New Freewing Me 262 in box has 12 blade fans

[Oxotnik]

As I indicated on my initial response..............no suggestions for the mechanical side of your questions because I don't have the FW Schwalbe, got the Dynam version without the optional flaps

Ah, I didn't pick that up, when I read your original response. Sorry. Thanks for your thoughts on the dual ESCs. A few months ago, I'd picked up a 5v battery backup (I think it has a 2S-450mah batt). When the RX bus voltage drops below below 5v, it supplies power to bring the bus voltage back up to 5v. I'd bought it with the intention of using it on this 262, but if the Freewing 262's RX bus runs at 5v (which I think it does), then the battery backup would be running pretty much fulltime, which isn't the intended application. I need to plug my servo wattmeter back into the circuit, to see what voltage the BEC is putting into the RX.

[Evoman]

Ah, I didn't pick that up, when I read your original response. Sorry. Thanks for your thoughts on the dual ESCs. A few months ago, I'd picked up a 5v battery backup (I think it has a 2S-450mah batt). When the RX bus voltage drops below below 5v, it supplies power to bring the bus voltage back up to 5v. I'd bought it with the intention of using it on this 262, but if the Freewing 262's RX bus runs at 5v (which I think it does), then the battery backup would be running pretty much fulltime, which isn't the intended application. I need to plug my servo wattmeter back into the circuit, to see what voltage the BEC is putting into the RX.

I think a voltage protector is a much simpler solution if you are just looking to keep a constant voltage level. It is basically a capacitor that plugs in to the receiver.
I have one installed on my T-28 and it might had actually helped keep control of the plane when the ECS recently failed.

[Westsider]

Hey, fellow Schwalbers,
A few months ago, I'd posted that I'd scored a great deal on a used (but in great shape) 12-blade Schwalbe, but that I wasn't ready to fly it until I had gained some single-engine military EDF experience. With a dozen or so successful flights of the Freewing 80mm F-86 under my belt, I have finally gained the confidence to fly my 262. I've strengthened the nose with CF, but no other mods yet.

I have a couple observations/questions...
1. The tip cord is really thin and I'm guessing that it'll be more susceptible to tip stalls (low and high speed) than most warbirds. I don't see any washout. I've added a few degrees of UP to each aileron, to cheat in a little washout. Is there any reason that this is a bad idea?

2. The outboard flaps move about twice as much as the inboard flaps. Is this normal?

3. What's the prevailing opinion about powering the RX bus?
- leave both ESC Power leads connected?
- disconnect one ESC power lead?
- disconnect both ESC Power leads and plumb in a separate UBEC?
I'm leaning toward the 3rd option (independent BEC), but haven't done it yet.

Anything thing else that I need to know about or should consider?

I'm really looking forward to flying this beautiful warbird!

Hey Oxotnik, I would only add to check out Rich's video if you haven't already. He talks about "3", and also does a vertical stabilizer/ elevator mod that was helpful.

[Oxotnik]

Evo, thanks for the pointer to the capacitor backup.I checked the HK website and this model is out of stock. I love the idea. So, I'll just DIY one... get a some 3300uF 16v capacitors off Amazon or eBay and solder servo connectors to them. For my 262, I'm going to plug in the Scorpion Battery Guard that I'd picked up a few weeks ago (to use on my F-86, but never actually installed it). It's a much more costly solution, compared to the capacitor, but obviously will provide bus voltage for much longer. the Scorpion Battery Guard provides 5v output (when the RX bus voltage drops to 5v or lower) and has a 500 mah. I plugged a servo meter (on voltage setting) into my RX. My 262 RX was running at 5.6v nominal and with max draw all servos (including retracts and flaps) dropped to around 5.3v. With the battery backup installed, everything worked fine. I then disconnected the main battery and still had full control of my servos. I'm probably sweating over nothing (which is nothing new for me... LOL), but I watched my buddy auger in his Freewing 262, when he turned onto base and browned out. There is a lot of current draw when all those servos and retracts are moving while setting up to land. Here's a demo of the Scorpion Battery Backup: https://youtu.be/vzy1aPTDeEY

Westsider, I couldn't find Rich's video that you referenced. Could you give me pointer? I'd really like to see it.

[Pete Lane]

He may want to do a gear pass and leave them down so that on final it won't happen. Taxing the BEC is never good.

Pete

[Westsider]

Ox, I thought it was on the MRC product video page (3 of 3). My bad. It is actually a Banana Hobby RC Informer build guide video, done by Rich. I can't paste the link from this device:Angry: , but if you google "Banana Hobby / Freewing Me262 build video", it is the one that is more than an hour long.

[Oxotnik]

Actually, he probably had his gear down before turning onto base. He was running a stabilizer, which had all of the servos moving I'm sure. Anyway, he turned onto base, and browned out. When the RX came back online, he was too low and slow, and almost in the trees. He couldn't pull out, and we all cringed as his beautiful Schwalbe became a bunch of foam and spare parts.

I'm going to run the Scorpion Battery Backup on my Schwalbe for it's maiden (and probably subsequent flights), but I've really warmed up to Evoman's capacitor solution. I've never thought about doing that before, but it seems a near perfect solution for filtering out short-duration voltage dropouts. I've ordered a dozen 16v 3300uF capacitors and will start putting these voltage protectors on all of my planes. It's such a cheap and easy way to put a voltage filter into the RX power bus..

[Oxotnik]

I maidened my Schwalbe today. I installed the Scorpion Battery Backup Guard, as a safeguard against a brownout. On the advice from a friend who also flies a Freewing 262, I removed the main-gear doors. During the takeoff run, one of the nose-gear doors pulled off, but the maiden flight was, otherwise, uneventual. I kept the flight short, in case I botched a landing approach or two, but the 262 settled right in for an easy landing.

Here's a composite video from today. The Schwalbe maiden is the second flight in the video. The segment is nothing special, but if anyone wants to see it...

https://youtu.be/ZwHp6F7uULw

I plan to fly the 262 again on Sunday.