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

[xviper]

Here's a video of my botched up landing. I still love flying it and it looks sooo good up there. Just need to get my friend to zoom in a bit on my iPhone. It seems so far away from me.
https://youtu.be/ObGgPY9Fumw

That first touch down of yours looked like mine this morning, only I didn't manage to get it back into the air. It snapped that nose retract pin (again). So it's down for the count till I get a new pin.
What was that replacement pin that some people are using? What plane was that out of again?

[Xtraflyr]

That first touch down of yours looked like mine this morning, only I didn't manage to get it back into the air. It snapped that nose retract pin (again). So it's down for the count till I get a new pin.
What was that replacement pin that some people are using? What plane was that out of again?

That's why I throttled up and flew out! I knew I'd bust something if I didn't it. I think someone said the axle from the spitfire worked?

[EDFjetpilot]

Well, I must say that the flying event this weekend i started out on Friday didnt fair well at all.......................................
Major ouch!!!!! Just as i broke ground i was too near the edge of the runway and the tall grass grabbed the right gear and in a blink of an eye, it spun around and then slammed into the ground. Parts flew everywhere. So first thought is, not repairable!!!! Order a new fuse, front, rear.............not in stock at MRC, RC Castle has them but shipping showed high, nearly $100. Well went out the next day after looking at youtube videos and getting feedback from two members here back a couple post, i proceeded to fit it back and most damage was clean breaks. I was very surprised to see how well it did fit and then i started with Foam 2 Foam glue from Delux Materials. I have not used Foam Tac ...yet! but this stuff is great. I never have done a major foam repair on EPO put this stuff worked very well. Some pins, tape and careful fitting, it went back together.
I found another net trick on removing/expanding back the foam after it gets crushed. Boiling water, yea but i cant boil water in big enough container to hold this thing. Several videos showed a guy using a covering iron but his foam planes were covered in a film that is available from A Loft Hobbies but i didnt have that stuff and wasnt going to cover the planes in it.
So, take the iron and set it to about 2-2.5 on the setting scale of the iron, dampen a paper towel and place it over the area that your trying to expand. Let it sit for a few seconds, keep checking and watch it closely for the foam to get the alligator effect and the part starts to form back to original shape almost.
Its not pretty but it gets the form back to close enough to glue it back together.


To better support the fuse at such critical junction, I installed 5mm carbon tubes in the channels on each side using 30min epoxy and micro balloons as a slurry and it held up to six flights today and one bronco landing/go-around. The Foam 2 Foam i assume is just like Foam Tac as it dries clear, semi flexible but given 24 hrs to dry, it firms up.
The other tip i have is a filler called Foam Putty, found in the model train scenery section of your LHS or even a Hobby Lobby if you have one near you. That will be used to fill and clean up the surface this fall after my flying season comes to a end.
A big shout out to my friend who came up from Alabama so we could fly at the Fall Jet Classic this weekend and practice our formation training sorties. Sean, aka, EDFJetPilot here on the forums, thanks for staying around today and encouraging me to fix it. Our flights together worked out great and i look forward to more sorties and formation training.
Seems we flew more today than all weekend since the turbines thinned out greatly.
My suggestions
Have a tube of Delux Materials Foam 2 Foam on hand or Foam Tac
Break out your old monokote iron and remove those unsightly wrinkles
If you are flying with heavy batteries, ie RT 6250ma or similar, By all means, install some 5mm or 6mm tubing in the channels of the forward fuse. Tip: RadicalRC has carbon square tubing with the round inside just like the main aft reinforcement rod is and will fit like a glove in those slots.
My Depot level maint crew came through and chief pilot confirmed that all worked as it should.
Sam

Sam,

It was great to finally get our formation training sorties accomplished!

I'm amazed by the superior skill of your depot level maintenance team...never have I seen such a major mishap come back together as well and as quickly as what you did.

Thanks for taking the time to lay out in detail what you did for your repairs. I know I learned a couple things.

Look forward to flying with you again soon my friend,

Sean

[TiredIronGRB]

That's why I throttled up and flew out! I knew I'd bust something if I didn't it. I think someone said the axle from the spitfire worked?

