Freewing 90mm F-16 - Thoughts anyone?

[gooniac33]

I was talking about when you go to a 1700kv+ 12 blade setup... It's impossible to get any more than super short or anemic and boring flights when upgrading to even a decent power system.

This plane just isn't a performer, plain and simple. It's a flying brick just like the big Yak.

Believe me, I've owned at least one of every FW EDF they've made and I wish it weren't the case, but it is.

The benefit to the higher KV set ups in this bird are that you can move lots of air at half throttle and use less amps. Take off and get up to altitude and then cut throttle to half. When you do this it does allow for 3+ min flights. You just can't be a full throttle jockey. I used the 3674 1700kv set up in my F-15 and it worked great! Just a little high amp draw at full. In the F-16 it works even better! I am actually going to try it out in my F-104 or T-45. Throttle management is the key to it all but yes you can do it. I have done it with every flight that I had with that combo. I too have flown almost all of the models that Freewing makes.... Take a look at the channel in my signature and you will see what I mean...

[Alpha10]

The benefit to the higher KV set ups in this bird are that you can move lots of air at half throttle and use less amps. Take off and get up to altitude and then cut throttle to half. When you do this it does allow for 3+ min flights. You just can't be a full throttle jockey. I used the 3674 1700kv set up in my F-15 and it worked great! Just a little high amp draw at full. In the F-16 it works even better! I am actually going to try it out in my F-104 or T-45. Throttle management is the key to it all but yes you can do it. I have done it with every flight that I had with that combo. I too have flown almost all of the models that Freewing makes.... Take a look at the channel in my signature and you will see what I mean...

Definitely the difference between scale flying and the aggressive flying that makes this hobby fun (To me)

Even modded, it just wanted to fall out of the sky in the turns at half throttle...

On a hot 8s JF90 setup I maybe got 3-4 downwind passes out of it while conserving throttle everywhere else and was at 2:10 min flights.

I'm glad you're enjoying this one, but for me it was a just a show piece and not a good flier.

It's a shame because it's a GORGEOUS plane.

[AZFlyer]

Quick question to goniac33: That video of the T-bird F-16 you posted on a few posts....is that modified or stock? Thanks

[gooniac33]

Definitely the difference between scale flying and the aggressive flying that makes this hobby fun (To me)

Even modded, it just wanted to fall out of the sky in the turns at half throttle...

On a hot 8s JF90 setup I maybe got 3-4 downwind passes out of it while conserving throttle everywhere else and was at 2:10 min flights.

I'm glad you're enjoying this one, but for me it was a just a show piece and not a good flier.

It's a shame because it's a GORGEOUS plane.

If when you go into a turn and the plane falls out of the sky, that means that you are flying way too nose heavy. Most of the recommendations for CG on the Freewing birds are off. The F-15, F-5 and F-16 fly better when you adjust the CG to a different point. The planes should hold altitude pretty easily in a turn even when modified. My F-15s CG is as far back as possible and it now flies as it should. I will get my friends fave CG point for his plane.

[gooniac33]

Quick question to goniac33: That video of the T-bird F-16 you posted on a few posts....is that modified or stock? Thanks

That one is stock. My buddy and I will be flying today and I will get a video of his Stock Thunderbird F-16 with his fan that was balanced by me. It is an impressive bird when you fly it right...

[Alpha10]

If when you go into a turn and the plane falls out of the sky, that means that you are flying way too nose heavy. Most of the recommendations for CG on the Freewing birds are off. The F-15, F-5 and F-16 fly better when you adjust the CG to a different point. The planes should hold altitude pretty easily in a turn even when modified. My F-15s CG is as far back as possible and it now flies as it should. I will get my friends fave CG point for his plane.

It wasn't that... I was much further back than the stock CG (125-127mm IIRC) and it rotated BEAUTIFULLY.

It tracked great hands off even inverted. It was just too damn heavy. : /

[DCORSAIR]

Hey, I will be the first to say it is a brick but well worth it, you just have to fly it like a brick is all.:p I had three, finally sold my first one but kept the other two. I love flying the F-16, after you get past 20 flights or more you start to understand how to fly it and enjoy it for 3 minutes or more, yes there is lighter and better EDF jets out there but if you love the F-16 like I do then it's a must have.

[seaviper]

I agree with Gooniac. The old school .91 nitro DF models I flew were great flyers. You just had to keep your speed up and manage your energy.
The full sclae F-16 flies the same. It needs speed since the majority of lift at cruise anyway comes not from the wing but from the body. It's a lifting body design. This is why they have such great stall characteristics,
BTW,,,the full scale birds push for like 310kts ASAP after takeoff. They can fly slower, but they are bricks when they get slow.

I personally would be flying an F-16 now but we have a rather unforgiving field which would probably not be very nice to the Viper. Plus I think I have spent my airplane allowance for the year already.

[Alpha10]

Hey, I will be the first to say it is a brick but well worth it, you just have to fly it like a brick is all.:p I had three, finally sold my first one but kept the other two. I love flying the F-16, after you get past 20 flights or more you start to understand how to fly it and enjoy it for 3 minutes or more, yes there is lighter and better EDF jets out there but if you love the F-16 like I do then it's a must have.

