Official Freewing Twin 80mm/90mm A-10 Thunderbolt II Thread

[Jpahemi1]

Control surface throw question
As I adjusted the elevator control rods I started by adjusted both to the same length and then installing them. To get the elevators neutral I had to make one rod longer than the other. If I go to full up the travel is 29 mm on the left side and 34 mm on the right. To me a 5 mm difference is a big deal and I would think induce a roll moment to right on landing. In looking further it looks like the right elevator servo doesn't have the arm center. How do I get the servo out without butchering the stab. The plan is to maiden on Saturday and then fly at a fun scale event. Should I be concerned about this of am I just being too anal? I can adjust the center trim to bring both both elevators up to about at the bottom of the dimples on the aft side of the fuse. I was pretty happy about that
Thanks
John

[Flash Jorden]

Maidened the A-10 this morning. She flew great! Took off in no time with take-off flaps. Flew like a typical low wing intermediate plane. No bad tendencies, no trim changes needed at all! I might add a click or two of down elevator trim, she climbs just a little under mid-high power. Cruised around at about 80% throttle, doing racetrack and figure 8s. No loops or rolls. 60%expo on Ailerons, 50% on elevator (Futaba). Didn't set any dual rates. She does float on landings with no flaps, I had to go around and try again. I was worried about getting too slow in order for her to descend. Next landings I will try with flaps so I can keep power on. She slows way down, without dropping a wing. When she did stall during landing, it was flat. Landing gear took the landing well, however, the trailing link gear launched her back in the air due to the kinda hard landing. Balanced at the suggested 78mm seemed to be perfect for me. 3 minute flight, 1 go around on landing attempt, and taxi back left 3.71v/cell on the Pulse 6S 5000 65C batteries.

[Pete Lane]

Zippo lighter fluid wicked in from edges.
Pry out with putty or butter knife.
Install two strips of dental floss under servo
And tuck in just in case you need to remove in future
When re gluing

Fluid is foam safe.

Pete

[RCjetdude]

Anyone know where to find a 'scalish' looking center-line tank for this bird?

[crxmanpat]

Completed the maiden flight on my A-10 last night, and I have to echo all of the previous comments, what a fantastic flyer!

Congrats Mike, and welcome to the Hog Club! Great landing!

It's great to finally see all these Hogs getting in the air.

[xviper]

How do I get the servo out without butchering the stab.

I always try to center all servos using a servo tester (if possible) before putting the plane together. If you're not real finicky about doing a tiny bit of slicing, no need to remove the servo to center the arm. If there isn't enough room to pull off the arm from the servo, I cut just enough to do so. I make an angled "incision" using a razor blade that will take my small, narrow screw driver down towards the servo arm screw. Push the shaft of the screw driver into the incision and unscrew the screw. Even at an angle, it will turn. Pry the arm off and re-install, making sure the servo has not been altered from center. Touch up any foam that may have been cut. Same for the incision line.
If you're one of those who must get every last, tiny little decal on the plane it their proper place, this method is probably NOT for you.

[T-CAT]

T-CAT, what do you mean that the capacitors were a nice little detail and surprise? Did the 80mm come with the caps on the ESC's?

Yep! The pics you saw were still the stock ESC's, and there are the caps soldered to the ESC's, one pack per side. Once you lift up the EDF units, they are laying right underneath.

[F106DeltaDart]

Congrats Mike, and welcome to the Hog Club! Great landing!

It's great to finally see all these Hogs getting in the air.

Thanks Pat! I loved how the whistles sounded on your maiden, they are definitively on my mod list! On another note, my oleo struts are supposed to be in today, so I will start looking at that mod over the weekend.

[petefoss]

Control surface throw question
As I adjusted the elevator control rods I started by adjusted both to the same length and then installing them. To get the elevators neutral I had to make one rod longer than the other. If I go to full up the travel is 29 mm on the left side and 34 mm on the right. To me a 5 mm difference is a big deal and I would think induce a roll moment to right on landing. In looking further it looks like the right elevator servo doesn't have the arm center. How do I get the servo out without butchering the stab. The plan is to maiden on Saturday and then fly at a fun scale event. Should I be concerned about this of am I just being too anal? I can adjust the center trim to bring both both elevators up to about at the bottom of the dimples on the aft side of the fuse. I was pretty happy about that
Thanks
John

Dumb question but with that much difference are you sure you are on the same holes in the servo arms? And if you are if you move one by one hole, is the balance better?

