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

[Sky Wolf]

Man that's to bad... I had quite a few good flights and then a small bounce that wasn't really bad at all, pretty slow but nose wheel hit first after bounce and snapped the pin like a dry twig. Only damage was to the rear gear door and wrinkled the cannon some.
I met Marc alias the Muddock at Dayton yesterday and watched him fly his A10 and it slowed down great with a perfect flare to landing. I talked to him and he has his cg back further than the manual calls for. He said it would not flare with the forward cg. I am moving my cg back and give her a go...
Will report my findings...
If I didn't mention previously I fly from a grass field...

Exactly, I believe that's part of the key to landing this one. The CG is pretty critical, as well as making sure you're hitting those mains first with some flare and a little bit of speed to keep the lift. Thank goodness I haven't had anything happen yet. Not sure of anyone else's previous jet experience, but I believe previously heavily practicing with the F-16 and T-45 in the past couple of years has helped stay on top of the process of keeping this bird in flight while bringing her in.

Keeping my fingers crossed and praying that I never have any of those issues I'm hearing. My CG is spot on with the manual, and doesn't have a nose heavy tendency. If anyone is having trouble with hitting the nose first I would say check your CG, as well as making sure you have enough elevator to hold flare, while maintaining fair speed to hold the weight of this beautiful bird.

Keep flying guys...don't give up. It's a beautifully designed plane and a true joy to own.

[Phatbob]

I need this plane! I saw it fly at my clubs annual airshow yesterday and twice witnessed the dreaded bounce. I think I'm going to wait for the alternate gear as I fly off a hard short grass runway. I was wondering if the alternate gear will be a kit option or an upgrade purchase? Thanks guys !!

[seaviper]

I don't have an A-10 yet but I agree with the Ant. Practicing with the T-45 teaches some good technique. I almost cratered the T-45 yesterday with a high sink rate landing. Luckily I got away with it. These jets are fun. But they will bite you. Usually just when you think "yeah I'm the man" then they slap you back down. Anyway, good stuff here on the forum. I really really want an A-10 now.

[downwindleg]

I need this plane! I saw it fly at my clubs annual airshow yesterday and twice witnessed the dreaded bounce. I think I'm going to wait for the alternate gear as I fly off a hard short grass runway. I was wondering if the alternate gear will be a kit option or an upgrade purchase? Thanks guys !!

My understanding is that the alternate gear will be offered as an upgrade in the coming weeks. We're waiting for the announcement, Brad

[Pete Lane]

Just wondering. What is the difference between Removing the entire main gear and switching sides. And loosening the legs and turning them around and retightening ?
Someone on RCG did the later .

Pete

[ColtPilot]

I don't have an A-10 yet but I agree with the Ant. Practicing with the T-45 teaches some good technique. I almost cratered the T-45 yesterday with a high sink rate landing. Luckily I got away with it. These jets are fun. But they will bite you. Usually just when you think "yeah I'm the man" then they slap you back down. Anyway, good stuff here on the forum. I really really want an A-10 now.

Just do it. A fun and great looking airframe. Looking forward to E-jets and E-Warbirds this coming weekend. My wife won't be coming as her aunt passed away and will be flying to TexArcana. ☹️

[RCjetdude]

Just wondering. What is the difference between Removing the entire main gear and switching sides. And loosening the legs and turning them around and retightening ?
Someone on RCG did the later .

Pete

The wheels will bind in the wheel wells if you just try to rotate them so you have to swap them as well.

[bill34207]

Put another 4 flights on mine this morning. This is the special "deer hunter" edition. Note that no wildlife was harmed or harassed in the making of this video. The deer that hang around our field are accustomed to model aircraft buzzing about. I did however capture a unicorn during the landing. :a10

https://youtu.be/TZJLR05hLdE

[Pete Lane]

OK
Thanks !

[Catfish2]

New artic thunder scheme finally done and maidened Sunday. Flew nicely but 2nd landing took out the nose gear. Now waiting on the infamous nose gear pin.

[DCORSAIR]

Wow, another nose gear, so let me get this straight if I can. The problem is the nose gear hitting first on landings is causing a bounce and then when the A-10 comes down from the boingy boingy thing it's taken out the front nose gear pin? or is it the main gear drag links causing it to spring back in the air after a hard touchdown on the mains, confused after reading all these failures. My A-10 is just sitting here after 14 flights of smooth landings, almost too afraid to fly it if the parts are hard to get.? Anyone know if this pin will break over time no matter if you bounce or not??

This is the way I land mine, some of you have seen this video already so sorry if I posted it again for some others to see. Flying it with the stock throws as per instr. manual and CG is nose heavy around 80-82mm, flares just fine nose heavy, no flap/elevator mix, just drop the flaps to full and drop it in.

[TomPatton]

Wow, another nose gear, so let me get this straight if I can. The problem is the nose gear hitting first on landings is causing a bounce and then when the A-10 comes down from the boingy boingy thing it's taken out the front nose gear pin? or is it the main gear drag links causing it to spring back in the air after a hard touchdown on the mains, confused after reading all these failures. My A-10 is just sitting here after 14 flights of smooth landings, to afraid to fly it if the parts are hard to get.? Is this pin going to break over time no matter if you bounce or not??

