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

[xplaneguy]

A few more pics.

[crxmanpat]

Tony, now you're really making us drool! This is cruel and unusual punishment! :)

Have had 9 Freewing jets total, this will be #10. Can't wait for the pre-order to open up!

[Dlxpkg2000]

Thank You, Sir. May I have Another...?

[Jpinn]

have you flown with the ordinance a lot? how does it affect flight performance?

[Alpha]

Hi there Jpinn, I've flown the A-10 over 65 times with the ordnance mounted, and Xplaneguy and a few others have logged a total of 18 additional flights, most of which were with ordnance (expect 6 or 7).

The aircraft doesn't feel much different in the air flying fully loaded compared to flying clean, and the expected decrease in speed is in actuality very slight. Watch some of the recent videos we've posted in this thread of the A-10 powering through 10-20mph winds WITH a full load of ordnance, and you can see for yourself just how powerful this A-10 is. Tall vertical loops in heavy wind and full ordnance is a testament to this model's design and stock power system.

[Jpinn]

That sounds amazing! I can't wait to hit the order button when you go live!
i would also love to do some 3D printing of detail parts to add further realism.
Is there a reason the main gear is a trailing link instead of a more scale scissor link?

[RCjetdude]

Thank You, Sir. May I have Another...?

What he said... :Sweating:

[F106DeltaDart]

That sounds amazing! I can't wait to hit the order button when you go live!
i would also love to do some 3D printing of detail parts to add further realism.
Is there a reason the main gear is a trailing link instead of a more scale scissor link?

The 3D printed parts would be really cool! Maybe a fully detailed cockpit tub? As for the gear, Alpha has said that the model was designed from the beginning for grass fields, and the trailing links were required for that purpose in order to take the rough terrain. He has said that there will likely be an add on scale nose strut available after release, which I am planning on getting. I also plan on replacing the mains with plain oleo struts and adding the main gear doors.

[Alpha10]

Interesting that you sold your F-14 because it was not for you. Was it because you did not like its flight characteristics?
One of the things I have discovered from playing a lot of combat flight simulators is that after flying a particular warbird for while you get to know if its for you or not. There have been several airplanes I always liked for the looks but once I got the chance to try them out in a simulator I either discover its not for me or it a match made in heaven. Case in point the P-51 Mustang, P-80 and L-39 are not for me, but less then glamours Warbirds like the F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, BF-109 are a joy to fly for me.

That is why now I never consider buying a new RC plane that cost more than $200 without first have tried it out in a simulator. I got in to RC planes when I discovered they made an RC model of my favorite warbird the F6F Hellcat that i was quite familiar with already. The RC model of the Hellcat flew just as I expected it to.

As for the Hog, I have flown the A-10C enough in DCS to know it is a very stable flying bird which makes it ideal for those low altitude attacks and slow speed maneuvers. So I am sure i will enjoy flying this new beast of an A-10 model.

For those interested in becoming more familiar with the A-10C here is a video of how it is to fly in DCS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xprdtoqtzg

The F-14 was the most impressive looking EDF I've owned, but I agree... It was too high maintenance for me. Plus, the quirky characteristics when sweeping the wings and multiple flight modes and mixes to get it right were very advanced...

Nothing I couldn't handle and once it was dialed in it was great with the with 1820s, but the gear was under developed for a 15lb plane and the swing wing box failed consistently (Ultimately causing its death)

I prefer workhorse planes over beauty queens that need high maintenance just to fly once in a while.

I know this A-10 will have just as much show with the GO and low maintenance I need. ; )

[TSHobbies]

At your service Tim, how do we know each other?

we dont, I meant is that you in the A10 picture you posted.

[downwindleg]

Hey Alpha, sorry to bother you again but I never got a response from you about an operable canopy. If that isn't practical, I'm fine with that. I would just like to hear from you one way or another. Thanks For Your Time, Brad

[Alpha]

Hi downwindleg, we're not doing an operable canopy on this aircraft, it's already in production and everything has been finalized. We've explored a canopy opening mechanism in the past, that also seats the canopy forward and down when in the closed position so that it isn't susceptible to being blown off during flight. However, for now that level of scale detail isn't our focus; instead honing the flight characteristics of the aircraft comprises the greatest percentage of a model's total cost. I'm certain a handful of customers out there will engineer their own opening canopy, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with!

As with any blown plastic, the canopy itself is thin and flimsy, relying on the entirety of its edge being adhered to the foam in order to become a semi rigid structure. Cutting the rear canopy compromises that strength, and would require a thin plastic or ply frame to keep everything aligned. I've owned an LX A-10 and yes it has a canopy opening mechanism, but overall the design is not refined and I lost a canopy one too many times to want to rehash that method of using a single servo. If we included a canopy opening feature on a future aircraft, it would have to work every time, as my father said, "without fail".

[Aros]

Brad I do not believe this maiden release will be offering an operable canopy. I believe that would be a mod for the customer if they choose...I'll bring mine over when I get it to have you do mine. LOL

[Legman01]

we dont, I meant is that you in the A10 picture you posted.

Gotcha, wasn't me. I flew that particular jet at Nellis, but I think the photo was probably taken after I left there in 1991.

[Aros]

Legman01 it's an honor to have you here, thank you for your service (and all of you veterans posting/reading/lurking!)...So what was it like strapping into your "office" in the Hawg?? What did you most love about her? What - if any - shortcomings did you encounter as far as bad habits? As little or as much as you care to share, you have a thirsty audience here.

:Cool:

[downwindleg]

Hey All, just some detail shots I took a couple years ago at the Reno Air Races that I thought were interesting, especially the telescopic stairs and and the canopy and the way the ordinance rail was adapted for that rocket. And as always the BRRRRRRRT day gun!!! Brad

[downwindleg]

Alpha and Aros, thank you so much for getting back to me on the canopy and I really appreciate the explanation. Makes total sense. I also have some flight shots of the A-10 in " heritage flights" with other planes like P-51s and the Glacier Girl and I think a Phantom. By the way Alpha, did you ever eject the pilot with the red parachute from that LX A-10 ? More than once I thought about making the pilot in the likeness of Pete and ejecting him but never did. LOL Brad

[Desertlakeflying]

So when is the pre-order going to open.

[Legman01]

Legman01 it's an honor to have you here, thank you for your service (and all of you veterans posting/reading/lurking!)...So what was it like strapping into your "office" in the Hawg?? What did you most love about her? What - if any - shortcomings did you encounter as far as bad habits? As little or as much as you care to share, you have a thirsty audience here.

:Cool:

Aros, thanks for the sentiment. It was an honor to serve. Sure, I'll sprinkle in some Hawg bedtime stories for you guys, but you better want what you ask for.....get me going about my beloved Warthog and I'm hard to shut up!

[Alpha]

You're cleared in hot, Legman01, NO ONE here will try to shut up an A-10 pilot telling his A-10 stories.

Desertlakeflying, we'll announce the pre-order around the end of the month or so. The aircraft is in production but we're waiting for it to ship before announcing the pre-order. When we do, it will be on our website's front page, here in this thread, on our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.