Official Freewing 70mm F-35 V3 (2019 Version) Thread

[Quax]

Can you put up a picture of your bungee set-up one of these days? I've thought about this myself for a few of my "more difficult to grass take off" planes. However, my car is usually pretty full already with planes to find another spot to put all the gear required for this apparatus. Additionally, the grass field I fly at isn't convenient to leave a bungee set up on the runway as it interferes with others using it. The thought of carrying, assembling, installing, disassembling and packing it away in the car again each time, just turned me off the whole idea. I've even thought of modifying a spear gun for launching a couple of my planes.

Sure. I am going to fly tomorrow morning and will take some photos for you.

It is actually a pretty simple construction for the ramp itself: Just a few water pipes that can be linked easily by pushing them into their joints. It is anchored by metal hooks. The bungee connection is a little bit more complicated in order to have a tension-free release and almost no tension on the model until release. All in all it usually takes me about 10 minutes to assemble the entire system including the bungee.

We usually place the ramp and bungee parallel to our main runway about 3 feet next to the runway. This way it does not interfere with the runway at all and can stay assembled for the entire day.

[xviper]

Sure. I am going to fly tomorrow morning and will take some photos for you.

It is actually a pretty simple construction for the ramp itself: Just a few water pipes that can be linked easily by pushing them into their joints. It is anchored by metal hooks. The bungee connection is a little bit more complicated in order to have a tension-free release and almost no tension on the model until release. All in all it usually takes me about 10 minutes to assemble the entire system including the bungee.

We usually place the ramp and bungee parallel to our main runway about 3 feet next to the runway. This way it does not interfere with the runway at all and can stay assembled for the entire day.

Thanks. That's would be very interesting to see. Can you take a picture of it before you assemble it. I'd like to see how much space it takes to transport it.

[NMdesertracer]

I have a Extra 1/8th scale electric Truggy not being used. Wonder if I could launch the F-35 off the top when the truggy at max speed. Bind up two Frsky receivers and have the truggies throttle on the momentary switch. My grass field was wet this morning the f-35 was a no go for takeoff.

[Quax]

As promised the photos. One with all the parts, the other one assembled and ready to fly together with the F35 for size comparison. The next flight, I will take some photos of the release mechanism.

[Quax]

Attached the photo of the release mechanism. It consists of a shackle (in black on the photo - hard to see) connected with a red rope that has a loop on the other end. So, whenever the rope is pulled using one foot, the shackle opens and releases the rope that is connected to the bungee.

[xviper]

Thanks for those pictures. How long is the bungee part when it's all stretched out?

[Quax]

Depends on the weight of the model of course. I use bungees that need to be stretched about three times its length (my planes are around 2-3kg (4.5-6.6lbs) so I use a pull of 15kg (33lbs) or five times or more of model weight.

The bungees are 7.35m (24.1ft) long, so 3x stretched it is about 22m (72.2ft) plus a single rope (about 5m or 16.4ft) from the bungee to a joint where two ropes are used: One about 2m (6.6ft) to the release shakle and another longer one to the model. So in total it is usually around 30m (98.4ft). Which is a little more than half of our runway length. As said before, we place the system about 3ft parallel to the runway so it will not interfere with the runway (of course nobody should walk exactly next to the bungee whenever it is under tension but that is usually just a very short period of time).

I hope that helps.

[xviper]

Yes. Thanks. It tells me what's involved. I usually take 4 to 6 planes to the field when I fly and I fly each one twice. The car is full, including the front seat. If only one plane needs a strong launch due to grass, that's 2 flights. That's a lot of things to carry for 2 flights although the flying field might offer to keep the launcher in their club house so I don't have to store it at home and transport it each time.

[Quax]

I usually put the two long pipes as far as possible on one side and the other parts below all models. The smaller parts (hooks, ropes and bungees) fit all in one single small bag.

[RichJ53]

Guys, would anyone know what a colour matching paint for the dark grey is on the F35? Preferably a Taminya colour code. Thanks!

