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

[RCjetdude]

Steve, I found the aileron rates a little too hot (and I like a fast roll rate) and the elevator rates too low. I also feel the book CG (difficult to interpret in the manual) to be nose heavy in flight. It flies really well.


Good luck with the maiden!

Thanks for the information. Do you know what throws you ended up with?

[Evan D]

The person we set it up for doesn't like dual rates so we set it up at the manuals high rates with 70% expo (his preference). After my first flight we reduced aileron by going to the second hole in the servo arm, about 14mm, and increased the elevator to about 18mm. We left rudders as they came out of the box as they "looked about right".

Thanks for the information. Do you know what throws you ended up with?

[Quickstop]

The person we set it up for doesn't like dual rates so we set it up at the manuals high rates with 70% expo (his preference). After my first flight we reduced aileron by going to the second hole in the servo arm, about 14mm, and increased the elevator to about 18mm. We left rudders as they came out of the box as they "looked about right".

70% expo! yikes! must be like flying the plane with the controls hooked up by rubber bands:Dizzy:

[Airxsails]

Hi Guys,

Has the manual PDF made available?
Mine is on the way and would like to get a leg up on its build.

Cheers,
Eric B.

[Hardway]

Hi Guys,

Has the manual PDF made available?
Mine is on the way and would like to get a leg up on its build.

Cheers,
Eric B.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1052/4162/files/F-35_V3_Manual.pdf

[Hardway]

Welcome to Hobby Squawk... Also, at the beginning of this thread, are video links to the build as well!! Hope this helps! Jerry https://www.motionrc.com/collections...np#support-tab Go to videos for the build.

[Airxsails]

Thanks, have watched all the flying vids, I will watch them again and include the build vid.

Cheers,
Eric B.

[Hardway]

The manual is very basic!! When you are about to install the vertical stabs, you will see the servo leads for the rudders are pressed flat into the foam and painted over with the gray paint. They look like they are supposed to stay in that position. They do not. Gently lift them with a pair of hemostats or pliers or a little flat blade screwdriver. They lift right out! ;)

[Vasaro]

MotionRc/Alpha,

There is a lot of confusion about the the cg as it’s shown in the manual over on rc groups. Can you please confirm the cg location? Photos showing it on the actual plane would be helpful

thank you,

Victor

[fredmdbud]

I maidened mine this afternoon. My CG was set at the molded leading edge flap panel line.

[Evan D]

Like this? I assume it flew well since it's just a little aft of how I flew yesterday and it was a little nose heavy for me.

[fredmdbud]

That's about where I had it.

40% expo on AIL, ELE & RUD. Reduced RUD range to 60% with a test turn on taxi to check ground handling was OK.

[James]

Hey Guys, apologies for the book CG markings, that is definitely confusing. I got the model way before I had the book CG and Alpha had me place my fingers on the nose forward corner of the plastic mount for the wing.

I took a picture here and an easier measurement was 60mm from the aft plastic piece at the front of the wing to the front of the plastic wing mount as seen here:


I was flying with the battery here and it is a bit nose heavy (as I prefer):



Basically, put your fingers right here for the proper CG point:

[Evan D]

Thanks! That’s pretty far aft of where I flew it... may be why we needed more elevator.

[Russ]

Fred,

Nice flight...Brave man to maiden in that crosswind!
It handled it very well on landing too...were you having to use heavy rudders to compensate?
Were you running out of elevator?

Just got mine delivered this morning...will see if I can get it assembled on my lunch hour :)

[fredmdbud]

The crosswind wasn’t that bad. Had high rates on at all times, doesn’t need much deflection unless you really want to throw it around, some slight rudder to lineup, the rest was the plane perhaps some weathervaning into the wind.

I’d say that with the relatively small cross-section area the drag is also small and it could really move with full
throttle; most of my flight was half-throttle with some added push during turns.

[Captain Moron]

Just brought the Freewing F35b .Not to sure about the elevator settings .What I can make of what the manual says is that I have to set the neutral elevator with 4mm of up in it but what kind of low rate movement do I need. I can not find the elevator setting in the manual !! they have the ailerons and rudder setting but no elevator .Need to sort this out before I maiden it Needs some help here , thanks

[Evan D]

The third column over without the header is what we set our elevators at. In flight I needed more. We set it up as we interpreted the manuals CG (4mm aft of the notch in the wing) which flew nose heavy and now appears to just be incorrect going by where Alpha told James to balance the first demo units. I think if we rebalanced it the manuals elevator travel would be fine.

Just brought the Freewing F35b .Not to sure about the elevator settings .What I can make of what the manual says is that I have to set the neutral elevator with 4mm of up in it but what kind of low rate movement do I need. I can not find the elevator setting in the manual !! they have the ailerons and rudder setting but no elevator .Need to sort this out before I maiden it Needs some help here , thanks

[Russ]

I just completed my F-35 in EXACTLY one hour during my lunch at work!


No radio setup just build of pieces in the box.


Impressions:

PROS:

1. Drop dead gorgeous finish!

2. No-glue build is easy and no alignment issues. (Although I'm kinda iffy on those plastic elevator hinges for longevity)

3.Had an owner's manual with mine, all the basics were there but not much more. Most of you won't need it.

4. All hardware included but it would have been nice if they included a phillips head screwdriver cos I don't have screwdrivers at work

5. Retracts and landing gear look good and substantial

6. Perfect fit in the trunk of my Nissan Altima !!!

CONS:

1. No screwdriver included

2. Hinges were not installed at factory

...cmon Freewing that was lame! All my other Freewing come with em installed. Also, that sheet of plastic hinges looked terrible...I would never use them...I'll put in my own good quality ones (after a successful maiden)

3. Underside paint flakes off easily...I barely touched it with a fingernail while installing horizontal stab and a little piece flicked off. Easy fix and I will be putting several coats of WBPU on there for sure.

Looking forward to setting up the electronics and flying her sometime soon.

Here are some build pics...

[RCjetdude]

I just completed my F-35 in EXACTLY one hour during my lunch at work!


No radio setup just build of pieces in the box.


Impressions:

PROS:

1. Drop dead gorgeous finish!

2. No-glue build is easy and no alignment issues. (Although I'm kinda iffy on those plastic elevator hinges for longevity)

3.Had an owner's manual with mine, all the basics were there but not much more. Most of you won't need it.

4. All hardware included but it would have been nice if they included a phillips head screwdriver cos I don't have screwdrivers at work

5. Retracts and landing gear look good and substantial

6. Perfect fit in the trunk of my Nissan Altima !!!

CONS:

1. No screwdriver included

2. Hinges were not installed at factory

...cmon Freewing that was lame! All my other Freewing come with em installed. Also, that sheet of plastic hinges looked terrible...I would never use them...I'll put in my own good quality ones (after a successful maiden)

3. Underside paint flakes off easily...I barely touched it with a fingernail while installing horizontal stab and a little piece flicked off. Easy fix and I will be putting several coats of WBPU on there for sure.

Looking forward to setting up the electronics and flying her sometime soon.

Here are some build pics...

Russ, to my knowledge none of the 70mm Freewing offering has come with anything more than molded foam hinges. The spare hinges that come with it are intended as repair hinges if ever needed and have come with many other kits in this size range. Use them or use something else if you wish. Again they are a plan B. Personally I haven't missed the screwdriver. Mine came with a damaged nose cone which I have already repaired.