical service bulletin). This can be found here: https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc...rs-please-read
Despite what you read about the blue box, we've not seen an issue with it in the F-18. I saw the video posted above and it appears to be a bad receiver/ range check problem. Also noticed the ESC in that video was not initialized so it seems that plane had some issues.
Every "bad" blue box that has been returned has tested good. What we've found is people are hooking things up to the wrong ports or hooking up wires reversed and thinking the blue boxes are bad.
Customers have asked for the sequencer delay to be taken out of the blue box. We'll address that.

I made that video after I had two back to back maiden crashes on the F18. The A10 had flow dozens of times with out any issues, once I installed the ECB servos started acting crazy, they would freeze. The reason the esc didn’t initialize was because one esc was disconnected. I was smart enough not to try and fly it with that defective ECB.
Sorry to tell you but your deduction was wrong.
Every other electrical part that survived both of the crashed tested good, I’m still flying the crashed rx, esc/bec, and some servos. Guess which part was the only one that failed 🤔

[Lcacing]

Forgot to mention, the reason I didn’t catch the issue was because it would only show after cycling the retracts a few times. In fact the first time powered up the A10 with the ECB everything worked fine, after cycling the retracts a few times the symptoms show up. Later in the day when I was putting the plane away, I retracted the gear and the problems went away. it would appear that the issue was in the retract portion of the ECB.
The very first time I powered up the F18 the right retract burned up and went up in smoke. Maybe that was the beginning of all the issues.

[jlk69]

Any body have loss of roll control with the ailerons when the flaps are deployed?

[thisguy65]

Anyone here using admiral 5000 6s, could you please post your battery position. Mine when in and doing some going over everything multiple times before I contact Motion.

[thisguy65]

Decided to break my HobbySquawk cherry today. My name is Andrew, been in the hobby 21 years now, and help man the phones at Motion RC. The FW F/A-18C is my 5th Freewing offering and I gotta say.... the sexiest RC plane I have ever owned! I checked/performed the Service Bulletin items and although my stock electronics worked just fine I decided to do something different with this build and show how it, or an FW plane, can be flown without using the MCB Box. Maiden will be TODAY!

Before the MCB boxes were put into many of Freewings planes to simplify the wiring you had the Landing Gear Door Sequencer and LED Light Controller doing those jobs. Using those items I laid out all the electronic guts of an F/A-18C Blue Angel, wired it up accordingly with direct connections to all control surfaces, and wouldn't ya know... no smoke came out of anything! Again, ALL stock electronics were tested and worked fine. This is NOT a must-do, I just wanted to try a different route. I added HS-85's to the elevators and busted out the soldering iron to reverse one. I did add one FUN item to the mix: the FW 90mm 12-Blade EDF 6S Power System w/ 4068-1835kV Inrunner Motor. I will be using the 9-blade fan from the stock unit with it along with the stock 130amp ESC wired with a Castle 10amp BEC set to 5.3V to feed my Admiral RX600SP gyro/receiver. The stock unit make's plenty of power but I have a hard time leaving anything stock. I'm betting the inrunner motor coupled with the 9-blade will offer a nice bump in performance without sucking down the battery a whole lot faster. I also added 2 of the Hobby Eagle Capacitors to my setup which will constantly keep a clean 5V of power running to all components. They're $2 and Hobby Eagle includes them with their gyros so I figured it couldn't hurt and it's cheap insurance. Anyway, I can't wait to see how this feels/flies and will be reporting back here to share. If you have any questions about what i've done here feel free to ask!

*FW Landing Gear Cabin Sequencer V2: https://www.motionrc.com/…/freewing-landing-gear-door-seque…

*FW LED Light Controller V3: https://www.motionrc.com/…/freewing-led-light-controller-v3…

*HobbyEagle Capacitor: https://www.motionrc.com/p…/hobbyeagle-16v-ez-plug-capacitor

*FW 90mm 12-Blade EDF 6S Power System w/ 4068-1835kV Inrunner Motor: https://www.motionrc.com/…/freewing-90mm-12-blade-edf-6s-po…

*Hitec HS-85MG Premium Metal Gear Micro Servo https://www.motionrc.com/…/hitec-hs-85mg-premium-metal-gear…

Don't know if you know this but the factory Freewing 17g Servos make 60oz/in *4.8 volts. While the Hitechs 85mg only make 40oz/in.

