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

[xviper]

Finally got my A-10 assembled to check everything out before the 30 day warranty expired. I'm sure someone (or maybe many) have posted on the what a good starting point is for elevator compensation with 32 mm and 50 mm flap deflection, but couldn't find it in reviewing some 10,000 posts a couple of times. Any help would be appreciated.

Hugh, for my flaps (1/2 flaps are 49%, ELE comp is 5% ...................... full flaps are 100%, ELE comp is 9%). I also have a deployment speed of 3 seconds. That's so slow, you will barely notice if the ELE comp is a little off, especially if you slow down before deploying flaps in sequence (1/2, then full). You can adjust from these numbers as you get a feel for what it does (up high).
In case you get the dreaded Kangaroo bounce on landing, consider using some CF square tubes epoxied into those channels that run the nose on back. It's a very long span and if you've got a big battery of front, it increases the chance that the whole nose section will snap right off. Better to bust a nose gear than to break the nose off. However, from the looks of your planes, you're a very good flyer, so such mishaps are unlikely.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hugh, for my flaps (1/2 flaps are 49%, ELE comp is 5% ...................... full flaps are 100%, ELE comp is 9%). I also have a deployment speed of 3 seconds. That's so slow, you will barely notice if the ELE comp is a little off, especially if you slow down before deploying flaps in sequence (1/2, then full). You can adjust from these numbers as you get a feel for what it does (up high).
In case you get the dreaded Kangaroo bounce on landing, consider using some CF square tubes epoxied into those channels that run the nose on back. It's a very long span and if you've got a big battery of front, it increases the chance that the whole nose section will snap right off. Better to bust a nose gear than to break the nose off. However, from the looks of your planes, you're a very good flyer, so such mishaps are unlikely.

Thanks xviper much appreciated. I actually epoxied some fairly large (just fit in the channels) round CF tubes in from the nose all the way back. And don't expect that I'm such a "very good flyer" from the looks of the planes, I'm just very experienced in foam repair, because with me, if something bad can happen, I'll usually find a way to make it happen! I was flying my SU-30 last week, must have over 40 flights on it and all were good with landings varying between good to great. On the 5th and final flight of the day for that one, came in too hot, hit the rate switch instead of the air-brake, got flustered and should have gone around, then left the throttle a bit too high when the mains touched and she bounced (why I didn't cut the throttle when it touched the ground I'll never know, brain freeze I guess) and she flipped over in the tall grass on the side of the runway. Sheared the nose clean off. Repaired it the next day and looks like new, but I found the battery compartment in the front had absolutely no reinforcement, just thin foam (the carbon fiber tubes inside the fuselage ended at the beginning of the battery bay-what kind of engineer decided on that one) so added some carbon fiber tubes and beefed up the side walls around the battery with marine plywood. At least it won't develop any stress cracks from the heavy battery with only thin foam to hold the fuselage together.

[xviper]

Thanks xviperso added some carbon fiber tubes and beefed up the side walls around the battery with marine plywood. At least it won't develop any stress cracks from the heavy battery with only thin foam to hold the fuselage together.

What a great idea. Never even thought of it.

[Waconut]

Successful maiden today, she flew great. I had to put in 4 clicks of down trim and 5-6 clicks of aileron trim to get straight and level flight.
I put 3 flights on it today and the landing were nice and smooth. It slowed down nicely for the landings with full flaps and settled on the mains and had a short rollout on the grass runway.
A guy in the club shot video for me but it is pretty much useless.
Thanks for all the tips!!
Anthony

[Elbee]

Waconut Congrats, Sir. She's a beauty. Best, LB

[crxmanpat]

Congrats Anthony! She sure looks purdy!

