BAC Lightning F6 64MM

[Wingnutz]

ESC Cooling Vents?
With a 2200 4S pushed all the way back (seems to be necessary if wheels mounted) there isn’t much space for air to get past the battery to cool the ESC. Anyone else concerned or have a solution?

[Wingnutz]

Thanks Wrongun. Guessing steering servo and nose wheel together require the counter weight. Regret I glued the nose wheel in before I found this thread, but good to know others are having the same experience with the nose wheel. Will add ballast (cringe!) and report maiden.

[Wrongun]

How did your friend make out balancing his model with wheels? I’ve mounted the wheels and with a 2200 4S pushed all the wayback, my Lightning is nose heavy.
Photo of my batterybay/cockpit area below.

I fitted the landing gear but made it removable,( its a few pages back) Tried various batteries from 1800 to 2200 4s pushed right back, always nose heavy. One of mine came with the Freewing gyro pre-installed I added a AR620 obviously made it worse, pulled the gyro and extra cables and swapped the AR620 for a AR630, yes still nose heavy. I tried a few weights at the back end and it needs approx 20g - 3/4oz

[Wingnutz]

Also the crashed plane has its wheels installed, we fly off pavement. I've flown that one and taxi takeoff and landing are a pleasure with the gear. It does slow it down and add a lot of drag inflight though. But with all that power it is still a good performer. I'll bet it would be fine on grass.

How did your friend make out balancing his model with wheels? I’ve mounted the wheels and with a 2200 4S pushed all the wayback, my Lightning is nose heavy.
Photo of my batterybay/cockpit area below.

[tab28682]

I see that Aros just started the Official 64mm BAC Lightning thread….

[Mark 2]

Nice work. Just shows what can be done with a little ingenuity and some modelling skills.

[Wrongun]

Decided to have a pop at a clear canopy mod. Very sharp knife, Ferrero Rocher 300g clear lid, ( other sickly sweet sweeties/candy are available) and a slightly blue green mineral water bottle.

Clear lid is about 1mm thick for front screen and top piece, thin bottle for sides.

So, cut right through the foam leaving a very small silver margin around the edge, then cut slightly outside this into the black frame area, about 1.5mm and to a depth of about 1.5mm to create a small rebate for the "glass". I did start to colour the cut edges with a black sharpie but it dried up so more work later. Use the removed piece and masking tape to create a template to stick to the plastic for cutting.

I've kept the masking tape for the necessary repaint, going to refinish the black areas in matt black before a coat of Polycrylic semi gloss. I may reinforce the areas around the windows with carbon fibre thread or very thin bar.

Plan is to glue in a cockpit floor 0.8mm - 1/64 ply and have ordered to pilot motion list with the plane.

[kallend]

I've added a few more bits and pieces for the Lightning to my Thingiverse collection:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7203817

[Husafreak]

Yeah man! I am always amazed at how some modelers can produce so much cool stuff. I'm on the fence about printers only because it would be another hobby! But if I had one I would be printing up A LOT of your designs, cheers!

[kallend]

Build then!

Is this enough activity for you?

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

[Husafreak]

kallend has made 3D rocket prints I believe. Back in the thread somewhere. The canopy is very thin foam and the open space under it with no cockpit floor or pilot is useful. A clear canopy may be a big job. I think I will put clear paint over the foam and or change the color a bit to make it different than the silver fuselage.

[Wrongun]

I've heard talk of a clear canopy, Motion list one from a different model for some reason, has anyone knowledge of the listed canopy and offered it up to see if it could be fitted/chopped up to fit etc.

Looking at the Lightning canopy it is essentially hollow, there are good sized painted frames where the glass would be. I've been looking at various clear plastic food/drink containers. I think it would be a straight forward minor "modelling" job to let some clear plastic into the foam for most of them at least. I've got a 2nd Lightning en-route from Aliexpress so will have a go once Christmas/New Year is fully out of the way.

Did I see 3D rockets for it.

[Husafreak]

Build then!

[kallend]

Can't wait to hear how that goes...

Winter in Chicago - probably be a while before flying season starts

[Husafreak]

Can't wait to hear how that goes...

[kallend]

I installed the FW 3100kV 4S inrunner with "afterburner" attached. I had to trim the bell mouth at the front of the case so it would fit, but other than that no problems. I also put in a 45A ESC.

[Wrongun]

REMOVEABLE GEAR IS AN OPTION

Finally have mine. I have adapted the landing gear to have the option of gear or no gear, it just requires a minor bit of "modelling". Slide a knife blade into the pocket where the gear is glued into the mounts, both sides of the fitting, you can now wriggle the gear from the mount, clear out the rest of the glue, the fitting is still pretty tight I doubt it will ever just fall out, you could if concerned stick in a 5mm self tapping screw but im not going to.

Clean off the paint from the back of the mount and glue it in place. I left it overnight to dry. Take a very sharp knife and just trim a little slope from about 15mm from the outside edge of the mount down to its glue level, took all of a minute. Clean the area up ready for finishing.

Remember the silver cover you picked off the mount hole to start with, measure the area you cut and trim the silver plastic cover to fit, glue it down to cover the surgery, job done in 10minutes.!

I've added a little Tamiya ceramic grease to the mount to make it slide in and out a little easier.

Nose gear, just follow Wesley's (Motion RC guy) idea. I'm just going to add something fore and aft of the pin to protect/beautify it alittle

[Husafreak]

I flew my friends with gear again yesterday. For a lot of people the option would be nice. Nice mod!

[Wrongun]

True, but its a compromise on this size EDF, I have Rare Bears, Durafly MFX, Lippisch etc. I'll hand launch but it was obvious that it could be modded for both by a kid. I watched a video saying you could have gear or no gear and once the choice was made that was it but with a little modelling and 10 minutes created the option. I grew up with plan builds and occasional pre cut wood models so 10 mins with a knife and glue having been informed that it wasnt possible by foamy experts who claim a dab of glue or putting in a couple of screws constitutes a "Build" is misleading..

I've had a quick look over the kit and I think retracts are a option, weight would be the issue. Plenty of space under the ply battery tray, I also have a pair of main retracts that look a possibility.

[kallend]

I don't think fighter jets look right flying around with fixed gear. This one is really easy to hand launch anyway.