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

[ridgerunner]

Looks like the B-21 has taken flight...

[Bearcat]

I didn't like the fiddling with rulers while setting up the control surfaces, so two gauges were created and printed. +/- 25mm for the rudders, 8mm Up trim for the inboard control surfaces measured at wing bottom. In case someone is interested in the STL files, I'll put them on cults3d. Just let me know.

I would love to see this myself- post a link if you haven't already.

[Bearcat]

What happened to Jeremy Solt's setup video?, I can't find it on Youtube or MotionRC's website

[GliderGuy]

My B-2 has developed a glitch and is grounded. Y’all that know a lot about gyros and control boards feel free to weigh in. I’m going to replace everything to be safe, but curious what y’all may say about the “problem”.

TX is ruled out….flying other birds with it w/o issues.

Yesterday, my B-2 went into a slight climb on its own. Took 3 clicks of down trim to halt the climb. Continued to fly normally when she did a rapid pitch “jiggle”. After this jiggle/oscillation, she needed 3 up clicks of trim and flew normally. It is as if the gyro lost its sense of level and then regained it after the jiggle. Made several more “normal” flights figuring it was a one-time glitch.

This morning she did it again, but the pitch jiggle/oscillation was more pronounced and she had a 50 ft loss of altitude, but flew normally until landing. I grounded her after this.

To me, the gyro is the most suspect, but control board, RX, wiring could all be suspect. Thoughts? Comments? Thanks!

-GG

[f4u ausie]

Just throwing something up in the air,, just changing to spektrum from dynam detrum.. dynam trim settings r stored in the trans. Not receiver.. but spektrum r stored in receiver.. if im wrong let me no ......dont no about others. So based on that,, its possible to be a receiver problem.. no idea what u use of course,, im a puppy in experience to u guys,, so just thinkin out aloud.. good luck.. let us know.. the reson i came to conclusion about receivers is u can change dynam receivers plane to plane.. make no adjustments... spektrum book says if u chang planes u must delete or go back to default on the receiver and start over

[GliderGuy]

Thinking about repairing my #1 B-2 that I crashed into a pole. Need the diameter of the main wing carbon rod spar. MRC didn’t know. Thanks.

-GG

[Rock]

I just purchased a F 18 blue Angel Jet got it all assembled, but cannot figure out how to get the numbers and letters off the paper, I need your help.

[GliderGuy]

Hi Rock…this is the B-2 forum. But it is an easy answer.

If they are water slide decals, cut out each area you want and soak that piece in warm water for about a minute. Place the whole thing about where you want it and slide the decal off the paper backing on to the plane. Add a little tiny bit of mildly soapy water to the area first….helps you slide it around. Gently dab with a dry cloth to soak up the excess water.

If they are the adhesive type, NOOOO WATER!

Cut out the area you want. Gently peel the image + clear covering away from the paper backing. Place the decal on the plane where you want it. Now rub fairly hard (not too hard) and the decal will stick. The trick is removing the clear covering. I use a razor knife and take my time.

For either type, a coating of VALSPAR or MINWAX clear polyurethane keeps the decals in place permanently (or at least until a crash). LOL

-GG

[Radar-Guy]

I would love to see this myself- post a link if you haven't already.

Here you go

https://cults3d.com/de/modell-3d/verschiedene/freewing-b-2-control-surface-setup-tools

[GliderGuy]

Reference post 1444 above

After changing the control board, E52 gyro, receiver and trying a different transmitter, the weird behavior showed up again. The only thing not changed was the BEC and servos.

A tip from a fellow HS poster pointed me to the 3300 uF capacitor that the E52 is supplied with. Possibly gone bad or maybe not enough capacitance for cooler weather conditions? But...I didn't experience issues last winter.

So I added another 3300 uF capacitor in parallel with the original one as an experiment...still not changing out the BEC or servos. 6600 uF total capacitance is in place now (or less if the original 3300 uF capacitor has gone bad).

Several flights were made yesterday afternoon without the B-2 exhibiting any weird behavior. Looks like the problem may be solved. More flying will tell.

-GG

[GliderGuy]

Almost 2 years of putting the B-2 through its paces, and…increasing the chances that if something can go wrong, something WILL go wrong. UGH.

A few days ago, shortly after take-off, the motors went dead stop. No cough, no sputter…just 100% zero thrust. Being slow and in a nose up attitude at about 50 ft altitude, a recovery wasn’t in the cards. Nosed in. Hate that when it happens!

Once home, everything functioned normally. So, toss it up to a rare system Gremlin. Rare indeed, considering how much flying time my radios have on them….thousands of flights.

