BAC Lightning F6 64MM

[Dayzemass]

Any of you guys have one of these little marvels yet?
I've waited forever for someone to produce one.

[freakbrother]

It was only announced 2 days ago.

I hope to have one by the end of next week.

[tony#1]

This is a very attractive offering from Freewing because I have several 4S 2200mAh LiPos and I fly off a grass strip which is not friendly to EDF landing gear. The Lightning is featured as being suitable for hand launching and I am currently mastering the programming of Spektrum AS3X+ and this would be an ideal model for the Hand Launch feature of AS3X+.
Should the Lightning prove difficult to source here in Australia does Freewing offer other EDF models designed for 4S 2200mAh LiPos and HAND LAUNCHING?
Any information gratefully received.

EDIT. Originally, I lived in the Northwest of England not far from Preston where the English Electric Lightning was primarily produced and as a patriotic teenager I was mightily impressed by the rate of clime and overall performance of the Lightning. It is a real "blast from the past" to see this version offered by Freewing.

[Evan D]

I buy from Motion. There you can easily search for 64mm EDF jets and see their selection. For you RC Castle in Hong Kong is easier but their web site is a bit trickier to search for me.

https://www.motionrc.com/collections/rc-jets

RC-Castle

[Husafreak]

I could not resist this offering either. Expensive for a 64mm but the performance and size seems a step up from Motion RC's other "toss and boss" offerings.
Unfortunately their new website is a total mess. I haven't ordered in a while so... I had to make a new password, after receiving my order confirmation I checked back using the link and it shows no purchases by me. I called order support and they confirmed the purchase but couldn't give tracking info even several days after the order. It looks like they have screwed up a very good operation?

[kallend]

Maidened mine today.

Hand launch option. I used the Spektrum Hand Launch Assist feature and it was dead easy. Very good climb. Very stable and well behaved.

The ailerons are very sensitive using the throws shown in the manual (rolled like a power drill). Other than that, everything was great.

Biggest irritant is that the EDF unit seems to be glued in, so if you want to replace with an inrunner, or add an afterburner, you have a lot of work.

Working on Firestreak missiles right now.

[kallend]

Working on Firestreak missiles right now.

[kallend]

I could not resist this offering either. Expensive for a 64mm but the performance and size seems a step up from Motion RC's other "toss and boss" offerings.
Unfortunately their new website is a total mess. I haven't ordered in a while so... I had to make a new password, after receiving my order confirmation I checked back using the link and it shows no purchases by me. I called order support and they confirmed the purchase but couldn't give tracking info even several days after the order. It looks like they have screwed up a very good operation?

Not my experience at all. I ordered the Lightning last Saturday and the box was on my doorstep by Tuesday. Maidened it on Thursday.

What is strange is the spare parts list on Motion's site. They show a pilot figure (??) and an F-22 canopy (??) but no Lightning specific parts, so be sure not to break anything. They do show an EDF unit but I don't know how you'd replace the one that's glued in place without destroying the fuselage.

[freakbrother]

From the Overview on the MotionRC web site:

Visit the Official Freewing 64mm BAC Lightning Discussion Thread on HobbySquawk.com for additional photos, videos, reviews, and customer Q&A.

So where is this "Official" thread?

[Evan D]

If they made one it would have a link on the Motion page.

[CF-105]

I think sometimes they forget. The Nexa Aichi Val has a similar blurb in the product overview, but still has no “official” thread…

[Evan D]

They cut and paste often. I've seen more than a few times info for one plane that was for the plane they copied from.

[tab28682]

I was excited to see that FW had done such an interesting jet in 64mm. Have always liked the Lightning! A very iconic cold war jet.

I ordered one the day the model was announced on Nov 7. It arrived on Wed Nov 12, on the third day after it was shipped. I very consistently get my MRC orders 3 working days after I order. No signs of MRC slipping from my viewpoint.

The instant response from many people is that this jet is too small and should have been an 80 or 90mm offering. I respect that opinion, but still like this small hand launch version. Very fun and affordable.

The price is a little more than the previous 64mm hand launch jets, but it has some nice upgrades. 4s 64mm 12 blade fan system instead of the old school 3s 64mm 5 blade fan. Includes the landing gear, so no need to order it separately if you need to use it.