[Waconut]

Thanks guys,
I downloaded the video and was able to get some useful video from it.

https://youtu.be/YxJRLybqxPQ

[PaulZ]

Guys, I just wanted to say how much I love this A-10 model! I now have close to 20 flights on it, both off grass and paved runway. Some points in summary:

- The "bronco bounce" issue can be alleviated by flaring on touch down and coming in slow enough. If you do a 3-point landing she will bounce most of the time unless you settle on the mains only and slow enough. This is typical for high aspect ratio wings on jets, same with Venom or T-33, so no surprise that the A-10 is doing the same thing.
- I bought the upgraded gear set and it helps both on pavement and grass! The "flexy" trailing links on stock main gear are not worth the time and only contribute to the bounce. If I was MRC I would just sell this plane with the upgraded gear only. I flew with them only on maiden to test how they behave and did not like them.
- I reduced my flap/elevator compensation to almost half of what the book suggests. Only 2% and 4% elevator for mid and full flaps respectively. This way the plane comes in level at the right landing speed for a greaser with no bounce.
- My CG is with 5000 packs all the way back as far as they will go, one after the other tightly in line. The first 5000 pack touches the first row of plugs on the distribution board. This puts the CG at roughly 10mm further back then what the book calls for. This helps with rotation and on raising the nose during landing which is needed for the flare to prevent bouncing. I did not fly with 6000 packs yet because they are heavier and I could not move them any further back, would have to remove the distribution board to make room.
- I am using a Spektrum RX with AS3X gains set at AIL:60, ELE:60, RUD:40. Seems to work well and visibly helps on windy days as I like to fly with all the ordinance on the plane all the time.

Overall wanted to say thank you to Frw and MRC for yet another great model! I know this is not a new plane so please do not discontinue any time soon!

[Hugh Wiedman]

Guys, I just wanted to say how much I love this A-10 model! I now have close to 20 flights on it, both off grass and paved runway. Some points in summary:

- The "bronco bounce" issue can be alleviated by flaring on touch down and coming in slow enough. If you do a 3-point landing she will bounce most of the time unless you settle on the mains only and slow enough. This is typical for high aspect ratio wings on jets, same with Venom or T-33, so no surprise that the A-10 is doing the same thing.
- I bought the upgraded gear set and it helps both on pavement and grass! The "flexy" trailing links on stock main gear are not worth the time and only contribute to the bounce. If I was MRC I would just sell this plane with the upgraded gear only. I flew with them only on maiden to test how they behave and did not like them.
- I reduced my flap/elevator compensation to almost half of what the book suggests. Only 2% and 4% elevator for mid and full flaps respectively. This way the plane comes in level at the right landing speed for a greaser with no bounce.
- My CG is with 5000 packs all the way back as far as they will go, one after the other tightly in line. The first 5000 pack touches the first row of plugs on the distribution board. This puts the CG at roughly 10mm further back then what the book calls for. This helps with rotation and on raising the nose during landing which is needed for the flare to prevent bouncing. I did not fly with 6000 packs yet because they are heavier and I could not move them any further back, would have to remove the distribution board to make room.
- I am using a Spektrum RX with AS3X gains set at AIL:60, ELE:60, RUD:40. Seems to work well and visibly helps on windy days as I like to fly with all the ordinance on the plane all the time.

Overall wanted to say thank you to Frw and MRC for yet another great model! I know this is not a new plane so please do not discontinue any time soon!

Thanks PaulZ and xviper on the elevator compensation. Just to confirm, that's actually DOWN elevator in the compensation. My manual calls for 2mm and 3mm down. I'm so used to adding UP elevator to compensate for flaps that I almost overlooked the manual that indicates down elevator comp.

[Hugh Wiedman]

Guys, I just wanted to say how much I love this A-10 model! I now have close to 20 flights on it, both off grass and paved runway.

- I am using a Spektrum RX with AS3X gains set at AIL:60, ELE:60, RUD:40. Seems to work well and visibly helps on windy days as I like to fly with all the ordinance on the plane all the time.

PaulZ Those gains are a little more than I thought it would take, but since you have no oscillations, I'm going to increase my fly around mode to be closer to yours. I started at 40/45/50 on the flaps up mode but most likely I'll go to at least 55/60/65. I like a little more gain with take-off flaps and even more on landing flaps as theoretically the jet is at a slower speed and can take it with no oscillations. Have my take-off flap gains at 65/70/75 and landing flaps up to 75/80/85. I'm also using 160 for my priority with no heading gains and without safe. We'll see how that works. BTW, which receiver are you using, the new AR637T (which I just put in this with a satellite-first try with this RX) or the old standby AR636?