A comparison was made between two crashed B-2s on hand. The oldest went in after striking a wire antennae and has been serving as a spare parts hangar queen for bird #2. But, #1 was in better shape. So 20 hours of work making one bird outa 2 birds paid off. #1 bird is ready and WILL FLY AGAIN!

Waiting for good weather to maiden this Phoenix bird.

Note: Ignore the extreme control positions in the photo…not flight position.

-GG

[GliderGuy]

One more thing….The new control board just ordered has the + and - markings on the “take-off” lights reversed. I compared to the “old” boards when the nose lights would not work with the new board.

+ is towards the nose for these two light connectors. Reversing the wire polarity going to the nose gear lights solved the problem.

MRC….please consider slipping in a notice into the manual until the control board label can be corrected.

-GG

[GliderGuy]

Ref post 1451….SUCCESS!!!

She flew perfect this morning. Woo Hoo!

The Phoenix has arisen from its year+ of storage after it crashed and became a hangar queen for spare parts to keep #2 B-2 flying.

-GG

PS #2 bird is probably beyond repair and shall remain flightless. So much foam wrinkling…internal structural damage indicated.

[Aros]

Congrats! Risen from the ashes!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Ref post 1451….SUCCESS!!!

She flew perfect this morning. Woo Hoo!

The Phoenix has arisen from its year+ of storage after it crashed and became a hangar queen for spare parts to keep #2 B-2 flying.

-GG

PS #2 bird is probably beyond repair and shall remain flightless. So much foam wrinkling…internal structural damage indicated.

So Wallace let me get this straight. #1 eventually succumbed to "flight abuse", probably after 100 flights in one day, and was no longer able to get up, then you got #2 and used #1 as an unwilling "donor clone" until #2 also ended it's useful life, then somehow you dug up #1 out of it's storage coffin, took parts from both (and maybe a few others you got in a graveyard around the village) and you somehow brought #1 back to life (with HiV electricity maybe)! Are you sure you don't live in a hilltop castle in Germany as I believe I've read this story before (or are you involved with Mary Shelly and go by another name beginning with Dr. Franken something".

[GliderGuy]

Hi Hugh….Now that’s funny!

Actually #1 did not last me a week. I violated the rule about NEVER pass behind an obstruction. I hit its wire antennae way up at the top, and watched #1 gyrate its way to the ground. UGH. Ordered #2 bird.

But when #2 went in nearly 2 years later and I compared the two birds, #1 was in a lot better shape. And a couple of weeks ago I made the decision to repair #1….parts not salvageable from #2 were on hand when #2 crashed.

Since MRC is out of B-2 stock, last weekend I spent 20 hrs on #1 and got ‘er done.

Yesterday, I made 14 flights with #1 bird. I actually think she flies better than #2 did prior to #2 crashing.

Foam is sooooo repairable. Funny….I was out of the B-2 business for 4 days. That’s tenacity! She is for real….not perfect, but still a good looking airframe.

-GG

[Aros]

GG when I look at the definition of Tenacity in the dictionary your photo pops right up!



King among men!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hi Hugh….Now that’s funny!

Actually #1 did not last me a week. I violated the rule about NEVER pass behind an obstruction. I hit its wire antennae way up at the top, and watched #1 gyrate its way to the ground. UGH. Ordered #2 bird.

But when #2 went in nearly 2 years later and I compared the two birds, #1 was in a lot better shape. And a couple of weeks ago I made the decision to repair #1….parts not salvageable from #2 were on hand when #2 crashed.

Since MRC is out of B-2 stock, last weekend I spent 20 hrs on #1 and got ‘er done.

Yesterday, I made 14 flights with #1 bird. I actually think she flies better than #2 did prior to #2 crashing.

Foam is sooooo repairable. Funny….I was out of the B-2 business for 4 days. That’s tenacity! She is for real….not perfect, but still a good looking airframe.

-GG

Actually I too have that mildly insane habit of ending up getting multiples of the same aircraft and using one as a donor after my inevitable crashes, then resurrecting one or both. Started when I first started flying about 10 years ago, ended up with 3 Cubs, next ended up with 2 Yak 54's, 2 1.2mm P51's, 2 1400mm Corsairs, 2 Edges and 2 60" Beast BiPlanes. I've been lucky enough to sell off all of those (except keeping my original 60" Beast) , usually at or above what I paid for them. That's why to this day I've ended up with 3 F4's (2 that are flyable) and 2 F18's, both yet to expire! Saves on my massive need for repair parts which are more expensive as individual items.