The Freewing 1600mm Spitfire axle will work if you grind the shoulder down a little.

[sam51401]

More recently, Traxxas car part 5141 as posted by bcrc a little ways back.

[RCjetdude]

I had a very satisfying afternoon flying my 90mm Blacksnakes A-10. After getting some ESC issues sorted out I am now flying it on 6S and I LIKE IT!! Good power in a climb. Able to just loiter around at half or less throttle. Very realistic juking power climbs. Nice to have some reserve power if needed. I got in at least 6 flights with the TIGRB reversed main struts and no mod to the nose strut spring. I have clipped one ring on the main gear springs but talk about a confidence booster. Not a single problem with any bouncing. It was the first time that I was able to really relax and just fly it without worrying about tearing it up from a slightly less that ideal landing which I had a few of. As a result I was able to have fun. I plan to fly it a bunch now going forward before the season turns here.

[TiredIronGRB]

I had a very satisfying afternoon flying my 90mm Blacksnakes A-10. After getting some ESC issues sorted out I am now flying it on 6S and I LIKE IT!! Good power in a climb. Able to just loiter around at half or less throttle. Very realistic juking power climbs. Nice to have some reserve power if needed. I got in at least 6 flights with the TIGRB reversed main struts and no mod to the nose strut spring. I have clipped one ring on the main gear springs but talk about a confidence booster. Not a single problem with any bouncing. It was the first time that I was able to really relax and just fly it without worrying about tearing it up from a slightly less that ideal landing which I had a few of. As a result I was able to have fun. I plan to fly it a bunch now going forward before the season turns here.

I'm the same way now, I was scared to death to fly it before I thought up the reversed strut deal now I'm flying the crap out of it. I got eight flights on it today with a couple of less than perfect landings and no bounce at all.

[dahawk]

Gonna do this mod before our Warbirds event Oct 7th

[Xtraflyr]

I'm the same way now, I was scared to death to fly it before I thought up the reversed strut deal now I'm flying the crap out of it. I got eight flights on it today with a couple of less than perfect landings and no bounce at all.

So the suspension still works with the struts switched,or is it being soaked up by airframe?
Frank

[TiredIronGRB]

So the suspension still works with the struts switched,or is it being soaked up by airframe?
Frank

It works on initial touch down but pretty much locks on roll out...the tires are soft enough to take care of that.

[Twowingtj]

That first touch down of yours looked like mine this morning, only I didn't manage to get it back into the air. It snapped that nose retract pin (again). So it's down for the count till I get a new pin.
What was that replacement pin that some people are using? What plane was that out of again?

The nose pin for the 80mm Avanti S is a direct fit. No mod needed.

[TiredIronGRB]

The nose pin for the 80mm Avanti S is a direct fit. No mod needed.

Yes, same part but out of stock as well.

[OV10]

The Freewing 1600mm Spitfire axle will work if you grind the shoulder down a little.

I ordered one this weekend along with some more batts in prep for eWeek. ;)
So is the grind to the diameter or the thickness??

[TiredIronGRB]

I ordered one this weekend along with some more batts in prep for eWeek. ;)
So is the grind to the diameter or the thickness??

diameter...

[TiredIronGRB]

I ordered one this weekend along with some more batts in prep for eWeek. ;)
So is the grind to the diameter or the thickness??

They come two to a pack :)

[xviper]

The nose pin for the 80mm Avanti S is a direct fit. No mod needed.

Even better.
PS. I just had a look at it. It appears to be the same sort of black metal material. Is it any stronger than the A-10 pin?

https://www.motionrc.com/products/freewing-80mm-edf-avanti-s-nose-gear-connecting-pin

[RCjetdude]

They come two to a pack :)

Mine didn't George....you must be special.

[TiredIronGRB]

Mine didn't George....you must be special.

Shhh....:Don't-tell-Anyone:

[1horse59]

Motion has the nose gear and connecting pins in stock now.

[Topshot19]

These came with my charger. What are they ?