I can agree with that... I suppose I've just been spoiled by all the other great Freewing models that are far more nimble and light on their feet like the Venom and the 80mm class jets. :)

[gooniac33]

I agree with Gooniac. The old school .91 nitro DF models I flew were great flyers. You just had to keep your speed up and manage your energy.
The full sclae F-16 flies the same. It needs speed since the majority of lift at cruise anyway comes not from the wing but from the body. It's a lifting body design. This is why they have such great stall characteristics,
BTW,,,the full scale birds push for like 310kts ASAP after takeoff. They can fly slower, but they are bricks when they get slow.

I personally would be flying an F-16 now but we have a rather unforgiving field which would probably not be very nice to the Viper. Plus I think I have spent my airplane allowance for the year already.

It is all in the way that you fly it. You do need to manage the energy with the slightly higher wingloading planes. The F-16 is a good example of that. As is the F-104 which many have called under powered when it really is not. here take a look from yesterdays flight...fan was balanced by me and is my best balance job to date...also not that this is the older 1450kv outrunner set up. it is even better with the newer 1550kv outrunner.

[seaviper]

Outstanding!

[AZFlyer]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

Which paint job do you recommend, the standard gray or the Thunderbird?

Thanks!

[gooniac33]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

Which paint job do you recommend, the standard gray or the Thunderbird?

Thanks!

I almost got the thunderbird... but they both look really good! You can't lose with either scheme

[DCORSAIR]

Like gooniac33 said, you can't go wrong with either one but I will say this, the white turns yellowish over time, and some say its easier to see, I like the gray and with the missiles and all that loaded on it, I think it's easier to see than the TBird. Get the gray, you will love flying it with the missles, yeah, it's no barn burner loaded up but it sure looks good.

[AZFlyer]

Thanks. I'd like to stay with the gray and keep it scale looking as much as possible. That's the combat scheme, so I think that's the choice.

Now, if someone would just make a 90mm or 80mm F-35 and a 90mm F-22, that would be amazing!

Thanks!

[Alpha10]

Thanks. I'd like to stay with the gray and keep it scale looking as much as possible. That's the combat scheme, so I think that's the choice.

Now, if someone would just make a 90mm or 80mm F-35 and a 90mm F-22, that would be amazing!

Thanks!

We can only hope, but I think we'll see a 90mm F-22 pretty soon! :)

[DCORSAIR]

Guys, just tried a new battery for the first time in my FW 90mm F-16, I was using Pulse 5000 45c lipos before and still do, but right around Christmas time when my wonderful wife asked me what I wanted, I told her to get me one Gensace/Tattu 5000 60c. Today I put it in my TBird F-16 and all I can say is, Wow. It flew way faster with authority, think I will order a couple more. I got easy 3 minutes of some full throttle fun and then some slow flight high alpha flybys. I landed with the cells at 3.79 and just slightly warm, so I may have found a better battery for the F-16, Eurofighter, T-45, these three 90mm jets were hard on my Pulse 5000 45c lipos if you pushed them too much, but I love my Pulse batteries, they have held up very well. You want another crazy thing, the Gensace/Tattu 60c 5000 is smaller and lighter than the Pulse 45c 5000, so I knew this and slid the battery forward about 5mm and it flew perfect, I just love flying the F-16...............;).

[gooniac33]

Guys, just tried a new battery for the first time in my FW 90mm F-16, I was using Pulse 5000 45c lipos before and still do, but right around Christmas time when my wonderful wife asked me what I wanted, I told her to get me one Gensace/Tattu 5000 60c. Today I put it in my TBird F-16 and all I can say is, Wow. It flew way faster with authority, think I will order a couple more. I got easy 3 minutes of some full throttle fun and then some slow flight high alpha flybys. I landed with the cells at 3.79 and just slightly warm, so I may have found a better battery for the F-16, Eurofighter, T-45, these three 90mm jets were hard on my Pulse 5000 45c lipos if you pushed them too much, but I love my Pulse batteries, they have held up very well. You want another crazy thing, the Gensace/Tattu 60c 5000 is smaller and lighter than the Pulse 45c 5000, so I knew this and slid the battery forward about 5mm and it flew perfect, I just love flying the F-16...............;).

Gens Ace packs must be flown to be appreciated!! I have had several and just got some new ones too. And to top it off they are really light too! Most of the 25c packs are actually stronger than many 40c on the market. I am totally sold on Gens Ace and get them whenever I have an excuse to...LOL

[xviper]

I've thought about getting some Gens Ace 5000mah, 6s for my F-16 for the coming season. However, some of my flying buddies say that all of their Gens Ace batteries went like gangbusters the first year, then after that, they all dropped off performance to the point they threw them away. Mind you, those guys were using the smaller 2200mah, 3s ones. I'm also considering getting the latest generation of Revolextrics Graphene batteries or the Turnigy Graphene. I've been using the Turnigy ones for a year now and they've been pretty good. The Gens Ace are the least expensive for the time being.

[DCORSAIR]

Let me tell you this, I wasn't sold on them at first, I have two brand new Gensace/Tattu 60c 5000 packs and when they arrived the cells were not even close to the same, but after a few cycles they are slowly coming around and are showing good numbers, now my Gensace/Tattu 45C 5000 arrived with perfect balanced cells. We will see over time if they hold up, also think this is going to be a great battery for the F-5..........;)