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

[themudduck]

Thanks themudduck. I really thought you were going to get the bonus points for that one as I had not recharged the batteries since the crash. Couldn't wait to get home and throw the lipos on the charger. Sadly though, that still didn't solve the problem. Even tried the original motors after switching them out. I have also rebound the receiver several times. The only other thing I can think of is(after saving current settings from old A-10) to set it up on the transmitter from scratch like a new plane. Any other ideas?
Brad:Confused:

Arrrgh Brad, I am stumped. Let's go over this one more time. You are turned on and bound - all the controls work. But the motors just give you a slow beep.

Everything is working except the throttle which rules out a number of other problems. The motors aren't arming... usually that's because of a couple of things:

• low battery voltage
• throttle not closed (check your trim)
• throttle channel reversed

I can't think of anything else! I guess you could try a different receiver.... but a bad throttle channel would be pretty unusual.

And - I don't remember if the radio leads from the ESCs plug into the control board. If they do, check to make sure they aren't plugged in backwards.

[Shogun]

I could be wrong but as far as I know there are no mixes from the board, don't see a problem going straight to the rx, in fact I almost did that myself then decided to use the board, any mix you need will have to be through your radio. It flies awesome, you will love it. Mine has no mixes, mods or anything done to it and so far no issues with it all stock.


It's always first inline to fly.....:Cool:

Thanks! I have been hearing about the tightness of the spacing between the control board servo inputs so I thought that might be a logical one to go straight to the rx to loosen things up a bit when plugging in the other servo leads.

Jim

[Shogun]

Thanks themudduck. I really thought you were going to get the bonus points for that one as I had not recharged the batteries since the crash. Couldn't wait to get home and throw the lipos on the charger. Sadly though, that still didn't solve the problem. Even tried the original motors after switching them out. I have also rebound the receiver several times. The only other thing I can think of is(after saving current settings from old A-10) to set it up on the transmitter from scratch like a new plane. Any other ideas?
Brad:Confused:

Im going to throw this out there because I had a similar problem (everything worked after binding except the throttle and got that same steady beep-beep-beep) with a spectrum rx and freewing F-86 esc with integrated UBEC (Hobbywing) in the past--for whatever reason there needed to be a bit of time between the plugging in of the battery and the powering of the spektrum rx for the throttle to arm. I got around it by installing a 3 wire on/off switch in line between the throttle lead from the control board (or esc) and the rx so I could control when the rx got power. In the case of our A-10, it would go between the ubec and the rx. I had the switch to "off" when plugging in the battery (esc) and then after I heard the constant beeping from the esc begin, I then flipped the switch to "on" which sent power to the rx--the esc armed and the edf fired up. Its weird, I know, but it worked for me. Here is the link to the switch I used--easy plug in --one end of the switch gets the bec lead (esc), the other end plugs into the port on the rx you are using to supply power from the UBEC. A quick way to test it before buying the switch is to unplug your ubec from the rx, plug your batteries in, wait for the steady beeps to start, then plug in the ubec lead and try your throttle. If that works, then buy the switch to make it easier.

Will it work for you? Who knows, but just wanted to get that out there to you.

Jim

https://www.horizonhobby.com/deluxe-...arness-spm9532

[janmb]

Hi---this will be my first post on Hobby Squawk.
I just received by A-10 from Motion yesterday--everything arrived perfectly after its trip via UPS to California. I have a quick question about the control board--is there any mixing going on in the board or is it just there to reduce the number of connections needed to get everything going...?? In other words, If I bypass the elevator on the control board and just connect it to my rx via a Y lead, will that be an issue because of some possible mixing going on in the board with flaps? Ive picked up a couple of RoaringTops 5000mah and a couple of Admiral 4500mah batteries to use in this plane. Ive made it thorough about the first 300 pages here and really appreciate all the input and advise I've read so far..thanks

No mixing going on as such, no. Just basic Y connections and voltage reductions for the leds, as well as timing for the nose gear door.

Wiring elevators directly to the Rx shouldn't give you any problems what so ever.

Very little flap vs elevator mix is needed anyway, and what little you need is to be programmed from your tx anyway and is not handled by the board.

[Shogun]

Thanks Janmb!

jim

[rifleman_btx]

It kills me I'll never be able to afford this bird. I'm gonna have to settle for the FMS offering from tower.. drives me mad as hell to have to do it.:Angry:

[ColtPilot]

What a great weekend at the EDF Jet Jam. If you weren't there, you missed seeing a lot of nice looking jets. To Ryan, Captain Mike and the rest of the Motion RC gang, Thanks for bringing us the best of Freewing.

[xviper]

It kills me I'll never be able to afford this bird. I'm gonna have to settle for the FMS offering from tower.. drives me mad as hell to have to do it.:Angry:

Try to wait and save up if you can. I think you'll be somewhat disappointed in the FMS offering. 2 guys at my field has the FMS A-10. One was the first one to arrive in the city. It was bought by the RC manager at a LHS as his personal plane. He flew it once and complained it had barely enough power to get off our grass field. He said it felt underpowered when it flew and seemed to want to fall out of the sky during banked turns. It needs to be flown at above 3/4 to full throttle most of the time. His first and only landing resulted in both main gear falling out. I've talked to him since that flight last fall and he says he's fixed it but will likely never fly it again. He'll sell it when he gets the chance.
The second was purchased in the last month or so and the owner had one of our more experienced flyers at the field do the maiden and the second flight because he didn't feel confident doing it himself. The guy who actually flew it had no actual problems with it and he greased the landing so no broken gear. However, he did say to me that the plane did not inspire confidence. It was underpowered and again, felt like it was always about to fall out of the sky whenever it banked. It just felt really, really heavy in the air and felt like it wallowed and was mushy.
By contrast, the Freewing A-10 is also quite a heavy plane but it has so much power (even in 80mm form) that it flies superbly and never feels mushy, dull or lack luster in the air. Those 2 guys see mine and wish they had held out for the "real" thing. FMS does make some models that are better than Freewing. Their A-10 is not one of them.

