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

[MikeT]

Thanks. Also a great flyer. You'll love it.

Mike

[rkh_78]

I did mine before assembly.

Mike

Looks amazing! Thanks, Mike!

[MikeT]

I did mine before assembly.

Mike

[rkh_78]

Thanks again for everyone's input. Box arrived majorly delayed, but nothing damaged. Going to use airbrush for a custom paint scheme (either Alaska or 100th Anniversary). As I was inspecting the parts I thought about painting the plane unassembled? Would that work or actually cause consistency issues of sorts?

[jasmith41]

Ah I finally found the video. From 2019, before the pandemic. We need to do this again!!! Who is coming? Let's set a new record!
E-JETS AND E-WARBIRDS 2019 - YouTube

thanks for sharing - good day yesterday as well...

[themudduck]

OMG, talk about Heaven on Earth! Outstanding!!!!I'll take one of each please.

Ah I finally found the video. From 2019, before the pandemic. We need to do this again!!! Who is coming? Let's set a new record!
E-JETS AND E-WARBIRDS 2019 - YouTube

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hey guys, its been a few years since we last got a gaggle of six FW 80mm A10's all flying together at Terry Nitche's E-Jets event near Columbus Ohio at the TORKS club. I'd really like to see this happen again. Pete and I are coming, how about you Jetman? And there are several others from this group. Good deal at the local hotel. Its 6 weeks away, Sept 8-11. 900' paved runway! Here is a link to the event flyer: E-JETS-E-WARBIRDS-2022.pdf (torks.com) BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT!

OMG, talk about Heaven on Earth! Outstanding!!!!I'll take one of each please.

[themudduck]

Hey guys, its been a few years since we last got a gaggle of six FW 80mm A10's all flying together at Terry Nitche's E-Jets event near Columbus Ohio at the TORKS club. I'd really like to see this happen again. Pete and I are coming, how about you Jetman? And there are several others from this group. Good deal at the local hotel. Its 6 weeks away, Sept 8-11. 900' paved runway! Here is a link to the event flyer: E-JETS-E-WARBIRDS-2022.pdf (torks.com) BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Gentlemen modelers, which version of the battery assembly will be the best for CG around 85-90mm? Batteries placed one above the other or one behind the other (necessary to disassemble the electronics board and install in other place).

Guess it really doesn't matter, as long as you can get the CG that works for you. I personally prefer one in front of the other, distributes the weight more evenly, but then that requires you to unscrew the electronics board and then just use some velcro with one sticky side on the bottom of the board and on the place in the fuselage you put it, no biggy (and you can always remove it any time if you need to work on something). Although with one on top of the other, you'll also need to change the velcro straps to longer ones and use 2 (I used 2 on each even when locating them front to back). As long as you get them strapped down tight with no movement possible, it should be fine. I do think it's easier to keep them down tight with one in front of the other.

[RAFALR30]

Gentlemen modelers, which version of the battery assembly will be the best for CG around 85-90mm? Batteries placed one above the other or one behind the other (necessary to disassemble the electronics board and install in other place).

[xviper]

OK, as you wish.

[jetpltrich]

I don't think it has anything to do with a gyro. No gyro, it does the same thing. It's not an issue - nothing to have to fix. I've seen cameras mounted in a similar location that sees the front wheel. Many, if not most planes do this on their nose gear. In order to be able to act as a steering mechanism, some looseness or schlopp will always be evident. To take away this kind of motion, they would need to design a steering gear using very tight tolerance bearings. Then we're looking at a very expensive piece.

I believe the gyro has more to do with this particular setup than you think. If you observe the oscillation back and forth you’ll observe the consistency of the oscillation, it is very evenly timed. The oscillation is the result of the back and forth movement from the strut being loose up at the top. That gyro is sensitive and once movement is detected it corrects.

[xviper]

I don't think it has anything to do with a gyro. No gyro, it does the same thing. It's not an issue - nothing to have to fix. I've seen cameras mounted in a similar location that sees the front wheel. Many, if not most planes do this on their nose gear. In order to be able to act as a steering mechanism, some looseness or schlopp will always be evident. To take away this kind of motion, they would need to design a steering gear using very tight tolerance bearings. Then we're looking at a very expensive piece.

