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

[davegee]

Congrats davegee on the successful maiden! She's a looker for sure!

Thanks, Aros. I have to admit I had some trepidation about flying this airplane, being that I "killed" two of them several years ago. But it flew well, similar to my A-4 and F-4, and after three flights now, is still unmarked. I consider that a good thing!! I hope to get many flights with it and my other planes this summer.

Flew the B-2 this morning, a great cruiser, and a nice landing but some little bounces due to our rough runway. I would love to fly this on a smooth street or runway!


Cheers

Davegee

[Aros]

Congrats davegee on the successful maiden! She's a looker for sure!

[davegee]

Great Stuff Dave, congrats on the maiden. You may want to go to an SMC 6200 40C battery to give you another minute or so (have my timer set at 4:20 but always go a bit longer with the in-flight voltage alarm with the voltage telemetry cable the RX comes with). You'll also find that the Admiral 50C is more like a true 25C where the SMC's are right around 39C (and only 100 gr heavier), which will give you a bit more punch and longer flight times.

BTW, if your getting comfortable with the F-18, you shouldn't worry much about the Mig, just keep away from the 2 issues discussed (but with the new fans and the TV nozzles, only the high speed pass with full flaps would be a problem).

Thanks, Hugh. I'm going really easy with this plane for now. I have put two of these in the dirt years ago, so I want to try and avoid that in the future! On both those we played with tailerons, full span flaps, etc., and that might have contributed to the problems, not sure. I think for me at least, I have plenty of power even at this altitude, and I'm pretty content with a 3-3 1/2 minute flight profile. But I'll consider the bigger battery in time. If I go with flying the printed parts canopy, I might want a bigger battery, or at least shift mine back to compensate for the weight of the full cockpit.

I did finally get that "fat ass" pilot like what you have. It took so long to get here, that I had forgotten all about ordering it. In the meantime, I found that smaller, lighter pilot, and I think I'll put "ol' fatass" in storage for another project someday. He would have needed a lot of "persuasion" to fit in that seat!!

Oh, although this is late, Congrats on getting your Russian jet fighter in AMA magazine. Looks great!

Cheers

Dave

[Hugh Wiedman]

I finally got to fly my first flight on my Freewing F/A-18C by myself this morning, before the winds pick up. The first two flights were done by a friend of mine in the club. The first flight was a bit scary, I think it was due to my putting on some foam F-16 pylons under the wings that I can only think bent in the slipstream, and caused some real trim issues. The second flight he flew without any ordnance or pylons and it flew much better. Today's flight with me at the controls went pretty well. I'm glad I've been practicing with my A-4 and F-4. That seemed to help, as well as doing a warmup flight with my reliable T-33.

I added a Spektrum AR637T receiver in the plane after the first flight and that seemed to help some, too. I have a second cockpit using the super cool printed parts from Elbee, but for now use it as a static cockpit until I rearrange the fuselage innards to accommodate the extra space needed and CG changes. Also has a RC Geek simulated A/B lighting system, which looks pretty cool, I think.

I took a few pics after the flight. Stock build, stock set up and recommended settings by the manual and other Hobby Squawk folks. Did paint up the pilot a bit with helmet insignia used by VFA-146 Blue Diamonds.

Used a Admiral 5000 50C battery, about 3 1/2 minutes total flight time.

Great Stuff Dave, congrats on the maiden. You may want to go to an SMC 6200 40C battery to give you another minute or so (have my timer set at 4:20 but always go a bit longer with the in-flight voltage alarm with the voltage telemetry cable the RX comes with). You'll also find that the Admiral 50C is more like a true 25C where the SMC's are right around 39C (and only 100 gr heavier), which will give you a bit more punch and longer flight times.

BTW, if your getting comfortable with the F-18, you shouldn't worry much about the Mig, just keep away from the 2 issues discussed (but with the new fans and the TV nozzles, only the high speed pass with full flaps would be a problem).

[davegee]

I finally got to fly my first flight on my Freewing F/A-18C by myself this morning, before the winds pick up. The first two flights were done by a friend of mine in the club. The first flight was a bit scary, I think it was due to my putting on some foam F-16 pylons under the wings that I can only think bent in the slipstream, and caused some real trim issues. The second flight he flew without any ordnance or pylons and it flew much better. Today's flight with me at the controls went pretty well. I'm glad I've been practicing with my A-4 and F-4. That seemed to help, as well as doing a warmup flight with my reliable T-33.

I added a Spektrum AR637T receiver in the plane after the first flight and that seemed to help some, too. I have a second cockpit using the super cool printed parts from Elbee, but for now use it as a static cockpit until I rearrange the fuselage innards to accommodate the extra space needed and CG changes. Also has a RC Geek simulated A/B lighting system, which looks pretty cool, I think.

I took a few pics after the flight. Stock build, stock set up and recommended settings by the manual and other Hobby Squawk folks. Did paint up the pilot a bit with helmet insignia used by VFA-146 Blue Diamonds.

