Official Freewing B-2 Spirit Bomber 86" Twin 70mm EDF Jet

[GliderGuy]

I realize this is not my first precautionary text on the B-2.

HOWEVER, it is worth posting some additional evidence.

I’ve been getting a little cocky with the wind limit conditions, of late. I have not stopped flying her when the winds reach 5 mph and have been doing OK. A few skip bounce landings….nothing major. With more practice, you can “recover” fairly well from a less than perfect landing by “just keep flying her” and not over control.

Then came YESTERDAY! Was pushing past the limit at 7 mph after many flights as the wind increased after a dead calm sunrise start to the day.

DOH and DOUBLE DOH!!!!!

She dropped in from about a foot up (wind gust) and I didn’t react fast enough. Got the dreaded bounce / nose over. Might coulda saved the landing with power, maybe. YEPPER Wiped out the nose gear mount + servo damaged. Added note: no crosswind yesterday.

Now mind you, she’s been flying for months without any incident. I PUSHED PAST MY STATED 5 mph limit and paid the consequences. UGH.

Easy repair and flew her again this morning in calm conditions. No issues and lots of fun!

TAKE HEED / CAUTION!!!!! Fly with wind, and you will VERY likely have a landing incident.

Post submitted in evidence.

-GG

[GliderGuy]

Wow - 19 flights this afternoon in nice conditions. I’m soooo glad the 100+ heat is going away.

AL-37, P-38 and F-4

Getting back in the saddle.

-GG

[GliderGuy]

Indeed, he should. It wasn't until I took heed of GG's cautionary points, that I started to have consistently incident-free flights.

You just made my day!

[xviper]

GliderGuy wins the golden star in this thread for his tenacious reminders to all about the perils of landing this bird. I am weeks away from finally maidening mine and those notes will be priceless when I do decide to maiden mine.

Cheers!

Indeed, he should. It wasn't until I took heed of GG's cautionary points, that I started to have consistently incident-free flights.

[GliderGuy]

GliderGuy wins the golden star in this thread for his tenacious reminders to all about the perils of landing this bird. I am weeks away from finally maidening mine and those notes will be priceless when I do decide to maiden mine.

Cheers!

Thanks Aros….

I prefer “techniques” and “precautions” vs perils. The B-2 is a kitten to land! I made 6 near perfect landings this morning. Of course in near perfect conditions.

It really is not hard to land. Just be your best and don’t fail to SLOW HER DOWN when about 6 inches up….holding her off until you cannot.

-GG

[Aros]

GliderGuy wins the golden star in this thread for his tenacious reminders to all about the perils of landing this bird. I am weeks away from finally maidening mine and those notes will be priceless when I do decide to maiden mine.

Cheers!

[GliderGuy]

I was thinking the same thing….might not even be able to see them hidden as the fans are.

-GG

[Evan D]

Not to goforit since he's posted his last reply, but I agree that this is not the plane for AB's. Not only because the real one doesn't but also because of how the exhaust s are I don't think you'd see them.

[Go4it]

Maybe they chose those because they were the best for keeping this plane stealthy. A "better" power plant may mean more power, more efficiency to you BUT perhaps the more powerful ones created too much heat to hide. The plane would have become UNstealthy.

What I was referring to for 2 billion dollars. I would think they would be trying to incorporate a Plasma propulsion system working on high-intensity microwaves and pressurized air. Our something like this.
And for adding an afterburning as I do on all my jets. Is more for a crowd pleaser It's a toy foam plane I do not worry about my IR signature while flying. I rather have the wow factor for the crowd and myself. My plane my rules. Turn and burn. My last reply on this subject.

But I really do appreciate GLIDER GUY giving me the heads up on all the does and don'ts on this plane.

[Evan D]

It's really not all that advanced, more unique. It also flys fine with no gyro though as you point out most planes fly "easier" with one.

I flew helos without gyros in the 70's and it was tough. Flew switched inverted and then "switchless" inverted. Amazing how the electronics have improoved.

In the late 80's, early 90's I was working in a hobby shop (Blue Max Hobbies in Oxnard) and a person came in with the same non gyro helo I had in the 70's, said it was unflyable. At that point I had pretty good thumbs and I was able to fly it without a gyro quite well. Made me think about the Wright brothers and their trying to design, build and modify an airplane all while trying to teach themselves how to fly it.

Thanks so much for all your suggestions on flying the B-2 bomber. This is the most advanced RC Plane that I have seen in my 50 years of flying. I love the fact that it needs a gyro to assist the pilot in flying this bird.. I remember back in the early 90s we installed gyros in helis to help to make them more manageable to fly. That's about the same time I started installing gyros in planes. Funny back then the guys said I was cheating as they were seating on the bench and I was flying in a 20-knot wind. I tried to explain to them that, it was not flying the plane but it was reducing the workload so the pilot could fly the plane better. I bet it was 5 or 6 years later that they finally started to realize what I was trying to tell them. Too funny.

[GliderGuy]

Go4it…same with the PJ-50. Now a great strong wind bird with a gyro.

BUT…and I mean CAUTION…The B-2 is NOT a bird you can fly with much more than 5 mph. Gyro or not…,she needs calmer winds. It is due to the geometry of the landing gear.

PLEASE don’t fly the B-2 in more than 5 mph. There are thems who tried and there are thems who regret trying it. Me included…..

-GG

[Go4it]

Hi Go4it,

Since you have not flown your B-2, it is STRONGLY advised that you read the posts in this thread regarding landing techniques. If you fail to do this, you may damage your new B-2.