[James]

Anyone here using admiral 5000 6s, could you please post your battery position. Mine when in and doing some going over everything multiple times before I contact Motion.

Hey man, hope this helps. This was my battery position for the flight in the video a few post up with the 5000 admiral. I made it a touch nose heavy there but flew well.

[DCORSAIR]

Any body have loss of roll control with the ailerons when the flaps are deployed?

Well I have to say yes on that one, just once and this was after I bypassed the box, I dropped full flaps and was going to do a flyby to check everything out, as I was coming towards me in a slight left bank when all of a sudden on it's own it rolled over on it's side as if I was doing a knife edge and headed for the ground, I quickly raised the flaps and at the last minute I was able to roll it back upright and pull it out, I then landed and checked everything and it all worked just fine, now I did have my flaps more than 43mm as the book calls for, I went back to about 38mm now, it has 42 flights on it with no issues and I haven't tried more flaps again since, this jet does not need it, slows down nicely as it is. It felt as if I had no ailerons for a moment then when I raised the flaps I did, so not saying for sure what it was and nothing has happened since.

[jlk69]

So, are you saying you no longer use flaps or you haven't encountered this lack of control situation since even with the use of flaps?

[Evan D]

If you have your flaps extending more than the book travel they can bind against the fuselage.

Well I have to say yes on that one, just once and this was after I bypassed the box, I dropped full flaps and was going to do a flyby to check everything out, as I was coming towards me in a slight left bank when all of a sudden on it's own it rolled over on it's side as if I was doing a knife edge and headed for the ground, I quickly raised the flaps and at the last minute I was able to roll it back upright and pull it out, I then landed and checked everything and it all worked just fine, now I did have my flaps more than 43mm as the book calls for, I went back to about 38mm now, it has 42 flights on it with no issues and I haven't tried more flaps again since, this jet does not need it, slows down nicely as it is. It felt as if I had no ailerons for a moment then when I raised the flaps I did, so not saying for sure what it was and nothing has happened since.

[Phantom]

I don’t fly gyros. My jets fly great without them.

Noted, neither do I.

[DCORSAIR]

So, are you saying you no longer use flaps or you haven't encountered this lack of control situation since even with the use of flaps?

No, I still use flaps and since I backed them off I haven't had any issues, didn't change rx or any wiring, just simply backed off some of my flaps settings and all is fine, feels good on landing, slows down just fine so I am leaving mine there for now, have to say though, those little 9g servos seem kind of weak to me and that is just maybe why I had my issue, that is alot of flap for one little servo but no one else is complaining, nothing has happened since and now at 45 flights, my grey one is just fine, no issues with it but I used the same flap settings as my BA one, both are bypassed the blue box except gear and lights.

[Quax]

Managed to replace the wing connectors (easier that I thought). However, I do have a question regarding rudders: It is a Y cable - does anybody know if that one follows the entire fuselage or is there a connection somewhere?

[thisguy65]

Managed to replace the wing connectors (easier that I thought). However, I do have a question regarding rudders: It is a Y cable - does anybody know if that one follows the entire fuselage or is there a connection somewhere?

Follows the fuse.

[Quax]

Thank you. Put some new plugs on those wires and I do have everything on separate channels now. I am using the Freewing LED controller for lights (works just fine) but the gear using the Freewing gear sequencer does not work. The main gear extends just fine but the nose gear doors do not open blocking the nose gear from extending. However, there is no separate wire for the nose gear doors...

[Evan D]

Correct. The gear do not have servo operated doors. All mechanical. You don't need a sequencer.

Thank you. Put some new plugs on those wires and I do have everything on separate channels now. I am using the Freewing LED controller for lights (works just fine) but the gear using the Freewing gear sequencer does not work. The main gear extends just fine but the nose gear doors do not open blocking the nose gear from extending. However, there is no separate wire for the nose gear doors...

[Quax]

Thanks, that was the tip I needed: One of the doors was bend slightly so it failed to open. Fixed that.

Thanks as well for the tip regarding the sequencer. I thought I need it to make sure the nose gear is turned off whenever the gear is retracted and turned on when extended.