[RCjetdude]

Yep! The pics you saw were still the stock ESC's, and there are the caps soldered to the ESC's, one pack per side. Once you lift up the EDF units, they are laying right underneath.

Cool. Thanks! I think you are the first person to clearly communicate that. The question had been asked but not answered until now. I ordered and ARF+ planning to drop a couple 80mm 1750 kv fans I have in it and ordered capacitors to add and now I am glad I did.

[RCjetdude]

I always try to center all servos using a servo tester (if possible) before putting the plane together. If you're not real finicky about doing a tiny bit of slicing, no need to remove the servo to center the arm. If there isn't enough room to pull off the arm from the servo, I cut just enough to do so. I make an angled "incision" using a razor blade that will take my small, narrow screw driver down towards the servo arm screw. Push the shaft of the screw driver into the incision and unscrew the screw. Even at an angle, it will turn. Pry the arm off and re-install, making sure the servo has not been altered from center. Touch up any foam that may have been cut. Same for the incision line.
If you're one of those who must get every last, tiny little decal on the plane it their proper place, this method is probably NOT for you.

That is how I would do it.

[Aros]

Got my shipping notification today! Whoo! Arctic Aggressor #2 coming up!

[T-CAT]

Cool. Thanks! I think you are the first person to clearly communicate that. The question had been asked but not answered until now. I ordered and ARF+ planning to drop a couple 80mm 1750 kv fans I have in it and ordered capacitors to add and now I am glad I did.

Any time! I was wondering quite a bit myself and knew my opportunity to check was coming up with the EDF install, and I had some doubts when I didn't see anything at the first obvious glance. As I removed the EDF's, I was pleasantly surprised :Cool:.

[RCjetdude]

Any time! I was wondering quite a bit myself and knew my opportunity to check was coming up with the EDF install, and I had some doubts when I didn't see anything at the first obvious glance. As I removed the EDF's, I was pleasantly surprised :Cool:.

They hid them well.

[crxmanpat]

Video of flight #2. I need to practice my half cuban 8's. LOL

https://youtu.be/ImcJtv9WV78

[crxmanpat]

And flight #3. Came in a little too hot and bounced it, but saved it for a go around and much better landing. Knocked the nose gear a little out of whack, but will get that repaired today.

I forgot to start my timer on this flight (too excited to fly I guess), and decided to come in when I knew my timer should have gone off. Good thing too because I had just enough juice left for the go-around. After landing I checked my packs and only had 4% left!

This flight was done with a pair of XPS 6S 5200 25C packs. The other two were with the RT 5800s.

https://youtu.be/mo862_RvNQo

[Jpahemi1]

Thanks for the advice on the servo arm. I actual sliced the foam adjusted the arm and filled the hole left from the screw driver. Simple repair I'll paint it in the morning, good as new.
John

[ColtPilot]

The ordnance package I'll use. This will really look great.

[T-CAT]

Last night I put on the Blacksnakes nose art. Wow, that was a pain, LOL. Small waterslide decals, or even large ones on a flat non-contoured surfaces equals no issues, but something this like, it's testing for sure. My nose art is too high on the nose, but still works. I didn't connect it absolutely perfectly to meet in the center mouth area, so I filled in the left over space with the other black areas of waterslide decals available from the other nose art mouths. Since waterslide is so thin and flat, it's impossible to tell anything has been added, and it looks like there was no space whatsoever in the first place. So, that's good, and glad I was able to get both sides on there on the first go-round.

[RCjetdude]

Last night I put on the Blacksnakes nose art. Wow, that was a pain, LOL. Small waterslide decals, or even large ones on a flat non-contoured surfaces equals no issues, but something this like, it's testing for sure. My nose art is too high on the nose, but still works. I didn't connect it absolutely perfectly to meet in the center mouth area, so I filled in the left over space with the other black areas of waterslide decals available from the other nose art mouths. Since waterslide is so thin and flat, it's impossible to tell anything has been added, and it looks like there was no space whatsoever in the first place. So, that's good, and glad I was able to get both sides on there on the first go-round.

Give us a picture if you can and then get yourself a nice big piece of Lasagna after that. I will be attempting the Black Snakes on my ARF+ so i am looking for success stories with it. The pictures of the production model on MRC website show the left side looking OK but "permagrin" on the right.