A quick summary:
1) ONLY FLY IN 5 MPH winds or less
2) AVOID CROSSWINDS
3) GLIDE her in without power on final
4) GET DOWN into ground effect and SLOW HER DOWN while about 6 inches up. Keep her low and in-ground effect to avoid any wing drop. She won’t drop a wing while in the ground effect.
5) HOLD HER OFF….repeat…HOLD HER OFF as long as possible. TOUCH MAINS ONLY after getting her as slow as possible in ground effect. This will require a lot of up elevators as she slows. SHE LANDS BEST LIKE YOU ARE FLYING A PIPER CUB TAIL DRAGGER.

The secret is calm winds and land with AS LITTLE ENERGY as possible. Otherwise, crow hopping, cartwheeling, and side loads on the nose gear servo will ruin that servo. On occasion, she has totally flipped inverted and landed upside down when flown in windy conditions.

FYI….I made 6 flights just after sunrise today in winds 4 mph or less. Every landing was mains first with almost full up elevator….as slow as possible. Results = smooth and problem-free landings for all 6 flights. (I have well over 200 flights now!)

-GG

PS…The book CG is fine (albeit nose heavy) and watch the YouTube videos on how to set your controls up….deflections with neutral sticks that is. 8 mm and 4 mm up deflections is a good neutral stick starting deflections. When you go idle power, the nose will drop and require a tad of up elevator to hold a steady descent rate.

PPS…Disregard the wind advice and you will crash eventually. You might get away with it a few times, but trust me….flying in wind = crash. Ask me how I know!

Thanks so much for all your suggestions on flying the B-2 bomber. This is the most advanced RC Plane that I have seen in my 50 years of flying. I love the fact that it needs a gyro to assist the pilot in flying this bird.. I remember back in the early 90s we installed gyros in helis to help to make them more manageable to fly. That's about the same time I started installing gyros in planes. Funny back then the guys said I was cheating as they were seating on the bench and I was flying in a 20-knot wind. I tried to explain to them that, it was not flying the plane but it was reducing the workload so the pilot could fly the plane better. I bet it was 5 or 6 years later that they finally started to realize what I was trying to tell them. Too funny.

[xviper]

For 2 Billion Dollars I would think they would have a better power plant than the GE Turbo fans

Maybe they chose those because they were the best for keeping this plane stealthy. A "better" power plant may mean more power, more efficiency to you BUT perhaps the more powerful ones created too much heat to hide. The plane would have become UNstealthy.

[Go4it]

The B-2 lacks afterburners as the hot exhaust would increase the infrared signature and supersonic flight would produce an obvious sonic boom as well as aerodynamic heating of the aircraft skin which would also increase the infrared signature.

Powerplant: 4 ×General Electric F118-GE-100 non-afterburning turbofans, 17,300 lbf (77 kN) thrust each

For 2 Billion Dollars I would think they would have a better power plant than the GE Turbo fans

[GliderGuy]

Really good advice GG!

Thanks Evan….Hoping to help others avoid crashing/damage.

-GG

[Evan D]

Really good advice GG!

[GliderGuy]

No issue. My plane is still in shipment…..

Hi Go4it,

Since you have not flown your B-2, it is STRONGLY advised that you read the posts in this thread regarding landing techniques. If you fail to do this, you may damage your new B-2.

A quick summary:
1) ONLY FLY IN 5 MPH winds or less
2) AVOID CROSS WINDS
3) GLIDE her in without power on final
4) GET DOWN into ground effect and SLOW HER DOWN while about 6 inches up. Keep her low and in ground effect to avoid any wing drop. She won’t drop a wing while in ground effect.
5) HOLD HER OFF….repeat…HOLD HER OFF as long as possible. TOUCH MAINS ONLY after getting her as slow as possible in ground effect. This will require a lot of up elevator as she slows. SHE LANDS BEST LIKE YOU ARE FLYING A PIPER CUB TAIL DRAGGER.

The secret is clam winds and land with AS LITTLE ENERGY as possible. Otherwise, crow hopping, cartwheeling, side loads on the nose gear servo will ruin that servo. On occasion she has totally flipped inverted and landed upside down when flown in windy conditions.

FYI….I made 6 flights just after sunrise today in winds 4 mph or less. Every landing was mains first with almost full up elevator….as slow as possible. Results = smooth and problem free landings for all 6 flights. (I have well over 200 flights now!)

-GG

PS…The book CG is fine (albeit nose heavy) and watch the YouTube videos on how to set your controls up….deflections with neutral sticks that is. 8 mm and 4 mm up deflections is a good neutral stick starting deflection. When you go idle power, the nose will drop and require a tad of up elevator to hold a steady descent rate.

PPS…Disregard the wind advice and you will crash eventually. You might get away with it a few times, but trust me….flying in wind = crash. Ask me how I know!

[davegee]

The B-2 lacks afterburners as the hot exhaust would increase the infrared signature and supersonic flight would produce an obvious sonic boom as well as aerodynamic heating of the aircraft skin which would also increase the infrared signature.

Powerplant: 4 ×General Electric F118-GE-100 non-afterburning turbofans, 17,300 lbf (77 kN) thrust each

Well said. Put the afterburners on aircraft that actually had them!

davegee

[kallend]

No issue. My plane is still in shipment and was just wondering if the afterburners that I have laying around for freewing 70mm EDF2952

inrunner would fit the space. 29mm dia on the motor

The B-2 lacks afterburners as the hot exhaust would increase the infrared signature and supersonic flight would produce an obvious sonic boom as well as aerodynamic heating of the aircraft skin which would also increase the infrared signature.

Powerplant: 4 ×General Electric F118-GE-100 non-afterburning turbofans, 17,300 lbf (77 kN) thrust each

[Go4it]

Sorry, no. It's super simple. Do you have an issue?

No issue. My plane is still in shipment and was just wondering if the afterburners that I have laying around for freewing 70mm EDF2952

inrunner would fit the space. 29mm dia on the motor