Official Freewing MiG-29 Fulcrum Twin 80mm Thread

[fredmdbud]

Now we're more often seeing use of separate UBECs which reduce risk of getting killed along the ESC but most stock setups are still intended to run off a single battery pack... the same that feeds the motors. And we strain those packs A LOT in EDF applications so there is plenty that can go wrong there too, batteries being weak, over-drained, under too heavy a load by the EDFs, the packs can also die because of over-strain, getting too hot, etc... If you lose power you can still glide, but if you lose receiver/servos you are toast.

In that regard, I find using separate UBECs AND rx Li-Po packs (usually 2S) works best, but some will still tell you that puts you at risk of forgetting to replace rx battery and end up having an accident all the same... one that could have been avoided, and they'd be right. I'm just very thorough in terms of battery discipline and I even oversize batts a bit to allow for mistakes (My rx packs will easily do 3 to 4 flights but I replace them each two flights regardless).

If a 22V 6S battery cannot supply the BEC voltage sufficient for it to step down to 5-6V, low-voltage cut-off would have stopped the motors long before receiver power is lost.

[1horse59]

Can someone tell me the weight of HRB 6000mah battery, I've read in descriptions two different weights.

[xviper]

Can someone tell me the weight of HRB 6000mah battery, I've read in descriptions two different weights.

You are likely looking at the weights for two different "C" rated 6000s. The 50C weighs 863g. The 100C weighs 890. Given the same capacity LiPo, same brand, higher "C" usually means higher weight.

[1horse59]

You are likely looking at the weights for two different "C" rated 6000s. The 50C weighs 863g. The 100C weighs 890. Given the same capacity LiPo, same brand, higher "C" usually means higher weight.

It's the 50c, thanks for the info.

[HaroldAnderson]

One more point of reference, this is the set up in my Avanti. AR620 is about the same proximity from battery as my MiG. IF I conclude that the battery was a direct interference of the RF signal on the MiG and therefore lost the signal when it was flying towards me, then should I also expect my Avanti battery to block the signal when it is flying away from me and crash? I have over 85 flights on the Avanti (I mark my batteries each flight) with no issues. Maybe I just got away with it in the Avanti, but this is the reason I wasn't concerned using the same AR620 in the MiG. Yes it's also obvious the MiG has a $hitload of additional wires, and looking at the Avanti I also bypassed the control board. Many, many variables. Looking back now, of course I would do several things differently, but I'm still not ready to say 100% what the cause was. Appreciate everybody's opinions. Not trying to get into any debates, just sharing information so everybody can interpret it in a way that helps them.

Several valid points have been discussed, thanks to all.
Regards, Dan B

The Avanti receiver location looks a lot better than the Mig did to me. I usually do almost a 360 degree range check on my nicer models. The FrSky radio I use shows the RF link in dB and it is quite interesting what you will see from different angles from your plane. I did use an RX8R Pro and satellite rx on this model but many of my jets just run a single receiver and I have had to relocate the antennas on several to get a good 360 degree range check. I always make sure the nose-in signal is very good. If you get a low signal alert going away, the first thing that you will do is turn and head back but if you are way out there and get a hit, things might not go too well if your weakest signal is coming toward you. I am in agreement with several others here that you more than likely got a blanked out signal for a short time as you were on approach. One of the things I like about my radio is it tells me 'signal low' , 'signal critical', and the dreaded 'signal lost'..... This is what you will hear if you forget and fly with a plane in range check mode and it happens very fast! Don't ask me how I know.... ;-)

[leithalweapon]

Did my second flight today. The left main gear failed to retract after takeoff. Tracked it down to the MCB-e having a flakey connection causing intermittent control on the gear channel. So I'm starting to think the blue box may have been the problem on my maiden when I lost elevator control.
Plane flies great with no expo or dual rates. Almost wants to land itself.

[janmb]

Beautiful / light winds all day / took a day of vacation and headed out to fly at sunrise. Last flight done about 30 min before sunset. Took a lunch break but still got in 40 flights...all rock solid.