FW did decide to not include a clear canopy. That is my only design complaint. There are some minor scale deviations here and there, but the model is great looking overall. In any case, you can't see the cockpit in a 90-100 mph flyby...:)

My only cosmetic complaint is that it arrived with a lot of mild to moderate gatoring. The theory is that the factory sometimes removes the foam parts from the mold without enough cooling time, causing the gatoring. My flying buddies Lightning had far less, practically zero, gatoring.

The model was VERY quick to assemble. You do have to apply the upper wing roundels and wing walk lines.

I used a 4s Zeee 2200 120c lipo. Control is via a AR400 RX and my DX9 Black TX. No gyro at this time.

The only setup complaint is that FW has the elevator linkage as installed moving the full flying tail far to much. I rated it down for now and will improve it linkage wise later.

Ended up doing the first two flights yesterday.

My Lightning was easy to hand launch and had plenty of power to get up and away easily.

My first flight at the factory low rate throw suggestions was overly sensitive on ailerons and elevator, IMO. After landing, I went to 40% expo and reduced the low rates a little. Second flight was great, very groovy. Did the usual small jet aerobatics. The stab is powerful and the model loops with ease.

Landings are a non event in the grass.

The model presents well in the air, as you can see from my pics as well as the ones on the MRC web site. My flying buddy Mike R. (F106DeltaDart) took some awesome flying pics of my model on flights one and two yesterday.

All in all, a great little model and lots of low stress scale EDF fun!

[kallend]

I was excited to see that FW had done such an interesting jet in 64mm. Have always liked the Lightning! A very iconic cold war jet.

I ordered one the day the model was announced on Nov 7. It arrived on Wed Nov 12, on the third day after it was shipped. I very consistently get my MRC orders 3 working days after I order. No signs of MRC slipping from my viewpoint.

The instant response from many people is that this jet is too small and should have been an 80 or 90mm offering. I respect that opinion, but still like this small hand launch version. Very fun and affordable.

The price is a little more than the previous 64mm hand launch jets, but it has some nice upgrades. 4s 64mm 12 blade fan system instead of the old school 3s 64mm 5 blade fan. Includes the landing gear, so no need to order it separately if you need to use it.

FW did decide to not include a clear canopy. That is my only design complaint. There are some minor scale deviations here and there, but the model is great looking overall. In any case, you can't see the cockpit in a 90-100 mph flyby...:)

My only cosmetic complaint is that it arrived with a lot of mild to moderate gatoring. The theory is that the factory sometimes removes the foam parts from the mold without enough cooling time, causing the gatoring. My flying buddies Lightning had far less, practically zero, gatoring.

The model was VERY quick to assemble. You do have to apply the upper wing roundels and wing walk lines.

I used a 4s Zeee 2200 120c lipo. Control is via a AR400 RX and my DX9 Black TX. No gyro at this time.

The only setup complaint is that FW has the elevator linkage as installed moving the full flying tail far to much. I rated it down for now and will improve it linkage wise later.

Ended up doing the first two flights yesterday.

My Lightning was easy to hand launch and had plenty of power to get up and away easily.

My first flight at the factory low rate throw suggestions was overly sensitive on ailerons and elevator, IMO. After landing, I went to 40% expo and reduced the low rates a little. Second flight was great, very groovy. Did the usual small jet aerobatics. The stab is powerful and the model loops with ease.

Landings are a non event in the grass.

The model presents well in the air, as you can see from my pics as well as the ones on the MRC web site. My flying buddy Mike R. (F106DeltaDart) took some awesome flying pics of my model on flights one and two yesterday.

All in all, a great little model and lots of low stress scale EDF fun!

Nice photos.

I have a bunch of flights on mine now. I'm very impressed that such a small light model flies so well. Only change I've made to its flying setup is to reduce the aileron throws. It climbs like a rocket, flies inverted and knife edge pretty well, seems quite stall resistant, hand launches easily, and lands easily.

It's fast and small, so letting it get too far away is a concern.

I've put a 3DP Firestreak file scaled for it on Thingiverse.

[kallend]

There are a few items for this Lightning up on Thingiverse now:

https://www.thingiverse.com/kallend/designs