This is the way I land mine, some of you have seen this video already so sorry if I posted it again for some others to see. Flying it with the stock throws as per instr. manual and CG is nose heavy around 80-82mm, flares just fine nose heavy, no flap/elevator mix, just drop the flaps to full and drop it in.

You definitely make it look easy... Great landings for sure!
I had numerous flights and no problem at all, then on landing one evening, not sure if I ran over a small depression in the grass field or what, but on touchdown with plane at stall speed, it bounced up 8 to 12 inches and nose came back down first and nose gear pin snapped like a dry twig. Broke a pin on rear nose gear door and wrinkled the cannon a little...
Put a new gear in but a little apprehensive to fly thinking the pin will break on landing and really tear it up like some of these other guys...
Reversing the main gear will not solve the problem of the brittle nose gear pin...
Gonna wait and see how the new gear MRC are making works out... Got others to fly for the time being, with A-4 coming tomorrow...

[DCORSAIR]

You definitely make it look easy... Great landings for sure!
I had numerous flights and no problem at all, then on landing one evening, not sure if I ran over a small depression in the grass field or what, but on touchdown with plane at stall speed, it bounced up 8 to 12 inches and nose came back down first and nose gear pin snapped like a dry twig. Broke a pin on rear nose gear door and wrinkled the cannon a little...
Put a new gear in but a little apprehensive to fly thinking the pin will break on landing and really tear it up like some of these other guys...
Reversing the main gear will not solve the problem of the brittle nose gear pin...
Gonna wait and see how the new gear MRC are making works out... Got others to fly for the time being, with A-4 coming tomorrow...

Okay, thank you for a more understanding of what is going on, so this issue can happen at anytime I take it, even a small hop then can take out the nose gear pin. Well, I'm taking mine back out and if it happens it happens, I will come up with something I'm sure, I know I'm getting the new main oleo struts when they become available, maybe this will help others on the not so good landings. I know I could turn the drag links around like others are doing, guess it works from what I read, I'm just wondering if the pin will give out over time of regular abuse.?

Thanks Tom for the info...:Cool:

[dahawk]

I went ahead and re-pinned the NG. Not too many parts dropped out when I took apart the retract-Lol I did lose a bearing.

Used 5mm shaft stock from servo city as recommended a few pages back. Cut it off at 39mm with Dremel ( took 3 recharges). Hammered one end to deform into a flange. That part was a beech. Kindof sorta okay. My vise is in storage so I had to use vice grips to secure the shaft. Not ideal.

Reconnected everything and it works. At least for now. The missing bearing still bothers me. As an Engr, I know there's a reason for almost everything. I'm sure there's a darn good reason for that bearing but I dont want to take it apart again. Ha

Next up will be the swicheroo of the mains as discussed. Meanwhile, wait on the new version TL NG. The thing is, the pin is still the pin. TL may help with the correct spring tension but the pin is still brittle. Not sure how many G's it takes to snap it off but it still may snap with the new TL. On the plus side, I d rather have it shear off like it does than rip out everything. So, careful for I wish for with new pin.

The shock absorber mod looks the most promising to me. Wish I had more time for putzing.

[TomPatton]

I got 2 nose wheel pins from the new spitfire parts list. They are stainless steel, at least looks like it and they are the correct size, diameter/length... You just have to lengthen the flat spot for set screws and put it in a drill or dremel tool with head out and spin it on a file to make it the same diameter of the original.
I did this on the original gear that broke but I had already installed a new complete gear in the plane so I am going to go with it for now...
If you go this route you may want to look back in the posts to verify it was the nose pin. Someone posted the info and I ordered a couple after I ordered the new complete A 10 nose gear...

Correction... I looked back at my order history and it was the 1600mm Spitfire main gear axle...

[Catfish2]

In my case it was a bad landing that caused the bounce and ng failure. Pure and simple, couldn't get the flair right.
Ordered the offending pin and nose cone from the hong Kong link posted earlier. In the meantime ill try making a new pin from a 3/16" dubro axle strut I have lying around.

[RCjetdude]

I got 2 nose wheel pins from the new spitfire parts list. They are stainless steel, at least looks like it and they are the correct size, diameter/length... You just have to lengthen the flat spot for set screws and put it in a drill or dremel tool with head out and spin it on a file to make it the same diameter of the original.
I did this on the original gear that broke but I had already installed a new complete gear in the plane so I am going to go with it for now...
If you go this route you may want to look back in the posts to verify it was the nose pin. Someone posted the info and I ordered a couple after I ordered the new complete A 10 nose gear...

Correction... I looked back at my order history and it was the 1600mm Spitfire main gear axle...

I ordered some today as well and yes those pins are the right size and will work with some minor modification. I just watched George Baker mod one to fit a spare strut he had.

[sam51401]

Well im looking at adding the three strobes to the A10 and remeber way back...............I think Aros mentioned that they were looking at getting a scale light system for the A10. So since that still may be underworks still, what other options do any of you electronics guru's have that would be for just the wing tips and tail strobes?

[TiredIronGRB]

I ordered some today as well and yes those pins are the right size and will work with some minor modification. I just watched George Baker mod one to fit a spare strut he had.

I discovered they were the same size by accident one night while fitting the 1600mm Spitfire struts to my Tigercat.

[ColtPilot]

I've put what I did a couple posts back. I left the tail light alone and just did the wing tips. Had to peel the tape off on the wing to put the wires into the groove. Then from the fuselage where I used a y connector out to the wing connection.