[jetpltrich]

That nose strut movement is pretty normal. The length, coupled with a relatively small tire for the amount of weight on the nose wheel, tend to cause that "shimmy". In comparison, my HobbyKing nose strut moves 3 times that much right out of the box. HobbyKing has been trying to address that with a new strut but so far, has not come out with one. The "rake" on the nose strut also contributes to the side to side movement.

Yes it is normal and may be a function of the gyro being super sensitive, low speeds prominent high speeds goes away. A close examination of the assembly shows the strut shear shaft that inserts into the up/down block is a loose fit and the back and forth movement could be solved by a brace in the gear bay lower down the strut. I think I recall someone 3d prints them but I don’t know if they make one for the A-10.

JPR

[xviper]

That nose strut movement is pretty normal. The length, coupled with a relatively small tire for the amount of weight on the nose wheel, tend to cause that "shimmy". In comparison, my HobbyKing nose strut moves 3 times that much right out of the box. HobbyKing has been trying to address that with a new strut but so far, has not come out with one. The "rake" on the nose strut also contributes to the side to side movement.

[jetpltrich]

Nose wheel shimmy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5I76GFLlCk

[jetpltrich]

Per Hugh’s recommendation I’d recommend starting at 85mm or close to it as well. I maiden my second A-10 last week at 85mm flaps up due to a flap issue and the rotation was really sweet, no lurching for the sky. Landing was a floater but touch down was mains first. I had to stack my SMC batteries which was not an issue. I intend to move the CG back to 92mm for the next flight.

I also installed the Assan steering gyro and it worked very well. The video revealed a loose nose wheel assembly and I thought I may have missed something during the build when checking that assembly but examining the first A-10’s nose wheel assembly it is loose as well, a side to side motion.

Cheers,
JPR

[Hugh Wiedman]

I have a problem with setting the center of gravity using 6s 6000mAh Admira Pro batteries. For the CG 78mm (as in the instructions) I have to put the batteries on top of each other - as in the picture.
Please show photos with the installed batteries in your models.

Don't know if this will help, but I fly mine balanced at 92mm as I've found it flies and lands much better further aft from the recommended 78mm balance point. For me, further aft allows me to land with full flaps at a slower speed while keeping the nose slightly up avoiding hitting the front nose gear first and causing the dreaded "bucking bronco". Using the 45 degree method of checking the balance, it seemed just right around 92mm. I'm now using 2 SMC 6200 mah 40C packs, each weighing 814 gr. If I remember, the Admiral 6000 packs weigh a bit more at 840gr. To be able to move the batteries further aft and get to 92mm, I removed the circuit board and stuck it to the port side of the fuselage, allowing the aft battery to go all the way in. The photo below was when I used to use the Roaring Top 6250's, weighing about the same at 800 gr. Had to also put in a foam extension for the front battery base for the step down there and added new velcro strap positions so each had 2.

I also did the 3D printed "Dirty Dee" cockpit and put the 1/10 scale JHH full body pilot which added a little more nose weight. Also changed the stock outrunners to the 9 blade 1920 Kv inrunners from my Mig 29, which offset that just a bit, so keeping everything stock, you should be able to position the batteries further back and achieve your desired CG by getting that circuit board off the floor. I would recommend you start around 84-86mm or more instead of 78mm, but that's just my opinion.

[xviper]

1. The better CG for this plane is actually around 90mm.

2. The recommended batteries are from 4000 to 6000. If you use Admirals, this gives a range of between 566g to as much as 900g. You have to use some innovative thinking if you are going with a heavy battery like the 6000 Admiral. In the following picture, I'm using CHL 5000's, weighing in at 805g each. Notice where the rear battery is. To get that battery back there, the control box must be detached and pushed as far back against the rear bulkhead as possible. This is way I did it. If you choose to use the 6000's, then you will have to mount the front battery a bit further back than you see in my picture, which means you will have to build yourself a slightly elevated battery shelf further rearward than what you see in the picture. (I already have a small shelf under the rear portion of the front battery.) Nevertheless, as you can see, there is still quite a bit of room between my two batteries that can be used for the front battery placement.

[RAFALR30]

I have a problem with setting the center of gravity using 6s 6000mAh Admira Pro batteries. For the CG 78mm (as in the instructions) I have to put the batteries on top of each other - as in the picture.
Please show photos with the installed batteries in your models.