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

[Evan D]

V3? There hasn't been a V2...

[Aros]

V3? There hasn't been a V2...

I count the upgraded servos from the original batch as V2.

[Aros]

Aros would love a V3 also!!! Aros, not so sure this model is a candidate for a hand tosser, unless your the reincarnation of Nolan Ryan and can hurl it at 100mph! This one needs a fairly advanced speed before the wings can take over without a stall. I am fairly certain you'll toss it and it will immediately go into a wing stall and rotate left, ending your experiment in the first few seconds. I'm not sayin that's a bad idea, I'm sayin that's a TERRIBLE idea!! What may be better if you are having such a problem with the gear is just leave them down and take off of an asphalt runway and fly it dirty! Unless you're a real fireballer! You can always hook up the gear directly to the RX (since they do not go through the wing ribbon wire and go directly to the blue box). Bypass it with some y connectors. Or bite the bullet and after a few successful take of and landings with gear permanently down, install new retracts. I've installed new retracts on both several times as they seem to get weak after only a couple dozen flights.

Just a thought!

Well I'm pot committed now! I was going to have someone at my club hand toss it for me. Flaps down, see what happens. Worst case, another Classic Aros Crash Video!

[xviper]

Well I'm pot committed now! I was going to have someone at my club hand toss it for me. Flaps down, see what happens. Worst case, another Classic Aros Crash Video!

I wish you much luck. I recall some 10 - 12 years ago, there was a Starmax 90mm F-18 in the tiger theme. It was stripped down - no retracts, small battery, very light. It was only ever hand thrown - ONCE!

[Aros]

I wish you much luck. I recall some 10 - 12 years ago, there was a Starmax 90mm F-18 in the tiger theme. It was stripped down - no retracts, small battery, very light. It was only ever hand thrown - ONCE!

Yeah I'm not holding out for much hope. I may give it a try and just yank the guts out and grab an ARF PLUS.

[xviper]

Might be a good candidate for a launch dolly or a bungie launcher. I'd throw my shoulder out pitching something like that. However, we may surprised as today's EDFs have so much more thrust than those of only a few years ago.

[Aros]

Might be a good candidate for a launch dolly or a bungie launcher. I'd throw my shoulder out pitching something like that. However, we may surprised as today's EDFs have so much more thrust than those of only a few years ago.

That’s my thinking too. Perhaps these latest gen stock power systems could surprise. But just testing holding the bottom with the battery in has me rethinking these shenanigans.

There’s almost zero chance my hand launching with one hand and my radio in the other would not end up in a scenario like Hugh described. Maybe, just maybe with someone else giving it a good slight nose up level toss at WOT with two hands (and takeoff flaps) it might have a fighting chance.

Stay tuned…

Either way I see an ARF PLUS in my future.

[xviper]

Just doing a few quick searches, I see that the stock F/A-18 has an empty weight of 2640g. If your plane has the 6S 3668-1960Kv Brushless Inrunner Motor and 12-blade fan, the static thrust is about 4200g. Even if you put in an 800g battery, it's still only weighs 3440g. Bone stock, it should be able to lift off vertically out of your hand. This is easily tested without actually letting go while holding it by the nose. You say you've got the retracts out, so that removes more weight. The problem is that you can't really take off vertically because this would require vector thrust to help it go horizontal.
My old SebArt MiG29 was also such a plane but being at an altitude of 3200', I couldn't be sure it had enough thrust to take off vertically, so I took one of those long lunch room tables and left the legs at one end folded. That gave me a smooth slippery ramp that was set at about 30 degrees. I put the MiG at the bottom of the table and just "gave her". To my surprise, it took off with only a minor dip. To be more sure about your plane's weight, you should weigh it in its flying condition. Might be a fun trial.

[Evan D]

The F/A-18C loses about 25% of it's thrust when the fan is installed. The original fan was 4.2kg uninstalled and 3.2kg installed from posted tests. I've always had he Jetfan/ HET 1680kV in mine and it has better than 1:1 but it's a hot 8S set up.

[Aros]

Went to my club on my lunch break to give it a go. I had every reason to believe it would leave my hands to a unceremonious wing rock into a glorious stall and crash in pieces a few feet away.

Instead, with a little effort to hold on for dear life once I hit full throttle, I gave it a firm, slightly nose high toss and off she went, wings level and perfect!

Flight was great! I added in a little gyro but being on a knob I wasn't sure how much gyro gain I was inputting. I didn't notice a difference. Dropped power to idle on approach, gave her a little throttle right before flare and she came down on the grass nice and soft. I didn't recognize her without broken pieces on the ground, lol!

I will need to see if I can figure out a hand hold that is a bit more forward as with that battery weight she really wants to tilt downward once I apply full power. A grip line a few inches forward would go along way to help mitigate that.

I was quite pleased! PLENTY of stock power for a hand toss with gear removed.

Glad to be the guinea pig!

[Elbee]

Aros,

Maybe the weight loss was the key.

Don't know how much all the landing gear weighs or how that affects C-o-G.

Seems like that is the only variable you changed.

Inquisitively, LB

[Aros]

Aros,

Maybe the weight loss was the key.

Don't know how much all the landing gear weighs or how that affects C-o-G.

Seems like that is the only variable you changed.

Inquisitively, LB

I think those two crashes will remain a mystery. I did notice I had to move my Admiral 6000 pack plenty far forward to meet the CG sans gear. Those dual yellow lines on the side flaring by the canopy are the perfect CG marking location.

Perhaps the Flight Gods are sleeping and didn't notice my presumptuousness, tempting fate once again! MOOOHAHAHAHA

[xviper]

Great news!
Glue a plastic (painted same color as the plane's belly) hand hold where it's comfy to grab and toss.