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

[Airguardian]

Welcome to the Church of Best CG.


#CGMatters !

And another video... still pulling some acro moves with the damaged EDF rotor before I got to change it! :)

[kallend]

Request - would someone with one of these please measure (and post) the distance from the back of the EDF unit to the back of the battery hatch. I need to run some wires and don't have mine yet. Inches or metric units OK🙂

TIA.

[Elbee]

I would like to 'tank' all of you for being so patient with me during this build. Best, LB

[Airguardian]

Wait until you hear about mine still waiting for the paintjob and decals at flight #70...

[Airguardian]

Flying the Hornet aggressively to test the Guardian gyro with a more aft CG setup.

[Waconut]

Nice flying as usual,
Have to say I am not a fan of music over the video, would rather hear the EDF.

[Airguardian]

Thanks!
I post both types, but don't worry because the next Hornet vids come without music ;)
...and with fiery booty! (At long last!)

[Waconut]

Hi guys,
I put 5 more flights on my F-18 this morning. I am really liking the 105mm CG location. I also removed 2% of stab mix in half and full flaps.
The plane does get a little shaky in some high alpha maneuvers and seems to get more unsettled in roll than pitch.

I am running a Hobby Eagle A3 Pro gyro. With the gyro on it smooths out the plane in high alpha maneuvers . The landing speed is reduced immensely and is now a joy to fly.

Looks like we are running out of flying weather here in Ohio.

[DurobRC]

Hello,
i never used any gyro in my planes. I fly rc planes, mostly big scale and 3d planes for over 30 years now. I have also the f-14, F-16 and F104 starfighter from Freewing. No gyro in those planes and i have no problem with them. Now, when I am reading this topic, i think maybe it is better to use one in this plane? Or what is everybody thinking?

[Waconut]

DurobRC sounds like we have both been in the hobby about the same time and the same experience level.
I am new to using a gyro, I have a total of 9 flights now with a gyro. This is what I have noticed by using a gyro so far.

The F-18 is a very stable platform at the manual indicated CG. It does not like to slow down on landing easily at that setting. I put 5 flights on at that setting (90mm). I moved the CG back to 105mm and installed the gyro.
On the first flight the plane was a little unstable in pitch and roll. I gained some altitude and switched on the gyro and it calmed down considerably. The plane now slows down to a fast walking pace on landing.
I have the gyro assigned to an extra channel so I can turn it off/on as wanted. I will most likely install a gyro in all my EDF scale jets in the future.
The gyro does have a trainer/recovery function that I have not tried yet and don’t know how well that works. This may come in handy if losing orientation you can switch it on and it will recover to straight and level flight giving you time to regain orientation.
For the cost I think it is a nice add on and worth giving a try.

Hope this helps!!

[Evan D]

You won't need a gyro. The plane is stable.

You had the 90mm F-104? It came with a gyro.

Hello,
i never used any gyro in my planes. I fly rc planes, mostly big scale and 3d planes for over 30 years now. I have also the f-14, F-16 and F104 starfighter from Freewing. No gyro in those planes and i have no problem with them. Now, when I am reading this topic, i think maybe it is better to use one in this plane? Or what is everybody thinking?

[Airguardian]

Just as promised... LED afterburner is here, and it looks dope!
Centerburner courtesy of 'The Lightburner'!


(I have yet to paint the ducts so the light doesn't seep through!)

Now, when I am reading this topic, i think maybe it is better to use one in this plane? Or what is everybody thinking?

The plane can fly without but it flies so much better with it. ;)

[Hugh Wiedman]

Just as promised... LED afterburner is here, and it looks dope!
Centerburner courtesy of 'The Lightburner'!


(I have yet to paint the ducts so the light doesn't seep through!) ;)

You may want to put aluminum AC duct tape in instead of painting. I have afterburners in every EDF I have except the A-10 and tried them without paint, with reflective silver paint and the aluminum duct tape and IMO the duct tape gives by far the best results, but maybe that's just me. Takes a little longer to install properly but now every EDF of mine with an AB has that tape.

[Airguardian]

New video, probably my finest flights with the Hornet so far, I'm very happy about how these came out!

[Airguardian]

Here's the second 'landing mess-up' with my Hornet. Damage already repaired though! ;)

[fach1971]

Hi guys, I have a story and a question for you.... My name es Felipe, i am from Chile, I started frying about five years ago, and I have made myself fun of EDFs. Well, last october i manage to buy a F18c from MotionRC, and send it to a friend´s house en USA (he is a Chilean Naval Officer that, at that time was stationed at de UN) and he was coming back at the end of the year.... mean whiel I was Diagnosed with cancer (my third one) so i stoped flying for obvious reasons. The plane was shipped in my friend's container and arrived to Chile on last march but for reasons that are beyong of my control, i only got hold of the plane on october of this year.... a full year after i bought it. Anyways, you can imagen the expectation and the itch to fly it. Got it assembled and set everything as i want it, but.... here comes the question, i am stragleing with the flap/elevator settings... can anybody help me

[Waconut]

Felipe,
I set mine up per the manual on the elevator and flap. I moved my center of gravity back to 105mm. I found the factory CG to be too nose heavy and hard to flare for landing.
After moving the CG back I had to take some of the elevator/flap mix out. I would suggest setting your CG at 100mm to start with and the flap mix at the manual recommended settings. Adjust from there on the mix after flying.
I am using 11% elevator mixed in with my flaps if that helps.

[Elbee]

Hi guys, I have a story and a question for you.... My name es Felipe, i am from Chile, I started frying about five years ago, and I have made myself fun of EDFs. Well, last october i manage to buy a F18c from MotionRC, and send it to a friend´s house en USA (he is a Chilean Naval Officer that, at that time was stationed at de UN) and he was coming back at the end of the year.... mean whiel I was Diagnosed with cancer (my third one) so i stoped flying for obvious reasons. The plane was shipped in my friend's container and arrived to Chile on last march but for reasons that are beyong of my control, i only got hold of the plane on october of this year.... a full year after i bought it. Anyways, you can imagen the expectation and the itch to fly it. Got it assembled and set everything as i want it, but.... here comes the question, i am stragleing with the flap/elevator settings... can anybody help me

Felipe, welcome to Hobby Squawk. Glad to have you onboard. Waconut's advice is accurate. Please post pictures when you are able. Best, LB

[uscanuck1xa]

I've gotten most of the graphics squared away. Checked the elevator mounts - no issues with the mounts being loose or with the servo wires but I will still install the brace. I have the 3D printed wheel covers ready to go. Keeping the cockpit pretty simple with the 3D instrument panel and the stock pilot repainted to match the RCAF pilot helmet and shoulder patches. I'll repaint the gear white and the gear doors white with red outlines.

[Airguardian]

I also second Waconut's advice.
At some point through my F-18 tests I was flying with the following setup detailed in the linked post:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=44618369&postcount=3961

This worked pretty well for me and I think it is a better setup than the factory recommended one.
I always fly it on high rates.

Eventually I kept moving CG further back but that should be a good starting point (CG is also 100mm).