Used a Admiral 5000 50C battery, about 3 1/2 minutes total flight time.

[rcflyerct]

Agree with Evan D . I'm using an SMC 6200 40C (actual C tests out to 38-39) with the 12 blade inrunner and I pulling 126.8 Amps and 3190 Watts with fully charged battery. Guaranteed the batteries you are using probably test out to an actual C of maybe 60% of advertised (if that), so you have no issues to worry about with the 130 A ESC. Use the battery that gives you a combination of the longest flight time and best flying characteristics knowing that the lighter the weight the better it will fly, but also the less flying time, so you'll have to make a choice.

Thanks!!

[rcflyerct]

Many C ratings are guestimates at best. The stock 6S pulls about 110A. I have 35C 5000's that don't sag or get hot pulling an occasional 110-115A. So bottom line it depends on the quality of your battery.

Thanks!!!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hey guys got a basic battery question. I was thinking of trying a 6s 7000 in the bird that is a 30c, versus the 5,000 50c I am using now. My concern is if the 130A ESC...would this make the 50c better necessary? Thanks for the help!!! Wes

Agree with Evan D . I'm using an SMC 6200 40C (actual C tests out to 38-39) with the 12 blade inrunner and I pulling 126.8 Amps and 3190 Watts with fully charged battery. Guaranteed the batteries you are using probably test out to an actual C of maybe 60% of advertised (if that), so you have no issues to worry about with the 130 A ESC. Use the battery that gives you a combination of the longest flight time and best flying characteristics knowing that the lighter the weight the better it will fly, but also the less flying time, so you'll have to make a choice.

[Evan D]

Many C ratings are guestimates at best. The stock 6S pulls about 110A. I have 35C 5000's that don't sag or get hot pulling an occasional 110-115A. So bottom line it depends on the quality of your battery.

[rcflyerct]

Hey guys got a basic battery question. I was thinking of trying a 6s 7000 in the bird that is a 30c, versus the 5,000 50c I am using now. My concern is if the 130A ESC...would this make the 50c better necessary? Thanks for the help!!! Wes

[jasmith41]

I went upstairs and looked in my stuff. What would you prefer to do? Maybe I can piece it together. Do you want larger clevis’ for the wire you have? Do you want the larger balls with larger wire?

let me know which way you’d like to go and measurements and maybe I can put that together.

i've got an assortment of sh*t as well - i'm going to go thru it to see what i can find - i may just have the stock...
will advise... thanks in the interim.

[Evan D]

I went upstairs and looked in my stuff. What would you prefer to do? Maybe I can piece it together. Do you want larger clevis’ for the wire you have? Do you want the larger balls with larger wire?

let me know which way you’d like to go and measurements and maybe I can put that together.

[Evan D]

There are choices. The stock rods are 1.2mm and there are some smaller ball links for other brands like Dynam, FMS and others but it would be hit and miss to find matching balls for the links.

Another choice is finding clevis’ with larger pins, probably the route I’d take…

Another choice would be sets you can get for the various FreeWing planes with larger rods that look like the ones in Hugh’s picture. With these you’d need to drill the servo arms a bit to accept the L bend. Buy long rods and bend the L where you need it.

[jasmith41]

Yes you moved the clevis on the ailerons. Look at the second picture and see how the outer hole is larger? Using the clevis in this larger hole causes slop. Is that the slop you were asking about earlier saying you wanted to fill in the hole and redrill?

I am familiar with this set up and it works surprisingly well. It’s obviously not a way to rig a 3D airplane but…

Thanks for the read.

The elevator, while in a 'smaller' hole, is still sloppy... as is the aileron, but it's in a 'big' hole - either one could cause the rocking the way they move...

Any idea what size pushrods those are and where i can find ball links small enough for them?

[Evan D]

Yes you moved the clevis on the ailerons. Look at the second picture and see how the outer hole is larger? Using the clevis in this larger hole causes slop. Is that the slop you were asking about earlier saying you wanted to fill in the hole and redrill?

I am familiar with this set up and it works surprisingly well. It’s obviously not a way to rig a 3D airplane but…

[jasmith41]

But your clevis links are loose on your F-8?

Can you post a picture?

In case you're not familiar with this model, there are only two servos - one on each side that control both aileron and elevator. Plane is set up as with elevons / tailerons. Was really odd for me with this one when just starting out because i have no other birds set up this way, but i think i've got my head around it - other than minor tweaks like this issue. The mudduck has one as well and he's set his ailerons to move as little as possible. I'm may have moved my ailerons down one from the book set up, but they were just as loose in the old setting.

[jasmith41]

But your clevis links are loose on your F-8?

Can you post a picture?

yes and yes - later...
push rods are so small, i'm not sure there are ball links to fit them...

[Evan D]

But your clevis links are loose on your F-8?

Can you post a picture?

[jasmith41]

Look at the instruction manual...

It's set-up per the manual, same as i do with all planes.

[Evan D]

Look at the instruction manual...