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

[davegee]

Now that's what a "Blue Diamonds" should look like!

Amen!!

davegee

[Aros]

F/A-18C Pilots, my new model sits in my garage. I am limited on space so I can't hang her up at the moment. She's on her feet and I noticed yesterday that she has some significant flat spots on her foam mains. Is there a remedy for this besides the obvious (putting her on some platform where the wheels aren't resting on the ground)? I suppose I could get creative and figure out something where I can lift the fuse off the ground but was wondering mainly what do you do for flat spots on these foam wheels?

[Evan D]

They all do it Aros. Even if you don’t put it on it’s wheels the flat spots never fully go away.

[xviper]

Suck the wheels up and put the whole thing on a piece of 1/2" foam. Or, take the nose cone off and set it on it's beak on a thicker piece of foam - stand it up leaning against something where it won't keel over.
None of my planes (except the OV-10) are stored with wheels down, be they hanging, leaning, upside down, right side up, on hanging platforms, etc.

[Aros]

Duly noted friends. With all the models I have had over the years I am surprised this is the first I recall such warped foam wheels. Will they even out with some taxi-ing?

[Evan D]

After a while they kind of do Aros, if you fly off super smooth pavement (I don't think you do) you'll always notice their skipping.

[jetpltrich]

When I get in and taxi the 737 I fly for an airline after it has sat all night the wheels have a “flat spot” and it is very noticeable. But by the time we hit 100kts going down the runway you can’t tell. Just saying.

[davegee]

Thanks Hugh, Evan is right as well...Move the pushrod in the servo arm so it has less work to do. Such a beautiful bird (and my personal favorite current military jet and scheme), I wish it didn't have all these component issues to worry about.

Here's my girl enjoying the Blues at SeaFair 2022 on TV last Sunday. My girlfriend was so impressed with the scale and quality based on the real ones on the TV!

Did your girlfriend point out that they currently fly F/A-18Es (and an F) as seen on your TV?? Ha Ha! When my wife and I were young, I instructed her on being able to differentiate planes I was flying at the time: the B-727-100 and -100QC, the B-727-200, and the B-727-200 A(dvanced). Now that those are all gone for decades, I doubt she can remember which one was which, but maybe it stuck! 🤣

[Aros]

LOL so funny you mention that davegee! My girlfriend is hyper conscious and the first thing she said was "So I was looking at the real jets and your model to see if everything added up and I noticed everything was dead on but those things on the side of the plane looks different." LOL! God bless her. She spotted the difference without having any clue what that even meant.

[davegee]

LOL so funny you mention that davegee! My girlfriend is hyper conscious and the first thing she said was "So I was looking at the real jets and your model to see if everything added up and I noticed everything was dead on but those things on the side of the plane looks different." LOL! God bless her. She spotted the difference without having any clue what that even meant.

Most Excellent!! She's a keeper if she can differentiate those subtle differences between the legacy Hornet (yours) and the Super Hornet (Blue Angels)!! Tell her "Well Done!!"

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Cheers

davegee

[richard_petrosky@aol.com]

A little frustrated was very careful to install screws on horizontal stabilizers in the plastic grommets basically deteriorated

[richard_petrosky@aol.com]

What is a good fix this problem

[Evan D]

I'm sorry, horizontal stabs? Can you provide a better photo?

[xviper]

A little frustrated was very careful to install screws on horizontal stabilizers in the plastic grommets basically deteriorated

I can't tell from the picture but is it possible that you used the wrong type of screw? The little bags contain several kinds of screws. In the past, I've used the wrong screw in a particular spot and nearly wrecked the hole it goes into. There's pan heads and flat heads and there's several lengths of screws. One has to analyze very carefully the exact type and length of screw that is meant for each application. Also, using the right size of screwdriver is required. Most of my screwdrivers are simply too small and there's too much play in the connection. This makes it hard to turn the screw straight and firmly, thereby ruining the screw and/or the hole it goes into.

[InTheTubeDeep]

Flyin Toaster returns! Damn I had her dialed in on landings didn't fly for a month and lost touch goobered 2 in a row, maybe I had too much +AoA gotta come in nose down and flare like my first 20 flights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlSGm_b9DFE

[Hugh Wiedman]

A little frustrated was very careful to install screws on horizontal stabilizers in the plastic grommets basically deteriorated

If I'm not mistaken, that's actually the vertical stab mounts on the side. You must have used the wrong screw as xviper suggested. Two options, 1) order the plastic parts and remove what's there and replace it, although to be honest with you, in looking at the spare parts, I really don't see that insert in any of the plastic parts, or 2) remove the stub and epoxy a small block of hardwood in it's place, fit the vertical stab on and drill a small hole where the screw comes through and go from there. The vertical stab is held on with 2 screws coming in from the top and this one that you shredded on the side, so that might work, but I'm sure others might have a better fix!

[Juan De La Garza]

Greetings to all,
I just received my first jet this past Saturday and am looking forward to learning from you all. My goal is to have this tribute build (#6 CPT Jeff "Kooch" Kuss) ready by next summer. Thank you!

[Elbee]

Greetings to all,I just received my first jet this past Saturday and am looking forward to learning from you all. My goal is to have this tribute build (#6 CPT Jeff "Kooch" Kuss) ready by next summer. Thank you!

Juan, Welcome to Hobby Squawk. Glad to have you onboard, Sir. Great tribute livery you've chosen. There are many good tips and great ideas in the F-18C Hornet thread. Just be patient going through the posts. And ask questions, there lots of great help here, as well. Looking forward to watching your progress, so post pictures when you are able. Best, LB

[Aros]

Welcome to Hobby Squawk Juan! Excellent tribute, we look forward to your progress and maiden! Good luck!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Greetings to all,
I just received my first jet this past Saturday and am looking forward to learning from you all. My goal is to have this tribute build (#6 CPT Jeff "Kooch" Kuss) ready by next summer. Thank you!

Great tribute Juan!! Hope I'm not sticking my big nose in where it definitely doesn't belong, but I'm wondering if the F-18 is the best "candidate" for your first jet. What have you been flying up till now? The F-18 can be a little tricky at times, especially, like most aircraft, landing may be quite different from what you are used to. My first jet was a Stinger 90, extremely easy to fly and land, and I have to say it was a real handful for me the first time out. I was used to prop warbirds/BiPlanes/Sport props like Edge & Extra and when I first flew the jet, the speed compared to the others was almost frightening. Half way through the flight and almost crashing several times from over correcting, loosing orientation every 5 seconds and flying to fast, I threw my TX to a friend who knew what he was doing (who had made the comment at least twice during my flight that I could "Kiss that Baby Goodbe") and told him to land the damn thing! After 5 years and having a host of military jets, I'm still not sure I'm a whole lot better. I know a lot of guys recommend the Avanti for a first jet, which is a great idea (have one also), but just not sure I'd start out with the F-18. Anybody out there, please weigh in on this as I don't want to scare him off this, but a bad experience at the beginning isn't that much fun either.