Official Freewing 80mm Avanti S Sport Jet Thread

[Sheriffjohn]

[QUOTE=Hugh Wiedman;n240493]

For the additional yellow and red, I used testors gloss yellow enamel (TES1114TT) (hand painted) and gloss red enamel (TES1103TT). First I put down a flat white primer. Spray Rustoleum ultra coat flat white primer from Home Depot on the canopy, and hand painted testors flat white primer (which is now discontinued, although I think Tamiya makes it too) on the wings and elevators. I sprayed the canopy with the Rustoleum Ultra Coat gloss Golden Sunset yellow first, then hand painted the red. I could not get the paint to adhere very well on the raw foam so when I masked the area to paint the red over the yellow, it peeled everything when removing the trim tape, so the areas on the wing and elevator (picture with the afterburner was before I added red) needed 3 coats of Varathane exterior Spar Urethane gloss first over the yellow (should have done this first before priming with white). Then I could mask the area and get sharp edges without peeling any paint. The entire jet is coated with 4 coats of the Spar Urethane gloss, which really helps preserve the paint, gives it a hard shell and kind of glistens in the sun. You may see it better in the following photo on the nose, but in the sun it really stands out. The gloss also shows any imperfections, so if you like, you can use semi-gloss, satin or matte, but I like gloss. Hand spread it on with a foam brush, light coats each time, drying 2 hours between coats (keep it away from servos, linkage, hinges or anything where 2 coated surfaces come together - mask those areas).


Hi Wildman,

Have you ever weighed a plane before and after your coating process? It would be interesting to see how much of a weight gain it would be! I usually put 1 coat of Home Depot paint then 1 or 2 coats of a water based mat or a sheen. (what ever is the one "shine" below Semi Gloss) When I do the 2nd coat, I start to stew about adding weight.

I enjoyed reading your process and your photos look pretty cool!

I had to post since I get jittery when I do more than 2 coats, so I said WOW to myself while reading your process. Ha! Even with my 3 coats I've noticed that it gives the foam an extra toughness and I don't get as many dents.

Regards,

SJ

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hi Wildman,

Have you ever weighed a plane before and after your coating process? It would be interesting to see how much of a weight gain it would be! I usually put 1 coat of Home Depot paint then 1 or 2 coats of a water based mat or a sheen. (what ever is the one "shine" below Semi Gloss) When I do the 2nd coat, I start to stew about adding weight.

I enjoyed reading your process and your photos look pretty cool!

I had to post since I get jittery when I do more than 2 coats, so I said WOW to myself while reading your process. Ha! Even with my 3 coats I've noticed that it gives the foam an extra toughness and I don't get as many dents.

Regards,

SJ




[/QUOTE]


No, I've never actually weighed them before and after, but it does add weight (usually the enemy). I also use a heavy battery in ever jet, the Admiral 6000mah 50C Pro, so I'm a "fat" flyer. The Avanti and my Camo F-4 didn't notice much of a difference in flying. The Stinger 90 and F-4 Blue Angel, which both had a complete re-paint plus the Spar Urethane, I could tell a slight difference in flying before and after. My F-16 is the only plane I have that I did not coat with Urethane, only because it was known to be a "heavy flyer" from the beginning, and even after installing the upgraded 4068-1835kv Inrunner, I did not want to make it any heavier. I did coat my new SU-30, but that seems to have enough guts to take the exact weight.

My 1600 mm Corsair, 1600mm Spitfire and 1700mm P-51 didn't notice much difference at all either.

It certainly does add some extra toughness though.

[AFTERBURNER]

Quote: "a complete re-paint plus the Spar Urethane," Questions: What brand Urethane? Is it water based? Do you brush it on or spray it?

[Hugh Wiedman]

Quote: "a complete re-paint plus the Spar Urethane," Questions: What brand Urethane? Is it water based? Do you brush it on or spray it?

I use the Varathane exterior water based gloss Spar Urethane, Lowes carries it but I get it on line and they send it to me cause I'm lazy. Comes in Semi-gloss, Satin and Matte (I think) as well. I brush it on with a foam or extremely fine bristled oil brush (obviously more expensive than the foam brushes). Others use the exterior MinWax Spar Urethane (and others use similar products) found at Home Depot (our HD here does not carry the exterior though, have to order it) and all give similar results. Just make sure it is the exterior, as the interior will yellow in the sun.

[AFTERBURNER]

Thanks Hugh.

[STRlKER]

Hey folks
Just putting together my first Avanti S and I’m looking for suggestions as to where most of you are mounting the receiver? I’m thinking just ahead of the battery but I’m concerned if I need to move the battery forward in order to get proper CG, there might not be enough room if the receiver is in front of it.
Any input welcome 🤔
Thanks

[Hugh Wiedman]

Hey folks
Just putting together my first Avanti S and I’m looking for suggestions as to where most of you are mounting the receiver? I’m thinking just ahead of the battery but I’m concerned if I need to move the battery forward in order to get proper CG, there might not be enough room if the receiver is in front of it.
Any input welcome 🤔
Thanks

May depend on the battery you plan on using. I'm using the Admiral 6000mah 50C Pro battery which is a little heavy at 825g. Therefor, I have the battery all the way back in the battery compartment. If you plan on using a 5000mah, it will be about the same, slightly more forward. Have the CG by the book (sorry, can't remember what that is though) and if flies outstanding. I put my AR636 AS3X receiver in the front, on it's side. I also put an RC Geek afterburner in and the controller and 450mah battery for that is just behind the receiver. The AB added a little extra tail weight and I'm still flying with the battery as aft as possible. The picture shows the battery actually farther forward than I usually fly it, as we had a 20mph headwind today and I wanted it a little nose heavy. Usually, it's actually slid under the foam sticking out (which I had to cut out so I could move it farther back).

