Official Freewing 64mm F-14 Tomcat Twin 64mm EDF Jet Thread

[400driver]

Lucky the break was clean and it looks like I will be able to get it flying again.

[nuts-n-volts]

Bummer, that sucks. You'll be ok. Just get back on that horse... er, cat!

[400driver]

Well.... I unwittitngly became a test pilot for my maiden of the V2. All checks on controls satisfactory and as she began her take off roll , a slight left drift started . The plane became airborne but it felt very sluggish and difficult to control. At about 15 feet a flat spin was entered and she landed in the grass.

The gear pushed up through the fuselage and the rear fuselage broke cleanly just aft of the turtle deck.


We did the autopsy and..... the right engine was the only one working ! I had not checked during the entire build that both engines ran ! I should have looked and I would have seen that one ESC was dead from the factory!

Well lesson learned !

It nearly flew on one engine , if it had been airborne at the time it may have worked but not from the start of the roll!

I'm over it now, have ordered a new ESC combo and a whole new kit so i will have two of them, one slighly beat up one and a new one!

Hope this only happens to me and not anybody else, Joy of the hobby.

[kallend]

So why haven't they made a 70mm one?? Anyone kno?

Too busy making wings for the 64mm one?

[stitch]

So why haven't they made a 70mm one?? Anyone kno?

[FLYWAM]

Did you read the instructions?

Thank you so much for the advice and guidance.

[CraigG]

So after about an hour of adjusting connecting rods and moving servo arms I have full travel on the wing sweep, I have it on a 3 position switch for now, I was a little confused at first from watching the assembly video that made it sound like you just snapped the connecting rods on and presto!! … far from the case there was a lot of adjustment to get everything working symmetrical and full travel. That’s what you get from assuming!

Agreed. I also had to reposition the servo arms on the wing sweep servos inward to get the connecting rods to fit. Otherwise, the rods were too long, even with the connectors screwed all the way in.

[xviper]

Yes, the stock 80 is only in and out, can't stop mid. That's why I asked. The 64 uses regular servos so it can.

I had either forgotten or didn't know in the first place, thus, my momentary brain fart.

[Evan D]

Yes, the stock 80 is only in and out, can't stop mid. That's why I asked. The 64 uses regular servos so it can.

[xviper]

But the 80 has retract type actuators???

I'm a bit dense on this one, so bare with me. Do you mean that on the 80, the wing sweep servos are like retracts? They can't stop in the middle? If that's the case, I guess I don't really know what they'd do if I stopped in the mid-position. I don't recall ever doing it for fear that something weird might happen.
I've just finished swapping one wing on the 64 (a lot simpler than I thought) and being on a slider, I can stop the sweep at any point between in and out, though I don't do it when flying.

[StevenR]

Question regarding flying with the ordinance installed or removed.
whats the flight characteristics flying with and without?

[StevenR]

So after about an hour of adjusting connecting rods and moving servo arms I have full travel on the wing sweep, I have it on a 3 position switch for now, I was a little confused at first from watching the assembly video that made it sound like you just snapped the connecting rods on and presto!! … far from the case there was a lot of adjustment to get everything working symmetrical and full travel. That’s what you get from assuming!

[Evan D]

But the 80 has retract type actuators???

[xviper]

Yes, I use switch B but I don't stop in the middle position. However, I do have "flight modes" tied to my flap switch D so that trim is set for no flaps, take off flaps and landing flaps. Seems to work in a logical fashion for me. I must still remember to pull up the flaps up before pulling the wings in. With the 80, when the wings sweep in, I compensate for trim (needs some UP ELE) manually as I fly. Wings in for me, is still a bit of a butt clencher activity but I'm getting used to it and it's becoming second nature. The 64 is much easier to fly. My old Eflite "UMX" F-14 flew without much thinking when wings in or out. That flight controller seemed to do most of the work.

[Evan D]

You get three positions on the 80?

[xviper]

For this F-14, I have the wing sweep on my left slider (NX10). On my 80mm F-14, it's on what is normally the flight mode switch (3-position) but I do NOT stop in the middle even though I can. Stopping the wing in the middle (for me) has a tendency to change the required trim in that position. Even with the slider, I try to do the sweep in one smooth sweep. The 64mm, is more forgiving to changes in wing position (may have to do with the gyro and/or flight controller). With the 80mm, I have trim related to flight modes, which is also dependent upon wing position. It's just easier to not have a mid position for the sweep.

[StevenR]

Question setting up my new F14 64mm, what are you guys using for transmitter switch for the swing wings? I’m using a Spektrum NX10 I’m thinking of using a 3 position switch any suggestions on setting up the different swing positions?

[xviper]

The 64mm F-14 is on the table. Surgery to begin shortly for the organ swap. Just snowed again today, so no real rush to get it done. Take out some screws, have a nap, take out some ball links, repeat as necessary.

[kallend]

Just unpacked 2 sets of V2 wings from RCC. Very sturdy packaging. Raymond builds a custom foam box for them. Ours came with the longer pushrods and covering for the servo wire channels. Saved >25 bucks over waiting for Motion to get stock.
Several sellers on AliEx are selling them, too. Some are tricky in that they don't specifically mention that they are selling V1 wings. I've had experience with a couple others and their business practices are a bit dubious. End result would have been a higher price than what RCC offered..

Raymond won't ship large items to the USA right now.

Aliexpress is now out of stock.

Motion is out of stock.

[xviper]

Photo of undersides of the V2 wings, something that has not been clearly shown. This also explains why one servo has to be reversed. The little package in the middle contains the Longer pushrods and wire channel tape.