My set-up is (for comparison purposes):
- Futaba 6 ch TX/RX / no satellites = not possible
- UBEC 2-conductor extended so it sits in the right wing root by the rear battery
- Receiver is mounted on the sidewall of the front bay as far forward as possible and still have room for one antenna straight to the nose and one 90 degrees pointing at the floor/wood battery plate
- Admiral 6000 Pros
- Middle bay and rear bay
- RF chokes on all ESC wires and an extra choke placed on the green ring wire...I used 3 chokes
- “Y” elevator wire supplied with the upgrade servos that bypasses the BB. But, everything else goes to the BB
- New nose gear servo....solved my “iffy” nose gear retract issue

Timer set to 4 min....landing with about 30% and 3.7 volts or so. Mix of 1/2 throttle cruise and full power hot doggin’.

About 200 flights on her after today.

-GG

LOL - 3 4-bank chargers and 10 batteries....keep them rotating!

40 flights in a day... damn, you have been busy :D

As for the jabs regarding satellites, most radio systems don't use that concept at all and don't need it - including my own. Spektrum does. The need for good antenna positioning and angling obviously applies to all though.

[janmb]

If a 22V 6S battery cannot supply the BEC voltage sufficient for it to step down to 5-6V, low-voltage cut-off would have stopped the motors long before receiver power is lost.

Definitely agreed on that one. If experiencing BEC issues, the culprit is very unlikely the power source, but more so the BEC itself not handling whatever loads are demanded of it. While a switching BEC doesn't have the same issues with heat dissipation as an old school linear BEC, it is still limited by the capacity of the output capacitors and filters.

[HaroldAnderson]

Beautiful / light winds all day / took a day of vacation and headed out to fly at sunrise. Last flight done about 30 min before sunset. Took a lunch break but still got in 40 flights...all rock solid.

My set-up is (for comparison purposes):
- Futaba 6 ch TX/RX / no satellites = not possible
- UBEC 2-conductor extended so it sits in the right wing root by the rear battery
- Receiver is mounted on the sidewall of the front bay as far forward as possible and still have room for one antenna straight to the nose and one 90 degrees pointing at the floor/wood battery plate
- Admiral 6000 Pros
- Middle bay and rear bay
- RF chokes on all ESC wires and an extra choke placed on the green ring wire...I used 3 chokes
- “Y” elevator wire supplied with the upgrade servos that bypasses the BB. But, everything else goes to the BB
- New nose gear servo....solved my “iffy” nose gear retract issue

Timer set to 4 min....landing with about 30% and 3.7 volts or so. Mix of 1/2 throttle cruise and full power hot doggin’.

About 200 flights on her after today.

-GG

LOL - 3 4-bank chargers and 10 batteries....keep them rotating!

OK, you win the prize for most flights. Geez! You must have power at your flying field and really, really like flying this thing. Just curious, what plane of yours has logged the most flights? I'm over 200 on several of mine but I pale in comparison to you.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Can someone tell me the weight of HRB 6000mah battery, I've read in descriptions two different weights.

The actual weight of the HRB 6000 50C - 100C burst is more like 832 g. I have 12 of them and that is the weight they measured at, even though the "advertised weight" is 863 g. It seems that the majority of "advertised weights" are slightly higher than actual. The RT 6250 35C is 790 g (vs 803 advertised), the RT 5500 70C is 797 g (vs 825 g) and the Admiral 6000 50C Pro is 837 g (close, vs 844 g). But what's a few grams amongst friends!

[lusek_pl]

Hello, do you already know when the model will be available in Europe?

[1horse59]

The actual weight of the HRB 6000 50C - 100C burst is more like 832 g. I have 12 of them and that is the weight they measured at, even though the "advertised weight" is 863 g. It seems that the majority of "advertised weights" are slightly higher than actual. The RT 6250 35C is 790 g (vs 803 advertised), the RT 5500 70C is 797 g (vs 825 g) and the Admiral 6000 50C Pro is 837 g (close, vs 844 g). But what's a few grams amongst friends!

Thanks for the info, I was a bit concerned about the 863g vs 844g, because in order to balance, the Admiral set a tad further back than the HRB. This is great news!