[rifleman_btx]

Uuugh, I wish I could do that, but my timeline and other stuff that has to be done get in the way every time. :/ this is why I brought up a possible easy pay program for motion, I could get the better plane, but as it is i can only get what i can afford.:(

[Dirty Dee]

HI, Does anybody know where to get a mobius camera attachment to allow you to attach the mobius to the weapons pylon. Capt Mike mentioned it in the Motion RC Video but did not specify how he attached the camera. Thanks

Here is something I came up with. It mounts to the Mobius mount that comes to the camera. It requires a small screw or pin to lock in the 2 separate parts together as well as the freewing attachment hardware.

[Shogun]

Uuugh, I wish I could do that, but my timeline and other stuff that has to be done get in the way every time. :/ this is why I brought up a possible easy pay program for motion, I could get the better plane, but as it is i can only get what i can afford.:(

Paypal credit? Let's you take up to 6 mos to pay with no interest.

Jim

[rifleman_btx]

Can't, exwife ended that one for me.

[MikeT]

It kills me I'll never be able to afford this bird. I'm gonna have to settle for the FMS offering from tower.. drives me mad as hell to have to do it.:Angry:

I've flown the FMS and wasn't impressed at all. and it's not in the same class as the FW. Buy Motion Gift cards ( kinda like a layaway sort of thing) till you enough to hit the buy button. They don't expire. Just something to think about.

https://www.motionrc.com/products/motion-rc-gift-card

Mike

[janmb]

It kills me I'll never be able to afford this bird. I'm gonna have to settle for the FMS offering from tower.. drives me mad as hell to have to do it.:Angry:

Save a bit longer?

[john2kx]

Arrrgh Brad, I am stumped. Let's go over this one more time. You are turned on and bound - all the controls work. But the motors just give you a slow beep.

Everything is working except the throttle which rules out a number of other problems. The motors aren't arming... usually that's because of a couple of things:

• low battery voltage
• throttle not closed (check your trim)
• throttle channel reversed

I can't think of anything else! I guess you could try a different receiver.... but a bad throttle channel would be pretty unusual.

And - I don't remember if the radio leads from the ESCs plug into the control board. If they do, check to make sure they aren't plugged in backwards.

You may on to something with isolation of the esc’s to control board. You may want to try unplugging both esc leads to control board and plug just one direct to rx throttle channel. It may be a problem in the control board.

John

[DCORSAIR]

Uuugh, I wish I could do that, but my timeline and other stuff that has to be done get in the way every time. :/ this is why I brought up a possible easy pay program for motion, I could get the better plane, but as it is i can only get what i can afford.:(

Hey, MRC has one in the scratch and dent sale, not a bad price but it's missing a couple of parts, at least you can always save up for the parts missing. I had the FMS as well, not bad at all, one battery makes it nice but the FW one is on another level, flew them back to back and decided to sell the FMS. The FW one looks so good and just flies awesome. I'm not bashing FMS and if it's what you can afford then go for it but in the back of your mind you will want to try the FW A-10.

[Sky Wolf]

https://youtu.be/InjRiY-hZpE

[Elbee]

Shogun (Jim), Welcome to Hobby Squawk. Best, LB

Rifleman_btx,
You gotta save up for the FW A-10. You contribute so much to these forums, your enthusiasm is the definition itself. I know nothing about the other version you are thinking about purchasing, but the FW is my first entry into EDF Foamies and it is amazing to me what is being done with PNP/ARF aircraft. Would not want to read that you of all contributors were disappointed with the purchase of something less. "Caveat emptor". Can't tell you what to do, though where's there's a will, there's a way, sir. Just my $00.02 and I hope you wait. Best, as always to you, LB

[downwindleg]

Arrrgh Brad, I am stumped. Let's go over this one more time. You are turned on and bound - all the controls work. But the motors just give you a slow beep.

Everything is working except the throttle which rules out a number of other problems. The motors aren't arming... usually that's because of a couple of things:

• low battery voltage
• throttle not closed (check your trim)
• throttle channel reversed

I can't think of anything else! I guess you could try a different receiver.... but a bad throttle channel would be pretty unusual.

And - I don't remember if the radio leads from the ESCs plug into the control board. If they do, check to make sure they aren't plugged in backwards.

I am turned on, bound,NO CONTROLS WORK, and I get a slow beep from both motors and the lights are on. I've even put the motors from the wrecked A-10 on the new airframe.....no joy. Tried brand new receiver, fully charged the batteries, even tried a brand new setup(saving the old one). It's got to be something stupid simple but I'm stumped. I've tried everything on your checklist, tried them one at a time trying to isolate the problem. I bought this plane partially built by a friend who says he ran the motors and had started dialing in the control surfaces. He uses a high end futaba radio so I am wondering if something might be screwy there. I may have to go back and check all connections on the board or possibly bipass the board and y the throttle leads together into the receiver. If I recall correctly, the control surfaces don't operate until the motors are armed? I just had some hand surgery Wednesday for carpal tunnel (rudder/throttle) so I'm limited for awhile as to what I can do. Let me know if you or anybody else has seen this problem.
Brad

[Hardway]

Do you have your remote receivers attached to your Spektrum receiver? It will bind without them, but the controls wont move or the ESC arm unless it is bound with the remotes in place... Had that happen a day or so ago... Just a thought!