Best way is before mounting the receiver down for good, install the battery you plan on using, put gear down and then balance it. Even so, I would almost bet the farm that you end up with the receiver as far forward as you can fit it. Good luck, you got yourself THE BEST flying EDF out there.

[STRlKER]

Sounds like a plan. Thank you for the info Hugh

[rpellicciotti]

Like Hugh said, you will end up with the battery all the way back more than likely. I have my receiver mounted just like Hugh's as well. I put my receiver battery in the small space behind the flight battery and it flies great. The extension running to the nose of the airplane is for convenience. That's where the programming cable plugs in. I am also running a temperature probe on the flight battery. You will love this plane.

[STRlKER]

Awesome thanks.
From all I’m hearing can’t wait to get her in the air. Just need to finish her up get rid of snow on field and get it dried out. Hopefully within the next month 😃

[mr.frankenjet]

here is what I did with the receiver

[Mach9]

mr.frankenjet That is how I mount my Castle Berg 7P receivers with velcro.

[STRlKER]

So I’m getting closer to balancing time. Do I do this upright or inverted, and gear up or down?

[mr.frankenjet]

mr.frankenjet That is how I mount my Castle Berg 7P receivers with velcro.

the bergs are great receivers, still have some on 72, I run a cc10 BEC on all my larger 6cell planes to keep the power flowing to everything. I use foam-tac to mount most stuff on epu, removable if needed but holds snug.

[Hugh Wiedman]

So I’m getting closer to balancing time. Do I do this upright or inverted, and gear up or down?

Different theories on this, but I always balance it inverted with the gear down. I want my planes balanced correctly during take-off and landing, when it is traveling at slower speeds, so I always balance it with the gear down. Some do it with gear up. However, while flying, it is under greater speed with more power and I feel the balance isn't as critical during those times. A good example is my F-16. If it is too tail heavy during landing, it will go into high alpha (without using any elevator) at slow speeds just prior to wing stall and make it almost impossible to land. But during flight under power, even tail heavy or nose heavy, it flies fine. Just my thoughts.

[Hugh Wiedman]

With everything shut down, have some time to complete some minor repairs on a lot of planes. The nose gear doors on the Avanti have been an issue for some time, caving in to the point of ridiculousness. (forgot to take a photo first, but you get it) Doubt everyone has this problem, but I know a few do from some earlier posts. I gather that this is caused by continuous pressure applied by the spring holding them closed. I was going to replace the doors with new, straight ones, but thought that in a few months it would be same problem, so I reinforced the old "bent" ones with 4mm carbon fiber tubes, first affixed with small zip ties, then epoxied it and painted. Others have just epoxied them on, but I felt that eventually the epoxy would pull loose from the painted doors. Besides, who looks underneath the jet anyway. At least, for the moment, they are reasonably straight.

[Vintage Racer]

Hello, Anyone ever see an Avanti that has an un-commanded roll issue after initiating a right turn? Mine is new, and after right turn is initiated, then stopped, it will continue a descending right turn into terrain unless corrected, with the stick centered. It flys normally to the left. Flies great otherwise. All surfaces are neutral, flaps and gear up. With the gyro on it goes crazy trying to correct for level flight.

Thanks

VR

[T-CAT]

Hello, Anyone ever see an Avanti that has an un-commanded roll issue after initiating a right turn? Mine is new, and after right turn is initiated, then stopped, it will continue a descending right turn into terrain unless corrected, with the stick centered. It flys normally to the left. Flies great otherwise. All surfaces are neutral, flaps and gear up. With the gyro on it goes crazy trying to correct for level flight.

Thanks

VR

Does it do this without the gyro activated?

Is the gyro properly calibrated for center stick position after the plane has been properly trimmed for straight and level flight?

Have you tried simulating this on the ground to see if an aileron servos sticks and holds in one position for too long after the sticks are center? For example, maybe a right aileron servo remains deflected upwards even after centering the TX gimbal stick. Maybe one servo simply isn't centering properly.

Any other servos acting unusual? Take a look at the centering of the elevator servos as well, and ensure the right servos doesn't hold/stick in an upward deflected motion, while the left elevator servo remains centered after moving the gimbal stick to center position.

[Vintage Racer]

First, just to help clarify, most of the flights have been flown by a far better RC Pilot than myself. I flew it once today, and it was obvious. A complete pain to fly. All servos seem to work perfectly on the ground. Gyro on, or off. It is a complete mystery to me. I have been working on real airplanes for over 35 years, I paid particular attention to elevator servo positions, all servo centering, and reactions with the gyro system active, and deactivated. It will fly straight and level with the gyro on, but the aileron servos are going crazy, with the gains turned almost off.

It will fly straight and level, gyro off, then just a movement of right aileron will begin this un-commanded descending turn. I always here how great the airplane is, so this is very surprising to me. Maybe the wing has some molding issue, the turn is very subtle, but equally annoying.

VR

[Mach9]

Just throwing ideas out: Remove gyro completely? Transmitter? Lateral balance? Thrust angle? Something twisting? Hinge line tearing? Did you do the ground tests with the motor running at different speeds? Lets not forget the dreaded flap issue.