[janmb]

Hello, do you already know when the model will be available in Europe?

We bugged James on this on stream Yesterday. Apparently right around the corner.

ETA was early October, and still is. Which should mean any day now...

[GliderGuy]

OK, you win the prize for most flights. Geez! You must have power at your flying field and really, really like flying this thing. Just curious, what plane of yours has logged the most flights? I'm over 200 on several of mine but I pale in comparison to you.

Thanks / Actually, not done at a flying field. My truck suffers the task of running the chargers....heavy duty alternator.

Since a child, flight (of any type) fascinated me. Sure beats sitting on a couch watching TV. And, yes, I have a flight sim set up on a PC running FlightSim2020.
I’m still a big kid.

No intent to brag in the below....but detailed to show the high quality (a few QC misses) of Freewing / Flightline products. I am a VERY happy customer, and you can’t beat MRC service/support.

Details
=====

The MRC P-38 has the most flights. Rock solid. I fly it so much, I must change out the prop hubs about every 3 months due to stress cracks that form in the hub. Well north of 2000 flights in a few years of flying her. Love the way she looks in the air. Periodic wheel retract servo replacement and control servo replacement when they begin to chatter. Almost lost her when the elevator horn detached from the elevator (not glued well), but I used the pitch change induced by the flap changes to get her down. That was EXCITING!

Next would be the AL37. New in December 2019 and 400 flights in the first 3 months. Rock solid as well. Now well over 1000 flights on her. Lost a main retract servo and a motor bearing at about 400 (sounded horrible). To date, no control servo issues. Has developed spider-web stress cracks on the top wing in the area of the engine mounts...over an area about the size of my hand print. Put several coats of Urethane (water base) on these areas and painted white over that. A few have come back, but not many. Biggest issue was the recurring fuselage seam split. I solved this by laying in some internal “hot glued in” reinforcement pieces.

Next...The F-4 Phantom II....bird #2...north of 500 flights. Great reliability. No issues on this bird other than the periodic nose gear pin replacement when I screw up a landing. I beefed up the elevator push rod.
Lost bird #1 due to QC not catching the elevator servo not getting any glue. My bad on that, too (repaired). This #1 bird later suffered a fatal crash due to a radio glitch.

Catching up....The MiG-29 at about 200 flights. Man...I thought the AL37 was fast. The MiG is soooo much faster!!! Suffered a perplexing nose gear retraction issue at first. Always worked on the ground, but only sometimes worked in the air. Replaced the servo....problem solved. The MiG is the best harmonized design I have flown! Soooo nice to fly and soooo easy to land. No pitch change with throttle, speed, or flap setting changes. And well behaved (not touchy) at full throttle. NICE! After the falling leaf deep stall, I have avoided that realm of flight and the maneuver that got me into the falling leaf. I came Soooo close to a crash.

My radio glitch issues,with these high-current ESC birds, are a (knock on wood) thing of the past (read my other posts).

-GG

PS - Divorced several years now....plenty of time to fly. Not that I recommend divorce. LOL

[xviper]

But what's a few grams amongst friends!

Is this why drug dealers have no friends?

[Reaper911]

The MIG moves along decent but I would not say it’s fast. Very similar to my FW A-10. The AL-37 must be pretty pokey

[GliderGuy]

The MIG moves along decent but I would not say it’s fast. Very similar to my FW A-10. The AL-37 must be pretty pokey

Interested to see when the first GPS recorders report.

You may well be correct. It’s all a perception thing, anyway, unless you’re running through a manned timing gate or GPSing it and account for natural wind effects. The AL37 may appear slower to me because it has a larger visual footprint.

Anybody planning to gather some measured speed numbers?

-GG

[janmb]

The MIG moves along decent but I would not say it’s fast. Very similar to my FW A-10. The AL-37 must be pretty pokey

I bet it is faster than it appears. Very true for the SU-30 anyway

[Reaper911]

I bet it is faster than it appears. Very true for the SU-30 anyway

Perhaps, may be deceiving.

[Corsair nut]

Heres my mods and setup video...

https://youtu.be/N4DhpSZO8aA