[xviper]

Thanks PaulZ and xviper on the elevator compensation. Just to confirm, that's actually DOWN elevator in the compensation. My manual calls for 2mm and 3mm down. I'm so used to adding UP elevator to compensate for flaps that I almost overlooked the manual that indicates down elevator comp.

Yes, DOWN. Many, if not most planes will "balloon" when flaps are deployed. This one is like that. Unlike, for example, the F-14 which dives with flaps. With Spektrum, that would be negative % elevator comp.

[Waconut]

Put 4 more flights(total of 7) on the A-10 this morning. I flew with all the ordinance on today and I have 4 Nerf whistles mounted in the ordinance. The sound was cool, I did notice a decrease in speed and roll rate. I flew on high rates the whole flight with the ordinance attached.
We had a 10 mph wind straight down the runway and the A-10 handled it fine but it did not like full flaps going into the wind. I bounced the first 2 landings. The 3rd and 4th flight were with half flaps on landing and greased it in on the mains.

[DCORSAIR]

Put 4 more flights(total of 7) on the A-10 this morning. I flew with all the ordinance on today and I have 4 Nerf whistles mounted in the ordinance. The sound was cool, I did notice a decrease in speed and roll rate. I flew on high rates the whole flight with the ordinance attached.
We had a 10 mph wind straight down the runway and the A-10 handled it fine but it did not like full flaps going into the wind. I bounced the first 2 landings. The 3rd and 4th flight were with half flaps on landing and greased it in on the mains.

I flew mine in some strong winds and used full flaps, it will crawl in, but you need to stay ahead of the power curve, get lazy and things can go bad really quick, hold the flare and add in the power, but it sounds like you got the A-10 figured out.

[PaulZ]

BTW, which receiver are you using, the new AR637T (which I just put in this with a satellite-first try with this RX) or the old standby AR636?

Hugh, I am using the AR636 with a satellite. I have not tried the AR637T yet in any of my planes.

[evensen007]

Has someone done a guide on replacing the nose gear? I'm stuck on the steering collar. The manual is absolutely terrible for trying to see how it is set up.

[crxmanpat]

Has someone done a guide on replacing the nose gear? I'm stuck on the steering collar. The manual is absolutely terrible for trying to see how it is set up.

The important parts:

1. The steering arm goes on the retract pin first. There is a set screw on only one side of it, and if you look at the pin there'll be a flat area cut into it. Slide the arm on the pin and pull the pin out as far as it will go, then tighten the set screw.

2. Put the strut on the pin. It has set screws on either side. The back side of the strut aligns with the set screw on the steering arm. Tighten that set screw first, then do the one on the front.

3. When you put the retract unit back onto the mount, the steering arm should be oriented to the left side of the plane (right side when upside down). The steering control rod then slides into the round metal quick link on the steering servo.

4. Make sure the wire for the landing light has enough play so that when the gear is extended it doesn't bind.

Hope that helps.

[xviper]

Or maybe a picture might help?
https://www.motionrc.com/products/fr...e-landing-gear

[crxmanpat]

Forgot that I have some pics of my nose gear from when I replaced the stock strut with the upgraded trailing link one. Hope these help.

[Warthog]

I have a problem, and was wondering if any one else has had it. I bought the Shockwave 3 sound system and installed it. Wouldn't work right. As soon as I plug in the batteries, the engine sound comes on and the only way to turn it off is to unplug the battery. Contacted David at Model Sound inc. and he said that if my RX has telemetry, it won't work! Almost ALL Spektrum RX have telemetry! David is working with me to solve the problem by making a special set of servo leads that have a resister and a capacitor. He isn't sure if it will work. He said next year he will have this built into the newer sound modules. Any body running the Shockwave 3 with a telemetry RX? Thanks.

[Warthog]

Forgot that I have some pics of my nose gear from when I replaced the stock strut with the upgraded trailing link one. Hope these help.

I removed my trailing link from the nose wheel. I had cut the spring down a little, and once when taking off, I had to climb on the throttle quickly due to a short runway. The nose gear compressed and the tire rubbed hard on the gear door, slowing the plane down! I cut throttle and aborted take off. That doesn't happen with the other gear.