I needed to touch up my lower wingtips :)

the dark gray is a very close match to Taminya XF-75

[Quax]

Maybe I missed it but did anybody try to use ailerons as spoilerons or as flaperons on this bird? The plane comes in very hot and on my last flight, elevator hinges broke again (seems to be a weak point) so I am looking for ways to slow her down for landing.

[Aussie1]

I needed to touch up my lower wingtips :)

the dark gray is a very close match to Taminya XF-75

Thanks, I went out and bought a can, very close!

[scootergenie]

Just installed the lightburner. Took no time at all, and the effect is very nice. The jet really looks the part now. Hope to maiden today !

[MOFO1]

Quax. I tried flaperons on this jet. Didn't like the results. Even with conservative deflection as flaps it required a lot of up elevator mix to keep the nose up. As it slowed it became unstable. IMHO the effort was not worth the return. Once I learned how this jet likes to land, I have no problem slowing it down for nice landings. The right angle of attack(alpha) and proper use of throttle is the key to good landings. I make my approach and keep the nose up adjusting the sink rate and speed with the throttle. When it's about two feet off the runway I do a smooth gradual throttle reduction and it settles down nicely on the runway. As soon as the mains touch the the pavement I shut down the power. This is what works for me other may have different techniques.

[RichJ53]

Thanks, I went out and bought a can, very close!

I am glad it worked out for you. Sometimes its so hard to find the right color..... If you are like me, I have many other colors of gray on the shelf, so you can always tweak it a bit if needed.

Rich

[DaFlyingSnek]

Quax. I tried flaperons on this jet. Didn't like the results. Even with conservative deflection as flaps it required a lot of up elevator mix to keep the nose up. As it slowed it became unstable. IMHO the effort was not worth the return. Once I learned how this jet likes to land, I have no problem slowing it down for nice landings. The right angle of attack(alpha) and proper use of throttle is the key to good landings. I make my approach and keep the nose up adjusting the sink rate and speed with the throttle. When it's about two feet off the runway I do a smooth gradual throttle reduction and it settles down nicely on the runway. As soon as the mains touch the the pavement I shut down the power. This is what works for me other may have different techniques.

I agree. DO NOT USE FLAPERONS. As cool as they are, the costs outweigh the benefits. I too noticed the plane pitched down violently and became unstable and more difficult to land. I ended up smushing a wing :/ When I landed with flaperons the plane, with a nose-up attitude, would extend its glide slope like crazy! so you would have to come in nose-level, which causes an increase in speed, so you pull up and extend the slope, and dive again increasing speed and so on. When I fly again next I will not use flaperons and land properly.

[Quax]

Thanks for the advice, guys. So Flaperons are out of discussion.

The problem on my flying field is that final is rather short and according my experience, this birds needs some speed during final turn or it will tip stall. So on this short final I need to slow down from a safe turning speed to final speed which I am able to do partly but not in a way I am comfortable with.

I also thought of using Spoilerons until before flare but did not try it yet.

Another problem is that my cg is a little forward, which also does not help in deceleration (well, until touching ground as it is a belly landing).

[Chevpro]

Flaperons don't help on this airframe. I have been having very good success with spoilerons. It pitches the nose up to reduce the speed on the glide slope. It also creates a washout effect, making it a little more stable at slower speed.

[DaFlyingSnek]

Flaperons don't help on this airframe. I have been having very good success with spoilerons. It pitches the nose up to reduce the speed on the glide slope. It also creates a washout effect, making it a little more stable at slower speed.

Spoilerons are just pitching the ailerons up? Opposite of flaperons?

[Quax]

Spoilerons are just pitching the ailerons up? Opposite of flaperons?

Yes. Same like flaps versus spoilers.

Spoilerons/spoilers basically just create additional drag and therefore slow down the aircraft. Flaperons/flaps increase camber and therefore increase lift but also create a lot of drag. Therefore I would prefer flaps over spoilers but as flaps won't work, the next option is spoilerons.